Anime Movies Like Spirited Away-Ranked!

If you have once watched Spirited Away, there is no way you won’t rewatch it again. It’s your best friend for a lifetime, and you will watch it every now and then. The heavenly experience definitely forces you to search for anime movies like Spirited Away, and it is a given. You being here is proof of that. 

The movie itself is a complete package and is full of lessons. Rest assured that the following list won’t be based on a single aspect but almost all of them. Whether you enjoy thrill, entertainment, adventure, fantasy, or mystery, I will make sure to include movies having these elements. So get started already because I can’t wait to recommend some masterpieces!

Anime Movies Like Spirited Away That Will Steal Your Heart With Their Charm

15. Castle In The Sky

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
8/10	8/10	9/10	25/30

This is one of the award-winning movies from Studio Ghibli and will definitely enthrall you if you enjoyed the adventure element in Spirited Away. We follow the life of Sheeta, a girl who holds an amulet that allows her to use magic. The amulet’s unique powers attract many evil eyes towards her, and some people capture her. 

While struggling to find a way out, she finally gets herself free from them. Soon after, she crosses paths with the story’s male lead, Pazu. He was an ambitious boy on his mission to reach the flying castle in the sky. Sheeta decides to accompany him, leading them both to a series of twists and turns. For lovers of fantasy and romance, this is a must-watch masterpiece.

14. Arrietty

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	8/10	9/10	26/30

I loved absolutely everything about Arrietty, specifically the idea of miniature humans and their daily life hustles. The movie is all about mini humans called Borrowers who live along with the humans hiding their existence. They are so small that living like other humans is not possible for them. 

So they find a place in someone’s home and survive by stealing food from them without letting them know. Arrietty is the female lead, and we follow her life throughout the story.. Things get interesting when she is caught by Shou, who comes to spend his summers in his aunt’s house. The boy was swayed by her charm and their unusual way of living. 

The other half of the story highlights the challenges the two face, leading them to learn some harsh realities of life. Arrietty will definitely leave a permanent mark on you with its intricate art and adorable characters. When it comes to aesthetics, it’s one of the best movies, such as Spirited Away.

13. Mary And The Witch’s Flower

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
8/10	8/10	10/10	26/30

If you are in search of anime movies like Spirited Away, then you must watch this gem. Clumsy is a word that best defines our adorable Mary. No matter what, she will always welcome troubles while handling the most basic tasks. Of course, watching her cope with her daily life tasks might hurt you a bit, but trust me, everything happens for a reason. 

Her monotonous life starts a new chapter when she finds magical flowers on her way to the jungle. The flowers give her temporary magical flowers that enable her to fly on a broom. The best part? The broom takes her to the nearby academy of the witches, where she bewilders everyone with her exceptional powers. 

All her life, her clumsiness never let her receive appreciation but this time, she thoroughly lived the moments in the academy. Listening to the sound of applause melted her heart, and she felt grateful for the flowers. However, when the evil witch learns that she has the magical flowers, she tries to use their power for her evil motives. For the lovers of anime movies with powers, this is no less than a visual treat.

12. Napping Princess

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
8/10	9/10	9/10	26/30

Napping Princess offers a great story full of twists, mystery, fantasy, and adventure. Kokone Morikawa is the female lead who suffers from a rare napping disease, which causes her to can’t find a difference between her imagination and reality. 

Her imagination is opposite to reality and far better than that; in the real world, there is nothing special in her life. Above all, academic pressure makes her life dull. In the dream world, she is a princess with a lot of abilities. Things become chaotic when she learns her family secret, leading her to trouble. It is a secret that if others find it, they can snatch the peace of her real and dream world. So, she must do something to maintain the peace of her life. 

11. Kiki’s Delivery Service

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
8/10	9/10	9/10	26/30

Beware: you might want to start a delivery service after watching this (XD)! Kiki is our female lead whom we follow throughout the story. Her life starts a new chapter when her witch training begins, and she must live on her own the whole year. I hope we know living alone comes with numerous challenges, and it’s extremely hard for teenagers. 

The movie showcases her struggles and her strong will to find a way out of everything. While coping with her daily life challenges, she meets many good people, and Osono is one of them. She was like a knight in shining armor for Kiki, allowing her to stay in her home. However, in return, she asked Kiki to help her in her delivery service. That’s how Kiki’s adventure took a new turn adding more fun, challenges, and adventure to her life. 

