10 best animated films of 2024

As the last week of December approaches and viewers prepare for the upcoming animated films of 2025, it's time to look back to the past year for the best animated films of 2024. Although a recent update on the launch of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Versethe most anticipated animated film of the moment, practically confirms that there will only be a release date for 2 years, 2024 has still been very exciting for animationwith the release of sequels to many beloved franchises.

All of the animated films released in 2024 haven't caused as much of a stir at the box office or among critics as they should have, but there have been some surprise hits worth noting. While Kung Fu Panda, From the inside out, Moanaand Despicable Me had expected sequels, the Transformers franchise branched out into animation, and The Wild Robot achieved critical and commercial success beyond what anyone imagined it would be.

10

From the Inside Out (2024)

Directed by Kelsey Mann

Pixar sequels have often proven to be disappointing returns to beloved franchises, but Inside Out 2 is the highest-grossing film of 2024. The highly anticipated sequel that was released almost a decade after the first From the inside out the film exceeded viewers' expectations, providing an insightful look at the development of new feelings through Riley's growth as a person. The heartfelt exploration of how teenage children overcome, but never forget, their formative childhood experiences provides a strong emotional backdrop for the plot's development.

While not as groundbreaking as the first film, Inside Out 2 does a solid job in developing the world From the inside out to explore the role of newer emotions, especially anxiety, which is a highly relatable premise for viewers of all ages. However, it's hard not to be disappointed with the sequel because it feels affirm the same regarding the need for peaceful coexistence of conflicting emotions. The new characters introduce new drama, but the narrative beats are similar enough to From the inside out to justify calling the approach a formula.

9

The Most Precious of Cargoes (2024)

Directed byMichel Hazanavicius

More than 15 years have passed since an animated film competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It last happened in 2008 with Bashir's Waltz. Finally, in 2024, another animated feature entered the competition. Michel Hazanavicius' film about the Holocaust addresses the controversial subject with the utmost sincerity, using a gentle style of animation to focus on the humanity of well-meaning people who made survival a possibility for the doomed population of Nazi-occupied Poland.

Alternating between the heartbreaking story of an abandoned child being raised by an empathetic family and the horrific story of the child's father who is taken to a concentration camp, The most precious of cargo ends with a tender message about the importance of learning from history. Although it does not succumb to the temptations of sentimentality like many other films set at that time in history, the film's emotional strength lies mainly in Alexandre Desplat's beautiful soundtrack, which at times becomes authoritarian, because the images, despite their honesty, often fight. to create dramatic tension.

8

Transformers One (2024)

Directed by Josh Cooley

THE Transformers the franchise seems to have finally found stable ground with one of the animated films that turned out better than expected. Transformers One reminds viewers why the animated shows of the past remain the best content made on Hasbro toys. With beautiful visuals and an emotionally compelling narrative, it tells the origin story of the two most famous Transformers characters – Optimus Prime and Megatron. With touching characterization peppered with humorous moments from the main characters, it does a fantastic job of establishing the franchise's defining rivalry.

The story's development follows a direct emotional throughline, allowing the creative visual design of the world to appeal to viewers who feel compelled by the attention to detail. The lack of complexity in the plot helps develop the depth of the characters, providing the audience with strong emotions with the infectiously energetic action sequences, as well as powerful dialogue to understand the characters and their motivations. THE Themes of rebellion and transformation are reflected in the fluid animationwith the toy-like character design and vibrant, crisp planet design complementing each other.

7

Wallace and Gromit: Most Birds' Revenge

Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham

Aardman Studios' beloved characters never seem to run out of relevant adventures, with Wallace and Gromit returning for a heartwarming and cheesy story about the dangers of automation. The meta joke of making a film about the dangers of artificial intelligence with hand-crafted stop-motion adds a layer of joy to the adorable adventure. The iconic character Feathers McGraw is also back, proving once again that he is one of the protagonists' most formidable enemies.

The characters' return has been anticipated for almost two decades and lives up to all expectations with the devilishly funny British humor that made viewers fall in love with them from their first appearance. There is a comforting sense of familiarity about Wallace and Gromit: Most Birds' Revengesince the characters are still the same cheerful, clumsy and charming. Gromit is as insufferable as ever, and Gromit is the anti-establishment hero who protects Wallace from his own follies.

6

Flow (2024)

Directed by Gints Zilbalodis

Although the nominations have not yet been announced, Flow is a strong contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2025. The dialogue-free survival story of a cat trying to do his best in the face of an apocalyptic flood is an anxiety-filled cautionary tale about the dangers of ignoring climate change. The lack of exposition and dialogue creates a sense of confusion, but rather than being a disadvantage, it adds to the intensity of the adventure, and the criticism draws attention. Flow the best animated film of the year.

