Today, the best animated movies for adults can rival nearly everything in the history of live-action cinema. During its earliest days in the 20th century, animation was a medium typically reserved for children’s entertainment. This was overturned by the earliest risqué adult cartoons from the ’20s and ’30s, which were about the Prohibition and mildly tackled sexuality. Today, though the term “adult animation” is still inherently attached to animated erotica, cartoons with sexual themes are technically just one part of the immense and ever-evolving spectrum of adult-oriented animation.
Indeed, these films range in genre as any other collection of films would. While cartoon movies for children remain bigger box office draws compared to even the best animated movies for adults, the former’s billion-dollar industry has laid the groundwork for the latter to rise. Filling the creative gaps that both children’s animation and live-action movies cannot even touch, adult animation is practically a limitless medium. Here are some of the best animated feature films aimed at adult audiences from the last 50 years.
20 Beavis And Butt-Head Do America (1996)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Mike Judge brought his Beavis and Butt-head characters to the big screen in Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. Instead of sitting around and watching TV like on the MTV series, the duo hits the road in their big-screen debut, albeit in order to track down their stolen TV. Judge’s work on Beavis and Butt-Head was an early pioneer in adult-oriented animation on television, and he was one of the first to bring that style from the small screen to the big screen. Undoubtedly one of the most influential and best animated movies for adults, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America lives on through memes.
19 The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Ralph Bakshi set out to animate The Lord of the Rings trilogy across two movies. However, due to problems behind the scenes, Bakshi only ever managed to make the first one, covering The Fellowship of the Ring and the first half of The Two Towers. Still, Bakshi’s adaptation has achieved cult status as undeniably one of the best animated movies for adults, ever. Peter Jackson acknowledged its influence on his own adaptation of Tolkien’s work a couple of decades later, and these can even be observed in some of the best scenes from Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.
18 Ghost In The Shell (1995)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Mamoru Oshii’s original Ghost in the Shell movie from 1995 remains a timeless classic of the cyberpunk genre. Apart from touching on challenging themes surrounding transhumanism and institutional politics, Ghost in the Shell is an example of how combining traditional cel animation and computer graphics was already perfected back in the ’90s. The movie’s influence on The Matrix franchise was so strong that the Wachowskis apparently pitched the project to studios by screening Ghost in the Shell and telling executives they wanted to basically just do that but in live-action. Ghost in the Shell ranks highly among the best animated movies for adults.
17 Mary And Max (2009)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Inspired by his relationship with his own pen pal in New York, writer-director Adam Elliot made Mary and Max, a stop-motion animated dramedy about an isolated Australian girl and the overweight American with whom she exchanges letters. The movie’s use of colors to represent its characters, from Max’s dreary noir-tinged palette to Mary’s warm sepia tones, is exemplary, while the story itself is a heartfelt testament to the virtues of human interaction in all its forms. Mary and Max counts among the best animated movies for adults for being extremely effective at juxtaposing its child-friendly animation style with deeply adult themes.
16 Grave Of The Fireflies (1989)
- Available To Stream On Apple TV Or Prime Video
Grave of the Fireflies centers on a pair of siblings as they seek to survive the end of World War II in the city of Kobe, Japan. In the first few moments of the film, it is revealed that both have passed away, and the rest of the movie is a flashback about their journey. This, however, does nothing to cushion the blow of the crux of this truly tragic movie. Apart from being one of the best animated movies for adults, it should be noted that Grave of the Fireflies is a highly emotional experience that not all viewers are prepared for. However, its valuable lessons about humanity make it a must-see.
15 Fantastic Planet (1973)
- Available To Stream On HBO Max Or Prime Video
On the planet of Ygam, humans are minuscule in comparison to the Traags from this world. Humans are considered to be animals and are thus kept as pets and even hunted. A young Traag adopts a human child after the human’s mother is killed by Traag children. This starts a series of events that show the world in a much larger scope. Animated in the ’70s’ signature psychedelic visual style, Fantastic Planet reveals the sheer depth that can be explored through “trippy” cartoons and high-concept sci-fi elements. To this day, Fantastic Planet is largely lauded as one of the best animated movies for adults, especially viewers looking for a new spin on the apocalypse.
