If You Think Animation Is Just for Kids, These 8 Movies Will Change Your Mind Forever

Animation is still often perceived as "children's cinema." Bright images, talking animals, and the obligatory happy ending are easy to identify.

But those who think so simply haven't seen these eight movies – beneath their colorful facades, they pose questions that baffle even the most seasoned philosophers.

8. 'ParaNorman', 2012

IMDb Score: 7.0/10

Norman, a schoolboy who lives in the town of Blithe Hollow, sees the dead. He has become so accustomed to his ability that the dead are closer to him than the living.

One day, he meets Mr. Prenderghast, the town madman, who turns out to be his uncle. Mr. Prenderghast tells Norman about a family curse and persuades him to perform a ritual in the woods.

Terrified, Norman agrees, but a group of school bullies prevents him from completing the ritual. This triggers a zombie apocalypse in the town. Now, Norman must prevent the end of the world.

7. 'Fantastic Planet', 1973

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

The planet Ygam is home to gigantic, highly evolved humanoids called the Draags. One day, the Draag brought small humans called Oms home from a planet ravaged by a cataclysm.

The Oms are human descendants, but the Draags don't consider them to be their equals and keep them as pets. Often, the Oms abandon their owners and form feral tribes. Periodically, the Draags purge the territories, killing off the overgrown population.

One day, Terr, an Om who is Tiwa's pet, the daughter of one of the Draags' political leaders, escapes and takes humanoid training technology with him. Terr gathers a group of Oms around him and begins fighting for his people's independence.

6. 'Robot Dreams', 2023

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

In the mid-1980s, a lonely dog lived in Manhattan. He plans to try out a new technological innovation: a robot friend. At first, Dog was wary of this marvel of technology, but he became very attached to it over time.

Dog and Robot go to the beach together. However, it turns out that the robot wasn't meant to get wet – its insides have rusted, and its body is paralyzed.

Dog is forced to go into town to buy oil. When he returns, he finds that the beach is closed until next season. The friends must now spend a whole year apart and learn to live without each other.

5. 'The Pied Piper', 1986

IMDb Score: 7.8/10

The Pied Piper arrives in the medieval town of Hamelin, which is overrun by rats. He offers the city council, a group of pathetic and greedy businessmen, 1,000 coins to solve the rodent problem.

The officials agree, but when the Pied Piper comes to collect his payment, they give him only a button and laugh. The man then decides the fate of the sin-ridden town and its inhabitants himself.

Czech animator Jiří Barta uses the grotesque and dark world of his movie to criticize consumer society. In his version of Hamelin, people use technology to subjugate nature to their greedy needs, which is precisely why the town is overrun with rats.

4. 'Ghost in the Shell', 1995

IMDb Score: 7.9/10

By 2029, cybertechnology had spread across the globe, as had cybercrime. With the advent of neural implants, talented hackers can take over and control a victim's brain at will.

Motoko Kusanagi is investigating the crimes of a serial killer nicknamed The Puppet Master, who hacks into people's brains and forces them to carry out terrorist attacks.

3. 'Perfect Blue', 1997

IMDb Score: 8.0/10

Mima Kirigoe is a pop idol. Tired of her superstar image, she decided to try her hand at television acting. Her first role was as a rape victim with PTSD and a multiple personality disorder.

While filming, Mima discovers an online diary supposedly written in her name. In it, the anonymous author wrote about everything Mima did every day.

Due to her intense workload and stress, Mima begins to suffer memory lapses. Soon, the diary becomes her only source of information about her life.

2. 'Wolfwalkers', 2020

IMDb Score: 8.0/10

The plot unfolds against the backdrop of the English conquest of Ireland in the mid-16th century. The English Lord Protector organizes the deforestation of Kilkenny, which leads to an increase in wolf attacks on villagers.

In response, he hires hunters to capture and kill the predators. One of the hunters is Bill, the father of the main character, Robyn. One day, Robyn also ventures into the forest and encounters a pack of wolves that transform into humans.

They are werewolves who transform into animals while they sleep. During the encounter, Robyn's peer, a she-wolf named Mebh, bites the girl, causing her to become a werewolf as well.

1. 'Spirited Away', 2001

IMDb Score: 8.6/10

Chihiro and her parents move into a new house. On the way, they stumble upon a strange tunnel and decide to explore it. Hungry, Chihiro's parents settle into a diner and start eating straight from the counter without waiting for the waiter.

Suddenly, they turn into pigs. It turns out they have wandered into a magical town ruled by Yubaba, the owner of a bathhouse for supernatural creatures. Yubaba turns everyone who doesn't work or patronize the bathhouse into pigs.

Haku, a boy who is an apprentice witch, helps Chihiro understand what happened. He advises her to get a job with Yubaba to avoid turning into a pig.