Here are our top animated movies of the past decade. Purely in of technological advancement, the 2010s have been huge for animated filmmaking, and the leap in what is visually possible using both traditional and computer-generated techniques from 2010 to 2019 has been huge. Perhaps more significantly, however, animated movies have continued to push the boundaries of what the genre can achieve from a storytelling perspective. In decades past, the best animated films have been those designed to appeal to kids, but that keep adults entertained too. Nowadays, that divide is far less apparent, with some major theatrical animations appealing to all ages equally.
On the business side of the animation equation, the 2010s have seen much change. While Pixar went from strength-to-strength after being purchased by Disney in the 2000s, Dreamworks became a subsidiary of Universal Pictures and, over in Japan, Studio Ghibli's iconic Hayao Miyazaki entered retirement, before swiftly changing his mind and returning to the animation game without missing a beat. Aside from those big names, some animated gems came from unexpected places, creating franchises that no one had previously thought viable. Best of all, however, the world of animation offered a far better mix of original material and sequels compared to the live-action medium.
Taking into every animated release between 2010 and 2019 (so far), here are our top animated movies of the decade, based on quality, technical achievement and overall cultural impact.
Honorable Mentions
Due to the incredible quality of animated releases in the 2010s, some movies are worthy of an honorable mention before dipping directly into the top 15. Finding Dory saw the return of Ellen DeGeneres' super-forgetful fish.
15. Moana (2016)
Set within a Polynesian village, Disney's Moana respectfully adapted the subject matter at hand, and featured a cast that mixed A-list stars such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with newcomers to the industry. Moana took the traditional Disney musical setup and updated it for the present-day, most notably with the fully-realized, strong young title character, who sets out on a journey to find a demigod of her people and sing some chart-bothering hits along the way.
Bringing the vivid beauty of Polynesia to life in animated form, Disney's Moana boasts style and substance, acting as the perfect bridge between the Disney themes of yore - adventure, epic songs and light scares - and the modern direction of cinema, with crisper CG animation techniques and an increased focus on equality and representation.
14. Zootopia (2016)
As one of the few original movies in history to gross over $1 billion, 's jokes.
Zootopia is one of the decade's best examples of a film that can entertain and deliver a politically-tinged message without feeling forceful and talk of a sequel continues to do the rounds three years later.
13. The Wind Rises (2013)
Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke have enjoyed, but the tale of Jiro Horikoshi, inspired by real-life events, is every bit as inspiring, thoughtful and beautifully-animated as its predecessors.
Dealing with the impact of war on Japan, The Wind Rises carries more real-world weight than many Ghibli movies, but its fundamentally pacifist message shines through, using the dream of becoming a pilot to represent war's habit of corrupting innocent ideals.
12. Ethel & Ernest (2016)
Best known for Christmas favorite The Snowman, Raymond Briggs returned in 2016, adapting his 1998 book Ethel & Ernest, a true story about the lives of his parents. What might initially sound like a personal project took on a life of its own in animated form, dealing with British history and culture in a way that both old and young could relate to. Witnessing events such as World War II through the eyes of an everyday couple (and later their young son) has an understated charm and the soft, dream-like animation suits this deeply personal story perfectly.
Featuring British acting legends such as Jim Broadbent, Brenda Blethyn, Pam Ferris and June Brown, Ethel & Ernest may have fallen under the radar in of feature-length releases, but is a hidden gem of the decade's animated output.
11. Frozen (2013)
Purely in of impact, Elsa and Anna, Frozen attracted a raft of top musical talent including Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell and Jonathan Groff and the film's soundtrack reads like a list of the decade's biggest movie hits.
Frozen 2 is due out later this year and it remains to be seen whether the sequel can match the acclaim and success of the original. In either case, "Let It Go" isn't leaving our ears anytime soon.
10. Toy Story 4 (2019)
With Toy Story 4 seemed like a gratuitous entry into Pixar's most famous franchise but, once again, the studio succeeded in producing a follow-up that wasn't only worthy, but that arguably improved in certain areas. More than ever before in the series, Toy Story 4 delves into the philosophy of being a toy and the relationship these beings have with their child owners.
This plays out via the interactions between Woody and Forky, a plastic utensil that comes to life after Bonnie turns it into a toy. As the fork struggles with his new existence, Woody must show Forky how important he is to Bonnie and goes to extraordinary lengths to achieve this. As usual, the ensuing road trip teaches Buzz and Woody plenty about themselves and, by Toy Story 4's ending, the whole audience is in tears. Again.
9. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Riffing on video games of past and present, Wreck-It Ralph isn't just family fun, but a treat for geeks everywhere, with references to arcade classics, modern console franchises and everything in between. Wreck-It Ralph is far more than just a short-lived gimmick, however, and tells a heartfelt story of a video game villain wanting to get a fair shake in life. Set up similar to Toy Story in the sense that video game characters have their own personalities outside of their games, Wreck-It Ralph is a colorful adventure with more heart than most of its contemporaries, as Ralph meets Sarah Silverman's Vanellope von Schweetz and learns the truth of her existence.
With a smart script and incredible attention to detail, Ralph Breaks The Internet failed to have the same impact on audiences, Wreck-It Ralph will always enjoy a diverse appeal among movie fans.
8. How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
After the success of Dreamworks' Toothless, but also for the colorful crop of young vikings introduced in the first movie.
The addition of Cate Blanchett as Hiccup's mother cracks open the mythology of the franchise's titular dragons and while kids can enjoy the accessible humor and Toothless being cute, older viewers can absorb the expansion of How To Train Your Dragon's fictional world and Hiccup's evolution into the leader of Berk. Directed and written by Dean DeBlois, How To Train Your Dragon 2 does a better job of highlighting the franchise's visual potential, with some beautiful dragon-based battles and flight sequences.
7. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
With the Marvel Cinematic Universe in full swing, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was a far bigger hit than it had any right to be, with many calling it the definitive Spider-Man movie. Starring the Miles Morales version of Spidey, Into The Spider-Verse cracked open the Marvel Multiverse, introducing a host of different variations of the iconic superhero in gloriously animated splendor. Taking more inspiration from the comic books than most live-action adaptations, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is essentially a coming of age tale, but one wrapped in a classic superhero story.
Meanwhile, the collective inter-dimensional appearances aren't merely fan-pleasing cameos, but drive the plot and character development forward, all while building the legend of Spider-Man as a cultural icon both within the story and in the real world. Visually, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse has been labelled a game-changing release, and Lord and Miller even found room for a Spider-Ham appearance.