14 Fritz The Cat (1972)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video Or Apple TV
In addition to adapting half of The Lord of the Rings saga, Ralph Bakshi helmed the X-rated animated satire Fritz the Cat. While its comic sensibility doesn’t hold up particularly well today, the revolutions made by Fritz the Cat can’t be understated. Where Fantastic Planet inadvertently gave rise to psychedelic animation, Fritz the Cat was the first true cornerstone for comedic adult cartoons, cementing its reputation as one of the best animated movies for adults. If it hadn’t been for Fritz the Cat pushing adult content and mature themes through an animated prism in the early ‘70s, giants like South Park, Rick and Morty, and The Simpsons might not be where they are today.
13 Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! (2013)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
It’s always a joy to watch when Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith get together for another appearance as Jay and Silent Bob. Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! adapts Smith’s Bluntman and Chronic comic books for the screen. The animation style is simplistic, but the crude comedy in Smith’s script is perfect for these characters – not unlike the entire premise of South Park. The movie has a ton of great moments, including a post-credits stinger in which a cameoing Stan Lee recruits the titular duo onto the Avengers. For sheer comedic value, Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! is deserving of a place among the best animated movies for adults.
12 The Breadwinner (2017)
- Available To Stream On Netflix Or Prime Video
Set in 2001 during the Taliban’s control over most of Afghanistan, The Breadwinner centers around eleven-year-old Parvana. After her father is unjustly imprisoned, Parvana must provide for her family. She dresses as a boy to get around Taliban laws and plans to rescue her father. The film is beautifully animated and is a heartfelt and inspiring story of a child’s determination to help her family amid their war-torn surroundings. Rated PG-13, The Breadwinner is sometimes considered a family film, but the events onscreen not only make it one of the best animated movies for adults, but also ultimately more suited for mature audiences.
11 The Animatrix (2003)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video Or HBO Max
Set in the world of The Matrix trilogy, The Animatrix is an anthology movie that explores the events prior to when machines rose up against humanity. The Animatrix features nine short stories, and through seven different directors and animation styles, it unravels what viewers knew all along: humans have no one to blame for the machine revolt but ourselves. By enhancing the lore and history behind the live-action movies in ways that fully leveraged the various animation styles of its directors, The Animatrix remains one of the best animated movies for adults. While it’s not as great as the iconic first chapter in The Matrix trilogy, The Animatrix is objectively much better than the sequels.
10 Isle Of Dogs (2018)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video Or Disney+
Despite the adorable dogs in its ensemble, Isle of Dogs is not a movie for kids. Its violence was tame enough to avoid an R rating, but it’s still pretty disturbing. In fact, Isle of Dogs is one of the best animated movies for adults for the way it tackles historical traumas. After adapting Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox as a stop-motion animated feature, Wes Anderson returned to the medium for the story of a near-future Japan in which canine flu leads to all dogs being banished to a trash-filled island. Moreover, while many adult animated movies and stop-motion films do not make a lot of money, Isle of Dogs is actually one of Wes Anderson’s highest-grossing movies.
9 Sausage Party (2016)
- Available To Stream On Netflix Or Prime Video
In a shockingly crude parody of the worlds conjured up by Pixar, Sausage Party is set in a world where food products are sentient. They dream of making it to “the Great Beyond,” until they discover that they’ll be eaten. Superbad’s Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg brought their R-rated sensibility to a seemingly lighthearted animated romp that includes drugs, suicide, and an extended orgy sequence. Disney’s go-to guy Alan Menken contributed to the soundtrack, while the voice cast contains such A-list comedic talent as Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Paul Rudd, and Danny McBride. Sausage Party is one of the best animated movies for adults looking for well-done irreverent comedy.
8 Persepolis (2007)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Marjane Satrapi adapted her own autobiographical comic book for the screen with her Oscar-nominated masterpiece Persepolis, a coming-of-age story about a girl growing up during the Iranian Revolution. It was heavily influenced by Satrapi’s own experiences in West Asia. Although the story specifically speaks to Iranian experiences, it deals with universal themes and can be enjoyed by anybody with a heart. While Persepolis strangely remains an underrated gem, it’s not just one of the best animated movies for adults, but also one of the greatest period movies, ever.
