Provided is an anisotropic optical film, which can, while keeping excellent display characteristics (e.g., brightness and contrast) in the direction of a viewing angle, suppress decreased display characteristics in the other directions, when the anisotropic optical film is used as a diffusion film of a display panel.In an anisotropic optical film including two or more anisotropic light diffusion layers where the linear transmittance varies depending on the incident angle of incident light, each of the anisotropic light diffusion layers is provided with a matrix region and a plurality of pillar regions that differ in refractive index from the matrix region, the film includes, as the anisotropic light diffusion layers, at least two types of anisotropic light diffusion layers (a) and (b) that differ in linear transmittance, the maximum linear transmittance of the anisotropic light diffusion (a) is 40% or more and less than 95%, and the minimum linear transmittance thereof is less than 20%, and the maximum linear transmittance of the anisotropic light diffusion layer (h) is 20% or more and less than 40%, and the minimum linear transmittance thereof is less than 20%.