30 Best Animated Movies For Adults

Summary

• Adult animated movies offer deeper, mature stories not just for kids, embracing themes of violence and sexuality while captivating adult audiences.
• From severed hands on journeys to dystopian visions, these movies showcase animation’s limitless potential for storytelling at any age.
• Animated films like “I Lost My Body” and “Wolfwalkers” challenge perceptions of what adult animation can accomplish, pushing the boundaries of the medium.

The best animated movies for adults prove there is no reason to view the medium as just for children. Since the early days of cinema, animation has been a big draw, especially for families — with Disney’s animated projects (as well as their various competitors) bringing wondrous fairy tales to life even before the first color film. While the best-animated movies often appeal to all ages, with parents enjoying the thrilling stories as much as their children, there’s often been a misconception that cartoons were only made for younger audiences.

Luckily, as with animated adult comedies on television, films fight against those perceptions and deliver brilliant animated movies tailored to an adult audience. While this sometimes means they include violence and sexuality seen in live-action R-rated movies, it also means there are deeper and more mature stories that might not appeal to kids but could take adult audiences on a journey that can only be told in animated form. As more animated movies for adults have arrived with ever-increasing budgets throughout the years, the best cartoons that aren’t for kids include some classic films.

30

When The Wind Blows (1986)

The Animated Movie That Goes From Quaint To Harrowing In A Single Scene

When it comes to absolutely harrowing depictions of nuclear armageddon, few would guess that one of the most bleakly unforgettable is a movie set in the British countryside which focuses on an elderly couple called Mr. and Mrs. Bloggs, and is animated by the mind behind the charming Christmas tale The Snowman. However, the adult animated movie When the Wind Blows from writer Raymond Briggs and director Jimmy T. Murakami is exactly that, and remains one of the most unflinching depictions of life after a nuclear war put to film.

An incredibly tragic tale, especially since the couple attempt to remain optimistic even as their bodies are ravaged by radiation poisoning, and it becomes clear the government’s advice on surviving life after the bomb is completely useless.

When the Wind Blows has a relatively simple premise – Jim and Hilda Bloggs live in their cottage in the British countryside when the Cold War becomes scorching hot. Britain comes under nuclear attack, from which point Jim and Hilda attempt to cling to their sense of normalcy during the harshness of a nuclear winter. It’s an incredibly tragic tale, especially since the couple attempt to remain optimistic even as their bodies are ravaged by radiation poisoning, and it becomes clear the government’s advice on surviving life after the bomb is completely useless.

29

9 (2009)

The Quirky Animated Post-Apocalyptic Movie With An All-Star Cast

The 2009 animated movie 9, by director Shane Acker, fell short when it was released due to the marketing mistakenly presenting it as a movie targeted at younger viewers thanks to the appearance of the central characters. While the group of inch-high self-aware automatons that make up the only speaking roles in 9 do indeed somewhat resemble characters usually found in kids’ movies, 9 is certainly not an animated movie for children. While it features little that’s directly adult (aside from the odd corpse or two in the background), its central themes and story are far too complex for younger viewers.

9 stars Elijah Wood as “9”, a mechanical ragdoll-like robot who awakens after a nuclear war between humanity and an A.I. created by a corrupt human dictator. 9 finds the world he’s woken into is incredibly dangerous, with the only inhabitants being ravenous red-eyed machines. However, while he initially fears he’s alone, 9 soon meets his siblings (numbers 1 through 8), and discovers that his existence is no mere accident. The tone and visuals of 9 are incredibly dark, and there are few animated movies out there like it.

28

The House (2022)

The Complex Stop-Motion Anthology Movie With Plenty Of Thematic Depth

The anthology format has always gone hand-in-hand with animated movies, and one of the best modern examples is Netflix’s The House, from directors Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, and Paloma Baeza. The House contains three tales, each with a dark premise, twist, and animation to match. The tales take place in different timelines and even worlds, though all use the same house as a set. It’s an anthology with an incredible amount of thematic depth, touching on subjects like insanity, the effects of wealth, and the nature of true fulfillment and happiness.

The cast of The House includes the likes of Mia Goth, Miranca Richardson, and Helena Bonham Carter, among others. It was received incredibly well by critics, and even secured a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for animator Kecy Salangad. Each of the three tales in The House feels truly unique and yet, at the same time, intrinsically linked to the others, and it’s an incredibly endearing movie both for fans of animation and viewers who simply enjoy a bizzare, surreal film.

27

The Spine Of Night (2021)

The Dark Modern Homage To The Adult Animated Movies Of The 1970s And 80s

Dark, hand-drawn animated fantasy movies were a staple of the 1970s and 1980s, though the subgenre fell out of fashion for a while. However, the format has always had its fans, and in 2021, directors Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King paid homage to the unique era of animation with The Spine of Night. The movie was animated using the rotoscope technique, meaning the cels were hand-drawn over live-action footage, giving The Spine of Night a unique feel.

