EMN Programming Guide - Animated Movies
EMN File List - Interstitials/Ads File List - Bumpers File List
# - M | N - Z
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Year: 1984
Synopsis: A courageous princess fights to keep the balance of her country and the harmony it has with nature.
EMN Notes: This film is interesting because it's another Ghibli film I've yet to see, and yet I remember so many previews of it from when I'd rent anime from video stores at the mall. There's a kind of mythic reverence I have for it as a result, and I'm looking forward to one day catching it as it airs.
One Piece Film: GOLD
Year: 2016
Synopsis: The Straw Hat Pirates make their way to a treasure-hunter's paradise - a glittering floating casino. Under the gaudy exterior, though, hides a dark secret.
EMN Notes: Before I was completely caught up with One Piece, Mandy would show me some of the movies in order to attempt to convince me to pick the series back up. This was the second one shown, and...well, it worked. I was so enamoured with the world of this film, the character of Gild Tesoro, the superpowered abilities of the villains, and the dynamics of the crew...it really is some stunning stuff. I think as I watch other films I can say that it is weaker in many ways but the glittering haven of the city of gold is a concept I've loved ever since reading the Morte Calon chapter of Jing: King of Bandits, so I fully admit I'm biased in how much I love this one.
One Piece Film: RED
Year: 2022
Synopsis: A childhood friend of Luffy's is now a major pop star, and she's invited the Straw Hats to a concert that will be broadcast all over the world.
EMN Notes: The second One Piece movie Mandy and I saw in theaters together, and it was such a beautiful, overwhelming experience. It's absolutely gorgeous, with incredible visuals, spectacular music, and a story that made us cry, especially Mandy who truly fell in love with the film. It's a no-brainer to add it to this channel, as it's one of the best One Piece films ever made.
One Piece Film: Strong World
Year: 2009
Synopsis: One of the most feared pirates of all time, Shiki, has escaped the once-thought-impenetrable prison of Impel Down. He looks to bring the World Government to its knees, and kidnapping Nami is part of his plan.
EMN Notes: This was the first one Mandy showed me to try and get me to read One Piece. They streamed it and I really enjoyed this one. One thing that's super cool about it otehr than how it ties into canon is that partway through it genuinely becomes incredibly creepy and unsettling. The tonal shift is impressively handled, and overall this definitely shines as one of the best One Piece films.
One Piece Film: Z
Year: 2012
Synopsis: The Straw Hat Pirates rescue a straggler that turns out to be the former Marine vice-admiral Z, a traitor to the world government who wants to reform the world in accordance with his own vision.
EMN Notes: Film Z was one we watched after I was more-or-less caught up with One Piece and we were going through the good One Piece movies neither of us had seen. This one blew us away. Z is a genuinely excellent character, both tragic and ruthless, and the way the action builds in this one to end in the pirates and Marines having to work together is just so unbelievably exciting and interesting. The ending is truly spectacular - I can't help but get chills remembering the Marine Hymn that plays during the climax.
One Piece: Stampede
Year: 2019
Synopsis: Pirate crews from all over face off at the grand Pirate Festival in a wild race where all are looking to lay their hands on an unbelievable treasure.
EMN Notes: After completely catching up with the manga, Mandy and I saw this film in theaters as it released. I remember being absolutely determined to get tickets to this one, and I'm so happy we did. As one of the last films we saw in theaters before lockdown, this was a hell of a way to go out. It's fast, it's frenetic, it's visually gorgeous, and it's packed full of fanservice as it had almost every major character in the series at the time. The theater was having a great time. We were having a great time. I have such fond memories of this one, and I can't wait to keep going to the movies with them and finding new experiences like this. Plus, from a lore perspective, understanding exactly how important this film was was so exciting.
Only Yesterday
Year: 1991
Synopsis: A office worker reminisces about her childhood while on a train ride to Tokyo.
EMN Notes: One of the Ghibli movies I've yet to see, and yet one that sounds utterly beautiful, and one I feel like I'll enjoy very much now that I'm older. I really do respect the company for creating a woman-focused serious drama film. I can't wait to see this on the channel some day.
Paprika
Year: 2006
Synopsis: Two therapists invent a machine that allow them to enter the subconscious world of dreams. When that machine is stolen, Paprika must chase the culprit through the dream world to get it back.
