I can recommend five highly acclaimed animated movies that have been praised for their storytelling, animation, and overall impact. Please note that new movies may have been released since then, and public opinion can change over time. Here are five outstanding animation movies up to that point:
1.Grave of the Fireflies’ (1988)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Grave of the Fireflies is another film that proves animation isn’t just for kids. Its heavy themes and tale of survival during the final months of World War II in Japan are heartbreaking. Set in Kobe, Japan, the story follows two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, as they desperately try to survive the end of the war.
Filled with the atrocities of war and personal tragedies Grave of the Fireflies is an eye-opening tale of love, loss, and perseverance. It does not shy away from the effects of war and does nothing to glamorize it, instead focusing on the repercussions of such large-scale attacks between groups of humans and society’s failure to protect its own people in such tragedy.
2.The Lion King’ (1994)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Disney’s The Lion King is one of the best animated movies of all time. Based on Shakespeare‘s Hamlet, The Lion King follows young cub, Simba, who just can’t wait to be a great King like his father, Mufasa, but his evil uncle, Scar, has ambitions of his own for the coveted throne and will do anything to take it.
Filled with a colorful cast of iconic characters, a memorable Disney soundtrack and musical numbers, and themes taken right from Shakespeare, The Lion King is Disney at its best. Creating a beautiful world of destiny, betrayal, and responsibility, this animated masterpiece is one of the best.
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3.Spirited Away’ (2001)
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Studio Ghibli is known for its breathtaking art and beautifully drawn landscapes that completely emerges its audience into its fantastical worlds. Spirited Away follows ten-year-old, Chihiro, as she and her family move to the countryside. The sullen young girl is then thrust into a magical world of spirits and gods after her mother and father are turned into pigs.
4.Your Name’ (2016)
Image via Toho
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
This beautifully animated anime film follows two teenagers, Taki, a high school boy in Tokyo, and Mitshua, a 17-year-old girl from the countryside, as they become mysteriously linked to one another and began switching their bodies. Both are dissatisfied with their lives and wish for a change.
The film is an emotional, magical, romantic tale that expertly blends fantasy and realism. With its stunning animation and themes of love, youth, and destiny, Your Name delivers a fresh, thought-provoking tale of two star-crossed individuals growing up.
5.Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
In a spectacular debut for the first on-screen appearance of Miles Morales as Spider-Man, he must make sense of his new powers in a world with too many spider-people. Warped into Miles’ universe, a cast of otherworldly versions of Spidey help the young wall-crawler come into his own while trying to find their way back home.
Into the Spider-Verse‘s animation is outstanding. It plays like a living comic book, bringing some of the most stunning animation ever seen before on the big screen. Mixed with an awesome soundtrack and plenty of lovable spider-powered characters, Into the Spider-Verse is a perfect addition to the Spider-Man universe.
Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece is an enchanting fairy tale that is filled with stunning imagery and plenty of interesting characters. It’s among those animated movies that stays in the recesses of your mind long after watching, making you yearn for a fantastical trip into the realm of spirits and magic.