Let's be real. Everyone throws around "best animated movie ever" like confetti. Top animation of all time lists? They're everywhere. But most feel recycled, shallow, or just plain wrong. You're not just looking for names; you want to know WHY something deserves that hallowed spot among the top animation of all time, maybe where to actually watch it, and what makes it tick. That's what I aim to crack here.
I've spent way too much time arguing about this stuff. Seriously. From film school debates to late-night chats with animator friends, the criteria shift constantly. Is it technical innovation? Emotional impact? Pure entertainment? Cultural footprint? For a genuinely useful list of top animation of all time, you gotta weigh it all.
What Even Makes an Animation "Top Tier"?
Before dumping a list on you, let's unpack the messy business of ranking greatness. It's not just about pretty pictures.
The Ingredients of Greatness
Story & Characters: Does it make you feel something real? Laugh till your sides hurt? Cry ugly tears? Iconic characters matter. Woody? Gollum? Chihiro? Yep.
Technical Innovation & Artistry: Did it push the medium forward? Break new ground visually? Whether it's hand-drawn perfection or mind-blowing CGI, the craft needs to serve the story.
Cultural Impact & Legacy: Did it change animation? Influence generations? Become part of the wider conversation? Think Snow White kicking off feature animation.
Rewatchability & Timelessness: Does it hold up decades later? Does it offer something new on the fifth viewing? Fads fade; true top animation of all time endures.
Pure Enjoyment Factor: Let's not overthink it. Is it just incredibly entertaining? Sometimes that's enough.
My buddy Tom, a hardcore Miyazaki fan, dismisses anything CGI-heavy. Me? I appreciate the craft across techniques. We nearly came to blows over The Iron Giant vs. Spirited Away. Different strengths!
So yeah, assembling a definitive top animation of all time list is subjective. But informed subjectivity? That's the goal.
The Definitive Top 20 Contenders (Brace for Debate)
Alright, here's the meat. Based on decades of watching, rewatching, arguing, and studying animation history, here's my take on the absolute pinnacle. This blends critical consensus, historical importance, technical merit, and that hard-to-define magic.
| Rank | Film Title | Year | Studio/Director | Medium | Why It's Top Tier (& Where to Watch) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spirited Away | 2001 | Studio Ghibli / Hayao Miyazaki | Hand-Drawn | Astonishing world-building, profound coming-of-age story, flawless artistry. Pure magic. (Stream: Max, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 2 | The Lion King | 1994 | Disney | Hand-Drawn | Peak Disney Renaissance. Iconic songs, Shakespearean drama, stunning animation. Pure emotional power. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 3 | Toy Story | 1995 | Pixar / John Lasseter | CGI | Revolutionized animation. Perfect script, timeless characters, groundbreaking tech that holds up. Friendship defined. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 4 | My Neighbor Totoro | 1988 | Studio Ghibli / Hayao Miyazaki | Hand-Drawn | Pure distilled wonder. Captures childhood innocence & nature's magic like nothing else. Universally beloved. (Stream: Max, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 5 | Pinocchio | 1940 | Disney | Hand-Drawn | Technically revolutionary (multiplane camera!), artistically stunning, surprisingly dark & resonant. The blueprint. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 6 | Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | 2018 | Sony Pictures Animation | CGI (Stylized) | Re-revolutionized CGI style. Visually explosive, heartfelt story, perfect pace. Proof animation can do superheroes best. (Stream: Netflix, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 7 | Beauty and the Beast | 1991 | Disney | Hand-Drawn | First animated Best Picture nominee for a reason. Broadway-level songs, complex characters, gorgeous animation. Pure romance. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 8 | Grave of the Fireflies | 1988 | Studio Ghibli / Isao Takahata | Hand-Drawn | Devastatingly beautiful anti-war film. Unflinching, profoundly moving. Not "fun," but essential art. (Stream: Crunchyroll, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 9 | The Iron Giant | 1999 | Warner Bros. / Brad Bird | Hand-Drawn/CGI Hybrid | Heartfelt Cold War parable. Beautiful animation, iconic giant, tearjerker ending. "Superman..." gets me every time. (Stream: Netflix, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 10 | Wall-E | 2008 | Pixar / Andrew Stanton | CGI | Breathtaking first act, powerful environmental message, incredible character animation (without much dialogue!). Unique & bold. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 11 | Princess Mononoke | 1997 | Studio Ghibli / Hayao Miyazaki | Hand-Drawn | Epic, complex eco-fable. Stunning visuals, mature themes, no easy villains. Miyazaki's masterpiece for adults. (Stream: Max, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 12 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | 1937 | Disney | Hand-Drawn | The one that started it all. Historical importance is unmatched. Still charming, artistically ambitious for its time. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 13 | Fantasia | 1940 | Disney | Hand-Drawn | Pure artistic ambition. Abstract, experimental, visually groundbreaking symphonies. A unique experience. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 14 | Finding Nemo | 2003 | Pixar / Andrew Stanton | CGI | Pixar's perfect adventure. Gorgeous underwater world, hilarious characters, universal parent-child story. Flawless execution. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 15 | Persepolis | 2007 | Sony Pictures Classics / Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud | Black & White Hand-Drawn | Powerful autobiographical coming-of-age during the Iranian Revolution. Unique graphic novel style, deeply personal & political. Essential. (Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 16 | The Incredibles | 2004 | Pixar / Brad Bird | CGI | Perfect superhero film disguised as family animation. Sharp writing, fantastic action, mid-century modern style. Pure fun with depth. (Stream: Disney+) |
| 17 | Coraline | 2009 | Laika / Henry Selick | Stop-Motion | Gothic, creepy, visually stunning stop-motion. A dark fairy tale with incredible atmosphere and detail. Unique voice. (Stream: Starz, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 18 | Ratatouille | 2007 | Pixar / Brad Bird | CGI | Surprisingly profound ode to artistry & criticism. Beautiful Parisian setting, delightful characters. "Anyone can cook!" (Stream: Disney+) |
| 19 | Akira | 1988 | TMS Entertainment / Katsuhiro Otomo | Hand-Drawn | Sci-fi anime landmark. Visually groundbreaking (especially the animation), complex cyberpunk story, massive influence. (Stream: Hulu, Crunchyroll, Rent/Buy: Major Platforms) |
| 20 | Wolfwalkers | 2020 | Cartoon Saloon / Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart | Hand-Drawn (Stylized) | Recent masterpiece. Gorgeous, flowing art style inspired by woodcuts, powerful story about freedom and nature. Proves 2D animation's vitality. (Stream: Apple TV+) |
Hold On, Why Isn't [Insert Your Favorite] Higher? See? Told you it gets messy. Frozen? Hugely popular, great songs, but the story feels derivative compared to the thematic depth of others. Shrek? Revolutionized comedy, but its pop-culture references feel dated fast. Howl's Moving Castle? Gorgeous, but the storytelling gets messy. This top animation of all time list leans towards foundational impact or near-flawless execution across multiple criteria.
And hey, Studio Ghibli fatigues me sometimes? There, I said it. They dominate lists for good reason, but variety matters.
Breaking Down the Eras: How Old Classics Stack Against New
Is newer tech inherently better? Does hand-drawn animation automatically trump CGI?