EMN Notes: The first Satoshi Kon movie I ever saw, originally because I really loved the music. Seeing it all in context was such a different experience, with the scene that Parade initially hits being one of the trippiest and most beautiful and frenetic sequences in an animated film I've ever seen. The rest of the movie is just gorgeous, full of surreal visuals and breakneck pacing as it careens from reality and dreams and back and makes for a piece both stunning and introspective. It's just spectacular, it really is. Satoshi Kon really never missed.
Perfect Blue
Year: 1997
Synopsis: After retiring from being an idol so she can become an actress, a young woman starts to understand the mortifying ordeal of being known.
EMN Notes: My favorite horror movie. I initially watched this with Mandy as we were going through all of Satoshi Kon's filmography, and neither of us realized this was a horror movie at first. This was before I knew I liked horror movies, and I remember jsut being so enthralled and scared and spectacularly into this psychological and disturbing portrait of a woman as perceived through the lenses of others. This is an intense film, but it's so good and it reminds me of seeing similarly intense films on cable in high school.
Pokemon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back
Year: 1998
Synopsis: Scientists manage to use the DNA of one of the rarest Pokemon to create a new, man-made monster - Mewtwo. But Mewtwo rebels against his creators and looks to take over the Pokemon world.
EMN Notes: C'mon. You know this one. It's a classic, a movie that came out at the height of Pokemon fever and inspired a generation. It hits the nostalgia bones just right, and it's such a fun film as well, darker than the series and focused on Mewtwo, who I think we can all agree is super cool. I had like three Ancient Mew cards at one point. I watched this with friends many times, and I'll gladly watch it again.
Ponyo
Year: 2008
Synopsis: In a beautiful seaside town, a child finds that the goldfish he rescued along the beach is far more than an ordinary fish.
EMN Notes: I have kind of a strange relationship with this film. I think it's stunning and fantastical and super inventive, and I love so much of the ocean theming, but it's also a film I don't totally understand the appeal of in terms of how it managed to blow up like it did. But of course that doesn't mean it's bad! It's great. It's full of life and love and wonderful characters, though I do have an extremely funny memory of somehow convincing my mother to watch it with me with neither of us knowing what to expect other than "A Ghibli Movie" and leaving her extremely puzzled. Such is life.
Porco Rosso
Year: 1992
Synopsis: A former World War I flying ace, disgraced for going AWOL, has to stand up against sky pirates and fascists as he learns to regain his humanity.
EMN Notes: I've talked a lot about the power of EMN and how it can give you what you need exactly when you need it without you even knowing you did. That was this film to me. I knew Mandy loved it and it was well-regarded, but one day I stumbled upstairs while fairly drunk and this had just started playing and I was bowled over by the beauty and richness of the world, the story it was telling, and the phenomenal performances by all involved. It is absolutely one of my favorite Ghibli films, and the time period it takes place in allows it to keep that Miyazaki whimsy and fable while also deftly incorporating some serious real-world maturity into it. Fantastic.
Promare 
Year: 2019
Synopsis: A group of mutants is setting fires all over the world, and the Burning Rescue Fire Department has to stop them with their mech suits.
EMN Notes: When two of our friends danced to a song from this movie at their wedding, we knew we had to watch it. I'm so glad we finally did. Mandy absolutely loved this movie, and I fell for it too, particularly after a late-game "oh my god they're going there" scene. It's spectacular, colorful, and while it starts as Trigger playing their hits, it morphs into a furiously passionately-burning story of love and life. I never expected it to make me cry, but so it did, and it also fits on the channel from a purely-aesthetic perspective too.
Princess Mononoke
Year: 1997
Synopsis: A cursed young prince finds himself locked in a fierce conflict between a young woman who wants to protect her forest and the cruel empire that wishes to destroy it.
EMN Notes: A justified classic that shook the world when it released. I remember reading about this film originally in an issue of Wizard magazine, back when "anime" was a genre and sometimes called "Japanimation". It was listed along with various harem shows, Ranma 1/2, and The Castle of Cagliostro in an "Anime: It's Not Kids' Stuff!" type article. Being a very cool middle schooler, I immediately sought out all of it. There was a niche store at the mall that rented out anime DVDs, and I brought it home along with Azumanga Daioh and Jing King of Bandits to watch with my friend Trevor. Little did we know that this was the final step in us diving headfirst into becoming horrible weebs. Such is life. Anyway, this one's super, super good.