The plot is a suitable homage to its spiritual ancestors too, as it tells a dark tale of swords and sorcery that would feel right at home decades earlier when the films it’s carrying on the legacy of were popular. The Spine of Night focuses on the journey of a magical plant across several centuries, known as the Bloom. The cast features the likes of Richard E. Grant as The Guardian, Lucy Lawless as Tzod, and Patton Oswalt as Lord Pyrantin. Whether viewers are a fan of animated adult-fantasy movies of decades gone by or not, The Spine of Night certainly makes for a unique and action-packed watch.

26

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

A Surreal Animated Tale Of Addiction And Identity

Another rotoscoped movie like The Spine of Night is 2006’s A Scanner Darkly, the surreal sci-fi set in the near future (2013 to be specific, which was the near future when the movie released) and based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Philip K. Dick. A Scanner Darkly focuses on an America in the midst of a narcotics epidemic of unrivaled proportions, with over a quarter of the population addicted to the mysterious Substance D. To combat this rise in addiction, the government makes use of undercover officers with their identities hidden by “scramble suits”, so their true names and faces are a mystery even to one-another.

Keanu Reeves stars as Bob Arctor, one such undercover officer, whose life begins to unravel when his police identity, “Fred”, is tasked with keeping tabs on his civilian one. Arctor’s sense of self slowly unravels, and his slip into insanity isn’t helped by his addiction to Substance D. Reeves gives a highly underrated performance, as do co-stars Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder. The animation of A Scanner Darkly lends itself perfectly to the plot, and the twist at the end will have viewers thinking for weeks after viewing.

25

I Lost My Body (2019)

An Oscar-Nominated French Film About A Severed Hand Trying To Find Its Missing Body

The French animated movie I Lost My Body takes a unique story and delivers a strangely beautiful movie with it. It centers around a severed hand that escapes from a laboratory and makes its way across Paris, attempting to reunite with the rest of its body. The premise might suggest a more macabre movie, but I Lost My Body is a surprisingly heartfelt story with a journey that leads to a satisfying conclusion.

It centers around a severed hand that escapes from a laboratory and makes its way across Paris, attempting to reunite with the rest of its body.

I Lost My Body premiered in the Critics’ Week (Semaine de la Critique) section of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. At Cannes, it ended up as the first animated movie to ever win the Nespresso Grand Prize in that award’s history (the award’s first year was 2001). It went on to earn countless Best Animated Film awards while also receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, although it lost out to Toy Story 4.

24

Mad God (2021)

A Trip To Stop-Motion Hell From An Oscar-Winning Visual Effects Producer

The best stop-motion animated movies showcase the beauty and brilliance of the medium, with Mad God being one of the most ambitious examples. While stop-motion movies can certainly be more aimed at kids, Mad God is decidedly not. The story follows an assassin who ventures into a hellish underworld of tortured souls and grotesque creatures. This animated movie for adults started life as a Kickstarter project from Oscar-winning visual effects producer Phil Tippet which was 30 years in the making.

Tippet began working on the movie after he worked on Jurassic Park in 1993, believing he wanted to find a way to save stop-motion animation from disappearing with the advent of CGI. The result is a stunning visual experience that showcases how stop-motion can deliver unbelievable scenarios that compete and exceed CGI. Mad God premiered at the Locarno Festival in 2021 and joined Shudder’s lineup of programming in 2022. It went on to win the Best Feature Film Animation at the prestigious Ray Harryhausen Awards.

23

Wolfwalkers (2020)

A Multi-Award Nominated Irish Fantasy Tale With A Truly Unique Art Style

Animated fantasy movies may feel as though they are tailor-made for a younger audience. However, the Irish animated studio Cartoon Saloon has excelled at making magical animated adventures that appeal to older audiences perhaps more than younger ones. Wolfwalkers follows Robyn (Honor Kneafsey), a young girl whose father has been tasked with hunting a local wolf. However, she soon befriends a magical young girl with the ability to transform into a wolf at night.

It is a beautifully animated movie with stunning 2D art that feels like both a throwback and totally original animated feature. It received nominations for Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and BAFTA Awards. With a voice cast including Sean Bean, the movie won five Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature – Independent and the Satellite Award for Best Animated or Mixed Media Film.

22

The Wind Rises (2013)

Hayao Miyazaki’s Biography Of A Famed Japanese Aviation Engineer

While Studio Ghibli uses its stunning animation to tell fantastical stories at times, it also uses it to tell much more grounded and human stories. The historical drama The Wind Rises is a fictionalized biographical film of Jiro Horikoshi, a Japanese designer responsible for precursors to the planes used to bomb Pearl Harbor. Initially meant to be Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, it is another showcase of his incredible talents as a filmmaker as well as a complex look at a historical figure.

