Few names in the anime fandom spark as much hype and excitement as Masaaki Yuasa. The legendary director is known for his distinct, off-the-wall animation style and is a well-respected figure in avant-garde anime. Hisunique visual style is instantly recognizable, using bright colors, surreal imagery, and shifting art styles.
From humble beginnings as an animator for series likeCrayon Shin-chan, Yuasa moved on to directing after being asked to adapt the relatively obscure mangaMind Game. These anime show Yuasa at his finest, crafting mind-bending stories with his signature exaggerated animation.
Japanese Title
Nihon Chinbotsu 2020
Adapted from the 1973 disaster novelJapan Sinks,Japan Sinks: 2020is an updated version of the source material, featuring Instagram and a rich YouTuber. Set after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, it follows the Mutoh family’s attempt to escape their cityafter a massive earthquake.
The family learns to bond and stick together, even as their nation is crumbling. Released on Netflix in July 2020,Japan Sinks: 2020won the 2021 Annecy Jury Prize for a Television Series. It was also nominated for Best Score and Best Drama at the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta
Often compared to the Studio Ghibli filmPonyo,Lu Over the Wallis a simple film about a pessimistic boy named Kai who forms a band with his friends. He befriends a mermaid named Lu, who takes a liking to the band’s music. Unfortunately, the townsfolk don’t like merfolk much.
Lu Over the Wallis less about the story and more about the eye-catching visuals. The film has won several awards for its animation and even took home the Grand Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival.
Studio
Madhouse
Kemonozumeis aromantic horror seriesabout the forbidden relationship between Yuka Kamitsuki, a member of a race of flesh-eating monsters, and Toshihiko Momota, the heir of a school meant to take down the monsters.
Often called an ‘ugly’ series,Kemonozumemight be a turn-off to fans used to more conventional anime art styles. But if they go in with an open mind, they’ll find a beautiful story whose grotesque art is quite fitting.
Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara
Ride Your Wavefollows Hinako Mukaimizu, a 19-year-old surfer who, one day, finds her apartment building in flames. She is saved by Minato Hinageshi, a firefighter, and is immediately drawn to him. Thetwo eventually fall in love.
Premiering at the Annecy International Film Festival, the film received several accolades, winning four awards and being nominated for four others.
Based On
Manga
Masaaki Yuasa made his directorial debut with thisexperimental art film.Mind Gametells the story of Nishi, who, after being shot by the Yakuza, meets a god who orders him to disappear through a portal. Nishi rejects his demand and escapes back to the moment the trigger was pulled. Thus begins Nishi’s second chance at life.
Praised for its ever-shifting art style, philosophical themes, visual metaphors, and bizarre sense of humor,Mind Gamehas won several awards.
Science SARU
Inu-Ohwas Masaaki Yuasa’s final work before taking a hiatus from directing, and it did not disappoint. The film is about the friendship between Inu-Oh, a deformed Noh dancer, and Tomoichi, a blind biwa player.
As expected, the musical film is a feast for eyes and ears, witha stellar soundtrack as the cherry on top.Inu-Ohhas been critically acclaimed for its depiction of the marginalized.
Masaaki Yuasa seems to love adapting older books and manga.Devilman Crybabyis his take on Go Nagai’s classicDevilmanseries from the 70s. Though it’s set in modern Japan, the anime still follows the original story about Akira Fudo’s transformation into a ‘Devilman,’ a being with the body of a demon but the soul of a human.
As one of the best modernbody horror anime,Devilman Crybabytakes viewers on a trippy journey through philosophy and morality, with guts and nudity galore.
Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome
The Night is Short, Walk on Girlcan be viewed as a spiritual sequel toThe Tatami Galaxy.Both are set at Kyoto University and even share a few characters. The film starts with the familiar scene of a dorky upperclassman smitten with his junior, an unnamed black-haired girl.
Senpai plans to confess to his crush at a wedding after-party they are both attending, but various outside circumstances conspire to keep them apart. The film won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year in 2018, as well as Best Animated Feature Film at the 41st Ottawa International Animation Festival.
Eizouken ni wa Te o Dasu na!
There are plenty of anime and manga about the medium itself, andKeep Your Hands Off Eizouken!is a stellar example. Midori Asakura loves anime and spends her time doodling in her sketchbook. Deciding that she can’t create anime on her own, she and two friends team up to create an animation club.
The series has received acclaim from notable figures like singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, who praised its animation and theme song. The series received a whopping eight nominations and two wins at the 5th Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Original
In a world where memories are stored in chips, a man named Kaiba wakes up in a room with a hole in his chest and a pendant containing a picture of a girl, but he has no memories whatsoever. And so begins Kaiba’s journey to figure out who he and the girl in the locket are.
As a beloved niche series,Kaibahas a more Western, cartoonish animation style compared to most anime. Viewers should not let that dissuade them, though. The series has excellent visuals, an emotional story, and a great deal of cynical comedy.