Scooby-Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery
Year: 2014
Synopsis: Scooby and Shaggy win a contest to get invited to WWE City, a haven for wrestling lovers. But of course, it's being terrorized by a mysterious someone - or something.
EMN Notes: This film is such a bizarre time capsule into who was important (and not-so-important) in WWE at the time. The story is absurd and ridiculous, and yet it's packed with genuinely hilarious moments like John Cena's theme playing whenever he does anything, or Sin Cara being silent and just speaking by pointing at things rhythmically. It's such a strange piece that isn't exactly a glowing accurate WWE crossover nor is it a full parody and as a result is hilariously weird. It's just genuinely so much fun. That's part of the fun of the weirder Scooby-Doo films, really, they're just so surreal and tongue-in-cheek.
Sonic The Hedgehog: The Movie
Year: 1996
Synopsis: The usually-villainous Dr. Robotnik comes to Sonic with a proposition: help him stop a rogue generator from exploding and obliterating the planet. But it seems that Robotnik has something else up his sleeve...
EMN Notes: God, this is the film I use to test every VCR I own. I'm amazed it hasn't fallen apart yet. I saw this in an FYE at a mall in Florida and couldn't stop looking at it until we bought it. I've watched it close to fifty times by now, not that I've counted. It brings me straight back to my childhood every single time, and I'm pretty sure I can recite the English dub by memory. I love everything about this film, from the awkward voices that get better as the film goes on, to the lo-fi animation, to the delightfully bad tagline, to Knuckles' hat, to the excellent portrayal of Robotnik that shaped how I see him forever. I wanted to show this movie to everyone, and the only ones who didn't like it were my fourth grade class who threw a tantrum until we watched Cats vs. Dogs instead. Cats vs. Dogs. Horrific downgrade. Well, they're not in charge of EMN, are they? And I say this is the movie that had to be on it.
Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse
Year: 2018
Synopsis: New York teenager Miles Morales is bitten by a radioactive spider and gains superpowers. However, he's not the only one, and now all the Spider-people have to team up to stop a crime lord.
EMN Notes: One of my favorite movies ever made and a strong contender for being the greatest superhero film ever and potentially in the upper echelon of best animated movies ever. It's just absolutely stunning, with a beating heart that ties together rapid-fire gags and spectacular character moments and every animation technique under the sun. It's funny, when this released I saw it in theaters knowing nothing other than that it was a Miles Morales movie. I was then thrust headfirst into a film that made me bawl my eyes out, a film that showed the Spider-Man universe I grew up with, the Ultimate-verse, and it showed Miles's journey to be a new Spidey and it just embodied why I fell in love with Spidey from the moment my brother let me borrow some of his comics. This film is as close to perfection as you can get.
Spirited Away
Year: 2001
Synopsis: A young girl accidentally crosses into the spirit world and has to work at a bathhouse for gods, spirits, and monsters.
EMN Notes: This is another one of those films that my friend Trevor and I watched and loved more than anyone else in our lives. It's creepy, cute, a feast to the eyes and ears, a tale of love and life, and there's a reason it's a classic. Every so often I consider it one of my favorite films, but that list is so volatile it kind of comes and goes. But it's such a treat in every way. I rented the DVD at a friend's house, rented the DVD again on my own, even got it from Netflix back when they were a mailable DVD service, and every era in which I watch it gives me something new to enjoy about it. It's such a good EMN movie on that note because the format means you never know when it's going to enter your life again, and I think that's beautiful.
Steins;Gate: The Movie − Load Region of Déjà Vu
Year: 2013
Synopsis: Following the events of the series, Okabe vanishes from this world line, and now Kurisu has to find a way to make sure he can never fade away.
EMN Notes: You know how I feel about Steins;Gate. The movie is just absolutely amazing, a delightful Kurisu-focused piece that reverses the roles of OkaKuri and shows how far they would go for each other. I didn't know there was a dub until super recently - I watched it subbed because I couldn't wait and it didn't seem like it'd ever get dubbed, but I'm so happy it was because I'm so happy having it here.
