Chances are the first movie you ever saw was animation. Exuberant, colourful and full of wonder, animation is the stuff of childhood. It introduces us to the magic of cinema, and there’s no doubt that, as we researched the 100 best animated movies of all time, the nostalgia factor was overwhelming.
As we polled over 100 experts in the field, it became clear that animation doesn’t just mean kids’ and family movies. Worldwide innovators have adapted the form to include action, politics, race and sex. Animation has grown up, sometimes uneasily, right before our eyes.
We know you’ll find something to love in our authoritative ranking of the best animated movies ever made. The timeless Disney classics. The best Pixar films. Brilliantly sophisticated modern works from Japan’s cottage industry – anime – and especially from its Studio Ghibli. Films that make you weep, laugh, sing along and wish upon stars.