The users on Letterboxd are among the biggest film buffs you’ll find anywhere on the internet. They tend to take their movie watching experiences seriously, so their ratings can often be a good barometer for how good something truly is. That’s certainly the case with the animated flicks they’ve reviewed.
With hundreds of thousands of films on the website, every animated film of note is included. From Pixar movies to Hayao Miyazaki works to visually stunning releases to Academy Award winners, a few animated pictures stand out above the rest as the ones to score the most impressive ratings on Letterboxd.
Updated on March 17th, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: One thing that is interesting about Letterboxd is that reviews are constantly coming in as availability for certain films grows. So, the animated flicks that had the highest average rating have actually changed quite a bit in less than a year. Now, some classics from Pixar and Disney have been replaced by newer films from all over the country. There are still Disney movies ranked near the top but you can now see what’s worth branching out to watch from Studio Ghibli and other places.
15 Coco (2017) – 4.18
Stream On Disney+
One of the most recent entries included is 2017’s Coco. This was another release from Pixar Studios, who are basically the cream of the crop when it comes to animated films, especially in the United States. Coco tells the story of a young boy who travels to the Land of the Dead to get permission from an ancestor to pursue his musical dream.
Not only did this take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature but it also won Best Original Song for the heartbreaking “Remember Me.” Coco has four and five stars as its most common scores (31% and 32%), while four and a half stars comes up next (15%), proving that almost every loves this movie.
14 My Neighbor Totoro (1988) – 4.19
Stream On HBO Max
If there’s one director outside of the United States whose name is synonymous with stellar animated films, it’s Hayao Miyazaki. It’s actually tough to figure out Miyazaki’s best movie because he has delivered so many great ones.
The most iconic of his work is likely My Neighbor Totoro as the titular Totoro is almost something of a mascot for Studio Ghibli. The film follows sisters who befriend spirits in the forest near their new home after their mother is hospitalized. Four and five stars are tied (31%) for the ratings given out more often.
13 Your Name. (2016) – 4.19
Rent On Vudu
It might not be from Studio Ghibli but Your Name. is one of the most well-received animated films to come out of Japan. The story centers on two high schoolers who are complete strangers but find that they suddenly switch bodies one night.
The two bond as they must adjust their lives to this occurrence, which starts to happen at random going forward. The movie was a box office success and racked up awards at several major shows. The majority of reviewers on Letterboxd actually gave it the full five stars (33%).
12 Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – 4.19
Stream On Disney+
Most of the top-rated animated films are either done in the traditional style or using the more modern CGI format. However, Fantastic Mr. Fox takes a different approach by focusing on stop-motion animation. It’s a style that works perfectly for Wes Anderson.
The quirky director got to keep all of his trademarks in this format and it worked expertly. The story follows a fox who works with other animals to steal from vicious farmers in their area. Fantastic Mr. Fox was up for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and most reviews gave it four stars (31%).
11 Akira (1988) – 4.20
Stream On Hulu
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more influential animated movie than Akira. Released way back in 1988, this was huge in terms of inspiring and popularizing the cyberpunk subgenre and was masterfully adapted from the manga of the same name.
The plot focuses on a teenager who works with his biker friends and psychics to take down a raging psychopath after a military experiment. Five stars is its most common score (31%), with four stars (29%) following closely behind. The film was lauded for its action, gorgeous visuals that hold up, and more.
10 The Lion King (1994) – 4.20
Stream On Disney+
In terms of Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Lion King became their biggest crossover hit. It wasn’t expected when it arrived in theaters in 1994 but the film spawned multiple sequels, a Broadway show, a box office hit remake in 2019, and more. It all started somewhere, though.
The Lion King deals with Simba’s struggles to become king after his father dies and he’s blamed for it by his evil uncle. The timeless tale has an absurd 35% of its ratings be perfect scores, while four stars (29%) comes in just behind it.
9 Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021) – 4.23
Stream On Amazon Prime
The Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise is one of the most well-received in the history of anime. It has been a popular manga, a great television series, and it produced some of the most impressive feature films found anywhere.
One of the many strong movies to come from the series is Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. The film follows the main characters as they are stranded without their trusty Evangelions and must figure out how to survive on their own. Although a new release, it has sparkling reviews, with five stars (37%) being the most common.
