Published:
by Grace Hountangni , Teen Council member
Kanopy is a free online streaming service anybody with a library card can use! To sign up all you need is your library card number and email address.
“Each month, you’ll get 30 tickets and you can watch as many titles as our library’s ticket limit allows.” [DCPL] But be careful because unused tickets do not rollover into the next month. Two tickets will give you access to one movie so make sure to utilize all your tickets by watching these amazing anime!
The Wonderland [sub]
- Plot: The Wonderland is a fantasy anime movie about a young girl named Akane who learns more about herself through adventure with Hippocrates, a mysterious alchemist. She meets Hippocrates and their student Pipo on her birthday and learns they need her help to save a mystical land called Wonderland.
- Style/ Production: This anime has a similar artstyle to the Ghibli Movies and was made by the famous production company, Aniplex.
- Genre: Coming of Age, Fantasy, Adventure
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Trailer: Click here for the trailer!
Riding Bean [dub]
- Plot: Using the traditional early 90’s anime style, Riding Bean is set in Chicago and details the chaotic life of Bean Bandit. Being the top courier in the area, Bean’s job consists of a little danger and a whole lot of money. Due to his dangerous reputation and career, a group of criminals framed him with kidnapping a 10 year old girl who turns out to have some dangerous mysteries of her own.
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
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Trailer: Click here for the Riding Bean trailer!
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms [sub & dub]
- Plot: Living in the land of IoIph, where everyone stops aging in their mid teens, Maquia feels lonely despite her perfect world. Suddenly, an opposing army invades the land in desire of their immortality. Escaping successfully, she meets Erial, an infant mortal orphan, and becomes his guardian. The story follows the relationship that evolves between the two as Erial grows up while Maquia does not.
- Genre: Utopia, Action, Immortality, Familial relationships
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Trailer: Click here for Maquia’s trailer!
The Case of Hana and Alice [sub]
- Plot: “When Alice transfers to a new middle school, she hears an urban legend about a student who disappeared the previous year and is suspected to have been killed by his fellow students. Even worse, Alice discovers that she lives next door to his former house, a supposedly haunted home now occupied by a reclusive classmate named Hana. Hana and Alice decide to investigate this “murder case” together, and a shaggy-dog mystery tale gives way to a wonderfully nuanced story of young female friendship, and the fantasies and thrills of everyday teenage life.” [kanopy]
- Genre: Mystery, Murder, Slice of life, Female friendship
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Trailer: The Case of Hana and Alice trailer!
Liz and the Blue Bird [sub & dub]
- Plot: Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki are best friends who have now become seniors. They both are into music and are a part of their school’s brass band. The club starts practicing songs inspired by the fairy tale Liz und ein Blauer Vogel/Liz and the Blue Bird and the two friends begin to realize that there’s no such thing as being together forever.
- Style/ Production: This musical anime was made by the director and composer of “A Silent Voice” and Kyoto Animation who also made "Free” and “Tamako Love Story”.
- Genre: Slice of Life, Music, Female friendship, High School Seniors
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Trailer: The trailer for Liz and the Blue Bird!
Like the Clouds, like the Wind [sub]
- Plot: “A young woman goes from rural to royal in this anime classic. In ancient China, Ginga, a country girl, seizes the opportunity to become a concubine for a young Emperor. When she uncovers an evil plot inside the royal walls, Ginga finds herself in a world far from home.” [kanopy]
- Genre: Romance, Drama, Fantasy, Historical
- Style/Production: Like the Clouds, Like the Wind is made by Studio Pierrot which also made notable classics like Tokyo Mew Mew, Emma and the Legend of Korra.
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Promos: There aren't any trailers for this movie but you’re free to watch the promos!
Genius Party [sub]
- Plot: This anime movie is actually a 7-in-1. Within 85 minutes, this movie provides 7 short anime stories with their own individual narratives!
- Genres: These short films range from action, melancholy, fantasy, horror, psychological horror, sci-fi, romance, mystery and dystopian societies. With its unique art style, there’s definitely a short film for anybody!
- Note: If this kind of combined anime style interests you, there's a second movie called Genius Party Beyond with the same premise.
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Trailer: The Genius Party trailer is all in Japanese but it’s still very insightful of the type of movie it is!
Whether you’re into shounen or shoujo, there’s a wide variety of anime (as well as other movies) on kanopy, so definitely check them out!