Nope. Top animation of all time comes from all eras. But the styles and techniques bring different strengths. Let's compare:
| Era (Roughly) | Dominant Style | Key Innovations/Characteristics | Standout Strengths | Weaknesses/Potential Downsides | Prime Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Age (1930s-1960s) | Hand-Drawn (Cel) | Multiplane Camera, Character Animation Principles (Squash & Stretch etc.), Feature Film Establishment | Foundational artistry, timeless charm, expressive character animation. | Technological limitations, simpler stories by modern standards, pacing can feel slow. | Pinocchio, Snow White, Fantasia, Bambi |
| Disney Renaissance (1989-1999) | Hand-Drawn (CAPS - Computer Assisted) | Integration of CGI elements (simpler), Broadway-style musicals, richer storytelling. | Peak traditional character animation, iconic songs, strong emotional core. | Formulaic structure in some films, Disney house style dominance. | The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan |
| Anime Golden Age (1980s-2000s) | Hand-Drawn (Anime Style) | Complex adult themes, diverse genres, ambitious world-building, detailed art. | Mature storytelling, unique visual styles, cultural specificity, powerful emotional range. | Production inconsistencies sometimes, cultural barriers for some viewers. | Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, Akira, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke |
| Pixar Dominance & CGI Rise (1995-Present) | CGI (Initially Mimicking Reality, Later Stylized) | Photorealistic rendering (early), complex simulations (water, fur, cloth), advanced lighting. | Unprecedented visual detail, new realms for photorealism & physics, massive box office appeal. | Risk of "samey" look early on, uncanny valley potential, high cost limiting diversity. | Toy Story Trilogy, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, The Incredibles, Inside Out |
| Modern Diversity & Stylization (2010s-Present) | Hybrid (CGI heavily stylized, Stop-Motion, 2D resurgence) | Non-photorealistic rendering (NPR), unique visual languages, blending of techniques. | Explosion of artistic styles, diverse stories & voices, pushing boundaries of what animation "looks like". | Market saturation, franchise fatigue, risk of style over substance. | Spider-Verse, Wolfwalkers, Coraline, Klaus, Persepolis |
See? Each era contributes gems to the top animation of all time conversation. Comparing Pinocchio directly to Spider-Verse is apples and oranges. Both excel wildly within their contexts.
Beyond Disney & Ghibli: Essential Gems You Might Have Missed
Look, Disney and Ghibli are powerhouses for a reason. But limiting your view of top animation of all time to just them is like only listening to two bands. So much brilliance flies under the radar!
- The Triplets of Belleville (2003): French, almost dialogue-free. Weird, witty, visually astonishing. A bicycle race, kidnapping, jazz, and grotesque gangsters. Pure artistry.
- Persepolis (2007): Already on the main list, but worth shouting out again. Black-and-white autobiographical animation about growing up in Iran. Raw, powerful, essential viewing.
- Song of the Sea (2014): From Cartoon Saloon (Wolfwalkers). Gorgeous hand-drawn animation steeped in Irish folklore. Gentle, beautiful, tear-inducing.
- Klaus (2019): Netflix original. Reimagines Santa's origin with stunning hybrid 2D/3D lighting techniques. Surprisingly heartfelt and visually unique. Proof streaming can produce top animation of all time contenders.
- Satoshi Kon's Filmography (Perfect Blue, Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers): Mind-bending explorations of reality, dreams, and identity. Visually dazzling and thematically dense. Paprika heavily influenced Inception.
- Waltz with Bashir (2008): Israeli animated documentary exploring memories of the 1982 Lebanon War. Powerful, haunting rotoscoped style. Animation tackling real trauma.
Seeking out these films seriously expands what you consider possible within the top animation of all time sphere.
Where the Heck Can I Actually Watch These Masterpieces?
Nothing's worse than reading a top animation of all time list and having no clue where to find the films! Streaming rights shift constantly, so here's a snapshot as of late 2024 for key titles:
Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies: Primarily on Max (Grave of the Fireflies also on Crunchyroll). Rent/Buy widely available.
Almost All Disney/Pixar Classics (Lion King, Toy Story, Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Fantasia, Wall-E, Finding Nemo, Incredibles, Ratatouille): Disney+ is your one-stop shop.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: Currently on Netflix. Rent/Buy widely available.
The Iron Giant: Streaming on Netflix. Rent/Buy widely available.
Akira: Streaming on Hulu and Crunchyroll. Rent/Buy widely available.
Coraline: Streaming on Starz (often via Prime Video Channels or Hulu add-on). Rent/Buy widely available.