Tekken: Blood Vengeance
Year: 2011
Synopsis: Young martial artist Xiaoyu befriends a new girl at her school, exchange student Alisa Bosconovitch, but everything changes when she realizes that Alisa is a robot built for combat.
EMN Notes: I'm the only person who loves this movie because I love Alisa Boscnovitch from the bottom of my heart. Tekken lore is so fun, and Alisa was my main in Tag 2 and Tekken 7, so her getting a whole movie where she gets to do fun robot things and have cool fights is good with me. Plus, Violet is in this movie! What's not to love? "Oh, it's too much of a slice of life for a Tekken movie! Nothing happens in it!" Alisa shoots a rocket arm and Anna and Nina fight each other in a crowd of Tekken Force cops! This movie has not just one but many cool robots! It's good! Shame my brother doesn't agree, but at least he had fun with the HD copy of Tekken Tag Tournament it came with.
The Adolescence of Utena
Year: 1999
Synopsis: A young woman must fight members of her school's student body in order to prove herself worthy enough to marry her Rose Bride.
EMN Notes: Utena is so, so, so good, so adding the movie felt like a no-brainer when I learned that it was just a retelling of the series but even more explicitly gay. I've seen it and it's lush and lavish and as symbolically gorgeous as the series, so I'll take it. I'm looking forward to giving it a full watch one day. This is the part where I talk about how the thing I love about EMN is how we can cultivate an atmosphere and surprise ourselves with it, but dammit I'll keep saying it until it stops being true.
The Adventures of Tintin
Year: 1999
Synopsis: A journalist discovers a map that leads him on an adventure in search of a famous pirate's treasure.
EMN Notes: This film is so gorgeous and so underrated. It's astounding how realistic yet stylized it is, how sumptuous and lush each scene is, how full of love and excitement each scene is. Combine top notch voice work, a breezy and boisterous story, and flawless characterization, and you have one of the finest adventure films ever put to the screen. It just makes me happy every single time to see it. It's inspiring.
The Castle of Cagliostro
Year: 1979
Synopsis: The gentleman thief Lupin III and his crew follow the trail of treasure to an Italian village where a cruel baron is holding a princess hostage.
EMN Notes: The Castle of Cagliostro was another film in that aforementioned Wizard Magazine article and I remember watching it with Trevor until halfway through the intro we turned to each other and said "Is this a Lupin movie?". Lupin had just hit Adult Swim, which neither of us were allowed to watch, so it was really like finding a little piece of treasure just for us. And hey, what do you know, it ended up being a fantastic gem of a film. I still love it, and I even saw it in theaters when it got a special screening a few years ago and being able to see it like that was a very special experience. I have a lot of nostalgia for the old dub, but the new dub is spectacular of course, headed by the usual suspects. I believe we have the original dub on EMN for the aesthetic.
The Cat Returns
Year: 2002
Synopsis: A girl rescues a cat only to learn he's a prince in disguise.
EMN Notes: Mandy loves Whisper of the Heart, and felt a bit odd about the fact that they made a film that takes place inside a story that is written in the film. A bit meta. Still, it's a really enjoyable little fairy tale of a film full of the usual whimsy and entertainment present in all good Ghibli films. I love the creature designs in this movie dearly.
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
Year: 2010
Synopsis: Just before Christmas, Kyon wakes up in a world where the SOS Brigade - and Haruhi Suzumiya - has never existed.
EMN Notes: We have a few It's A Wonderful Life type pieces of media on EMN, huh. Well, this is one of the best, a wondrous follow-up to the amazing anime that manages to tug on the heartstrings and bring you careening back into Haruhi's world. I saw this film after watching the other arcs and all I really remember was everyone in the chat doing the equivalent of turning to each other and mouthing "wow" once it concluded. What a great movie.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Year: 2006
Synopsis: A young girl stumbles upon the secret to time-jump and uses it to always have a perfect day.
