Introduction
Hello once again, fellow adventurers! Blaziker is back to conclude the Worst to Best Animated Movies of 2023! If you want to see the following parts before moving on to part 4, click on the following:
- Part 1 (84th to 64th): Click here
- Part 2 (63rd to 43rd): Click here
- Part 3 (42nd to 22nd): Click here
I got to say, this is going to be an exciting finish, because these 21 animated movies deserve to be the very best of the best, so without further ado, let us celebrate the best of animation in 2024!
21. Pelikan Blue
Pelikan Blue is my most favourite among the three great animated movies from Hungary, and this unique and exciting animated documentary about a trio of friends who game the train ticket system in Hungary is hilarious, fun and above all, very experimental. More of this, please!
20. The Brothers Gruff Go to Splash World
2024 had surprisingly fun and exciting family-friendly foreign animated movies that do not confront to the old and tired formula, and this movie adaptation of a fractured fairy tale is one of them. With a fun and unique CG animation style and one of the best animated movie soundtracks of 2024, this Qvisten Animation movie is the best way to showcase the weird and wacky world of Nordic animated movies.
19. The Imaginary
Studio Ponoc, founded by former Studio Ghibli animators, is starting to become a hidden force in the anime scene, and this surprisingly dark anime movie is just that. One of the darkest animated movies of 2024 alongside Dongeng Sang Kancil, but also one of the most fulfilling.
18. The Colours Within
The creator of A Silent Voice returned to produce yet another heartwarming and interesting animated movie that has storylines that would be considered taboo in Japan, I am just elated to see an animated movie that tackles hard-hotting themes so well, and with a lot of poise and cheerfulness to boot.
17. Spy x Family – Code: White
2024 brought us movie adaptations of well-loved anime series that introduce me to the series, and this movie adaptation of one of the hottest anime titles is one of them. It is easy to see why Spy x Family has gotten the fanbase to fall in love with the Forgers and their antics, especially with the anime queen herself Anya, the icon of this entire franchise.
16. Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain
Another movie adaptation of an anime series that hit the nail on the head, this is an absolute ripper of an animated movie thanks to its highly unique and experimental animation style that takes its viewers on a wild, cultural ride. I am so excited to see such animated movies that challenge the norm, and do it so well.
15. Chicken for Linda!
Well, I have to say this again, do it? Chicken for Linda has a very unique animation style and a fun story that both families and animation fans can enjoy. Say what you will about most family-friendly foreign animated movies, but it is heartening to see great quality family-friendly foreign animated movies that exist.
14. The Peasants
And now, we are getting to the pinnacle where the top 14 animated movies left an impact on not just me, but also the animation industry (hence their well-deserved “Straight Up Fire!” rating). As Poland is becoming one of the most prominent European countries when it comes to animation, the creators of Loving Vincent returned to create another painted animated movie on a love triangle that grips you in throughout this movie’s runtime, even if it lacks some focus at times.
13. Aurora’s Sunrise
Yet another fantastic animated movie documentary that I covered in 2024, this documentary on the brutal but important Armenia Genocide is why animation is not a genre, but instead a medium to showcase important stories, and I think the creators of this movie for bringing this important genocide to the spotlight.
12. Kensuke’s Kingdom
Kensuke’s Kingdom is such a minimalist, yet powerful animated movie with just three main characters and an island that breathes life into those characters, this movie shows you do not need a lot of dialogue to develop your characters well, and that sometimes, less do mean more.
11. Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window
An animated movie adaptation of one of the most important novels ever written, Totto-Chan eludes charm, happiness and excitement even amidst the darkest of times thanks to its neurodivergent messaging and a shocking ending. This movie has it all.
10. Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds
Into the top 10, and Sirocco is the type of animated movie I am hoping to see in the future of family-friendly animated movies. No more of just confronting to the rules of producing this types of movies, just focus on producing a top-quality one with a unique animation style and well-rounded story that families and animation fans can enjoy together, just like with Sirocco, ok?
