GKIDS is putting 100 Meters on Blu-ray on December 1, and The Last Blossom goes back into US theaters on October 13 after its subtitle glitch. That makes two 2025 films in one news day, which raises a reasonable question: which 2020s anime films actually hold up? Here's the board: 12 films from 2020 onward, ranked by SenpaiRanks consensus score, with studio and where each one streams. It follows our 2010s film ranking.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best anime film of the 2020s so far is Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (8.50), ufotable's 2020 box-office record-breaker. It sits ahead of Violet Evergarden: The Movie (8.33) and Gintama: The Final (8.31). Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – The First Kiss Never Ends (8.21) is the best romance film of the decade, and Suzume (7.99) is the highest-ranked original film. Newer releases like Look Back (7.47), Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (7.46) and 100 Meters (7.19) are still collecting votes.
The ranked list
1. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train — 8.50
ufotable · 2020. Rengoku, a train full of sleeping passengers and a fight that ends the arc on a gut punch. It became Japan's highest-grossing film ever at the time, and it plays as the bridge between Season 1 and the Entertainment District arc. Streams on Crunchyroll.
2. Violet Evergarden: The Movie — 8.33
Kyoto Animation · 2020. The finale to Violet's story, released a year after the studio's 2019 arson attack. It's beautiful, it's sad, and it only works if you've seen the series. Streams on Netflix.
3. Gintama: The Final — 8.31
Bandai Namco Pictures · 2021. The real ending of Gintama, after years of jokes about the series never ending. It's best for people who already know the show and its characters. Check the show page for current streaming options.
4. Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – The First Kiss Never Ends — 8.21
A-1 Pictures · 2022. Four episodes' worth of story stitched into a film, covering the Christmas arc. It's the best romance film of the decade on our board. Watch it after Season 3. Streams on Crunchyroll.
5. Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul — 8.16
Kinema Citrus · 2020. Bondrewd's film is canon and essential, between Season 1 and The Golden City of the Scorching Sun. It's the darkest entry on the list. Streams on HIDIVE.
6. Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel III. Spring Song — 8.14
ufotable · 2020. The final part of the Heaven's Feel trilogy, built around one of the best-animated fights ufotable has made. Watch the first two films first. Check the show page for current streaming options.
7. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 — 8.05
MAPPA · 2021. Yuta Okkotsu's prequel story, and the film that turned JJK from a hit into a phenomenon. You can watch it before or after Season 1. Streams on Crunchyroll.
8. The First Slam Dunk — 8.03
Toei Animation / Dandelion · 2022. Takehiko Inoue directed the adaptation of his own final game, using 3D animation that moves like real basketball. It also ranks on our basketball board. Check the show page for current streaming options.
9. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time — 8.03
Studio Khara · 2021. Hideaki Anno's final ending for Evangelion, 26 years after the TV series. Watch the three earlier Rebuild films first. Streams on Prime Video.
10. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish — 8.02
Bones · 2020. A grounded romance between a diving student and a wheelchair user who wants to see the sea. It's the warmest film here. Streams on Crunchyroll.
11. Suzume — 7.99
CoMix Wave Films · 2022. Makoto Shinkai's road movie about doors, earthquakes and grief. It's the highest-ranked original film of the decade on our board. Streams on Crunchyroll.
12. Blue Giant — 7.89
NUT · 2023. A teenage saxophonist moves to Tokyo to become the best jazz player in the world. The concert scenes, scored by Hiromi Uehara, are the reason to see it. Check the show page for current streaming options.
The 2025 films still climbing
The newest films haven't had time to build vote volume, so they sit below the list for now:
- Look Back — 7.47. Kiyotaka Oshiyama's adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's one-shot.
- Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc — 7.46.
- Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Part 1 — 7.41.
- 100 Meters (Hyakuemu.) — 7.19. Kenji Iwaisawa's rotoscoped track film from Orb author Uoto. It streams on Netflix, and the GKIDS Blu-ray arrives December 1 with an Iwaisawa interview and a rotoscoping workshop.
- The Boy and the Heron — 7.10.
- The Last Blossom (Housenka) — 6.89. GKIDS rescreens it on October 13, the same day it releases digitally.
100 Meters — Rock 'n' Roll Mountain
Where to start
If you only see one, make it Mugen Train; it works even if you haven't watched Demon Slayer. If you want an original story, watch Suzume or Josee, the Tiger and the Fish. If you're finishing a franchise, the Gintama, Evangelion and Heaven's Feel finales all earn their scores. Our Studio Ghibli ranking and 2026 movie board have more.
Think Suzume should beat Mugen Train? Rate it on the show page and the board moves.
More SenpaiRanks rankings and guides
- Best Anime Movies of the 2010s, Ranked: Where to Watch All 12
- Chiikawa Is 2026's Biggest Movie in Japan — the Year's Anime Box Office, Ranked
- Cosmoship Yamato √2199: Hideaki Anno's Film, Release Date & Where to Watch
- Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Movie Announced: What We Know
- Sound! Euphonium Watch Order & Where to Watch (2026)
- Space Battleship Yamato Watch Order as Director Toshio Masuda Dies
- Toshio Suzuki Addresses 'Ghibli-Style' AI Images for the First Time — and Miyazaki's Next Film
- Code Geass Star Chaser Aspal: 2027 Release Date & Teaser Trailer
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best anime movie of the 2020s?
A: Demon Slayer: Mugen Train ranks first on SenpaiRanks at 8.50, ahead of Violet Evergarden: The Movie (8.33) and Gintama: The Final (8.31).
Q: What is the best original anime film of the 2020s?
A: Suzume (7.99) is the highest-ranked original film from 2020 onward. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (8.02) scores higher but adapts a short story.
Q: Where can I watch 100 Meters?
A: 100 Meters streams on Netflix. GKIDS releases it on Blu-ray on December 1, 2026.
Q: Where can I watch Demon Slayer: Mugen Train?
A: Mugen Train streams on Crunchyroll.
Q: Do I need to watch the series before these films?
A: Mugen Train, Violet Evergarden, Gintama: The Final, Kaguya-sama, Made in Abyss, Heaven's Feel III and Evangelion 3.0+1.0 all continue existing stories. Suzume, Josee and Blue Giant work on their own.