2020 was not the best year for movies, with theaters closing down and generally posing health risks even when opened. Fortunately, things are looking to return to normal in 2021, and there should be a ton of anime films ready for your enjoyment. Fans of animation have a ton of original films and updates to classic anime to look forward to in the months in the new year. 2021's anime movie line-up promises some high-flying adventures, tons of magical girls, Olympic-level feats of sports and a grand finale decades in the making.
Earwig and the Witch
Earwig and the Witch is a bit of a cheat since it premieres on Japanese TV on December 30th. However, the English release will be one of the first anime releases of 2021. Earwig and the Witch is the newest film from Studio Ghibli, arriving six years after their last feature, When Marnie Was There. Goro Miyazaki's all-CG animated film looks like an enchanting magical story that pushes Ghibli into a new style of animation unlike anything it's made before.
The CG animation looks incredible, managing to capture the enchanting magic of Ghibli's 2D films. If this is the future for Studio Ghibli, the future seems bright. However, there is still the possibility this might be the second-to-last film for the studio. Ghibli's only other film in production currently is How Do You Live?, which looks to be Hayao Miyazaki's final film.
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is the final entry in the Evangelion saga. Originally slated for release back in June 2020, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 looks set to complete the Rebuild's alternate universe -- or perhaps sequel -- to the original classic series. The film was heavily delayed due to Hideaki Anno's duties directing Shin Godzilla and COVID-19, but at long last, fans will have a conclusion for this sprawling saga.
With Neon Genesis Evangelion being one of the biggest anime titles of all time, this film's release will be an event. It will, as Evangelion always does, cause a great deal of controversy. However, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 will also offer catharsis for fans waiting since 2007 to see how Rebuild of Evangelion would wrap up. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is set to release this January in Japan.
Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie
Sailor Moon is one of the most beloved anime franchises of all time. When Sailor Moon Crystal ended after adapting the third arc of the manga, fans waited for the series to return and adapt the final two arcs. Sailor Moon Eternal is a two-part cinematic event, set to adapt the fourth arc of the Sailor Moon manga stunningly animated.
What makes this announced project particularly exciting is how the fourth arc of the original anime series, Sailor Moon SuperS, was poorly received by fans at the time for deviating so drastically from the original manga by Naoki Takeuchi. Also adding to the hype is the presence of Kazuko Tadano, the character designer of Sailor Moon R: The Movie, who has returned to redesign the Sailor Guardians. Sailor Moon Eternal: Part 1 is set for release in January 2021, while Sailor Moon: Eternal: Part 2 is set for release in February 2021. No American release date has been announced.
BELLE
Very little is known about BELLE as of yet, with only concept art and a detail of its world being released. BELLE takes place in U, an online universe where over five billion people gather to socialize and communicate. While the concept art released looks incredible, what makes this film truly interesting is the talent behind it: Mamoru Hosoda.
Hosoda is an incredibly prolific director in the field of Japanese anime. Originally slated to direct Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle after directing two Digimon short films, Hosoda went on to direct such classics as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Wolf Children and the Academy-Award nominated Mirai. BELLE returns to his favorite themes of internet sci-fi, as demonstrated in Digimon and Summer Wars, and is set for a Japanese release in Summer 2021.
My Hero Academia: Third Movie
2021 looks like a great year for My Hero Academia fans. Alongside the announcement of a fifth season, My Hero Academia's third film will be released in 2021. While information is scarce about the film as of yet, the film was announced alongside a teaser image stating "He will meet the Three Musketeers," with the words emblazoned over a picture of Bakugo, Midoriya and Todoroki.
The film looks to be handled by the same staff behind the prior two films and series, with manga creator Kohei Horikoshi supervising once again. If you are a fan of the prior My Hero Academia movies, then this will be a must-watch. My Hero Academia's third film comes out in Japan in Summer 2021.
Inu-Oh
Inu-Oh tells the story of a unique boy covered head-to-toe with garments and his friendship with a blind biwa player. From there, the two set out on a business venture together, ultimately learning about one another and achieving something beautiful between their two difficult circumstances.
Inu-Oh is the latest film from Masaaki Yuasa, the director behind Devilman Crybaby, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken and Japan Sinks 2020., and his last film before he takes a temporary retirement. If Inu-Oh manages to capture even half of the beauty and unorthodox style of his prior anime productions, then this might be something special. Inu-Oh is set to release sometime in 2021.
Yuri!!! on Ice: The Movie: Ice Adolescence
Ever since the ending of 2016's Yuri!!! on Ice, fans have been clamoring for more. When a prequel film centered around the life of young Victor Nikiforov was announced, fans went wild. Very little has been revealed about the film, other than a teaser poster and, most recently, a teaser trailer released online. The hype increased when it was confirmed that the film's director was Sayo Yamamoto, the director behind both the original Yuri!!! on Ice as well as Michiko & Hatchin and Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine.
Ice Adolescence doesn't have an official release date yet. The film has been delayed every year, from 2019 to 2020, with production continuing in silence. However, with a teaser now being released, fans anticipate they will see the film sometime in 2021, though when remains a mystery.
