Animated films stand among some of the best cinematic works of all time, but many dismiss the genre as something for children. This is a foolish notion for two reasons. Firstly, not all animated fare is strictly for kids. Secondly, even something aimed towards the family can still be a great work of art.
Many fans would love to turn their ignorant friends on to some of their favorite pieces of animation, so the following list will showcase the ten finest films which are more accessible, unique, and immediately engaging for those without the patience for animation. After they fall in love with these, they’ll have no choice but to explore the medium even further.
Persepolis
Persepolis, based off the similarly titled autobiographic graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, tells the author’s story of her upbringing in Iran. She deals not only with the trials and tribulations of most teenagers, but also adjusting and coping with the radical changes her country goes through and the culture shock that came from living in Europe for part of her adolescence. The visual style perfectly reflects the novel’s art and distinguishes it from other animated films. Don’t expect happy-go-lucky times throughout the run time, either. Anybody who watches this film with dry eyes can hardly be considered human.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Not only does this recent film help convert people into fans of animation, but it would also turn people into fans of Spider-Man. The character has gone through some dramatic ups and downs throughout his history in film, but Into the Spider-Verse stands among the best the character has to offer.
In fact, some consider it the best superhero film of all time, live-action or animated. The unique visuals draw people in and the gripping narrative keeps them glued to their seat. Show it to folks now so they can get hyped for the sequel coming in 2022.
Perfect Blue
Sometimes even avid cinephiles look down at anime in contempt. If they think the Japanese animation style is all flashy sci-fi and fantasy, show them Perfect Blue to give their perception of the medium a complete one-eighty. A pop star leaves music behind for acting and a slew of grizzly murders occur relating to a person stalking her. While a grounded concept, the story delves into themes muddying the line between reality and fiction, using the medium to its full advantage to convey the main character’s deteriorating mental state to the viewer.
Akira
Show somebody Akira and they’ll probably note stylistic similarities to modern sci-fi action films. Once they see it was made in 1988, it’ll blow their little heads open.
The setting, while taking inspiration from other cyberpunk worlds, feels like a more realistic future than those from Blade Runner or 2001: a Space Odyssey. Akira also helped Japanese animation gain a new level of respect in cinema. More than thirty years after its release, and few other films have created such a vibrant science fiction dystopia.
The Iron Giant
This story of a boy befriending a giant robot comes from director Brad Bird, who would later make The Incredibles and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The power of the medium shines through as the giant barely speaks a word throughout the run time. The seemingly emotionless being is given life through the talent of animators. By the climax, even the most stone-hearted viewers will be fighting back tears as they cheer on the heroes during the nail-biting finale.
Princess Mononoke
Hayao Miyazaki doesn’t have a single dud in his entire catalog. Yet even among his sea of gems, Princess Mononoke stands out as something truly special. It’s longer than the average animated feature, coming in at around two hours and fifteen minutes, and tells a somber story about the conflict between humanity and nature. The director’s films are rarely straightforward jolly affairs. But despite their lack of adult content, they often deal with heavy themes critical of our place in the world.
Plague Dogs
This film follows two dogs and their arduous escape from a testing facility. Freedom from the institution isn’t where it ends, however. On the outside world they still have to fight tooth and nail to get away from those hunting them down. The novel on which the film is based was written by Richard Adams, who is a noted advocate for the protection of animals. One doesn’t need to be an ardent supporter of animal rights to appreciate the trials and tribulations of the two main characters, though. Thanks to the unique camerawork and grounded animation style, one feels they are watching a live-action film and sees the two dogs in a dignified human light.
Yellow Submarine
Throw a rock into a crowd and odds are it will hit a Beatles fan. Most who say otherwise are lying. The iconic band’s two live-action works beforehand, A Hard Day’s Night and Help, are comedic gold, and Yellow Submarine takes the band in a whole new psychedelic direction with their fantastic voyage in the movie’s titular vehicle.
They don’t provide their own voices, but the story is filled with their songs set to creative visuals. The story perfectly encapsulates two main themes the group constantly espouses through their music: peace and love.
Watership Down
The second film on the list based on source material by Richard Adams, Watership Down once again discusses the perils of anthropomorphized creatures. This time, it is rabbits surviving in the wilderness and trying to find a new home after their current dwelling is destroyed by humans.
The movie is famous for scaring unsuspecting children with its relatively graphic violence. It’s not all terror, however. Many of the scenes hit deep emotional cores, once again making the viewer care for the characters as if they were real people.
Grave Of The Fireflies
This one is ideal for showing people who have no patience for animated films. It takes about thirty seconds to make someone start crying like they were a hungry baby. It doesn’t get any easier from there, either. By the end, your friend will tearfully ask why you showed it to them, to which you can reply, “Well next time don’t underestimate the power of animation.” Grave of the Fireflies follows a young man and his sister as they struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.
The lack of food and resources makes day-to-day living tough, taking a severe emotional toll on both siblings. What makes it even harder to stomach is the knowledge that it is based on a short story written by Akiyuki Nosaka, who lived through bombing raids in World War II and lost several family members as a result of the attacks and food rationing.