EMN Notes: There are films that, after seeing them for the first time, you feel like a better and more complete person for having watched them. I think I said as much on Facebook the day I watched this. I was introduced to it because of AMV Hell of all things - remember those? They had a joke where they dubbed the Doctor Who theme over one of the time jump sequences and it interested me. This is one of my favorite movies ever, hands down. It quietly tells a story about a young girl that escalates in surprising ways, and while it's hardly the only piece of time loop or time manipulation media we have on the channel, it's one of my favorites because of how it captures that fleeting feeling of loss and love and the desire to fight against the rivers that constantly push us forward. Again, it has some amazing twists, too, and it's all tied together with a gorgeous summery atmosphere, some clean art direction, and a natural well-acted dub. Pretty easily my favorite work by Mamoru Hosoda. Also, for a long time, the only way to own this movie was to either import a limited-edition Blu-Ray from the UK that ran you $100 or buy a crappy featureless DVD on Amazon. The day I walked into my local Best Buy and saw an actual official Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack with actual care put into it, I teared up.
The Iron Giant
Year: 1999
Synopsis: During the height of the Cold War, a young boy finds a massive automaton and is determined to become its friend.
EMN Notes: Quintessential summer time TV movie viewing. I actually saw this film in theaters, so this was before the Cartoon Network 24-hour marathons, but when it would come on those I'd watch it there too. I can't help it; this was a film that was rescued by cable for all the right reasons - it's fantastic. It heartfelt, it's funny, it's whimsical, and it's deep. It's quite possibly Brad Bird's masterpiece. It fits right on this channel through the excellent vibes and ties to cable alone, but the fact that it's just good is why it deserves to stay.
The Simpsons Movie
Year: 2007
Synopsis: The Simpsons go on the run from the law after Homer dumps toxic waste into Springfield's water supply.
EMN Notes: It's a miracle this film is any good. This was released years after the Simpsons became entirely tooc omfortable with itself and stopped being fun to watch, and by all means it should have failed. And yet, it just kind of...didn't. It's not a perfect film by any means and still doesn't touch the best the series has to offer, but it's funny! It's funny, it's fun, we like it. I saw it on a plane for the first time, actually, because I was bored and needed something to watch. I remember watching a later Simpsons season episode that I hated, and then turned on the movie because I remember the reviews being positive and I was pleasantly surprised. Overall, it's a good one to have around.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
Year: 2004
Synopsis: King Neptune's crown has been stolen, and Mr. Krabs looks to be the culprit. SpongeBob and Patrick aren't going to take that lying down.
EMN Notes: With SpongeBob on the Stand-Up channel, Mandy and I briefly debated putting some episodes on here as well. Ultimately, though, we decided that since we've seen every good episode of SpongeBob a million times, the movie was the right amount of SpongeBob for EMN1. It has the excellent humor of the show and combines it with some great movie-only gags, some wacky animation, and a killer soundtrack. It's nice to have a bit of SpongeBob here, especially when the movie is so good.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Year: 2013
Synopsis: Based on a classic Japanese fable. A bamboo cutter discovers a mysterious young girl in a stalk of bamboo and raises her into adulthood.
EMN Notes: A fascinating adaptation of one of Japan's oldest fables, this film is undoubtedly very beautiful and works hard to help you understand the emotional state of Kaguya as she grows up. Mandy enjoys this one, though contends it's not one of Ghibli's best. Still, it's a great film nonetheless, and Ghibli's place on EMN can't be contested.
The Transformers: The Movie
Year: 1986
Synopsis: The war between the Autobots and Decepticons is put on hold as a far-greater threat emerges - the planet-consuming Unicron.
EMN Notes: Yeah, the series is called "The" Transformers. Ridiculous, right? Anyway, this movie is fun. It feels like it's moving at triple speed sometimes, but it's fun. My brother had it on VHS as he got it for a birthday gift, I think it was actually one of the few times it was ever released on home media at that point. He later got the DVD, too! I watched it a bunch back then, because most kids did, and then later as an adult I watched it again and was surprised at how it both held up and kinda didn't. But honestly, who cares if it held up or not? It's a ridiculous little piece about robots fighting each other! And then one of the robots dies! And you cry! There's a weird planet-eating thing voiced by Orson Welles and a terrifying three-headed judge creature that constantly executes people and is never brought up again! I rest my case.
The Wind Rises
Year: 2013
Synopsis: A fantastical historical look at the life of Jiro Horikoshi, inventor of one of the finest planes in the world.
