My list of favorite animation this year includes time-traveling rainbow people, regenerative hallucinogenic mushrooms, evil spirits and, of course, demon-hunting pop stars. For some of these picks, across film and TV, it was the animation that reigned supreme; in others, it was imaginative storytelling and world-building. But all represent some combination of content and style that stood out among the rest.
The Miracle Cures of “Common Side Effects” and “Lazarus”
In the funky Adult Swim series “Common Side Effects” it’s the blue angel mushroom that can instantly heal even fatal wounds. In “Lazarus,” an anime series also from Adult Swim, it’s hapna, a powerful painkiller. Though neither of these shows featuring a magical remedy is about Covid, both mirror the fear and cynicism that have infected the discourse around wellness and medicine since the pandemic.
Eccentric, unpredictable and gripping from beginning to end, “Common Side Effects” is a conspiracy thriller about an awkward, bearded, small-mouthed mycologist named Marshall. He becomes a target for the D.E.A., the government and big pharma when he discovers the rare blue angel mushroom in a remote area of Peru. For all of its high-stakes action, “Common Side Effects” is even more about the ethics of the pharmaceutical and medical industries and the question of how to safely and economically disseminate such an extraordinary panacea. The series’ offbeat animation (its characters have enormous heads but minute features) perfectly pairs with its dark, outré sense of humor.
“Lazarus,” on the other hand, explores how the world would change if such a cure, like Marshall’s blue angel mushroom, did make it onto the market. “Lazarus” begins three years after a scientist named Dr. Skinner introduced hapna, and then disappeared. The world is greeted with the news that hapna has a three-year half-life; most of the world’s population will die in approximately 30 days unless someone can find the mysterious scientist’s whereabouts. The concept is intriguing, even if the machinations of the plot sometimes lag. But really it’s the creator Shinichiro Watanabe’s world that appeals — a futuristic metropolis realized with pristine animation and set to the same kind of bustling, jazz-heavy score that Watanabe is known for. (Stream “Common Side Effects” on HBO Max; “Lazarus” on HBO Max.)
The Mythic Heroes of “Ne Zha II,” “Iyanu” and “KPop Demon Hunters”
Even if this year’s live-action heroes failed to impress (looking at you, Superman and Fantastic Four), there were plenty of superpowered warriors to swoon for in animation.
The artwork, the writing, the music: Everything about the Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters” was on point — even, as I wrote a few months ago, the film’s understanding of fandom. There’s good reason Rumi’s purple braid was everywhere this Halloween. This was one phenomenon that truly deserved its hype.
The international hit film “Ne Zha II,” featuring the adorable demon-toddler of the title, was a visual feast. This film is remarkable for its scope and detail, matched by visuals from a robust team of Chinese animators.
The wholesome humor, the spiritual powers connected to the natural world, the blue, glowing boss mode — in many ways “Iyanu” reminds me of another great animated series, “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” But the similarities aren’t just superficial; both series succeed at presenting fully realized universes steeped in a nonwhite cultural tradition. “Iyanu” draws from Nigerian culture and mythology and features Black characters from all strata of society, from kings and spiritual advisers to female warriors and everyday village people trying to get by.
That kind of thread is really what unites these heroic tales. All demonstrate how much more resonant stories based in a specific cultural tradition and expanding on an already existing mythos can be, especially in a time of superhero fatigue. (Stream “Ne Zha II” on HBO Max; “Iyanu” on HBO Max. Stream “KPop Demon Hunters” on Netflix.)
Traveling Through Time in “Arco” and “Long Story Short”
In both the film “Arco” and the Netflix series “Long Story Short,” the passage of time is illuminating yet frightening — and a means to some truly tender storytelling.
In “Arco,” it’s the characters who move through time: When a young boy from the distant future named Arco borrows his older sister’s magical time-traveling wardrobe to go back in time to see some dinosaurs, he gets knocked off course and stuck in 2075 with a little girl named Iris instead. Even with its time-travel premise — in delightfully Elton John-esque rainbow capes that allow them to do so — and its depiction of a society where teachers, nannies, officers and guards are all robots, “Arco” still feels utterly of this moment. After all, both Arco and Iris live in periods of advanced technology where climate disasters are a pressing concern and where the humans are increasingly isolated.
“Long Story Short,” on the other hand, shuttles back and forth along the timeline of a single Jewish family. There are deaths, celebrations and family fights, the memories shuffled together like a deck of cards, each one revealing some new dimension of these people who bring out the best and worst in one another — the way all families tend to. The details in this one are what make it so unflinchingly poignant and relatable, and the notebook-doodle art style of the animation, with its pencil-thin line work, reinforces the personal feel. (“Arco” opens in theaters in wide release on Jan. 30; stream “Long Story Short” on Netflix.)
Getting Existential with “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” and “100 Meters”
A Belgian toddler living with her family in Japan. The evolving relationship of two boys who run track. On paper, neither of these premises may sound that scintillating. But they are the basis for two of the most cerebral and captivating animated works of the year.
The stunning art style of “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” along with its thoughtful narration, lead to a film ebullient with wonders. The world of young Amélie is one of lush colors, where flowers may suddenly burst into bloom around her to herald the coming of spring. She is god, she proclaims early on in the film, and the lucidity with which her luminous lime-green eyes see things around her makes it seem likely. The more subtle story is of Amélie’s confusion about her national identity and the larger historical context behind it; she may be Belgian, but she feels Japanese like her nanny and disapproving landlord, who still carry the memories of losses from World War II.
Anyone familiar with the subgenre of sports anime knows that one match can be a life-changing event. That’s certainly the case in “100 Meters,” the director Kenji Iwaisawa’s riveting follow-up to his funky, deadpan music comedy “On-Gaku: Our Sound.” When it comes to running, Togashi’s a natural, while the gloomy-looking Komiya doesn’t take to it so easily, yet trains with extraordinary resolve and determination.
“100 Meters” takes us from Togashi and Komiya’s first meeting in middle school to their adulthood as professional athletes. More than just a sport, running is a question of identity and survival for these characters. And for as eye-catching as the animation is, what particularly stands out is Iwaisawa’s equally sportive direction, which knows just when to give us the suspenseful step-by-step shots on the track and when to withhold and let the camera’s eye roam to the stands in the background. The dramatic turns in animation — the shifts from bleak and pallid background shots to minimalist black and white then back to color during a rainy race sequence — further enliven an already captivating film. (Rent “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” on YouTube, Apple TV or Amazon Prime; stream “100 Meters” on Netflix starting Dec. 31.)
Genre bending in “The Summer Hikaru Died”
In this unmissable anime series, a boy named Yoshiki realizes that his best friend, Hikaru, has died and been possessed by an eldritch being who has retained Hikaru’s feelings and memories. There’s a delectable mystery plot involving the larger supernatural history of their village, but the heart-rending core of the story is about the evolving relationship between these two boys. It’s a complex codependent friendship inflected with desire, grief and macabre horrors. (Stream “The Summer Hikaru Died” on Netflix.)
Honorable Mentions
The classic comic-book-style animation of “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” (Disney+); the slaughterfest that was “Marvel Zombies” (Disney+); the grunge garbage world of “Gachiakuta” (Crunchyroll); and the remarkable sophomore seasons of “Solo Leveling” (Crunchyroll), “The Apothecary Diaries” (Crunchyroll), “Dan Da Dan” (Netflix) and “The Ancient Magus’ Bride” (Crunchyroll).
Maya Phillips is an arts and culture critic for The Times.
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