10. Children Who Chase Lost Voices

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	8/10	26/30

When it comes to anime movies with magic, powers, and fantasy, one can’t forget this masterpiece.

You know the way Chihiro’s character developed, and she became mature and responsible? Her sense of responsibility that developed is quite similar to Asuna Watase, the FL of this gem. This is also one of the reasons why this is on the list of anime movies like Spirited Away. She works her best to maintain a perfect balance between her studies and house chores. 

Her mother is often out because of her job, and our girl has to manage things on her own. Whenever she gets some time for herself, she loves to tune into the radio. One day, on her way back home, she is attacked by a giant otherworldly monster. 

However, she was lucky as Shun saved her on time. Shun belongs to the fantastical world called Agartha, and the incident led the two to become good friends. 

Let me give you a spoiler: this movie is famous as one of the best movies with plot twists. So make sure you don’t close your eyes even for a second. Anyhow, the twists begin when Asuna hears the shocking news of Shun’s death, breaking her heart into countless pieces. But guess what? This is just the beginning, as she soon finds someone who resembles Shun a lot. I am sure you won’t like it if I spoil everything for you. So go and watch it right now!

9. Mirai

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
8/10	9/10	9/10	26/30

Often, we fail to understand our parents because we can’t fathom the wisdom they hold. However, they are always right, and there is a reason behind every action they take. Mirai is one of the best anime movies with life lessons, similar to Spirited Away. So, if you are in search of anime movies like Spirited Away because it taught you lessons, then this is a must-watch. 

Four-year-old adorable Kun Oota is our male lead who often feels down and insecure about her newborn baby sister. He believes his parent’s attention has shifted towards her–a common feeling for sure! Magic happens, and he finds himself traveling time to learn about his parent’s past, present, and future. The journey through time teaches him the biggest lesson of life, making him realize his mistakes. This is a beautiful movie full of likable characters and visual treats, making it among the anime movies like Spirited Away.

8. The Cat Returns

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
8/10	9/10	9/10	26/30

Nothing was entertaining happening in Haru  Yoshioka’s life before the moment she saved a cat from an accident. It turns out that the cat was Prince Lune from the Cat Kingdom, who felt obliged to her help. As a token of thank you, the cat invites the girl to his kingdom, and she doesn’ know going for the invitation will put her in trouble. 

A series of events happens, and the prince proposes to her. Even though she tried her best, they misunderstood her answers and took them as yes. She panics to find a way out, and her strong will leads her to Baron, who advises her to find her true self and be confident. 

She will only be able to overcome the challenges when she will find answers within herself.  If she wants to return home to her usual self, she must find a way on her own. The movie is a blessing for anyone who enjoys anime movies like Spirited Away. Just like Spirited Away, this one teaches us a lot of lessons, especially about learning about one’s true self. 

7. The Boy And The Beast

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

Action, fantasy, adventure, mystery, and entertainment! What else do you wish for? Anyone looking for anime movies like Spirited Away should watch this because it’s a complete package. Nine-year-old Ren is the center of the story, who has lost everything he held close to his heart. Now, there is no one to rely on, so he runs away to live on the streets and find solace and peace.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to Kumatetsu of the Beast Kingdom, who is in search of a disciple. When the two cross paths, Kumatestu takes the boy to train him to be his pupil. There you go, and a series of visually stunning events begin, where we see Ren training hard. There is action, sword fights, and much more. Above all, the movie has a story full of mystery and plot twists, so make sure you watch it with your favorite popcorn to double the fun.

6. Ponyo

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

Did someone say anime movies with beautiful animation and story? My dear friend, trust me, this Ghibli movie is a must-watch if you enjoy anime movies like Spirited Away. Ponyo is our gorgeous goldfish who escapes from her house on an adventurous trip. 

She comes across a boy named Sousuke, who sets her free from a jar she was stuck in and takes her home. The two develop a bond quickly after spending time together. Eventually, Ponyo’s desire to be a human starts developing after seeing humans. Guess what? When Sousuke was injured, she licked his blood, and when the boy’s blood entered her body, she started growing limbs due to a magical reaction. 

Let me enlighten you about the plot twist. Ponyo’s father is a sorcerer who sacrificed his humanity for his love for the water world. He never wanted his daughter to live with humans, so he stood as one of the challenges in their way. However, when Ponyo started growing limbs, she unleashed a lot of magical powers, leading to a disturbance in the balance of the world. Now, the world is in trouble, and the duo must do everything in their power to restore the balance. Trust me, the story is extremely intriguing and will keep you glued to your screens till the last second. 