The simplicity of the premise itself eases viewers into the atmosphere of the primordial survival story, where the details of the plot, although important, are not the focus of the narrative. The power of animation can be felt through the way silent characters impact viewers as they communicate your emotional states entirely through body language and expressions. Animals are neither humanized nor universalized and each species represents its archetype. This creates a complex set of characters who work together in the face of adversity to survive the consequences of presumably human actions.

5

DAN DA DAN: First Meeting

Directed by Fuga Yamashiro, Rushio Moriyama and Daiki Yonemori

Although viewers were skeptical of an anime adaptation of the beloved Dandadan manga because of its unique art style, the show Dan-Dan is one of the best anime of 2024. It brings to energetic and vibrant life the emotional and hilarious moments of the manga that made fans fall in love with it. A theatrical release of the first three episodes was released as a feature film, DAN DA DAN: First Meetingand left viewers excited for the anime's release later in the year.

A cross between shōnen and romance, Dan-Dan follows the two protagonists as they face ghosts and aliens and debate their beliefs regarding spirits when they're not fighting mysterious creatures. The color palette reflects the same chaotic and vibrant mix of colors that the manga uses to bring its adventures to life, and the directors' care in creating the anime shows how much they are also fans of the original material.

4

Memoirs of a Snail (2024)

Directed by Adam Elliot

Memoirs of a Snail and one of the most underrated animated films 2024. This R-rated film tells the story of the resilience of a snail who learns to accept her differences from everyone who pushes her away, driven by the beautiful voice of Sarah Snook acting as the main character. A heartbreaking study of the human experience presented in dark claymation by director Adam Elliot, who manages to spark hope and love in his lonely world of ostracism and loss.

Heartbreaking images accompany the story to make viewers feel the full extent of Grace's depression, but they never pity her, even as she wallows. The abstract clay modeling makes the experience surreal, allowing the film to explore emotions on a visual level, where Grace's trauma becomes a canvas on which the characters and their impact on her become brush strokes. These brushstrokes are as extravagant as they are devastating, creating a tragicomedy in Memoirs of a Snail through a morbid sense of humor.

3

HAIKYU!! The Battle of the Trash (2024)

Directed by Susumu Mitsunaka

In 2022, Crunchyroll announced two final films to complete the story of its beloved volleyball anime Haikyu!! The long-awaited release of their first, Haikyu!! The battle of trash has been met with positive responses from fans around the world, who consider it one of the best animated films of 2024. With a captivating premise that sees longtime rivals Karasuno and Nekoma face off against each other in a game of high stakes, rewards fans who were waiting for the ending as the anime ended in 2020.

Haikyu!! The battle of trash It's worth the wait, bringing back the adrenaline and rollercoaster of emotions that have dominated the hearts of anime fans over the past decade. Picking up where the Season 4 finale left off, the film wastes no time recapping the past as it hopes viewers will remember the important parts needed to understand the film's events. Although many viewers have expressed skepticism, claiming that a fifth season would be the best way to end the anime, it brings its A-game, with the help of its beautiful animation to win over everyone.

2

The Wild Robot (2024)

Directed by Chris Sanders

It's no surprise that the man who directed Lilo and Stitch and How to train your dragon directed another film about an unlikely family bond between a robot and the residents of an island she crashed into. Although the film's marketing didn't do it justice, it received resounding critical praise and commercial success, making it a serious Oscar contender. Although the story is not new and the characters, contrary to what the first trailer seemed to suggest, do speak, it creates a compelling emotional narrative that keeps viewers engaged throughout.

THE Wild RobotThe use of humor is particularly commendable as it complements the seriousness of the tragedy it portrays in its exploration of the circle of life and the inevitability of death. Although the characters' silence may have contributed to the film's lightheartedness, dialogue increases emotional weightdriven by the cast's beautiful dubbing. Lead actress Lupita Nyong'o stands out in her first animated film since The Jungle Book (2016).

1

Look Back (2024)

Directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama

chainsaw man one-shot manga by creator Tatsuki Fujimoto Look back was finally adapted into an anime film and it's exactly as good as the manga deserves. Short in duration, it explores the bittersweet experience of being a creative person in a world where commitment to art seemingly creates isolation for those who are blissfully unaware of the painstaking journey required to create something substantial. The same artistic hunger that drives people to remove themselves from their surroundings when committing to the creative process also allows them to connect with others on a level they never imagined possible.

In less than an hour, Look back takes a haunting look at the loneliness of an artist who can't connect with someone with whom he shares a creative space, feeling jealous and even renouncing art when he feels outdated. When harsh reality seems to have overtaken the character's artistic drive, they discover a saving grace – a connection with the same artist they considered their competition and blamed for their loss of confidence. A world is born that no one else knows, a world uplifting collection of half-baked ideas and beautifully rendered art which replenishes both its occupants.