Top 10 Animated Movies Instilling Motivation and Inspiration in Children

The film The Kind-hearted Dinosaur (2015) is set in a world where Earth is untouched by asteroids, and dinosaurs never face extinction. The story revolves around Arlo, a kind-hearted Apatosaurus who loses his father in a flash flood. One day, Arlo is swept away by a river and knocked unconscious by a rock. When he wakes up, he finds himself far from home. Trying to find his way back to Clawed-Tooth Mountains, he befriends a caveboy named Spot. Forming an unlikely bond with a human, they embark on an adventurous journey through harsh and mysterious landscapes. Along the way, Arlo learns to confront his fears and discovers long-hidden abilities.

The Kind-hearted Dinosaur is a visually stunning 3D masterpiece, an unmissable work that captivates and brings joy as we experience the adorable moments in Arlo and Spot's journey. It leaves behind a warm and grateful feeling, appreciating oneself and embracing everyday vulnerabilities. The existence of each individual is not only intertwined with family, friends, and people around but also with the delicate fabric of nature suffering every day.

The Culinary Mouse revolves around the story of Remy, a mouse with aspirations to become a chef despite the opposition from his family. Because everyone understands what happens when a mouse ventures into places that demand strict cleanliness, like a kitchen. However, during one of Remy's lost escapades, this talented mouse ends up in the heart of the city of Paris.

Witnessing the grandeur of Paris, Remy experiences a vision and sees the soul of Gusteau (Paris's legendary chef, Remy's idol). Gusteau's soul advises Remy to go outside and observe, and Remy's gaze finally stops at the window on the roof overlooking the kitchen of Gusteau's restaurant as if it were destiny. Witnessing Linguini, a clumsy kitchen staff, accidentally ruin a pot of exquisite soup, with the soul of a passionate chef boiling within him, Remy intervenes by jumping onto Linguini's head, grabbing his hair, and controlling him to recreate a new soup. It is this fortuitous event that propels Linguini to fame, followed by the intricate tales of the newfound 'chef' and the true culinary mouse behind him.

Zootopia unfolds in a world where animals live harmoniously, transcending species, dietary habits, and social classes. The film revolves around the story of the small bunny Judy Hopps, with an unusual dream of becoming a police officer, a profession seemingly reserved for larger animals. Despite family and societal doubts and obstacles, Judy is determined to prove everyone wrong about small bunnies. Overcoming challenges in the officer training program, Judy achieves her goal to become a police officer. However, life takes an unexpected turn as she's assigned to parking duty by Chief Bono. Meanwhile, the police department grapples with a series of carnivore disappearances. Judy stumbles upon clues and, alongside the sly fox Nick Wilde, embarks on an investigation with surprising outcomes.

Zootopia features a simple, understandable yet unique and colorful narrative set in a magnificent and vibrant animal world. One of its significant strengths lies in the profound life lessons embedded in various situations throughout the film.

Moana is an animated musical adventure fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2016. The story follows Moana, the only daughter of the chief on the island, who decides to embark on an epic journey across the Pacific to fulfill the mission of her ancestors. Joined by the mighty demigod Maui, she must traverse the vast ocean, confront formidable monsters, and break an ancient curse. However, her ocean-crossing quest is far from easy, as both Moana and the demigod Maui face numerous lurking dangers beneath the crystal-clear surface.

Unlike Disney's typical princesses living in luxurious palaces with charming princes, Moana is just a girl with wild hair and sun-kissed skin, the daughter of a tribal chief on a distant island. However, she shares the common Disney princess traits of courage and a deep love for her homeland. Moana is a captivating and profoundly meaningful film that will undoubtedly inspire you to embark on a journey of your own.

Coco revolves around a 12-year-old boy named Miguel, born into a family of shoemakers with a longstanding tradition. However, he has no interest in the family trade and is passionate about music. This passion is forbidden by his family. On the Day of the Dead in Mexico, Miguel daringly steals a guitar from the tomb of Ernesto de la Cruz (his idol) to participate in a music competition. This act triggers a curse, transporting him to the realm of the dead. Miguel's journey becomes a coming-of-age tale as he discovers what truly matters in life.

The allure of the film Coco lies not only in its stunning visuals, vibrant colors, and beautiful effects but also in the incorporation of Mexico's rich cultural heritage. Through the Day of the Dead celebration, unique aspects of the local culture and beliefs are vividly portrayed. The film's sharp and realistic imagery captures the transition to the colorful world of the dead, filled with towering, magnificent structures. Each deceased character possesses a spirit guide based on their personality to guide them along the way.

The Little Prince is an animated film adapted from the classic tale of the Little Prince. The story revolves around a little girl living in a very grown-up world, cared for by her overly strict mother. Every aspect of her life adheres to discipline and order, leaving her no time for friends. However, everything changes when she encounters a pilot, a kind old man with his old airplane. She befriends the pilot and listens to his stories about the Little Prince and distant stars.

