From Avatar to Nolan’s Inception, 7 Mind-Blowing Movies Inspired by Anime

Anime has had a huge influence on the film industry, with many blockbuster movies taking inspiration from the unique style and storytelling of Japanese animation.

From the visually stunning world of Avatar to the mind-bending plot of Inception, these seven films showcase the enduring impact of anime on modern cinema. Get ready to be blown away by these mind-blowing movies that have all been inspired by anime.

The Matrix , 1999, directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski

Released in 1999, The Matrix was an instant hit and is now considered a classic of world cinema. Though many of us have rewatched it dozens of times, the film's anime origin is not widely known. Lana and Lilli Wachkowskis took their inspiration from the anime Ghost in the Shell by the Japanese director Mamoru Oshii. The Matrix doesn't copy the overall plot, but it does adopt some of the visual techniques and shot compositions along with the "digital rain" effect, virtual reality interfaces, and a few characters. The directors do not deny The Matrix has been influenced by the Japanese animated film.

Requiem for a Dream, 2000, directed by Darren Aronofsky

While the film is based on Hubert Selby Jr.'s novel of the same name, the director took his inspiration from Satoshi Kon's animation Perfect Blue, made in 1998. Darren Aronofsky even bought the rights to the anime so he could legally use the Japanese director's ideas. That's why some scenes from the movie appear as a live-action remake of Perfect Blue.

The Lion King , 1994, directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

The cartoon that has enthralled kids and adults for over 20 years is in fact very similar to the Japanese animated series Kimba the White Lion, released back in 1965. Some scenes in The Lion King replicate the Japanese animation almost exactly, but the creators do not admit to the influence. After the premiere of the Disney cartoon, Japanese animators co-signed a letter addressed to the American filmmakers, demanding that they recognize the influence of the Japanese series on The Lion King. However, the Japanese studio Tezuka Productions, which created the original cartoon, did not lay claim to Disney. While the two cartoons have largely different plots, they exhibit similarities in style, shot composition, and some characters. Besides, the names of the main characters, Simba and Kimba, are obviously very similar.

Inception, 2010, directed by Christopher Nolan

Anime fans have undoubtedly recognized that Nolan's Inception almost mirrors some of the scenes from the 2006 Japanese animated film Paprika, directed by Satoshi Kon. Christopher Nolan denies the influence and claims he had been working on this film independently for ten years — and yet, it's hard to believe the similarity is purely a coincidence. The films' plotlines are indeed very different, but both center around the theme of distinguishing between reality and dream and feature a device that can get into people's minds. Then again, a number of scenes in Inception and Paprika seem almost identical, so it appears that Nolan did borrow certain stylistic elements from the Japanese cartoon.

Pacific Rim, 2013, directed by Guillermo del Toro

The similarities between this film and a Japanese animated series were pointed out by the audience. The Jaegers in Pacific Rim look a lot like the robots from the cult anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, directed by Hideaki Anno. Guillermo del Toro argues that he actually took his inspiration in the American animated series Gigantor from the 1960s. While this might be true, it doesn't deny the Japanese influence on del Toro's project: the American Gigantor was actually an adaptation of Tetsujin 28, or Iron Man No. 28, which is a 1956 manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.

Black Swan, 2010, directed by Darren Aronofsky

This is another one of Darren Aronofsky's movies that bears striking resemblance to Perfect Blue: the Oscar-winning film pretty much follows the story of the anime protagonist Mima, who commits herself to acting and gradually loses touch with reality. Many scenes and camera angles in Black Swan are very reminiscent of the visuals in Perfect Blue, and the scene where Nina is immersed in the bathroom replicates the same scene in the Japanese cartoon to the smallest detail. Despite the obvious similarities, Darren Aronofsky strongly denies his film has been influenced by the Japanese animation.

Avatar, 2009, directed by James Cameron

James Cameron admits that Avatar was greatly influenced by Hayao Miyazaki 's 1997 animated film Princess Mononoke. It's easy to spot the similarities between the two films: both deal with the conflict between humans and nature and have their protagonists travel to a very different world. By the way, there is another idea that Cameron borrowed from Miyazaki: the beautiful floating islands first appear in the 1986 anime Castle in the Sky.