Roujin Z (Japan, 1991)

An old man is being treated specially by the Department of Health under the so-called Project Z, a special nursing bed with a 6th generation computer on board. When the pain and loneliness of the old man reaches his ex-private nurse, she decides to rescue him from the government's experiment. Thus begins a wild chase through the busy streets of Tokyo as the 6th generation computer begins to have the personality of the old man's ex-wife and as the government's secret project unfolds.

What's impressive with Roujin Z is the names behind it; Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira, wrote the story and screenplay, while Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Perfect Blue) served as art director and set designer. How can it go wrong knowing that? Well, it doesn't naturally. Roujin Z is a wild joyride with stunning animation which of course looks like a companion piece to Akira. All the 90's anime aesthetic you could ask for with that special blend of science-fiction technology and early computer tech with chunky monitors and huge mechanical keyboards. The plot doesn't nearly reach the depths of Akira, being a much smaller film but there's still ambition in its satirical view of older generations and handing them over to robot beds. 

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Sci-Fi. 1h 20min.

Short Peace (Japan, 2013)

A compilation of four anime short films. 

Possessions - A lone traveler is confronted by unusual spirits in an abandoned shrine.

Combustible - A spectacular tale of love, honor and firefighting in ancient Japan.

Gambo - A mysterious white bear defends the royal family from the predations of a red demon.

A Farewell to Weapons - A tour-de-force saga of men battling robotic tanks in apocalyptic Tokyo. 

These are four insanely good-looking pieces of animation, and they're so Japanese that you'll probably keel over from the culture shock. Worth mentioning is that the second one, Combustible, is directed by Katsuhiro Otomo who gave us the classic Akira. Watch this one if you want some fast-paced anime action with masterful visuals.

Genre: Action/Animation/Adventure

Steamboy (Japan, 2004)

Ray is a young inventor living in the U.K. in the middle of the 19th century. Shortly before the first ever World Expo, a marvelous invention called the "Steam Ball", behind which a menacing power is hidden, arrives at his door from his grandfather Roid in the U.S. Meanwhile the nefarious Ohara Foundation has sent men to acquire the Steam Ball so that they can use its power towards their own illicit ends.

Steamboy comes from the mind of the great Katsuhiro Otomo, best known as the creator of the insanely popular Akira. Here, we are thrown into an alternate nineteenth century where the power of steam has made it possible for revolutionizing advances in the fields of science and technology. It's steampunk galore every step of the way.

The film took ten years to complete due to all the complicated shots and frames, so give it a chance and you might discover one of the best animated films out there. Also, and this is merely a suggestion, but try to see it with English voices, because I can honestly say that they're really good and fits more with the setting.

Genre: Animation/Action. 2h 6min.

Memories (Japan, 1995)

Memories is made up of three separate science-fiction stories. In the first, "Magnetic Rose," three space travelers are drawn into an abandoned spaceship that contains a world created by one woman's memories. In "Stink Bomb," a young lab assistant accidentally transforms himself into a human biological weapon set on a direct course for Tokyo. The final episode, "Cannon Fodder," depicts a day in the life of a city whose entire purpose is the firing of cannons at an unseen enemy.

With three great animation stories for the price of one, how can it possibly go wrong? From horror elements in space to retro-futurism, all done with crazy good animation. Based on short stories by artist and director Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira, Steamboy), this is a shining gem for fans of anime.

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Animation