Introduction
Welcome back, fellow adventurers, to part 2 of my Least to Most Favourite Animated Movies of 2025. If you want to see part 1 first, you can click here.
With that said, let us continue our 2025 look-back with some of the more decent and better animated movies compared to part 1’s selection!
55. In Your Dreams
Probably one of the most overhyped animated movies of 2025 personally, In Your Dreams is a competent animated movie that honestly had nothing special, despite being a pretty good debut for those involved in this movie. It’s competent, but that is about it.
54. Give It All
Another animated movie that I covered early this year, Give it All is a good sports anime movie that again, is decently executed. While it was an unexpected find, I can understand why very few people covered this movie, because it just feels a bit forgettable.
53. Sea in a Box
Without a question the most obscure animated movie I had covered this year (and that is coming from someone that covers a lot of the obscure stuff), Sea in a Box is good, has a few stunning animation sequences and a story that I actually liked.
52. The Rose of Versailles
2025 has some movie adaptations of books, comics and cartoon series, and this movie adaptation of a 1970s anime classic is one of those. Unfortunately, this is one of the less impressive adaptations, which is why many Netflix viewers almost forget this movie immediately. Not surprising for me, unfortunately.
51. Falcon Express
2025 was the year I finally embraced the chaos of the American animated movie distributor Viva Kids, and after bombarding us with too many bad animated movies for last year, Viva Kids toned it back and picked up 5 animated movies I enjoyed. Falcon Express might not be the best from TAT Productions, especially given this is their 25th anniversary movie, but I had fun with this Die Hard parody.
50. Grand Prix of Europe
Speaking of Viva Kids movies, perhaps my biggest guilty pleasure movie of this year, let alone animated movies, has to be this Europa-Park promotion in the form of this racing animated movie. It pretty much had everything made for me, an animated movie for racing and motorsport fans that is not F1 (both the movie and the actual F1 motorsport series in general). Honestly, what did you expect from my biggest guilty pleasure of the year?
49. Hola Frida!
On to the low recommendation animated movies, the ones that I can slightly recommend, I personally enjoyed Hola Frida as a mini-biography about a prominent Mexican artist that got some traction. It has a good story, good animation and pretty much solid in everything else. The perfect middle ground animated movie for me.
48. A Few Moments of Cheers
Another animated movie that I covered very early on during the year, A Few Moments of Cheers has its moments, and I find its animation to stand out compared to some of the animated movies below it. Unfortunately, there are not enough standout moments to make it shine.
47. Buffalo Kids (Rating Updated)
Given this was produced by the same studio behind Mummies, Buffalo Kids felt like a massive step up compared to that movie. The writing felt complete and has an emotional connection people with disabilities can relate to, the animation is easily the most competent for any Spanish CG animated movie and everything else was on point. Given Viva Kids picked it up for release in February this year, I highly recommend this one!
46. A Boat in the Garden
A leftover from the 2024 Annecy Film Festival, A Boat in the Garden is the benchmark to set for most good French animated movies going forward. Easily the most French-feeling animated movie France has ever Frenched, this movie is just a cosy movie worth seeing on a rainy day.
45. Fox and Hare Save the Forest
Speaking of movies worth seeing on a rainy day, Fox and Hare Save the Forest is another good example. Despite the simple premise, I enjoyed its messaging and its stop-motion feel despite it being a CG animated movie, showing that yes, good family-friendly foreign CG animated movies do exist.
44. Boys Go to Jupiter
It is rare we get a proper indie animated movie from the United States, but Boys Go to Jupiter is one of those rarities. While not all risks this movie has taken land, especially regarding its somewhat confusing story, you cannot deny the level of passion and heart this indie project delivered. More people should talk about this hidden charm, especially with its animation.
43. Ejen Ali: The Movie 2
Even though I am not familiar with the popular Malaysian animated series of the same name, I will admit that this movie has a lot going for. It has a lot of exciting moments and the animation is great, but let’s be fair, this is no Dongeng Sang Kancil.
42. Benjamin Bat
Of all the Viva Kids animated movies I had covered this year, Benjamin Bat might be the most surprising for me. This movie over-delivered despite its simple premise, with cute and charming characters, some good messaging and way better animation than expected. This movie honestly won me over.
41. Mahavatar Narsimha
For a very long time, I had been taking pot shots at Indian animation for being consistently terrible, so much so that I called them the black hole of the global animation industry. However, Mahavatar Narsimha completely shut me up in the best way possible, being a sensory overload that truly represents the best of Indian animation. Honestly, I am so happy India finally produced an animated movie I enjoyed a damn lot.
40. The Lost Tiger
Now, we are heading to the good stuff, because from them on, these movies are movies I wanted to highlight with enough confidence (the medium recommendations), because these animated movies are worth saving onto your watchlist for later. If I were to be honest, I was not sure whether The Lost Tiger, the final movie in the fabled Tales from Sanctuary City series, was worth giving such high praise, but after much reflection… Yeah, this is the best of the series, considering its surprisingly heavy messaging and tribute to its aboriginal Australian roots.
39. Fureru
A great animated movie about childhood friendships and a mysterious hedgehog, Fureru is a well-produced animated movie that is not too complicated, has great animation and good character development. Honestly, this is solid at every front, which was why I enjoyed Fureru.
38. The Worlds Divide
Arguably the most true indie animated movie of the year I had covered, The Worlds Divide is a solo animation project that had no limits when it comes to storytelling and imagination. Sure, the sheer lack of resources show in the animation, but it delivered when it comes to the level of passion poured into just one movie.
37. Scarlet
Mamoru Hosoda’s latest movie might be one of the most confusing and perplexing animated movies of the year, but for its high levels of risk-taking in its writing and animation, Scarlet also has some elements that hit just right, especially with its ending and the score. Don’t expect to be blown away immediately, but instead, feel and understand the vision Hosoda was going for with his Hamlet inspiration.
To Be Continued
And that is it for part 2 of my least to most favourite animated movies of 2025. I got to say, that was a good part 2, all things considered!
Tune in next time as we continue our ranking with even better animated movies of 2025. Until next time, see you on the next adventure!
Leave a Reply