Wolfwalkers: Exclusively on Apple TV+.
Persepolis: Not consistently on major streaming. Rent/Buy is the most reliable option (Amazon, Apple, Vudu etc.).
The Triplets of Belleville, Song of the Sea, Satoshi Kon films, Waltz with Bashir: Availability fluctuates wildly. Check JustWatch.com or Reelgood.com for real-time updates. Often require rental/purchase or niche streamers (Criterion Channel, Kanopy via libraries).
*(Streaming info changes FAST! Always double-check your preferred service before getting excited.)*
Top Animation of All Time: Your Burning Questions Answered (FAQ)
It hits that crazy sweet spot. Visually, it's breathtaking – every frame feels hand-painted with love. The story is this perfect mix of weird, scary, funny, and deeply moving. It taps into universal fears (getting lost, parents changing) and triumphs without being preachy. It respects kids' intelligence while enchanting adults. Plus, it introduced so many in the West to the sheer power of anime beyond action. It deserves its top animation of all time status because it's almost flawless on every level people judge animation.
Not inherently "better," just different. Older films like Pinocchio or Snow White laid the groundwork. The artistry in hand-drawn frames is undeniable, and they have a timeless charm. But modern films like Spider-Verse or Wolfwalkers push boundaries in style, technology, and storytelling complexity in ways impossible decades ago. Top animation of all time spans eras because greatness isn't tied to the year it was made, but to the execution and impact.
Pixar's run is incredible (Toy Story to Coco is insane). They revolutionized CGI storytelling and consistently deliver quality. But "best ever"? It depends on taste. Studio Ghibli's hand-crafted, thematic depth offers a different kind of mastery. Cartoon Saloon's unique 2D style is breathtaking. Laika's stop-motion is unparalleled. Pixar dominates CGI narrative, but the title of absolute "best" studio depends on what aspects of top animation of all time you value most – innovation, consistency, artistry, diversity?
Simple: They often tackle themes and stories Hollywood animation avoids or simplifies. Grave of the Fireflies is a devastating war film. Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller. Persepolis is political autobiography. Anime studios also embraced serialized TV storytelling early, allowing for complex character arcs. Plus, distinct and varied visual styles. They expanded the definition of what animation *could be* beyond just family comedies or musicals, making them essential contenders for top animation of all time.
Absolutely. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse proves it. It didn't just tell a great superhero story; it *redefined* what CGI animation could look like and feel like. Its visual innovation alone is groundbreaking. Combine that with a heartfelt story about responsibility, great characters, pacing, and humor? It earned its spot. It transcends the genre. It shows top animation of all time isn't limited by subject matter, but by how brilliantly that subject is realized through the medium.
That's a whole different (and equally passionate) battlefield! Shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Batman: The Animated Series, Arcane, or early Simpsons achieve incredible things in serialized storytelling, character development, and often on tighter budgets. Many would argue individual episodes or arcs stand with the best films. But comparing a 90-minute masterpiece to a 60+ episode series is tricky. This conversation focuses on *feature films*, though TV animation deserves its own top animation of all time pantheon.
Final Thoughts: Why This List (and Debate) Matters
Arguing about the top animation of all time isn't just nerdy fun (though it is!). It forces us to appreciate the craft. Looking beyond the big studios opens up worlds of stunning artistry and powerful stories. Understanding *why* something like Pinocchio is still revered, or how Spider-Verse changed the game, makes you a better viewer.
The best part? This list isn't set in stone. Discoveries happen. Re-watches change perceptions. What felt like top animation of all time ten years ago might feel different now (looking at you, some early Pixar sequels). New masterpieces like Wolfwalkers emerge.
So use this as a launchpad. Disagree vehemently! Seek out the ones you haven't seen, especially those non-Disney/Ghibli gems. Pay attention to the artistry – the movement, the color, the lighting, the sound design. That's where animation's true magic lives. The quest for the real top animation of all time is endless, frustrating, and utterly rewarding. Happy watching!
Comment