It can be said that The Little Prince is a story about the inner child within every adult. The film not only captures the essence of the original work but delves even deeper, establishing a solid framework to revisit the messages of the book: everyone has to grow up and age, but they never disappear; they forever reside in the hearts of those who care about them. There are times when people are swept away by the whirlwind of busy and seemingly lose a part of themselves, but they can always rediscover it. The unnamed little girl's journey takes viewers through familiar yet seemingly new emotions, blending reality and fantasy.

Finding Dory is the long-awaited sequel to the 2003 film Finding Nemo. This time, Marlin and Nemo set out to find Dory, the kind-hearted but forgetful blue tang fish. The story begins on a beautiful day as Dory goes on an outing with Nemo to see the migration of stingrays on their way home. Witnessing the stingrays' home triggers Dory's intense homesickness and fragmented memories of the time living with her parents, urging her to find her way back. In her journey to reunite with her family, Dory must grapple with her own forgetfulness and make new friends, experiencing thrilling and heart-stopping adventures and delivering meaningful messages to the audience.

Unlike Finding Nemo, where Marlin embarks on a journey to find his kidnapped son Nemo, Finding Dory is the quest of Dory herself to retrieve her memories and find her parents. Each journey has its own challenges, and Dory is no exception. Along the way, she encounters countless difficulties due to her short-term memory loss. Fortunately, Dory, with her innocent and carefree nature, always maintains unwavering faith to carry out her journey. However, on this search for her parents, Dory is not alone; she is accompanied by her 'new family,' Marlin and Nemo, who have previously crossed the ocean with her.

Big Hero 6 takes place in a fictional city called San Fransokyo. The film revolves around the child prodigy Hiro Hamada and his extraordinary companion Baymax. Baymax is the invention of Tadashi, Hiro's older brother, and is a healthcare companion robot designed to care for human well-being. Due to this purpose, Baymax has a harmless appearance, extremely cute with a round, white, snowman-like body. One day, Hiro is taken by his brother Tadashi to visit the school he attends. The fascinating inventions here transform Hiro from a kid who only enjoys robot fighting into determinedly working hard to study at the same school as his brother. However, on the day he receives the admission invitation, it is also the day Tadashi loses his life while trying to save a professor from a fire.

Heartbroken by the sudden departure of his brother, Hiro withdraws from the world around him and refuses to communicate with everyone. Fortunately, Hiro has Baymax by his side. Baymax is not only a gift from Tadashi but also helps Hiro discover the terrible secret in the fire that took his brother's life. With the help of Baymax and his brother's close friends, Hiro is determined to unveil the mask of the villain. With Hiro's intelligence, he crafts combat tools for the superhero team, accompanied by the other 5 members: Baymax, Wasabi, Go Go, Fred, and Honey Lemon. Together, they investigate the masked thief 'kabuki' who stole Hiro's invention of 'microbots' and prevent a threat to the city.

Toy Story is an animated series revolving around the story of toys owned by a boy named Andy. The film is set in a world where toys have feelings, emotions, and thoughts just like humans. The main character of the film is the cowboy doll Woody. In the initial episodes, Woody is Andy's favorite cowboy doll, but later the boy receives a new popular toy, space ranger Buzz Lightyear. This makes Woody, who used to be Andy's favorite, intensely jealous of Buzz. After many events and challenges, Woody and Buzz become close friends, and the subsequent Toy Story films also revolve around the story of this duo.

In Toy Story 4, continuing the journey of the toys after parting ways with the grown-up Andy, Woody and his friends now belong to the little girl Bonnie next door. One day, Bonnie creates a new toy for herself named Forky, and Woody's mission is to ensure the safety of this new toy. The mission seems simple until Forky runs away, and once again Woody has to go to the rescue. In this film, Woody reunites with Bo Peep, the girl who used to be a shepherdess and has now become a strong and talented toy. She helps Woody rescue Forky and, at the same time, gives Woody a different perspective on the outside world.

Soul is a film with incredibly unique layers of meaning that everyone must watch at least once in their lifetime. Unlike other fantasy genre films with talking animals or objects, Soul is somewhat more authentic about real-life ordinary life. The film revolves around the character Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher with a passionate love for Jazz music and a constant dream of becoming a piano artist. Unfortunately, his dreams and passions come to an end in an accident that leads to his death. However, not stopping there, even as a soul, Joe refuses to surrender to fate. Courageously, he finds a way to escape the soul realm and reluctantly takes on the responsibility of mentoring another soul before returning to his body. Importantly, the soul he mentors has a dark perspective on life and is unwilling to be reborn.

Soul can be considered a film containing many profound layers of meaning. The movie conveys messages and perspectives on life. It also reflects the cultural life of African Americans. Despite the different aspects, the film still shows that the desire for life and the life perspectives of each character are precious values.