Summary
- Max has a large streaming library, including an impressive anime collection with recognizable titles like Studio Ghibli films.
- Despite not having many original titles, Max maintains one of the best collections of anime available.
- Max stands out as one of the best streaming sites for anime, with standout offerings like "Housing Complex C," "The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl," and Studio Ghibli classics like "Castle in the Sky" and "Howl's Moving Castle."
Max has one of the largest streaming libraries on the web, and their choice of anime is no exception. While Crunchyroll and HiDive still maintain the highest quantity among anime streaming services, other providers, like Hulu and Netflix, have shown that they are a perfect place for fans to watch, as well. Moreover, while Max may not have many original titles, they still maintain one of the best collections available.
What puts Max ahead of most of its competitors is the amount of recognizable titles. Max is famously known for housing Studio Ghibli films for US viewers, and they also have some of the biggest films from Japan.
Its anime selection may not be massive, but the quality of the content, exclusive or otherwise, isn't to be overlooked. Max has quickly made itself known as one of the best streaming sites for anime, and there are some anime, in particular, that stand out as its best offerings.
10 Housing Complex C Is A Terrifying Standalone Series
Studio Akatsuki Anime Directed By Yuji Nara
Housing Complex C was Adult Swim's big Halloween release in 2022. The series follows the mysterious happenings that occur after a new family moves into their new apartment complex, and sure enough, each new occurrence is more mysterious and haunting than the last. Housing Complex C is an engaging mystery that blends well with cosmic horror and sharp tension, and with a notably short length of only four episodes, it's quick enough to binge through in a single sitting and enjoy as quickly as possible.
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9 The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl Is A Surreal Masterpiece
Science Saru Film Directed By Masaaki Yuasa
The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl is a charming romantic comedy from director Masaaki Yuasa and is a surreal glimpse into Japanese nightlife. The film follows a young girl who travels the streets, drinking along the way. The entire time, she's followed by a potential suitor who has the intention of confessing his feelings for her before the night ends. The story is a series of abstract events as the girl and boy meander around town, much like how a night out would typically go for most people. It's an experience that needs to be seen to be believed.
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8 Castle In The Sky Started Studio Ghibli Off On A Great Note
Studio Ghibli Film Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
The first of many Studio Ghibli films, Castle in the Sky is a film that deserves far more attention. The film follows a young boy who happens upon a girl floating down from the sky. When he discovers that she's a descendant of Laputa, the two go on the adventure of a lifetime as they race against a mysterious man to reach the castle in the sky. The whole film is non-stop fun from beginning to end. Castle in the Sky's sheer sense of adventure rivals that of Indiana Jones and it's easily one of Hayao Miyazaki's best films.
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7 Howl's Moving Castle Is One Of Studio Ghibli's Most Striking Films To Date
Studio Ghibli Film Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
Another modern masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle, follows a woman named Sophie cursed with the body of an elderly woman. When she happens across a wizard named Howl, she takes a homemaking job in his eccentric castle and soon finds herself intertwined in a much grander resistance plot and romance with Howl, himself. The movie's fantasy world is a gorgeous mix of traditional and modern as machine and magic interconnect, and with its heavy focus on the horrors and realities of war, Howl's Moving Castle is a film that does a great job of embodying Hayao Miyazaki's ideologies.
6 Weathering With You Is Easily Makoto Shinkai's Best Work
CoMix Wave Films Movie Directed By Makoto Shinkai
Following Makoto Shinkai's landmark film Your Name, his follow-up was bound to draw a lot of intrigue due to how well-made the latter was, and Weathering with You didn't disappoint. Weathering With You is a film that follows a girl named Hina who has the power to control the weather, and these newfound abilities lead to a popular rise in requests from people to change the weather to better their social gatherings. It's difficult to describe it without spoiling everything, but Weathering with You's amazing writing, visuals, and score make it easily stand out as Makoto Shinkai's best work yet.
5 Belle Is A Marvel Of Music & Animation
Studio Chizu Film Directed By Mamoru Hosoda
Mamoru Hosoda is one of the most notable names in anime of the past decade, and his most recent film, Belle, is a great showing of why that is. Much like Hosoda's previous works, Belle uses fantastical imagery to tell a story of human drama and overcoming tragedy, and in this case, the writing is some of the best to feature in any Hosoda project, to date. Add in amazing visuals and animation, both in 2D and 3D, and a soundtrack that perfectly fits Belle's musical theme, and Belle is easily one of the best anime films of recent years.
4 When Marnie Was There Is One Of Studio Ghibli's Modern Classics
Studio Ghibli Film Directed By Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Another great Studio Ghibli film to watch on Max is Hiromasa Yonebayashi's When Marnie Was There. Based on the novel of the same name, When Marnie Was There boasts not only incredible visuals, but poignant and emotional character writing that gives its lead one of the best character arcs of any Studio Ghibli protagonist to date. The emotional beats of When Marnie Was There make it one of Studio Ghibli's best films of the past decade, and its inclusion on Max is more than welcome.
3 Princess Mononoke More Than Deserves Its Incredible Legacy
Studio Ghibli Film Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke is regarded as one of his most mature stories, and for good reason. This tale of ecological rebellion follows a young man trying to break a curse who discovers a mysterious woman named San, the titular "Princess Mononoke", and their encounter is quickly made part of a bigger conflict set to swallow up the entire environment around them. Princess Mononoke is possibly Hayao Miyazaki's least subtle film about his thoughts about war and the environment, and that lack of subtlety results in a powerful narrative that's great to behold almost 30 years following its original release.
2 Spirited Away More Than Earned Its Academy Award
Studio Ghibli Film Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
Spirited Away is the only anime film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and it's easy to see why that is. Not only is Spirited Away's art and animation still some of the most vibrant and all-around excellent of any Studio Ghibli film, but the writing, as simple as it is, does a great job of giving Chihiro a strong character arc with growth that's incredibly satisfying to see play out. It's a film that has more than withstood the test of time, and its inclusion on Max is one of the most welcome of any anime.
1 Kiki's Delivery Service Is Still One Of Studio Ghibli's Most Iconic Films To Date
Studio Ghibli Film Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
The last great anime to watch on Max is Hayao Miyazaki's 1989 classic, Kiki's Delivery Service. While it might be light on story compared to other Studio Ghibli films both before and after its release, Kiki's Delivery Service's exploration into burnout gives it a level of maturity that stands out from other Studio Ghibli films, and that specific area of focus is just as relevant today as it was 35 years ago. Add in the always amazing music and visuals of Studio Ghibli, and it's hard to see Kiki's Delivery Service as anything other than the best anime on Max.
