39 Non-Disney Animated Movies You'll Definitely Want To Watch

"Anastasia was my 'princess' growing up. When I visited my grandmother with my siblings, she would allow each of us to pick a movie. I picked Anastasia without fail every single time." —Allison Shanus, Facebook

"My grandparents were Irish immigrants. Since their passing, I have held fast to their memory and my lineage. To see their history and folklore portrayed in such an enchanting film meant a lot to me. It frustrates me that so little people know this film." —Ann Catherine Hughes, Facebook

"Apart from the truly beautiful and stunning artwork and character designs, it's very inspiring and full of characters who mature and change. Chihiro in particular does a lot of growing. She starts out a sulky child and becomes a confident girl ready to take on whatever comes. It has strong female roles, a ton of imagination, and a happy ending. Truly magical." —graceanneb

"The Prince of Egypt is one of the most beautiful animated films ever made. The animation is exquisite and the soundtrack is amazing (not just the Whitney/Mariah duet). The story of the deliverance of the children of Israel always seems current and topical to whatever horrors the news brings us each day." —C Paul Keller, Facebook

"It's a little dated, but it's such a wonderful, forgotten gem. Jodi Benson shines as the voice of Thumbelina, and the song 'Let Me Be Your Wings' is so gorgeous and sweet. Really, all the songs are brilliant. When I think of all my dreams and imaginings from my childhood, I think of this film." —Sommer Toadvine, Facebook

"It's gothic, whimsical, romantic, and a great fairy tale full of unicorn mythology. It's based on a book with the same name, and is one of the few movie adaptations that exceeds the book. There is also gorgeous animation and fantastic vocal talents, such an Mia Farrow as the unicorn and Jeff Bridges as Prince Lir." —butterflybutts91

"The storyline was a little lacklustre, but the visuals and animation are STUNNING! I love how all the story characters look like wooden pieces, and all the little details and the music. So underrated." —sarar4a0edff66

"I watched this film just as often, if not more, than Disney films. The storyline and characters are wonderful." —Haley Hodges, Facebook

"Quest for Camelot was my favourite when I was younger. I recently bought the DVD from Amazon because I was feeling nostalgic. It has everything you could want — adventure, dragons, an attractive forest man... The music is great, and Celine Dion sings. You just can't lose!" —elizabethk19

"It's got great songs, John freaking Cleese voicing a sassy frog, and some really funny moments. One of my favourites of all time!" —Jay MK, Facebook

"Kimi no Na wa (Your Name). I am the hugest Studio Ghibli fan, but this anime movie is better than all SG films. That's a testament to how good it is. I've watched it about 50 times in the past two months. The soundtrack is incredible, and the movie will take you on an emotional rollercoaster like no other movie you've watched." —alicea4e679cdf6

"I LOVED (and still love) The Road to El Dorado. Dreamworks really brought the legend to life, with Kevin Kline and Kenneth Branagh as the lead voice actors. The animation is flawless AND they had Elton John as the narrator and the composer (along with Tim Rice). The music is so good. Plus Kenneth and Kevin recorded in the same room to get a better flow between their characters, which I think is totally evident! Overall, it's a must-see." —Katie Asselin, Facebook

"I loved The Pagemaster! It made me fall in love with books... it's one of the greatest and no one ever thinks of this movie — it's magical." —Brittany Desjardins, Facebook

"Debbie Reynolds, as Charlotte, is perfection. On top of that, you have cute critters, catchy tunes, and a beautifully heartbreaking but hopeful ending." —Andi Paris, Facebook

"American Pop is a real beauty for everyone, from music buffs to Ralph Bakshi fans. It has moving emotional depth, and does a better job than most mainstream films in exploring the threads that link multiple generations. Awesome tunes, unique animation style, and a quiet but passionate story make it one of the great American films of the later 20th century." —Collin Dreizen, Facebook

"I couldn't tell you how many times I watched this move as a child. It was visually stunning and I loved every single one of those characters. That's when I realised I needed a flying squirrel as a pet and must visit Slumberland in my lifetime. 10/10 recommend forever." —Erica Antonello, Facebook

"The Secret of NIMH is such a gem. When you get emotionally invested in the health and relationships of mice and crows, you know the writers did a good job. Gorgeous animation, underrated soundtrack, and Dom DeLuise — of COURSE it's a classic!" —Jonathan Hamrick, Facebook