7 Akira (1988)
- Available To Stream On Hulu
Set in dystopian Neo-Tokyo, Akira is one of the defining works of cyberpunk cinema. When Tetsuo Shima acquires telekinetic abilities in a motorcycle crash, he uses those abilities to take on corruption in the city, eventually going after the oppressive political powers. The global success of Akira helped to popularize anime in the western world, and to call it one of the best animated movies for adults would be an understatement. Apart from laying the groundwork for contemporary cyberpunk itself, Akira’s overarching themes, animation style, and even actual shots continue to influence sci-fi and fantasy to this day.
6 It’s Such A Beautiful Day (2012)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
The plot of It’s Such a Beautiful Day can be a bit difficult to understand at times, but this is not the point of the film. This experimental piece follows the main character and the memories of his life, all told in a fascinating artistic style. Upon first glance, viewers may look at the seemingly crude drawings and think little of them, but the animation style is incredibly unique and evokes a variety of feelings while watching it. It’s Such a Beautiful Day is one of the best animated movies for adults looking for something they’ve never seen before.
5 Loving Vincent (2017)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video Or Netflix
Credited as the first-ever fully painted feature film, Loving Vincent is about the journey of a man named Armand Roulin, who travels to deliver Vincent Van Gogh’s last letter to the late painter’s brother. Vincent Van Gogh had died one year prior, and Armand, in his travels, attempts to learn what he can about the circumstances surrounding the impressionist painter’s death. Artists painted each frame to mimic the art style of the beloved painter, creating a masterful piece dedicated to one of the most beloved figures in art history. Its sheer beauty counts Loving Vincent among the best animated movies for adults, but it is also so much more.
4 Waking Life (2001)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Richard Linklater put a surreal, philosophically engaging spin on the structural style of his debut feature Slacker with Waking Life, an animated odyssey about a man bouncing from dream to dream in search of the answers to life’s biggest questions. The film contains meditations on existentialism, the meaning of life, and the paradox of free will. Linklater achieved the animation by shooting digital video of actors and recruiting animators to rotoscope over the footage, and it is considered one of the best animated movies for adults, particularly for those in search of a deeper meaning to existence.
3 Heavy Metal (1981)
- Available To Stream On Amazon Prime
Leaning heavily into the gruesome violence and excessive nudity allowed by its R rating, Heavy Metal is an anthology movie loosely revolving around a glowing green orb that claims to be the source of all the evil in the universe. The stories were all taken from Heavy Metal magazine, and the animation captures the spirit of the source material. Visually, this movie has been hugely influential, with directors ranging from Guillermo del Toro to David Fincher naming it as an inspiration. Despite Heavy Metal’s outdated themes, it still deserves a place alongside the best animated movies for adults, as the movie is wholly representative of the stellar evolution of western fantasy art in the late 20th century.
2 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video Or HBO Max
When South Park became one of the most popular comedies on the air, it didn’t take long for Paramount to task creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone with adapting their series for the big screen. The movie–subtitled Bigger, Longer & Uncut–tackled South Park’s biggest satirical target at the time: its own critics. After the boys sneak into the new R-rated Terrance and Phillip movie and start talking like their foul-mouthed Canadian idols, their parents call for the comic duo to be executed. South Park may be at the top of the best animated movies for adults nostalgic for great ’90s comedy. Hilariously, Parker and Stone were nominated for an Oscar for the song “Blame Canada.”
1 Anomalisa (2015)
- Available To Stream On Prime Video
Adapted by Charlie Kaufman from a play he wrote under the pseudonym Francis Fregoli, Anomalisa is a stop-motion animated movie starring puppets who are made to feel human by the compelling vocal performances of David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Thewlis plays a customer service guru who perceives everyone in the world to be identical until he meets a woman, played by Leigh, who stands out. The first R-rated adult cartoon to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, Anomalisa is one of the best animated movies for adults in search of a beautiful and muted character piece.
