I started building my own anime collection for practical reasons. Before the era of anime streaming, only the most mainstream shows would air on something like Cartoon Network and you had to have a physical copy to watch anything else. As I’ve gotten older, these DVDs have become a prized possession, and while I admit Blu-ray pricing has gotten pretty out of control, it’s been awesome to see anime films and series getting the love they deserve from publishers.
But yes, the pricing really is out of control, so opportunities like Prime Big Deals Day shouldn’t be passed up. I’ve been following Prime Day deals for several years now, and I have to admit this iteration of the sales event has particularly good deals on physical media. Here are some of my top anime picks from the sale, with notes about what’s at an all-time low price.
Best Anime Deals in Amazon's October Prime Day Sale
If you asked me to choose between Akira and Ghost in the Shell, I'd have to leave the room. Thankfully, both of the iconic films that spearheaded the cyberpunk genre are on sale, with Akira at its lowest ever price for Prime members.
Some other movies at all-time lows include A Silent Voice, the heart-wrenching adaptation of Yoshitoki Ōima’s manga that still makes me choke up. On a similar wave, pretty much every Makoto Shinkai movie other than Your Name. has some sort of discount, but the director’s latest release, Suzume, is over 60% off. Radwimps returned for the soundtrack, and IGN's 9/10 review of the movie describes it as "one of the most captivating animated films" of 2022.
Of course, no anime movie list would be complete without some Studio Ghibli. The Grave of the Fireflies is one of the greatest and saddest anime films of all time, and its recent steelbook release has hit its lowest price yet at just $17.89.
Anime Series Are Also Getting Big Discounts
Besides some of the best anime movies, tons of anime series from across generations are on sale, with particularly big discounts on box sets and collections. I still have the Naruto DVD I used every time I wanted to rewatch the Chunin Exam arc as a kid, and the best Amazon discount I've ever seen on Shippuden is convincing me it’s a worthy addition to the collection.
In a similar vein, the full Soul Eater collection has dropped to just over $30, while Tokyo Ghoul, which I still think has one of the best opening songs in anime history, is also at an all-time low.
Aside from full collections, you’ll also find great prices on individual seasons from more recent anime hits. The Season 1 Blu-rays for Demon Slayer, Frieren, and The Apothecary Diaries are all on sale. While the limited edition set of Chainsaw Man Season 1 has gotten a relatively small discount at just 15%, that price drop still brings the packed set down to an all-time low.
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