"The entire Shrek franchise. I Iove Shrek because it killed so many stereotypes and it made you think as a kid about representation. It helped me to see that irrespective of our differences, happiness does exist. Also there were tons of good songs and plenty of jokes that had me howling with laughter." —allegrachloe4

"I'd like to suggest Song of the Sea, a lovely Irish animated movie. It's beautiful to look at, has a great score, memorable characters, and a strong message about the importance of family." —Raphael Howard, Facebook

"Balto was my number one movie as a kid. Watched it 200+ times. Watching back now, it can be predictable and cheesy, but it taught me so much about accepting who I am and not letting others define me." —Rachel Chaney, Facebook

"It's rather artsy, pretty weird, and has a fantastic soundtrack." —Sarah Fagundes, Facebook

"The score of the movie is so beautiful, the plot and characters are complex, and the animation is breathtaking — particularly the way that they animate light and shadow." —ival2

"It's one of the best and most memorable movies I've ever seen. The storyline is very interesting. In some scenes I was bawling my eyes out... I would definitely recommend Wolf Children to anyone who loves fantasy drama movies." —lonelycat

"As a child I loved the film. I watched it again recently and it absolutely stands the test of time! (But it's still so '90s.)" —jenniferm4d68b9352

"The storyline was soooo good about deforestation and environmental destruction." —Elynne Gardner, Facebook

"I grew up watching it. Then years later, I read that it actually bombed because of its lack of marketing and limited release, which is kinda sad considering it really is a great movie for kids! Great songs and beautiful story, with a lovely mix of comedy, drama, and action! I remember getting really caught up with the film's emotion, especially near the end." —jamest42a464b24

"The Thief and the Cobbler is just out-of-this-world funny (especially if you've been watching it since you were a child). The colours and shapes were always fun to watch as a kid, but the jokes from the thief as he thinks to himself throughout the movie are just the best." —aroseasis

"The scenery was stunning, the plotline was thrilling, and the music by Bryan Adams was BEAUTIFUL. It was the inspiration behind my brief horseback riding phase I went through in elementary school." —broshley

"Origin: Spirits of the Past is one of my all-time favourite movies. The animation and the storyline are both really cool." —whirlwind2357

"The Land Before Time movies — obviously the original, but even the additional movies were great. I can watch them now and still remember certain words and how I felt then. Makes me feel like I'm seven years old again!" —n436ceab9d

"The storyline is unique and entertaining, the animation is great, and the music is absolutely phenomenal! It's definitely an underrated film in my opinion." —catbugbabe

"Rock-a-Doodle is great and weird and has awesome songs. Like truly. Who doesn't love a singing rooster who is sort of attractive and named Chanticleer?" —reecht

"I have tons of favourites but I'm only going to mention the often-forgotten The Flight of Dragons. It's a Rankin/Bass production in the same vain as The Last Unicorn but 100x better! The main story is essentially science and logic vs. magic and belief. If you've never seen The Flight of Dragons, go watch it now." —Kristina Rivera, Facebook

"It doesn't specify children-friendly movies, so I'll say South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Part of it is the toilet humour, of course, but the movie also presents a very smart argument about censorship and the responsibility of parents in making sure their children don't see mature films. Plus the songs are top-notch. (Even Stephen Sondheim thinks so!)"

"The story just captures me in a way no other animated movie does. The animation is so beautiful, the colours, the movements — everything. I really love this movie." —analuciaybarradelgado

"I always loved sci-fi as a kid, and from the first time I saw it I was hooked. Akima, the main female character, was a pilot and a badass, which was so cool for me to see, since I never really identified with other female animated characters like Belle or Ariel." —pgirl12

"It is such a strikingly deep and emotional film that poignantly captures themes of loss, separation, and abandonment to the point that, as I rewatch it as a college sophomore, I'm still in awe of it. Also, some of the imagery is just so chilling even to adult viewers that it's kind of surprising it's geared toward such a young audience." —ravenbehaven

"The Fievel movies — An American Tail and Fievel Goes West. As a child, those movies made me curious to learn about Jewish oppression, the immigrant experience, New York, and so much more. I think Fievel is what made me love American history so much. Very well done, historically accurate and moving films (ignoring those problematic Native American mice, of course)." —smplkndagrl

"It was my favourite movie growing up. It sucks no one watched it because it’s not made by Disney! It was definitely good enough to roll with the other Disney animations!" —ashleyrosek2