The 100 highest-rated animated narrative films of the 2010s (as at 1 January 2020).
To be included, films had to be narrative (no documentaries), be 60 minutes or longer, have a 1,000-view minimum, and a US theatrical release between 1/1/2010 and 12/31/2019 (with exceptions for films that had no US distribution). We have allowed TV movies, but excluded direct-to-video/DVD entries.
Country breakdown: Japan owns this top 100, with more than 35 films (38 at last count). The US takes second place with 26 films. France is third, with Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Ireland, and Brazil gaining multiple entries, and Hungary, Poland, Chile also represented. It’s complicated: in many cases, several animation houses and movie studios contributed to the making of a…
The 100 highest-rated animated narrative films of the 2010s (as at 1 January 2020).
To be included, films had to be narrative (no documentaries), be 60 minutes or longer, have a 1,000-view minimum, and a US theatrical release between 1/1/2010 and 12/31/2019 (with exceptions for films that had no US distribution). We have allowed TV movies, but excluded direct-to-video/DVD entries.
Country breakdown: Japan owns this top 100, with more than 35 films (38 at last count). The US takes second place with 26 films. France is third, with Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Ireland, and Brazil gaining multiple entries, and Hungary, Poland, Chile also represented. It’s complicated: in many cases, several animation houses and movie studios contributed to the making of a single film, meaning multiple cross-border efforts (for example, Tintin is a US-backed Spielberg film, but with principal photography filmed in New Zealand).
Studio representation: Walt Disney Animation just pipped Studio Ghibli for most films on the list, with seven to Ghibli’s six. Japan’s SHAFT and Toho Animation studios also have six on the list. Other strong studios include Kyoto Animation, Pixar, Cartoon Saloon, Mélusine Productions, Dreamworks, A-1 Pictures and Kadokawa.
Nine women directors make the list: Naoko Yamada (who is the overall MVP with four solo-helmed films on the list), Nora Twomey, Rebecca Sugar, Dorota Kobiela, Jenny Goldberg, Hélène Giraud, Noriko Takao, Mari Okada, and Jennifer Lee.
The most prolific director amongst the 100 films—due to the Kizumonogatari and Puella Magi Madoka Magica series—is Akiyuki Shinbo, who has directed six films alongside either Tatsuya Oishi or Yukihiro Miyamoto.
More Statistics of Interest:
Number of Films by Year (two films had their premieres in 2009)
2010: 10
2011: 7
2012: 9
2013: 10
2014: 6
2015: 12
2016: 14
2017: 10
2018: 12
2019: 8
Highest Rated Film by Year (US theatrical release)
2010: Toy Story 3
2011: K-On! The Movie
2012: It’s Such a Beautiful Day
2013: Wolf Children
2014: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
2015: Inside Out
2016: Your Name
2017: Coco
2018: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
2019: Klaus
