Best Japan Family Movies

2001 • Rating 8.5 • animation, family, fantasy

A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Style: Dark, Mind Bending

Audience: Family, Teens

Plot: Witch, Parent Child Relationship, Darkness, Bath House, Magic, Spirit, Parallel World, Amusement Park, Youkai, Japanese Mythology

Time: Year 2001, 2000S, 2001-07-20

Place: Japan, Japanese

Cast: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tatsuya Gashûin

1995 • Rating 7.9 • animation, drama, family

Shizuku lives a simple life, dominated by her love for stories and writing. One day she notices that all the library books she has have been previously checked out by the same person: "Seiji Amasawa."

Genre: Animation, Drama, Family

Style: Mind Bending, Surreal

Audience: Date Night, Family

Plot: Dreams, Library, Italy, Violin, Writing, Education, Love, Train, Based On Manga, Cartoon Cat

Time: Year 1995, 1990S, 1995-07-15

Place: Japan, Japanese

Cast: Yoko Honna, Issey Takahashi, Takashi Tachibana, Shigeru Muroi, Minami Takayama, Mayumi Izuka

1989 • Rating 7.8 • animation, family, fantasy

A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.

Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Style:

Audience: Family, Teens

Plot: Witch, Clock Tower, Bicycle Accident, Female Friendship, Bakery, Coming Of Age, Based On Children'S Book, Cartoon Cat, Cartoon Dog, Baking

Time: Year 1989, 1980S, 1989-07-29

Place: Japan, Japanese

Cast: Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Kappei Yamaguchi, Keiko Toda, Mieko Nobusawa, Koichi Miura

2023 • Rating 7.6 • family, comedy, adventure

While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers—and brothers—Mario and Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

Genre: Family, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation

Style:

Audience: Family, Teens

Plot: Gorilla, Plumber, Villain, Anthropomorphism, Magic Mushroom, Based On Video Game, Nostalgic, Toad, Aftercreditsstinger, Duringcreditsstinger

Time: Year 2023, 2020S, 2023-04-05

Place: Japan, United States Of America, English

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen

2026 • Rating 6.8 • family, comedy, adventure

Having thwarted Bowser's previous plot to marry Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi now face a fresh threat in Bowser Jr., who is determined to liberate his father from captivity and restore the family legacy. Alongside companions new and old, the brothers travel across the stars to stop the young heir's crusade.

Genre: Family, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation

Style: Futuristic

Audience: Family, Teens

Plot: Galaxy, Friendship, Sibling Relationship, Space Travel, Turtle, Sequel, Slapstick Comedy, Magic Mushroom, Robot, Based On Video Game

Time: Year 2026, 2020S, 2026-04-01

Place: Japan, United States Of America, English, Space

Cast: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie