Movies like Starbirds (1982)
The best movies like Starbirds (1982) are Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), Macross Plus: The Movie (1995) and Patlabor WXIII the Movie (2002). If Starbirds hooked you with its animation and action, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedNeon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997)8.3/10 from 2,002 votes
- NewestScarlet (2025)Released 2025
- In JapanesePatlabor 2: The Movie (1993)Also in Japanese
Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993)
A Japanese police unit who use giant anthropomorphic robots (called Labors) is caught up in a political struggle between the civilian authorities and the military when a terrorist act is blamed on an Air Force jet. With the aid of a government agent, the team gets close to a terrorist leader to stop things from going out of control when after the military is impelled to impose martial law.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & science fiction
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMacross Plus: The Movie (1995)
Three decades after the great war between the humans and the Zentradi, the U.N. government is developing new technologies to use in their transforming fighter aircraft by running tests on the colony planet Eden. Military test pilots and former childhood friends, loose cannon Isamu Alva Dyson and the Zentradi mixed race Guld Goa Bowman, are selected to each pilot a new aircraft (Shinsei Industries' YF-19 & General Galaxy's YF-21) for Project Super Nova, to choose the newest successor to the VF-11 Thunderbolt variable fighter which is currently still in use by the U.N. Spacy military forces. Their own personal grudges end up disrupting the tests, and begin to wreak havoc on the program.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPatlabor WXIII the Movie (2002)
Set in the year 2000, when the level of Labor accidents begin to escalate around Tokyo Bay, police detectives Kusumi and Hata are assigned to investigate. What they discover leads to a series of government cover-ups, conspiracy concerning a new biological weapon entitled WXIII-Wasted Thirteen and a tragic, personal connection to Hata. The only hope to stop this threat is to cooperate with the military and lead WXIII into a showdown with the Labors of Special Vehicle Division 2.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGintama: The Final Chapter - Be Forever Yorozuya (2013)
What would have happened if the Shiroyasha never existed? Edo is thrown to chaos by a mysterious cause. Sakata Gintoki, now lives in a world where the future has changed, without him. What has happened to the Yorozuya? Gintoki, who is now a ghost of the past, must once again carry the burden in order to save his friends. He must finish the biggest job ever, which may be the final job of Yorozuya.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & animation
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisScarlet (2025)
After failing to avenge her father's murder, Princess Scarlet, wakes up in the "Land of the Dead." In this world filled with madness, if she does not achieve her revenge against her nemesis and reach the "No End Place," she will become "Void" and cease to exist. Can Scarlet find a way to live at the end of her endless journey?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGintama: The Movie (2010)
Odd Jobs Gin has taken on a lot of odd work in the past, and when you're a Jack of All Trades agency based in a feudal Japan that's been conquered and colonized by aliens, the term "Odd Jobs" means REALLY ODD jobs. But when some more than slightly suspicious secrets from the shadows of Gintoki Sakata's somewhat shady former samurai past and a new pair of odd jobs collide, the action is bound to get so wild and demented that only a feature film will do it justice!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & science fiction
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDragon Ball Z: Broly - Second Coming (1994)
A Saiyan Space pod crash-lands on Earth out of which a wounded Saiyan crawls: Broly, the Legendary Super Saiyan. The wounded Broly shouts out in frustration and turns into normal form. The place soon freezes, trapping him in it and he falls into a coma.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013)
After the defeat of Majin Buu, a powerful God of Destruction known as Beerus searches for the Saiyan warrior who defeated Frieza. Realizing the threat Beerus poses to Earth, the Z-fighters must stop him. Only Goku, humanity’s last hope, can ascend to the level of a legendary Super Saiyan God and save the planet, and possibly the entire universe!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGintama: The Very Final (2021)
The countdown to destruction has begun! Gintoki and the others set out to fulfill the wishes of their teacher Shoyo and thwart Utsuro's plans. Shinpachi, Kagura, the Shinsengumi, members of the Kabuki District, and even former enemies will join their fight. As Utsuro's power grows, Takasugi fights for his very life. Will Gintoki be able to put an end to all this?!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & action
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisIron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)
Iron Man enlists the help of ruthless vigilante the Punisher to track down War Machine's murderer. All the while, he's being pursued by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Black Widow and Hawkeye, who suspect his involvement in a recent terrorist plot.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both science fiction & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPromare (2019)
Galo and the Burning Rescue Fire Department face off against BURNISH, a group of mutants who are able to control and wield flames, and the fire disaster they have unleashed on Earth.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Hero Academia: You're Next (2024)
In a society devastated by the effects of an all-out war between heroes and villains, a mysterious giant fortress suddenly appears, engulfing towns and people one after another. Then, a man reminiscent of All Might, the 'symbol of peace', stands in front of Izuku and his friends...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDragon Ball Z Side Story: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans (1993)
Dr. Raichi is one of the only survivors of the Tuffles, a race that once lived on Planet Plant before the coming of the Saiyans. The Saiyans not only massacred the entire Tuffle race, but also stole their technology and conquered the planet, renaming it Planet Vegeta in honor of their king. Raichi managed to escape with a capsule and found refuge on the Dark Planet, a world at the end of the universe. His only wish is to eradicate the last remaining Saiyans.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Death of Superman (2019)
When a hulking monster arrives on Earth and begins a mindless rampage, the Justice League is quickly called in to stop it. But it soon becomes apparent that only Superman can stand against the monstrosity.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both science fiction & animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOrigin: Spirits of the Past (2006)
It is 300 years into the future. Earth's environment had been devastated by mankind's own foolish plans and humankind is beleaguered by the sentient forests which they have awoken. The world balance is tipped when a young boy named Agito stumbles across a machine that glowed in a strange blue hue inside a forbidden sanctuary.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlack Magic M-66 (1987)
A top-secret weapon escapes from military custody ready to destroy its pre-programmed target. The nosy freelance reporter who shows up to cover the story lands herself at the center of something even more dangerous than the international scandal she signed up for.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMazinger Z: Infinity (2017)
When the evil Dr. Hell attacks the Earth, the mighty giant mecha Mazinger Z is formed to stop him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & science fiction
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991)
U.C. 0123. After a generation of peace, the Earth Federation has begun to build new space colonies to house humanity's growing population. But a new force, the aristocratic Crossbone Vanguard, plans to seize the colonies of the newly constructed Frontier Side for itself. As their home becomes a battlefield, a handful of young civilians struggle to escape the conflict. To save his friends and family, the reluctant warrior Seabook Arno becomes the pilot of a new Gundam which bears the code name F91.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (2016)
Ash meets the Mythical Pokémon Volcanion when it crashes down from the sky, creating a cloud of dust—and a mysterious force binds the two of them together! Volcanion despises humans and tries to get away, but it’s forced to drag Ash along as it continues its rescue mission. They arrive in a city of cogs and gears, where a corrupt official has stolen the ultimate invention: the Artificial Pokémon Magearna, created 500 years ago. He plans to use its mysterious power to take control of this mechanical kingdom! Can Ash and Volcanion work together to rescue Magearna? One of the greatest battles in Pokémon history is about to unfold!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDoraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops: Winged Angels (2011)
Nobita and Doraemon find a giant robot in pieces which they later assemble. It turns out to be a destructive weapon and the gang must save Earth from an imminent invasion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & science fiction
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSailor Victory (1995)
In the future, five female high school students form Sailor Victory to command three giant ninja robots: Gion, Momoyama and Sagano, so that they can fight against evil in the virtual-future of Mikado City. In these two episodes, a disgraced and disgruntled city employee aims to humiliate the Sailor Victory crew by joining up with the evil Margarita. Little does he know that she is bent on destroying the city...