5. My Neighbour Totoro

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

Do you know why this movie is on the list of anime movies like Spirited Away? Because it also entertains us with fantastical elements, cute spirits, and entertaining adventures. Sisters Satsuki and Mei and their adventurous life is the highlight of the story. 

Things take a fantastical turn when they move to their hometown, where they meet their neighbor, Totoro. He was a big, chubby, and cute spirit who introduced the world of the supernatural to the two girls. Their bond and their friendship are the best things to look for, and they move your heart instantly.  My Neighbour Totoro was and forever will be the best animated movie.

4. In The Forest Of Fireflies Light

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

Six-year-old Hotaru is our female lead, and her life takes a stunning turn when she visits her grandpa’s house. During her vacations, while wandering the place, she finds herself lost in the jungle. However, Gin, a masked boy, helps her, making her extremely grateful for him. Whenever the girl tries to touch the boy, he shuns her away. 

Even though it seemed rude, it was not because Gin was cold-hearted. In fact, there is a twist: if Gin ever gets touched by a human, then he will disappear forever. Years pass, and the two become very good friends, sharing their happiness and sorrows. 

The challenges begin when the two develop feelings for each other, but there are just too many hurdles in their way. Though the story is different, the entertainment and fun are equivalent to Spirited Away. This is also why it’s included in this list of anime movies like Spirited Away.

3. A Whisker Away

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

Miyo Saski is our female lead, living a messy life where nothing goes according to her likes. Her chaotic relationship with her parents adds more to injury. Amidst all of this, she finds solace in looking after her crush, Kento. 

This is the only light in her dark world. Unfortunately, Kento also doesn’t reciprocate her feelings and tries to ignore her. To get closer to the love of her life, she transforms into a white cat and succeeds in earning his affection. 

With time, she realizes that even though her interaction in the form of a cat gave her a chance to be close to him, she can’t stay like that forever. However, things have become just so problematic, and she fears revealing her true identity to Kento. The elements of drama, suspense, and supernatural make it one of the best movies like Spirited Away.

2. Princess Mononoke

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	9/10	10/10	28/30

Prince Ashitka is a selfless guy who can go to the limits to maintain the peace of his village. In the attempt to protect his people from the attacks of the demon boar, he gets cursed by it. Finding a cure came off as a challenging task, forcing him to move places in search of it. The search leads him to the Iron Town, where he learns about the ongoing conflict between forest spirits and humans. 

The bone of contention was the difference in opinions. The human leader, Lady Eboshi, wanted deforestation, whereas Princess Mononoke, leader of the forest spirits, was against it.  In this chaos, our very own charming Prince decided to bring peace by finding a way to sort out their clashes. 

It’s also a Ghibli movie, so you will definitely find many similarities in art, aesthetics, and character designs. It’s a must-watch for many reasons, and anyone who is looking for anime movies like Spirited Away must give it a shot.

1. Howl’s Moving Castle

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total Score
9/10	10/10	10/10	29/30

Get ready to experience love in its truest form. Trust me, this movie has everything to offer to win our hearts. There is magic, action, mystery, fantasy, adventure, romance, and suspense. If you watch it once, you’ll yearn to watch it again and again. 

Well, that’s the beauty of Howl’s Moving Castle. Its animation, visual elements, art, characters, and genre are quite similar to Spirited Away, making it a perfect watch for the ones looking for anime movies like Spirited Away. 

Though the plot is different, many other similarities catch the eye. It’s the story of Sophie, a simple girl, and Wizard Howl, a charming guy. He is the heartbeat of every girl as he leaves no chance to baffle anyone with his charms. Sophie is very opposite to the typical girl and seeks sincerity and love. 

Their first sudden meeting with each other held something special, and one can easily feel the vibes out of screens. However, when an evil witch learns about their interaction, she feels insecure about Sophie’s beauty and curses her into an old woman. 

Sophie panics, looking at her unbelievable transformation, and escapes to find a cure. Her search leads her to Howl’s Moving Castle, where their frequent interactions spark love between the two. It’s such a heart-touching movie that you will be forced to rewatch it. Howl and Sophie’s chemistry is one of the most entertaining things in the film. 

Final Notes

There we are, finally done and dusted with our list of best anime movies like Spirited Away. I sincerely hope that you found at least a few movies that fit your tastes. All of them have a few things similar to Spirited Away, from aesthetics to plot and characters. Come back later to update me about your watching experience! 

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