Converting a script or an idea into an animation is extremely expensive. Especially when it comes to anime movies as it involves more flamboyancy and VFX, compared to others. Anime movies are some of the most expensive animated films ever created. There are many movies, that have more budget than that of an entire series. These movies hold big budgets and the majority of it goes into editing and creation of the animation. Here is a list of some of the most expensive anime movies ever created.
1. The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) – $53.4 million
The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a 2013 Japanese animated historical fantasy film co-written and directed by Isao Takahata, based on the 10th-century Japanese literary legend The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Studio Ghibli created the film. Toho published it on November 23, 2013, in Japan. The film, which was inspired by the myth of Princess Kaguya, has become a modern classic of the anime industry and was widely praised by critics upon its initial release. It is the most costly Japanese film to date, with a budget of $53.4 million. It was critically acclaimed and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards.
2. Stand by Me Doraemon (2014) – $35 million
Stand by Me Doraemon is a 2014 Japanese 3D computer-animated science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Ryuichi Yagi and Takashi Yamazaki based on the Doraemon manga series. On August 8, 2014, it was released. The film blends multiple Doraemon stories into a single narrative, and it was a huge success in Japan. In Japan, it was the second highest-grossing film in 2014, trailing only Frozen. It is the Doraemon franchise’s highest-grossing film.
3. Space Pirate Captain Harlock (2013) – $31 million
Harlock: Space Pirate is a 2013 Japanese 3D CG anime science fiction film directed by Shinji Aramaki. Toei Animation, the film’s production firm, outspent any of their prior budgets with this production. Captain Harlock was expelled from Earth after rejecting their lifeless way of life in search of freedom and adventure. This, of course, leads to him and his crew dealing with the world’s government and other challenges, kicking off his trip, which serves as the central theme of this novel.
4. The Wind Rises (2013) – $31 million
The Wind Rises is a 2013 Japanese animated historical drama film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and created by Studio Ghibli. In 2013, The Wind Rises was the highest-grossing Japanese film in Japan. Several prizes were given to the film, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. It depicts the story of a young man who dreams of creating a plane that can fly as high and fast as the wind in the early 1900s, during Japan’s Taisho Era.
5. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) – $29 million
From Up on Poppy Hill is a 2011 Japanese animated drama film directed by Goro Miyazaki written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, and animated by Studio Ghibli. It’s based on the same-named serialized manga from 1980, art by Chizuru Takahashi and written by Tetsuro Sayama. From Up on Poppy Hill is set in Japan in 1964 and chronicles the story of two students who are fighting to prevent a vital building from being demolished for the Olympics.