9. The First Slam Dunk
Onto the very best of the best, with the top 9 animated movies, we have not one, but two 20/20 foreign CG animated movies, after all my time complaining about this sub-genre to a certain extent, but this adaptation of a legendary basketball anime franchise lived up to its hype with so much energy and passion put into this movie adaptation.
8. Ultraman: Rising
Ultraman: Rising takes a popular anime series and breathe life into this movie adaptation that both fans and first-timers to this series can appreciate. Even if most of my love on this movie is due to the small kaiju baby in Emi-chan, that does not take away from it being one of the most exciting animated movies of 2024.
7. Inside Out 2
While 2024 is yet another lacklustre year for Disney given its abysmal box office returns for some of its titles, the good news is that Pixar is going quite well with Inside Out 2, despite its production issues. It might not be the very best of 2024, but it came close to the amazing 2015 original.
6. Look Back
I still cannot comprehend how this movie ended up in the non-competition Annecy Presents category at this year’s Annecy Film Festival, whereas with its impactful story and character development, and gorgeous animation to boot, it should have been in the main Competition line-up. Easily the best Annecy Presents movie, but in reality, was there any competition?
5. The Missing
My most favourite animated movie from the Contrechamp line-up at this year’s Annecy Film Festival, this Filippino roto-scoped animated movie is the biggest animated movie bombshell of 2024, and the best animated movie on Netflix. A movie filled with so much passion and creativity, this is hard to ignore.
4. Robot Dreams
Onto the Mount Everest of the 2024 animated movies where the top 4 are something special altogether, starting with the first of the two non-dialogue animated movies of the year, it is something special where at the end of the movie, you felt like you were in a theatre watching it instead of on a computer screen, and that was what this beautiful and emotional journey Robot Dreams provided.
There is something so simple about a dog and his robot companion that blossomed throughout the entire movie’s runtime and, despite it having no dialogue at all, this movie speaks through its actions, not its words, and that was what makes this movie so special to me. The emotional connection with Robot Dreams is something I will never forget.
3. Flow
Speaking of no-dialogue animated movies, Glint Zibaldois’ Flow is not just an epic boat journey across different worlds, but also one of the most atmospheric and calming animated movies I had ever seen. There is something quaint about a group of animals on a boat surviving in a post-apocalyptic world that makes this boat ride so memorable and beautiful.
I had covered so, so many foreign CG animated movies that I had lost count, but after 5 years of exploring these types of animated movies, I had finally found one that can represent a new vision in the foreign CG animated movie sub-genre, and I hope future foreign CG animated movies are at least close to what Flow provides.
2. Memoir of a Snail
15 years after his stellar animated movie debut with Mary and Max, Australian stop-motion auteur Adam Elliot returned with his second creation that is not only more stellar than the already “perfect” Mary and Max, Memoir provides an even more devastating and tragic, yet heartwarming and delightful stop-motion animated movie that showcases the unique vision from Elliot himself.
Filled with some of the most unique and memorable characters of the year, an amazing score and an even more creative stop-motion style that is hard to find elsewhere, Memoir is an extremely unique animated movie that shows why stop-motion animation is here to stay for good.
1. The Wild Robot
However, of all the 84 animated movies I had covered this year, there could only be one, and for me, there was no denying how perfect The Wild Robot is as an all-round animated movie that has literally everything. A fantastic script, well-tuned comedy and pacing, top-notch character development, a gorgeous and devastating beautiful animation style, a top-tier score and above, an emotional connection between the movie and its audience that moved them to tears.
Seriously, while there were so many fantastic animated movies this year, there was no denying that The Wild Robot is the very best of 2024, and showcases that yes, perfect animated movies do exist. Thank you to DreamWorks, director Chris Sanders and The Wild Robot for showcasing that fact.
Conclusion
So yeah, here is my ranking of the 84 animated movies I get to cover this year. Needless to say, I don’t think there will be a year where I cover these many animated movies, but who knows, maybe some day, one year will go beyond the 84. Well, shall we get the 2025 season?
Until next time, see you on the next adventure for the first of the many adventures of 2025!
