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When it comes to evoking emotion in animated movies, Disney and Pixar have got that covered, and have been making audiences uncontrollably bawl their eyes out for decades. Whether it’s sentient toys, a realm of the dead, or a truly heart-breaking montage, they know how to make the audience feel. That’s not to say, however, that they have a complete monopoly on tear-inducing animation. Over the years, there have been plenty of truly great animated movies that have evoked all kinds of intense emotional reactions from audiences.
Whether aimed at entertaining the entire family, helping to teach children valuable life lessons of love, loss, valuing our planet and ourselves, or aimed at adults and full of poignant but relatable underlying themes that most of us will relate to and connect with, here are six of the most emotional animated movies that aren’t from Disney/Pixar.
6/6 The Iron Giant
Based on the iconic novel The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, which was written as a means of comforting his children after his wife, Sylvia Plath, died by suicide, specifically through the metaphor of the title character being able to re-assemble itself after being damaged, it was obvious from the start that there was potential for something special. Thanks to the brilliant and sensitive direction from Brad Bird and its unique animation style, which combined a traditional hand-drawn style with CGI, The Iron Giant reached and exceeded all expectations and was showered with praised across the board. One of the most emotionally involving animated movies ever, The Iron Giant also benefited from a great voice cast, including Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, and Harry Connick Jr. A must-see for pretty much anyone who has a heart.
5/6 Spirited Away
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Often finding itself in conversations regarding the greatest animated movie of all time, Spirited Away takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster right from the get-go as we meet 10-year-old Chihiro Oginothe and are transported to the mythical world of Kami (spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore) after her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba. As she desperately tries to find a way to free herself and her parents, and return home, Chihiro is joined by a helpful spirit named Haku, and as we see the pair bond, it’s almost impossible not grow emotionally involved. Director Hayao Miyazaki, when talking about their relationship, has said, “I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live — if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”
4/6 Kubo and the Two Strings
This highly underrated stop-motion gem from 2016, featuring the voices of Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey, received high praise from critics at the time of its release, but delivered a fairly middling box office performance. Set in feudal Japan, Kubo and the Two Strings follows 12-year-old Kubo as he embarks on a quest to defeat his evil auntie and grandfather. Full of beautiful, bright colors and cutesy fantastical companions, at first glance one would be forgiven for assuming this was your run-of-the-mill children’s fantasy film, but delve a little below the surface, and there’s so much more. The movie deals with mature themes of love and loss, with Kubo never being too far from death and despair, and each loss he faces being truly felt by the audiences.
3/6 Watership Down (1978)
Watership Down is a sometimes-horrific slaughter fest that hit audiences with emotional gut blows left, right, and center. It’s hard to imagine, now, how this grizzly, gory story of a herd of rabbits fleeing their home in search of somewhere safe, was given the U certificate at the time of release in the UK, meaning it was deemed suitable for all ages (similar to the MPAA’s G-rating). It became a box office hit, implying parents were taking their children in hordes to be traumatized by what can only be described as an animated animal bloodbath. The deeper meaning and subtext of the film, and the 1972 Richard Adams novel it’s based on, have long been analyzed and debated. Whether an allegory for the Holocaust or “just a story about rabbits,” as Adams’ daughters claim, it certainly left an indelible mark on those young minds that watched the movie.
2/6 The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time follows a young dinosaur named Littlefoot (Gabriel Damon), who, after the vicious demise of his mother at the hands of a dangerous carnivorous dinosaur, has to make it to safer grounds at the The Great Valley. On his journey, he encounters a number of other young dinosaurs, and, together, they learn to overcome the hardships they face in order to reach The Great Valley. This is a rare example of a family film that manages to discover that winning formula of finding itself fully endearing to younger children without ever losing the interest of the older kids and adults.
The Land Before Time is a colorful adventure with plenty of likable characters and fantastic theme song from Diana Ross, but it never talks down to the kids, relying on slapstick or toilet humor, and instead deals with some fairly adult themes involving loss, grief, isolation, the power of friendship, and evolution (in every sense of the word). With filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas serving as executive producers, it’s safe to say the project was in safe hands.
1/6 Mary and Max
This eye-catching stop-motion animated movie is truly unique in every aspect. Definitely geared more towards adults, Mary and Max tells the heart-rending story of the pen pal relationship between Mary, a lonely Australian girl, and Max, an overweight American man with Asperger’s syndrome. Much of the beauty lies in the innocence and honesty of the duo’s correspondence. The audience is given a poignant yet often humorous insight into each of these increasingly well-developed characters as their friendship strengthens over the course of 20 years, with many ups and downs, until they finally meet in the movie’s emotional conclusion.
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