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & animation
Mobile Suit Gundam I (1981)
In the year Universal Century 0079, humans have colonized the area of space lying in between the Earth and the moon. However, the ambitious Zabi family, rulers of the Duchy of Zeon, the grouping of colonies furthest from the earth, has sparked a war.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (1981)
After surviving attacks by Zeon's Char Aznable and Garma Zabi, the crew of Federation warship White Base and its mobile suits must battle Zeon forces through Asia, Europe, and the Atlantic Ocean if they are to reach Earth Federation's headquarters alive. During that process, many of its crewmembers must overcome their fears, losses, immaturities, and insecurities in order to persevere.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & science fiction
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (1982)
Amuro Ray and the rest of the White Base crew, now denominated the 13th Autonomous Corps, return to outer space to support the rest of the Earth Federation forces for the decisive battle against the Principality of Zeon's forces.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & science fiction
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNeon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997)
SEELE orders an all-out attack on NERV, aiming to destroy the Evas before Gendo can advance his own plans for the Human Instrumentality Project. Shinji is pushed to the limits of his sanity as he is forced to decide the fate of humanity.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & science fiction
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMobile Suit Zeta Gundam - A New Translation II: Lovers (2005)
Universal Century 0087. As the civil war between the AEUG and the Titans continues, Kamille meets a mysterious girl named Four. But his encounter with Four, one of the Titans' "cyber-Newtypes," fills his heart with anguish. The grief-stricken Kamille fights his way back to space to find the new mobile suit Zeta Gundam waiting for him. Meanwhile, Paptimus Scirocco, the man from Jupiter, has added his strength to that of the Titans. And a third power is finally making its move, in the form of the Zeon remnants of Axis... With enhanced animation and a theme song by GACKT, the tragic romance of Kamille and Four unfolds in this second part of the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam feature trilogy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & animation
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam - A New Translation I: Heirs to the Stars (2005)
Universal Century 0087. The Titans, a bellicose faction among the Earth Federation Forces, grows powerful and tyrannical, even using poison gas to suppress a civil unrest. Dissident soldiers from the same military stand against them, forming a resistance group called the AEUG. Kamille Bidan, a civilian student, gets entangled in this conflict when he impulsively steals the Gundam Mark II and joins the AEUG, running away from his home space colony. Then he begins to fight along with Char Aznable, a former Zeon ace pilot who has infiltrated the Earth Sphere for reasons of his own. This is the first part of the feature trilogy derived from the anime series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, and features enhanced animation and theme songs by GACKT.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & animation
Gall Force 2: Destruction (1987)
The war between Solnoids and Paranoids continues, but the conflict reaches a new height as both races complete their Planet Destroyers. This new technology wipes out several star systems leaving only the ninth star system undamaged. As both races head towards it, a Solnoid ship finds Lufy, an attacker cryogenically preserved inside an assault trooper among space debris. Reawakened, Lufy is invited to join a group of Solnoids who are set to complete the original secret mission of her former crew.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & animation
Gall Force 3: Stardust War (1988)
The remaining forces of the Solnoid and the Paranoid races now head toward Sigma Narse, a forgotten star system with a dying red giant for their final confrontation. The crew of five Solnoids who survived the battle at the ninth star system are sent to meet Capt. Nebulart, head of Intelligence, for what appears to be the last hope for both races.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & animation
Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness (1998)
Two years have passed since the Great War. Akito and Yurika have vanished. The Jovians and the Earthlings have joined forces and Ruri is now captain of Nadesico B. As the popularity of Boson Jumping grows, a vast transportation network has been developed. Dubbed the Hisago Plan, this network of Chulip portals holds the answers to the mysteries behind Bose particles and their power. If those secrets should fall into the wrong hands, it could mean big trouble. And big trouble there is. A Martian splinter group has launched an offensive, leaving the United Forces befuddled and desperate. So much so, in fact, that the former crew of the Nadesico is called back to active duty for a special unsanctioned mission-to save us all. Does this menagerie of misfits have what it takes? Who will win the race for the Boson technology? And what the heck happened to Akito and Yurika?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & science fiction
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Starbirds?
The closest matches to Starbirds are Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), Macross Plus: The Movie (1995) and Patlabor WXIII the Movie (2002). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Starbirds?
Start with Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), the closest match to Starbirds.
What is the highest-rated movie like Starbirds?
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997), rated 8.3/10 by 2,002 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Starbirds?
Scarlet (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Japanese movies like Starbirds?
Yes: Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), Macross Plus: The Movie (1995) and Patlabor WXIII the Movie (2002).
How are movies similar to Starbirds chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Starbirds, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.