Ever since the German The Adventures of Prince Achmed in 1926, animated movies have changed cinema for the better. Animation is a medium unlike any other, capable of expanding the limits of artists’ imagination by granting them a space to push visual boundaries. The creativity and freedom allowed by animation hold a strong connection with fantasy, a genre that’s all about making magic feel believable.
As a medium tailor-made for its demands, fantasy has often recurred to animation to tell its stories. The genres often achieve their greatest iterations together, from timeless classics like Disney’s Pinocchio to modern masterpieces like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; from beautifully hand-drawn movies to fully CG-animated efforts; from the simple and subtle to the sprawlingly epic. These are the best fantasy movies from animation, stunning triumphs of thought and execution.
‘The Secret of Kells’
Director: Tomm Moore
Nowadays, the Irish Cartoon Saloon is well known as an outstanding animation studio celebrating Irish culture and folklore through excellent films. Back in 2009, they were an up-and-coming new studio with a debut that took the world by storm. The Secret of Kells follows a young boy from a Medieval town beckoned to adventure when a master illuminator arrives with an ancient book, one brimming with secret wisdom and powers.
Tomm Moore’s beautiful The Secret of Kells is nothing short of one of the best Irish films of all time. The almost fully hand-drawn animation, while deceptively simple, is absolutely gorgeous; its depiction of Irish mythology makes it compelling for international audiences of all ages, and its love for the source material is nearly palpable in every scene.
‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ (1989)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Since the late ’70s, Hayao Miyazaki started steadily building up his name as the undisputed master of anime cinema, a title which he undoubtedly holds today. Most particularly, he’s interested in exploring the magic of fantasy through the endless possibilities of animation. Kiki’s Delivery Service, one of his best works ever, holds such an exploration. It’s the story of Kiki, a young witch trying to fit into a new community during her mandatory year of independent life.
Kiki is a delightful protagonist to follow. Resourceful and creative but also headstrong and a bit rough around the edges, she’s one of the most charming, funniest, and relatable characters in Studio Ghibli’s library. Kiki’s Delivery Service is a beautifully heartwarming depiction of teens’ search for identity, told through the enchanting allegory of a young witch trying to find her place in a world of magic.
‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004)
Hayao Miyazaki’s Adaptation of a British Classic
Entering the turn of the century, Miyazaki adapting a classic ’80s British novel was probably not on many people’s bingo card, but that’s precisely what happened in 2004 with Howl’s Moving Castle. The ever-masterful Miyazaki directed and wrote this fantasy adventure about Sophie, a young woman cursed with an old body who has to rely on a handsome young wizard and his companions to break the spell.
One of the best high fantasy movies ever made, Howl’s Moving Castle crafts an intricate parallel world of gorgeous vistas, walking buildings, and talking fireplaces. It truly feels like anything is possible in Sophie’s world, yet Miyazaki manages to make the story feel tight and focused at all times, allowing every fantastical element to empower the narrative beautifully without going overboard. Couple that with some of Studio Ghibli’s most gorgeous animation and you get a true animated fantasy masterwork.
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ (2022)
Director: Joel Crawford
No one would have expected the sequel to the safe but unremarkable Shrek spin-off Puss in Boots to be anything much better than its predecessor. Alas, Joel Crawford‘s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises DreamWorks Animation has ever delivered, a shockingly smart, mature, vibrant, and fun family adventure. The plot sees the swashbuckling protagonist traveling to find the mythical Last Wish, wanting to recover the eight lives that he’s lost before losing his last.
An existentialist masterpiece about destiny, connections, and appreciating the small details in life, The Last Wish has a surprising amount of depth and complexity for adult viewers, as well as bright, innovative animation and amusing comedy to keep children entertained. With one of the scariest animated villains ever, an outstanding script, and a bunch of exciting moments, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish lives up to the best DreamWorks outings effortlessly.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)
Director: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
Movies based on books aren’t often better than the source material, but a select few improve upon everything the book did right. That’s undeniably the case of How to Train Your Dragon, the origin of what might be DreamWorks Animation’s best trilogy—and what an origin it is. The film tells the story of Hiccup, a hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons like everyone else in his village; his plans change when he finds in a small black dragon an unlikely friend.
A story about friendship, questioning traditions, and fitting in by embracing one’s true self, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders‘s first incursion into the animated fantasy genre proves the wonders that such projects can achieve. Hiccup and Toothless have one of the most endearing friendships in the history of animation, with How to Train Your Dragon boldly injecting genuine dramatic heft into its seemingly simple and sweet story.
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
When the topic of animated fantasy comes up in conversation, the discussion is never complete without Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus. Spirited Away is a coming-of-age about a girl who accidentally wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits, where she must fend for herself after her parents are transformed into pigs. One can often hear this masterpiece mentioned in conversations about the greatest animated films ever made for a simple reason: it’s one of the best movies about parallel universes and then some.
Spirited Away has everything that makes both animation and fantasy unique and bewitching. Its dazzling parallel world of magic and surrealism is enthralling, and Chihiro’s journey is an absolute delight. To this day, Miyazaki’s classic remains the only foreign movie to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, and it absolutely deserves the honor. Dazzling and imaginative like films can only dream of being, Spirited Away is a work of art that’s impossible not to love.
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Best known for dark fantasy classics like Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro has come to embody his own formula for making the genre always feel universally enjoyable. He had never, however, made a family-friendly film until he took everyone by surprise with Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, his mature and complex take on Carlo Collodi’s classic. The film centers on Geppetto, a carpenter whose wish of bringing a wooden boy to life comes true, allowing him to care for the puppet as his son.
Del Toro’s grasp of the fantastical element of the story is downright perfect, but what really makes his adaptation a modern classic is his deep understanding of its thematic and deeply human dimensions. Guillermo Del Toro’sPinocchio is a love letter to fatherhood and love itself, but also a nuanced critique of authoritarianism and blind obedience. Who better to give a delightful yet thought-provoking cinematic experience than del Toro?
Source: https://collider.com/animated-fantasy-movies-ranked/