8 Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – 4.28
Stream On HBO Max
Once again, it’s telling of the creative genius that is Hayao Miyazaki that another one of his films ranks so high. This time around it’s Howl’s Moving Castle which is a highly popular release from Studio Ghibli.
Howl’s Moving Castle tells the story of a shy young girl who is cursed to transform into an old woman by a witch and then she befriends a selfish but insecure wizard who lives in a walking castle. It’s the kind of odd premise that only Miyazaki can make into something special. The Best Animated Feature nominee was most often rated at five stars (36%).
7 Princess Mononoke (1997) – 4.33
Stream On HBO Max
Although Pixar might wear the crown in terms of animated movies, one studio comes close and possibly surpasses them in terms of quality. That’s Studio Ghibli and their best reviewed films are often the ones created by the always impressive Hayao Miyazaki, including Princess Mononoke.
Miyazaki’s work goes back decades, with Princess Mononoke releasing in 1997. This fantasy epic follows a young prince caught up in a war for a forest between a mining colony and gods. Racking up the accolades and acclaim, this film has a whopping 36% of its ratings giving it the perfect five stars.
6 Revue Starlight: The Movie (2021) – 4.34
Not Currently Available To Stream
Another incredibly recent movie to rack up the impressive ratings on Letterboxd is Revue Starlight: The Movie. Like Neon Genesis Evangelion, this is another popular Japanese media franchise that includes manga, stage plays, TV shows, and of course, films.
The latest film is Revue Starlight: The Movie, which is a follow-up to the TV series that sees the main group of girls have to go their separate ways following graduation from Seisho. An overwhelming number of reviewers gave it the perfect five star rating (55%).
5 Perfect Blue (1997) – 4.36
Rent On Apple TV
This might not be quite as popular or famous as some of the others to score as high but that doesn’t stop Perfect Blue from being one of the more intriguing animated films ever made. Released in 1997, this Japanese psychological thriller was pretty unique for its time.
The plot sees a young singer attempt to transition into acting only to be driven mad when she gets stalked by an obsessed fan and a ghost from her past. Perfect Blue has five stars as the rating it gets the most often (36%), with four stars (27%) and four and a half (23%) coming in right behind it.
4 Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) – 4.36
Rent On Vudu
War movies are pretty common in Hollywood history but not many of them are animated. That makes it even more impressive that Grave of the Fireflies is often named among the greatest war films ever created. Based on a 1967 short story of the same name, the Japanese picture arrived in 1988.
It’s an anti-war film as it focuses on two siblings who struggle to survive the ending of the Second World War and the many hardships they face during that time. An incredible 39% of the reviewers gave Grave of the Fireflies a perfect rating, with only 2% of users giving it less than three stars.
3 Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997) – 4.41
Stream On Netflix
The entire series of Neon Genesis Evangelion is on Letterboxd and it holds an outstanding 4.5 average rating. Though well-received, the final two episodes were considered controversial. In 1997, Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion was released to tell that ending from a different perspective.
The decision was a wise one as this was met with much better praise, even if the feelings were mixed initially. It has since become rather iconic and nearly half of the users (46%) who reviewed this film gave it a perfect rating, which is rarified air on the website.
2 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) – 4.44
Rent On Apple TV
Pixar usually cleans up when it comes to the Best Animated Feature Academy Award. However, that wasn’t the case when their film, The Incredibles 2, lost to one of the most unique movies ever made, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. This 2018 release gave fans a fresh take on the superhero genre.
It did so by not only telling an emotional story of Spider-themed heroes from various universes coming together but also with a sleek animation style that felt like it was straight out of the comics. 44% of users gave this a perfect five star rating, with only 2% going under three stars. It’s a special film.
1 Spirited Away (2001) – 4.47
Stream On HBO Max
For many fans, it’s difficult to pick the best film of Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary career. While there are many candidates, the users on Letterboxd have spoken and the one to score the highest on average is Spirited Away. Written and directed by the filmmaker, the 2001 hit has won a slew of awards over time.
The tale follows a young girl who moves to a new town only for her parents to be transformed and for her to enter a world of spirits. The imagery has become iconic, while the reviews are sparkling. Just about half (49%) of the users consider it perfect and only 6% give it less than three and a half stars.
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