It was nominated for several awards, including Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes. The Wind Rises did win the Annie Award for Outstnading Achievement for Writing in a Feature Production and the Japan Academy Film Prize for Animation of the Year. The movie has an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

21

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)

A Legendary Horror Director’s Dark Take On A Classic Fairy Tale

There have been several versions of Pinocchio over the years, but Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro managed to find a new and worthwhile approach to the familiar story. While it follows the same basic premise of the wooden boy that comes to life, there is an interesting element of Geppetto rejecting Pinocchio as a mistake. The setting in Fascist Italy also adds to the intriguing new take, and this version of Pinocchio is one of the best-animated movies for adults, even if it’s relatively free of R-rated elements.

It is a funny, heartbreaking, and visually marvelous tale of mortality while also earning del Toro another Oscar, this time for Best Animated Feature (he previously won Best Picture and Best Director for his fantasy movie The Shape of Water). The movie also won the same award at the Golden Globes and Annie Awards. Pinocchio has a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

20

Beavis And Butt-Head Do America (1996)

Mike Judge’s Beavis And Butthead’s Feature-Length Debut

Mike Judge brought his Beavis and Butt-head characters to the big screen in Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. Instead of sitting around and watching TV like on the MTV series, the duo hits the road in their big-screen debut, albeit in order to track down their stolen TV. Judge’s work on Beavis and Butt-Head was an early pioneer in adult-oriented animation on television, and he was one of the first to bring that style from the small screen to the big screen.

Undoubtedly one of the most influential animated movies for adults, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America lives on through memes. It also kickstarted Judge’s career, as he directed Office Space three years later and has since brought King of the Hill to the small screen and brought back Beavis and Butthead for a new generation with the Paramount+ original movie, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe.

19

The Lord Of The Rings (1978)

The Animated Version of Tolkien’s Epic

Ralph Bakshi set out to animate The Lord of the Rings trilogy across two movies. However, due to problems behind the scenes, Bakshi only ever managed to make the first one, covering The Fellowship of the Ring and the first half of The Two Towers. Still, Bakshi’s adaptation has achieved cult status as undeniably a different take on the material. Peter Jackson acknowledged its influence on his own adaptation of Tolkien’s work a couple of decades later, and these can even be observed in some of the best scenes from Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The movie did well at the box office when released, making $30.4 million on a $4 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), and it received a 2022 re-release. Critical response was mixed upon its release, with many criticizing the animation and the fact the movie didn’t have a conclusive ending since it was expected to start a trilogy. However, it has been reappraised and has become a legitimate cult classic.

18

Ghost In The Shell (1995)

The Anime Classic That Helped Birth The Matrix Franchise

Mamoru Oshii’s original Ghost in the Shell movie from 1995 remains a timeless classic of the cyberpunk genre. Apart from touching on challenging themes surrounding transhumanism and institutional politics, Ghost in the Shell is an example of how combining traditional cel animation and computer graphics was already perfected back in the ’90s. The movie’s influence on The Matrix franchise was so strong that the Wachowskis reportedly pitched the project to studios by screening Ghost in the Shell and telling executives they wanted to basically just do that but in live-action.

This is another movie that was a box office disappointment that ended up becoming a massive cult favorite in the years to come. However, despite making less than expected at the box office, it was still a critical success, nominated for five Annie Awards, the most ever for a Japanese movie at that time. This included Best Animated Feature and Best Achievement in Directing, but it lost out to the first Toy Story movie.

17

Mary And Max (2009)

A Stop-Motion Exploration Into Isolation And Companionship

Inspired by his relationship with his own pen pal in New York, writer-director Adam Elliot made Mary and Max, a stop-motion claymation animated dramedy about an isolated Australian girl and the overweight American with whom she exchanges letters. The movie’s use of colors to represent its characters, from Max’s dreary noir-tinged palette to Mary’s warm sepia tones, is exemplary, while the story itself is a heartfelt testament to the virtues of human interaction in all its forms.

Mary and Max is extremely effective at juxtaposing its child-friendly animation style with deeply adult themes. The tragic and emotional story takes a deep look at addiction, loneliness, and mental illness, and the ending is a gut punch that makes this much more than just another animated movie. It went on to win the Best Animated Feature Film Award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the Best Direction in a Feature Film by the Australian Directors Guild.

16

Grave Of The Fireflies (1989)

Studio Ghibli’s Heartwrenching World War II Tale

Grave of the Fireflies centers on a pair of siblings as they seek to survive the end of World War II in the city of Kobe, Japan. In the first few moments of the film, it is revealed both passed away, and the rest of the movie is a flashback about their journey. This, however, does nothing to cushion the blow of the crux of this truly tragic movie. It should be noted that Grave of the Fireflies is a highly emotional experience that not all viewers are prepared for. However, its valuable lessons about humanity make it a must-see.

