Kara Dennison
December 24, 2023 
Christmas is upon us in a few short hours! What will you be watching to get in the festive spirit? Once the Doctor Who special and ’round-the-clock reruns of A Christmas Story have run their course, settle in with some anime! Your family will totally be into it. (And if they’re not, there’s at least one title on this list that might change their minds.)
However you spend the holiday, we hope it’s safe, happy, and fun. And now, on with the list!
Tokyo Godfathers
Many would argue that this is the quintessential anime Christmas movie… and we’d be inclined to agree. Tokyo Godfathers fits pretty much every holiday movie metric. It takes place at Christmas, and the holiday is an important part of the story. It remixes Nativity imagery — a special little baby being the center of an unusual night. And thematically, its story is tinged with family, hope, and a little miracle or two.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Satoshi Kon film, which follows a trio of homeless people on Christmas Eve as they try to locate the family of an abandoned baby. Along the way, they revisit parts of their own pasts, in many cases reuniting with family members of their own. It’s a strangely sentimental tale, and one perfect for the holiday.
Sailor Moon S the Movie
Want something a little wilder for Christmas? The Sailor Moon S movie may not be as on the nose about its festivities as Tokyo Godfathers (except for one iconic moment), but it’s still got a lot of little things that make it a good fit for the day. For one thing, it’s got a wintry story: our villain is Princess Snow Kaguya, an ice alien who aims to freeze the Earth. It also has a romantic subplot, in which mascot cat Luna catches feelings for a handsome young astronomer named Kakeru. (Yeah, it’s complicated, and not just because of Artemis.)
But we’d be lying if we said those were the only reasons we make mention of this film here. if you’ve seen that wild gif of Tuxedo Mask disguised as Santa… well, it comes from this movie. Honestly, that hilarious moment would be enough to warrant the flick’s inclusion. But between the Snow Dancers, the ice alien, and the movie’s whole vibe, we’ll be giving this one a watch tomorrow.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
We know, we know… this isn’t a Christmas anime. But December 25 also marks the long-awaited three-part season finale of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. And that’s one of the best presents of all! After literal weeks and months of delays, we finally get to see a conclusion to one of the coolest new anime offerings of the summer.
The trio of episodes will probably not be especially festive, though, as Akira and his traveling friends will be fighting for their lives in his hometown of Gunma. If you’re willing to stretch the argument, you could say it’s Christmasy because… reuniting with family? Yeah, honestly, we’re just adding this to our celebrations no matter what. Be sure to keep an eye on Crunchyroll and catch it right as it airs!
Here are more anime that are piling on the holiday spirit!