EMN Notes: I remember this film being lauded as a huge deal before it came out because it was supposed to be Miyazaki's final film before he retired. I don't remember if that's true or not, but I will say it was one hell of a way to go out if so. I saw this in theaters with my friend Alex and I actually really loved the historical bent to it. It's something that Porco Rosso did well, fictionalizing a little bit of history with a splash of Miyazaki's love of aircraft and the sky, and it makes for a breezy, exciting little dramatization. I really liked this one, even if it doesn't compete with films like Spirited Away or Porco Rosso.
Tiger & Bunny: The Rising
Year: 2014
Synopsis: After the events of the first season, Kotetsu is unceremoniously fired from his role as Barnaby's partner. As he struggles to come to grips with being put on the bench, a new group of NEXTs look to bring harm to Stern Bild and all the people in it.
EMN Notes: God, what a film. I have the brightest, most beautiful memory of watching this with some of my favorite people in the world in a hotel room at an anime convention. This was before I had even considered my transness, and though I didn't know it at the time I have to wonder if this movie helped push me over the edge, just a little bit. I love the story of Nathan Seymour in this film, their struggles with gender and sexuality told in a heartbreaking series of flashbacks that culminate in his liberation. The series itself wasn't always the kindest to Nathan in small ways, so this movie was so needed, and it helps that the rest of the movie is great, too! The world of Tiger & Bunny is just so nice to be invited into, and I'm so happy they let us in one more time to see these superheroes live their best lives.
Tokyo Godfathers
Year: 2003
Synopsis: Three homeless societal outcasts find a baby in a garbage dump on Christmas Eve and do everything they can to find her family.
EMN Notes: Satoshi Kon does it again. Not content with making my favorite horror movie ever, he went and made my favorite Christmas movie, too. It's a wondrous piece of work focusing on three homeless people, marginalized and forgotten by society, and I love it for it. It manages to combine realistic, hard-hitting dialogue with the magic and wonder of a fable, shining beautiful bright lights all around the city as these three unravel the mystery behind the abandoned child they found. It's an extremely spiritual film, with more raw spirituality packed into it than most other Christmas films, because it really gets across that the true meaning of Christmas is about love and helping one another survive and it does it so gently and so beautifully that you won't realize how touched you've been by the film until the credits roll. I don't care what time of year this movie plays - I could watch it every day.
Trigun: Badlands Rumble
Year: 2010
Synopsis: The wind blows Vash the Stampede, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, and the insurance ladies into a town that is being threatened by the infamous bandit Gasback.
EMN Notes: I've mentioned elsewhere how much I love Trigun. I bought this film on DVD when it released but I was saving it for a special moment. I wasn't sure what that moment was, I just knew I was saving it. Eventually, that moment came when I was stuck in an empty house with no internet and only this and a copy of Black Dynamite as I waited for workmen to arrive. I watched this movie and much like so many of the other anime movies on this list it was like a concentrated shot of everything I loved about the show. The characters were here, the world was alive again, and the overarching story and new characters introduced were awesome. It was what I needed at the time, and I'm happy it can still play when I need it now.
Turtles Forever
Year: 2009
Synopsis: A multidimensional accident causes the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to cross paths with the Mirage Comics Turtles and the 80s Turtles as well.
EMN Notes: Exaggeration of the 80's Turtles aside, this is just a magnificent and wonderful way to pay tribute to the TMNT. I remember being so excited for this movie when it was announced - I'm pretty sure I've impressed upon everyone enough by now how much I like those turtles - and I finally watched it while in my college dorm room and had a blast. It's an exaggerated cartoon featuring a whole bunch of Turtles and the amusing tonal differences between the three iterations keep you on your toes. It's fun! Plus I like that this gets us a tiny bit of 2003 TMNT for the road.
Wallace & Gromit in: A Close Shave
Year: 1995
Synopsis: Wallace falls in love with a local girl, unaware that she is at the center of a fiendish sheep-stealing plot.
EMN Notes: Wallace & Gromit feels like a lot of things to me. It feels like Christmas, as they'd always do marathons of the shorts around then. It feels like watching a video while being held by my mother, because we both loved to watch it. It is nostalgic and funny and warm. A Close Shave is such a great one, and it's interesting because it's definitely a bit scarier than the rest just in terms of tone and the eventual climax. This was always the third one shown in the collection of three that would play on Cartoon Network, so that's how I remember it.
Wallace & Gromit in: A Grand Day Out
Year: 1990
Synopsis: After running out of cheese, the wacky inventor Wallace and his trusty pooch construct a rocket to find cheese on the moon.
