As the popularity of anime has grown, more and more shows have chosen to set their action in a specific location in order to better convey the tale they are trying to tell and the world they have created.
Rare and underappreciated as they may be, jungle-themed anime stand out thanks to their striking visuals and novel location. Anime shows that take place in a jungle often feature fantastical scenes depicting the jungle's natural beauty alongside the human and sometimes more spiritual counterpart. Several jungle-based anime have won awards, and watching them is well worth the time because they have many beautiful and fantastical scenes.
9 Jungle Emperor Leo
This 1997 movie focuses on the journey of a white lion to become the King of the Jungle. With uncanny similarities to The Lion King sequel, the movie portrays the greed of humans and the attempts of Leo, a white lion, to save his people (animals) from a deadly disease that plagues the jungle's inhabitants.
Starting with the birth of Leo's children, Lune and Lukio, the anime movie shows a greedy treasure hunter, Ham Egg, as he tries to sell off a special stone found in the Bajalu Jungle. Realizing that the stone he holds is the legendary Moonlight Stone, said to be able to cure the world of an energy crisis, Ham Egg returns to the jungle to illegally poach the stone.
8 Pokemon The Movie: Secrets Of The Jungle
Portrayed in the fictional Okoya Forest, the 2020 Pokemon movie portrays Koko, a young child who lost his biological parents in an accident. Unlike the usual bond between a Pokemon and its human trainer, the movie showcases the unusual father-and-son bond between the human Koko and his adoptive mythical Pokemon father, Zarude.
To take care of the young feral child, Zarude had to leave his Great Tree home deep in the jungle, as humans are forbidden to set foot there. Now taking care of Koko as his own, the young child encounters Ash and Pikachu in the Forest of Okoya, where a deeper plot unfolds.
7 Haré+Guu
Written and illustrated by Renjuro Kindaichi, the series Haré+Guu takes place in a jungle where Hare lives with his mother. One day Haré's mother, Weda, introduces him to a girl called Guu, who would become a member of their household.
As a typical boy living in the jungle with his mother, Haré is caught off guard by Guu's unnatural tendencies, such as having another world in her stomach, as she sets off a chain of events in the jungle. Discovering that Guu is not a natural being, Haré strives to continuously keep her out of trouble in the jungle as he lives his day-to-day life.
6 Btooom!
The game of Btooom is mandatory while participants are stranded on an unknown island. When it was first released, Btooom had millions of users online, and now 22-year-old Ryota spends his days playing it.
However, Ryota and a group of other gamers find themselves suddenly stranded in the game, trapped on an island with in-game bombs and needing to eliminate at least seven of their fellow players to have any chance of escaping. After teaming up with other players, Ryota hopes to uncover the truth behind this game and return home.
5 To The Forest Of Firefly Lights
Hotaru Takegawa, a young girl, gets lost in a forest during a summer vacation at her grandfather's house. As a young girl, she cries out in desperation until she meets a mysterious boy with a mask. In delight, Hotaru rushes to approach Gin but is rudely fended off. Surprised at Gin's rude behavior, Hotaru discovers that a curse has been placed upon Gin to disappear if touched by a human being.
Despite their initial interaction and necessary boundaries, the duo becomes great friends, and Hotaru returns to the forest every summer to spend time with Gin despite the latter's protest. As the seasons go by, Hotaru and Gin develop mutual feelings for each other, and they struggle with the limitations that fate has placed upon them.
4 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
In response to the Principality of Zeon's seizure of a Ukrainian city, the Earth Federation has launched an offensive to reclaim the city. Even though the mission was a success, Zeon's members are now dispersed around the globe. When the rebel forces disperse, the Federation sends its troops to find them.
Karen, Eledor, Mikel, and Sanders, together with new transferee Shiro Amada, make up the 08th Mobile Suit Division and are deployed to the depths of the Vietnamese jungle. As they prepare for the fierce struggle ahead, Shiro meets someone who will put his allegiance to the Federation to the test.
3 Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind
With its setting in a post-apocalyptic world, the anime series takes place in the aftermath of a nuclear war named the "Seven Days of Fire." With most of humanity wiped out, a toxic jungle evolves to wipe the remnants of the human race. With deadly toxins and giant insects, the jungle spreads and grows fiercer every day.
Among all this is Nausicaä, a charismatic Princess of a valley by the sea. Placed by the sea, the valley is spared the jungle's onslaught, and its people live in tranquility until the arrival of Tolmekia. This kingdom wants to revive an ancient weapon from the nuclear war to eradicate the encroaching jungle. Believing the earth would never survive such a large-scale and violent event, Nausicaä is embroiled between the encroachment of the toxic jungle and the Tolmekians.
2 Princess Mononoke
Showcasing nature, the supernatural, and everything in between, Princess Mononoke showcases a struggle between the gods of a forest and the humans who consume the forest's resources.
Emishi Prince Ashitaka is told to travel to the western countries, where a horrible demon originates to break the curse placed upon him by the demon. Along the way, Ashitaka discovers that the spirit of the Great Forest may support his efforts. As Ashitaka travels in search of a cure, he meets San, a little girl raised by wolves and given the name Princess Mononoke. San and Ashitaka have a contentious first encounter, but as they continue through the forest's perils, San comes around to Ashitaka and begins to aid him in his journey.
1 My Neighbor Totoro
This critically acclaimed film follows two sisters as they experience the fantastical world of wood spirits in the forest. As a result of their mother's illness, Satsuki, Mei, and their father go to the countryside. As they become more acclimated to rural life, they become aware of the presence of supernatural entities, many of whom are referred to as "Kami."
One of the more prominent beings is a giant mystical forest spirit the siblings befriend. Mei thinks the giant spirit must be a troll, which gives him the name Totoro, a mispronunciation of "troll." Later, the siblings become good friends with Totoro and tell their father about the mystical being.