Quality animation has represented an effective blend of artistry, ingenuity, hard work, and imagination since the early days of Disney (if not before). That is more true now than ever before, as artists and studios continue to push the medium to its limits.
Pixar and Studio Ghibli’s family fare consistently astounds, but their films represent only a small portion of the ever-expanding pie. The ultimate animated film is as satisfying as any live-action counterpart, which explains its enduring popularity with audiences of all ages.
According to those same audiences, Stacker ranked the best animated films of all time. The list was compiled using IMDb data, and each film had to receive at least 25,000 votes to be considered.
In the event of a tie in ratings, the title with the most votes ranked higher. There were no live-action films with animated sequences. Without further ado, here are the best animated films of all time, as voted on by the public.
Best Animated Movie Name’s:
- The Jungle Book (1967)
- Moana (2016)
- Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007)
- The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- The Little Prince (2015)
- Toy Story 4 (2019)
- Paddington 2 (2017)
- Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
- Wolfwalkers (2020)
- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
1. The Jungle Book (1967)
This animated musical, loosely based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic Mowgli tales, is about a young boy raised by a family of wolves. When Mowgli reaches the age of ten, he must choose between his jungle friends and the world of humans.
This was Walt Disney’s final Disney production before his death.
Wolfgang Reitherman is the director.
7.6 IMDb user rating
65 Metascore
78 minute runtime
2. Moana (2016)
Inspired by Polynesian mythology, this computer-animated adventure follows an island village that is plagued by an ancient curse. To make things right, a daring explorer named Moana Waialiki embarks on a perilous ocean journey.
A sequel series will premiere on Disney+ in 2023.
Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, and Chris Williams
Metascore: 81
Runtime: 107 minutes
3. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The first film in a beloved trilogy introduces audiences to Po (voiced by Jack Black), a lazy panda who becomes the world’s most unlikely kung fu hero. Po and his classmates face off against a vengeful snow leopard under the tutelage of Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) (voiced by Ian McShane).
The film was described as Dreamworks’ “most ambitious project ever” at the time of its release, and it makes excellent use of cutting-edge computer technology.
Mark Osborne and John Stevenson are the directors.
7.6 IMDb user rating
74 for Metascore
Duration: 92 minutes
4. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007)
The theatrical “Rebuild,” a new set of four films, comes from the creators of the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” franchise. It is set in an alternate universe of ultra-futuristic proportions, where humans must defend themselves against monstrous creatures known as Angels.
The majority of the plot points are taken directly from the first six episodes of the original anime TV series.
Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, and Hideaki Anno are the directors.
7.7 IMDb user rating
Metascore: no data available
Duration: 98 minutes
5. The Boy and the Beast (2015)
A street orphan embarks on a perilous journey between two worlds with the assistance of a beastly mentor. Studio Chizu and its founder, filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda, bring viewers this animated fantasy.
Each of the studio’s films aims to explore “a new continent of movies that nobody has ever seen before.”
Mamoru Hosoda is the director.
7.7 IMDb user rating
65 Metascore
119 minute runtime
6. The Little Prince (2015)
This visual tour de force, based on the best-selling children’s book, is about a young girl’s friendship with her elderly neighbour. The young girl is swept away into a realm of limitless possibility as her neighbour regales her with fantastic stories about the “little prince.”
To differentiate between the two worlds, the film alternates between CGI and stop-motion animation.
Mark Osborne is the director.
7.7 IMDb user rating
70 Metascore
108 minute runtime
7. Toy Story 4 (2019)
In this fourth instalment, the “Toy Story” franchise continues to explore themes of maturation. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and the gang must contend with a new toy named Forky, which is now owned by a young girl (voiced by Tony Hale).
Despite being arguably more introspective than its predecessors, the film still manages to include plenty of high-stakes adventure.
Josh Cooley directs
IMDb user rating: 7.7
Metascore: 84
Duration: 100 minutes
8. Paddington 2 (2017)
This acclaimed sequel to 2014’s “Paddington” now ranks as the greatest film of all time on Rotten Tomatoes, thanks to an unearthed negative review for “Citizen Kane.” Whether or not it is worthy of the title, “Paddington 2” is not without its charms.
The beloved bear is imprisoned after a stolen book and subsequent misunderstanding.
Paul King is the director.
7.8 IMDb user rating
88 Metascore
103 minute runtime
9. Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
The “Dragon Ball Super” TV series and this theatrical continuation of a long-running franchise broke new ground. The film, which is bursting at the seams with kinetic action, reintroduces and reimagines an elite supervillain named Broly.
It was a critical and fan favourite, and it became the franchise’s highest-grossing film.
Tatsuya Nagamine is the director.
7.9 IMDb user rating
Metascore: 59
Running time: 100 minutes
10. Wolfwalkers (2020)
The final instalment of Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s “Irish Folklore Trilogy” tells the story of Robyn Goodfellowe, an apprentice hunter who crosses the divide between two distinct worlds.
The film’s hand-drawn animation style was purposefully expressive in order to convey subtle insights about specific characters and environments.
Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart directed the film.
Metascore: 87 IMDb user rating: 8.1
Duration: 103 minutes
11. Toy Story 3 (2010)
“Toy Story 3” follows Woody and the gang to a harsh daycare centre where the kids torment each other during the day and an angry stuffed bear runs the show at night.
Can the toys make it out before it’s too late?
Lee Unkrich is the director.
User rating on IMDb: 8.2
The metascore is 92.
Duration: 103 minutes
12. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Miles Morales, a Brooklyn superhero, is thrown into a mind-bending multiverse in this new take on the Spider-Man story. Here, he joins forces with five other Spidey superheroes to combat a dangerous threat.
While creating the film’s computer-generated visuals, animators borrowed ideas from the hand-drawn tradition and broke all sorts of new ground.
Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman are the directors.
User rating on IMDb: 8.4
The metascore is 87.
Duration: 117 minutes
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