Hayao Miyazaki is a marxist, and almost all his works have some marxist undertone. Castle in the Sky (1986) is probably the best one. Its central theme is workers’ struggle. Miyazaki stated that it was inspired by the coal miner strikes in UK at the time.
The Leader (2019) is a Chinese anime depicting Karl Marx’s life. Pretty good!
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010): Every storyline basically boils down to how capitalism tries to hypocritically justify itself to wash away the horrific consequences of greed. This is the original story, redone to remove fillers and be closer to the manga. Generally considered the superior version to the 2003-2004 series.
Non-anime cartoons and animations:
A Bug’s Life (1998): Ants resisting imperialism from outside and the oppressing upper classes from inside.
The Mystery Of The Third Planet (1981): Considered to be one of the best animated films of all time. Produced in the Soviet Union. Has a lot of positive themes about accepting others, respecting nature, working together. Not explicitly marxist in nature, but will leave you feeling warm. Has a kick-ass soundtrack. Try to find the original Russian version.
Chicken Run (2000): Chickens organizing an escape from their farm. While it tries to spoof The Great Escape, it can also act as a tale of revolution of the workers against the bourgeois.
Live-action:
Snow-Piercer: both the movie and series are meant to depict a worker revolt.
Parasite (2019): same creator as snow-piercer. I won’t say anything about it, except that it’s excellent.
The Young Karl Marx (2017): the early life of Karl Marx leading up to the writing of the communist manifesto.
Andor (2022): It’s a Disney Star Wars series, but it’s actually quite excellent. Its an antifascist masterpiece to the core.
Starship Troopers (1997): based on the fascist-loving book by Heinlein, director Neuemeier turns it into a satirizing exposition of fascism. Its main theme is how the regime will fill you with ideal notions about its greatness, take you in to serve it, then spit you out when it has sucked the life out of you.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940): Depressing, but watching this will fire up the revolutionary in you.
The Platform is honestly one of the best short-form (single movie), non-theory (at all) and honestly one of the most “right in your face” fictional depictions of wealth inequality I’ve seen so far. I will second that, shit actually sort of disturbed me.
Anime:
Hayao Miyazaki is a marxist, and almost all his works have some marxist undertone. Castle in the Sky (1986) is probably the best one. Its central theme is workers’ struggle. Miyazaki stated that it was inspired by the coal miner strikes in UK at the time.
The Leader (2019) is a Chinese anime depicting Karl Marx’s life. Pretty good!
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010): Every storyline basically boils down to how capitalism tries to hypocritically justify itself to wash away the horrific consequences of greed. This is the original story, redone to remove fillers and be closer to the manga. Generally considered the superior version to the 2003-2004 series.
Non-anime cartoons and animations:
A Bug’s Life (1998): Ants resisting imperialism from outside and the oppressing upper classes from inside.
The Mystery Of The Third Planet (1981): Considered to be one of the best animated films of all time. Produced in the Soviet Union. Has a lot of positive themes about accepting others, respecting nature, working together. Not explicitly marxist in nature, but will leave you feeling warm. Has a kick-ass soundtrack. Try to find the original Russian version.
Chicken Run (2000): Chickens organizing an escape from their farm. While it tries to spoof The Great Escape, it can also act as a tale of revolution of the workers against the bourgeois.
Live-action:
Snow-Piercer: both the movie and series are meant to depict a worker revolt.
Parasite (2019): same creator as snow-piercer. I won’t say anything about it, except that it’s excellent.
The Young Karl Marx (2017): the early life of Karl Marx leading up to the writing of the communist manifesto.
Andor (2022): It’s a Disney Star Wars series, but it’s actually quite excellent. Its an antifascist masterpiece to the core.
Starship Troopers (1997): based on the fascist-loving book by Heinlein, director Neuemeier turns it into a satirizing exposition of fascism. Its main theme is how the regime will fill you with ideal notions about its greatness, take you in to serve it, then spit you out when it has sucked the life out of you.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940): Depressing, but watching this will fire up the revolutionary in you.
I’d also add The Platform, I personally liked it a lot better than Snow-Piercer
The Platform is honestly one of the best short-form (single movie), non-theory (at all) and honestly one of the most “right in your face” fictional depictions of wealth inequality I’ve seen so far. I will second that, shit actually sort of disturbed me.
Indeed, it’s incredibly well done.