EMN Notes: The earliest short is the one I remember the least about. It's rough around the edges, but that doesn't stop it from being funny and still as fresh as ever. I love the sequence where the little robot learns to ski, and this short always makes me want cheese and crackers. I love the little stalagmites made of cheese that Wallace chops down to spread; there's something about the little clay food that Aardman makes that always seems so appetizing.
Wallace & Gromit in: A Matter of Loaf & Death
Year: 2008
Synopsis: Wallace finds companionship in a former baker and child star, but Gromit suspects she may not be all she appears to be.
EMN Notes: I watched this short on Netflix right as the Netflix streaming boom started. I had the disc on the Wii, a summer to myself as I had just moved to Ohio, and all the time in the world to scroll aimlessly. I remember watching this and enjoying about 95% of it, with the conclusion feeling a little more mean-spirited than I'm used to for Wallace & Gromit. That doesn't ruin the whole special, though, which is proof that they never lost a step.
Wallace & Gromit in: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Year: 2005
Synopsis: Wallace and Gromit go to a small town to humanely solve their rabbit problem, but along the way Wallace is bitten by a fiendish were-rabbit and begins to transform.
EMN Notes: It's always extremely funny watching an Aardman film in theaters because without fail mum and I will be cracking up and then we'll turn around to see everyone in the theater sitting stone-faced and staring at the screen. This has happened every time, and in this case it was during the scene where the villain puts a rabbit on his head instead of a toupee. Mum genuinely cried laughing, and that's what I'll remember when I see this film. It's a great movie, it really is, managing to be just as funny as the shorts if not funnier overall due to the longer running time. Just a masterful piece of work.
Wallace & Gromit in: The Wrong Trousers
Year: 1993
Synopsis: Wallace invents a new pair of remote control trousers, but could never have guessed they'd fall into the hands of a fowl criminal mastermind.
EMN Notes: This is my favorite Wallace & Gromit short, not least of which because it has an evil penguin in the main role. It's extremely clever, with amazing animation moments even down to how the titular Wrong Trousers move. Gromit's facial expressions are on point here, too, and this really codified his and Wallace's relationship. It makes me smile every single time.
Whisper of the Heart
Year: 1995
Synopsis: After a series of coincidences, a book-loving girl finds a village where stories begin and looks to create a story that will touch peoples' hearts.
EMN Notes: This work is such an anomaly to me. I've yet to see it, but I know Mandy absolutely loves this film. It was the only film directed by Yoshifumi Kondo before his untimely passing, and it gives it a melancholy lens to go along with its mature romantic drama. Despite all that, it's heartfelt and real according to all who saw it, and I hope one day to see this for myself. Seriously, I think this is Mandy's favorite Ghibli film, or at least one of their faves.
Your Name.
Year: 2016
Synopsis: Two high schoolers wake up in each others' bodies and have to figure out why and how, but the truth may be more complicated than either expect.
EMN Notes: This film took the world by storm when it released and for good reason. It's not exactly a hot take to call it Makoto Shinkai's finest work, but for me I love it because it reminds me of when Mandy and I would stay up late on Rabbit watching anything we could think of just so we could spend some time together. This is how I watched a lot of early Simpsons episodes, why I have such fondness for random Sega CD and Saturn games, and it's also how we watched this movie for the first time. This film really did blow me away when I first saw it, turning from a cute body-swap film into something absolutely unbelievable with a twist I never expected. The way this film escalates and drags you out of the familiar and into the unknown is stunning, and it all builds into an absolutely astounding final scene that left us an emotional wreck. It's gotten to the point that we call moments like it "Your Name moments" and we both know what we're talking about. So great.
Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions
Year: 2017
Synopsis: Following the conclusion of the manga, Seto Kaiba still cannot get over his grudge against the Pharaoh and is determined to duel him one last time.
EMN Notes: It makes me happy that in many ways this movie is a follow-up to the Yu-Gi-Oh manga. I love the manga so much, and while the 4Kids dub is extremely fun (and they kept the actors here) this really allows them to shine. Kaiba is the star of the show here, and it makes for a fun movie that envelops me in the warm feelings of both the manga nostalgia and the show nostalgia, and it's just so nice that it has the capacity to do that.