Top 11 Best Animated Films of All Time

Spirited Away is a Japanese animated film released in 2001, produced by Studio Ghibli, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. This film is Miyazaki's most renowned work, achieving global success. The Spirit World became the highest-grossing film in Japan's history, earning $274 million worldwide. Beyond its commercial triumph, it garnered critical acclaim, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards and the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival. Additionally, it was ranked among the top 50 films to watch by the British Film Institute when you're 14.

Perhaps the film's brilliance lies in its imaginative storytelling, which follows the journey of Chihiro, a clumsy young girl who uses her courage and love to transform evil spirits and reunite her family in the human world. The open-ended conclusion invites the audience to imagine the future of Chihiro and Haku, with the charming line, "You may not remember your name, but you'll always remember mine."

Set against the backdrop of World War II, Grave of the Fireflies tells the heartbreaking story of two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, who lose their mother during a devastating air raid by the American forces on Kobe. Their father is away fighting for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Alone and struggling to survive in a war-torn Japan, they rely on each other while enduring both starvation and the cruelty of relatives with whom they are forced to stay. Ultimately, Setsuko succumbs to hunger in an abandoned shelter, and when Seita returns with food, his desperate calls are in vain as Setsuko will never wake again.

Released on April 16, 1988, this Ghibli masterpiece is considered one of the seven greatest films of all time. The film captivates audiences with its profound human values and the brutal realities of World War II.

Upon its release, Up quickly topped box office charts worldwide, dominating both the U.S. and Asian markets. It even had the honor of being the first animated film to open the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Fun, exciting, and emotional, Up captivated audiences from the very start.

The film charms viewers from the outset, telling the story of Carl and Ellie from childhood to old age. Carl and young Russell embark on an adventure to Paradise Falls, a place Carl's late wife had always dreamed of visiting. Their heartwarming journey leaves a lasting emotional impact. Up won two Oscars in 2009 for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for its soundtrack.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Frozen tells the tale of a brave princess embarking on a perilous journey with a rugged, kind-hearted mountain man, his loyal reindeer, and a cheerful snowman they meet along the way. Together, they set off to find her estranged sister, a queen with the magical power to summon ice and snow, whose powers have plunged their kingdom into an eternal winter.

As the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Frozen ranks as the fifth highest-grossing film overall, the highest-grossing film of 2013, and the third highest-grossing film in Japan. The film received two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (for the hit song "Let It Go"). It also earned a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, a BAFTA for Best Animated Film, five Annie Awards (including Best Animated Feature), and multiple accolades for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

The film follows WALL-E, a lone robot left on Earth who begins to develop a small glitch in his programming: human-like emotions. In the story, WALL-E dreams of connecting with someone and escaping the monotony of his daily work. One day, EVE, a sleek, agile robot with the ability to fly and equipped with a laser gun, arrives on Earth for a secret mission assigned by the captain of the Axiom spaceship. As WALL-E pursues EVE, he embarks on an intergalactic adventure that exceeds anything he ever imagined.

True to Pixar's tradition, the movie features a short film titled Presto, and the Blu-ray and DVD versions include a second short, BURN-E. On Rotten Tomatoes, WALL·E holds an impressive 96% approval rating from critics.

Picking up where the previous two films left off, Toy Story 3 completes the trilogy with a strong emotional arc. Andy, now ready to start college, is about to leave his childhood behind. His toys, including Woody and Buzz Lightyear, face the prospect of being stored away in the attic.

However, an accident leads to the toys being mistakenly thrown away, and a garbage collector takes them to Sunnyside, a daycare center. While Woody’s friends suffer through rough playtime with unruly kids, Woody is fortunate enough to be adopted by a sweet girl named Bonnie.

Will Woody manage to rescue his friends from the toy “prison” at Sunnyside and reunite them with Andy, who’s waiting for them? Packed with humor, exciting action, and heartfelt moments, Toy Story 3 surpassed expectations, grossing over $1 billion and becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time until it was overtaken by Frozen in 2013.

The film follows a typical teen girl, Riley, who faces a life-changing event when her family moves from their home in the Midwest to San Francisco, California. Riley’s emotions are personified as characters, each playing a role in how she reacts to her new life. These characters include: Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, and Disgust.

These five emotions guide Riley’s decisions and feelings in everyday life. However, adjusting to a new city, new house, and new school triggers chaos among her emotions. The only hope left is Joy, Riley’s most vital emotion, to keep her optimistic and help her navigate this challenging period. Variety magazine hailed this as Pixar’s “most brilliant idea,” calling it “a truly original concept that will forever change the way we think about how people think.”

Life near the Coral Reef is full of dangers for fish, and for Marlin, a widowed father, this means constantly worrying about his only son, Nemo. On his first day of school, Nemo forgets his father's warnings and ventures out to explore a boat, only to be captured by a diver, leaving Marlin helplessly watching. Filled with dread for his son’s fate, Marlin embarks on a dangerous journey across the ocean to find Nemo. Along the way, he teams up with the kind but forgetful Dory, and together, they face numerous challenges to rescue Nemo.

The film received widespread acclaim and won the award for Best Animated Feature. It grossed a staggering $940 million worldwide and became the best-selling DVD in history, with over 40 million copies sold in 2006. In 2008, the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named it one of the top 10 animated films ever made.

There’s no doubt about it: Tom and Jerry is the most beloved animated series of all time, closely tied to the childhoods of generations. Despite being produced from the 1940s to 1975, the show continues to captivate audiences across the years. It’s no wonder that the series, created by directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, swept up 7 Oscars and became the most awarded animated show in history.

The show follows the antics of the dim-witted cat Tom as he relentlessly chases the clever mouse Jerry, only to be outsmarted time and time again. Tom’s hilarious and often disastrous attempts to catch Jerry have provided endless laughs and earned the show a place in the hearts of viewers everywhere.

The film is simple and understated in terms of animation, yet its profound humanistic themes have made it resonate deeply with viewers. The image of the innocent forest spirit Totoro has become a symbol of endearing, meaningful animation. The film had a major impact on Japan's animation industry at the time and has since become a symbol for Studio Ghibli, one of the world’s most renowned animation studios.

The core message of "My Neighbor Totoro" is a celebration of human kindness in its most natural form. The scene where the Kusakabe family rides their bikes to visit their mother in the hospital, the playful laughter of sisters Satsuki and Mei under the full moon as they play with Totoro, and the joy of their grandmother and friend Kanta when Mei is found safe... all these moments radiate warmth, simplicity, and the magic of everyday life. Unlike the grandiose displays of miracles in many Disney films, the wonders in Totoro are subtle, gentle, and deeply reflective of Eastern sensibilities, especially those of the Japanese culture.

Even after 20 years, no hand-drawn animated film from Walt Disney has managed to eclipse the legacy of The Lion King. The movie tells the epic story of Simba, a young lion cub, and his journey with his friends, captivating audiences across generations with its vibrant, grand visuals, along with a memorable soundtrack filled with romance and profound human values.

The film has been widely praised for its philosophical story, rich content, and stunning music, earning a 92% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. With immense box office success, it stands as the 14th highest-grossing film of all time, with $952 million in revenue (as of 2011). It remains the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film and the second highest-grossing animated movie in history, only behind Toy Story 3 (a 3D animated film).