The movie shows the horrors of World War II’s ending on innocent Japanese citizens, mostly focusing on children, and that makes this a very hard movie to watch. While the movie was slightly disappointing at the box office, it was universally acclaimed upon its release and has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, widely considered one of the greatest animated movies ever made — adult-themed or otherwise.

15

Fantastic Planet (1973)

A Psychedelic High-Concept Apocalypse From The 1970s

On the planet of Ygam, humans are minuscule in comparison to the Traags from this world. Humans are considered to be animals and are thus kept as pets and even hunted. A young Traag adopts a human child after the human’s mother is killed by Traag children. This starts a series of events that show the world in a much larger scope. Animated in the 70s’ signature psychedelic visual style, Fantastic Planet reveals the sheer depth that can be explored through psychedelic cartoons and high-concept sci-fi elements.

To this day, Fantastic Planet is largely lauded for offering a new spin on the apocalypse. A French-language animated movie by René Laloux, the movie is based on the Stefan Wul novel, Oms en série, and tells a very interesting story about human rights and racism. It received an overwhelmingly positive 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while also winning the Special Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival.

14

Fritz The Cat (1972)

The Notorious X-Rated Satire That Helped Spawn South Park

In addition to adapting half of The Lord of the Rings saga, Ralph Bakshi helmed the X-rated animated satire Fritz the Cat. While its comic sensibility doesn’t hold up particularly well today, the revolutions made by Fritz the Cat can’t be understated. Where Fantastic Planet inadvertently gave rise to psychedelic animation, Fritz the Cat was the first true cornerstone for comedic adult cartoons, cementing its reputation as one of the most explicitly adult animated movies.

If it hadn’t been for Fritz the Cat pushing adult content and mature themes through an animated prism in the early ‘70s, giants like South Park, Rick and Morty, and The Simpsons might not be where they are today. The movie, despite its X-rating, was a huge success, making over $90 million worldwide, which was a massive profit on its $7800,000 budget (via AV Club). While critics in the 70s bashed its use of profanity, violence, and sex and drug use, it set the table for the future of adult animated movies.

13

Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! (2013)

The Animated Debut Of Kevin Smith’s Jay & Silent Bob

It’s always a joy to watch when Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith get together for another appearance as Jay and Silent Bob. Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! adapts Smith’s Bluntman and Chronic comic books for the screen. The animation style is simplistic, but the crude comedy in Smith’s script is perfect for these characters – not unlike the entire premise of South Park.

The movie has a ton of great moments, including a post-credits stinger in which a cameoing Stan Lee recruits the titular duo onto the Avengers. For sheer comedic value, Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! is a worthy continuation of this franchise. Kevin Smith had previously made an animated TV series based on Clerks, and while Smith didn’t direct this movie, it is officially part of the View Askewniverse and its closing credits referenced Clerks III.

12

The Breadwinner (2017)

An Unflinching Look At The Rule Of The Taliban From A Child’s Eyes

Set in 2001 during the Taliban’s control over most of Afghanistan, the Oscar-nominated The Breadwinner centers around eleven-year-old Parvana. After her father is unjustly imprisoned, Parvana must provide for her family. She dresses as a boy to get around Taliban laws and plans to rescue her father. The film is beautifully animated and is a heartfelt and inspiring story of a child’s determination to help her family amid their war-torn surroundings. Rated PG-13, The Breadwinner is sometimes considered a family film, but the events are ultimately more suited for mature audiences.

For emotional depth The Breadwinner is near-unrivaled among the best-animated movies for adults. It premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and then earned a Best Animated Feature nomination at the Academy Awards. However, it lost out on that award to Pixar’s Coco. The movie has an outstanding 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

11

The Animatrix (2003)

A Series Of Shorts That Tie Into The Matrix Movies

Set in the world of The Matrix trilogy, The Animatrix is an anthology movie that explores the events prior to when machines rose up against humanity. The Animatrix features nine short stories, and through seven different directors and animation styles, it unravels what viewers knew all along: humans have no one to blame for the machine revolt but themselves. By enhancing the lore and history behind the live-action movies in ways that fully leverage the various animation styles of its directors, The Animatrix builds the mythology in exciting ways.

The shorts have some big-name animated voice artists, including Phillip LaMarr (Samurai Jack), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Tara Strong (The Powerpuff Girls), Kevin Michael Richarson (The Batman). Kid’s Story also provides a treat for fans of the movies as both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss return as Neo and Trinity. The movie was only released on home video and was a huge success, making $68 million (via Forbes).