Netflix‘s newest animated film, KPop Demon Hunters, has been making huge waves among audiences and critics. It follows a trio of girls who make up a K-Pop band who, when they’re not winning the hearts of millions with their music, save the world from demonic incursions. However, the demons counter with a boy band to steal away the girls’ fans and sabotage their friendship, especially as lead singer Rumi (Arden Cho) tries to hide a dark secret.
The film has been praised for its fast-paced animation, lovable characters, catchy music, energetic humor, and solid writing with themes of choosing love over hate, self-acceptance, and overcoming shame. For those wondering what to watch next, there are plenty of other animated films that cover at least some of these topics.
10
‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009)
Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements
To fulfill her father’s dream of opening a restaurant, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) works herself to death to save enough money, only to be outbid at the last moment. She then meets a talking frog who claims to be Prince Naveen of Maldonia (Bruno Campos), transformed by the bokor Dr. Facilier (Keith David) as part of his plan to acquire the fortune of the La Bouff family. Tiana tries to break the spell by kissing Naveen like in The Frog Prince, but gets transformed into a frog herself, forcing the two to seek out a voodoo practioner named Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis) to turn back.
The Princess and the Frog is an underrated gem from Disney that also presents an interesting female lead in Tiana. Much like Rumi, Tiana begins the film laser focused on her dream, sacrificing friends and time for rest and relaxation to achieve the goal, thinking it will all be worth it in the end. This leads to a moral that doesn’t decry those who are hard-working and goal-oriented, but stresses the importance of self-love and socializing, which feels very topical in today’s hustle culture.
9
‘Kung Fu Panda’ (2008)
Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
When Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) has a vision of the fallen Kung Fu Master, Tai Lung (Ian McShane), escaping from prison, he decides it is time to choose the Dragon Warrior destined to stop him. Everyone believes he will pick one of the local Masters, known as the Furious Five, but he instead chooses Po (Jack Black), a kung fu-loving panda who drops in front of him while trying to watch the choosing ceremony. Oogway’s friend and the Five’s teacher, Master Shi Fu (Dustin Hoffman), objects to the decision, but Oogway tells him that he must believe in Po.
Kung Fu Panda sounds about as silly a title as KPop Demon Hunters, yet both films tell powerful stories about self-acceptance. In Po’s case, he is full of self-loathing due to his obesity and hopes that Shi Fu can turn him into someone worthy of the title of Dragon Warrior. But by the end of the film, Po and everyone else realize that he was always worthy thanks to the qualities that made him who he is.
8
‘Luca’ (2021)
Directed by Enrico Casarosa
Luca (Jacob Tremblay) is a young sea monster living off the coast of Italy, who befriends fellow sea monster Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), who shows Luca that he can appear human when out of the water. The two agree to one day afford a Vespa and travel around the world together, but Luca’s parents become concerned that he is spending so much time on the surface and consider sending him to live with his uncle in the deep. Luca runs away from home and travels to the coastal town of Pontorosso with Albeto, where they befriend a human girl named Giulia (Emma Berman), who convinces them to take part in the town’s triathlon with her.
Luca is a charming, low-stakes story from Pixar that focuses on childhood innocence and friendship, but it still touches on some interesting themes through the sea monsters. Their ability to blend in with humans forces them to conform to human culture to avoid being singled out, which can be compared to the likes of immigrants moving to a new country, or people trying to hide a part of themselves from others. It becomes especially heartbreaking when Luca finds himself torn between the two worlds and makes harsh choices that hurt his friends.
Luca
- Release Date
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June 18, 2021
- Runtime
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95 MINUTES
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-
Jack Dylan Grazer
Alberto Scorfano (voice)
7
‘Wendell & Wild’ (2022)
Directed by Henry Selick
Katherine Elliot (Serelle Strickland and Lyric Ross) is a juvenile delinquent who blames herself for the death of her parents in a car accident five years prior. She is enrolled in an all-girls Catholic school and soon discovers a skull-shaped mark on her hand, identifying her as a “hell maiden” who can communicate with demons. This gets the attention of two demonic brothers named Wendell (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Jordan Peele), who trick Katherine into summoning them in exchange for the resurrection of her parents.
Wendell & Wild is another feather in the cap of the king of stop-motion dark fantasy films, Henry Selick, and contains some of his most memorable characters. Wendell and Wild are as hilarious as one could expect a duo of bumbling brothers voiced by Key and Peele to be, but Katherine is the scene-stealer thanks to her hard, yet honest portrayal of a young person forced to live with survivor’s guilt. This culminates in a strong message of forgiveness and an acknowledgment of what we can and cannot control in our lives.
Wendell & Wild
- Release Date
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October 21, 2022
- Runtime
-
106 Minutes
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-
Keegan-Michael Key
Wendell
-
-
Sam Zelaya
Raúl Cocolotl
6
‘ParaNorman’ (2012)
Directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler
Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a young boy with the unique ability to see and talk to the spirits of the dead, which sadly leaves him as a social outcast. One day, Norman’s great-uncle, Mr. Prenderghast (John Goodman) comes to warn him that he will need to take over a ritual to protect the town from the spirit of a vengeful witch, then dies of a heart attack. Norman disbelieves him at first, but soon enough, the witch awakens and attacks the town with vicious storms and raising the dead.
ParaNorman is a story about how damaging labeling someone as “the other” can be, and the dangers of making choices dictated by fear. The witch’s backstory is tied to a decision made in fear, and in the present, Norman being excluded from his community causes him to nearly close himself off from others emotionally. This builds to a very powerful climax that sees Norman solve the problem through empathy and understanding rather than trying to push away the unknown.
ParaNorman
- Release Date
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September 13, 2012
- Runtime
-
93minutes
- Director
-
Sam Fell
- Writers
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Chris Butler
5
‘Wolfwalkers’ (2020)
Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart
Robyn Goodfellowe (Honor Kneafsey) and her father, Bill (Sean Bean), travel from England to Ireland so BIll can hunt a large pack of wolves that is preventing the Lord Protector of Kilkenny (Simon McBurney) from clearing the woods. Robyn wants to help her father, but she accidentally shoots her pet falcon, Merlyn, in the wing with her crossbow, and watches him get abducted by a strange girl. Following after them, Robyn learns that the girl, named Mebh (Eva Whittaker), is a Wolfwalker whose spirit can manifest as a wolf when she is asleep, and she passes the gift to Robyn when she accidentally bites her.
Wolfwalkers is the final part of Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy, and continues the tradition of gorgeous and stylish hand-drawn animation paired with strong emotional storytelling. It offers a unique take on werewolves that harkens back to some of their mythological origins, which presented the transformation as something more spiritual than physical. It also serves as a great representation of Robyn’s character growth, offering her freedom compared to the trappings of Kilkenny, and presenting an interesting conflict where she becomes the very thing her father is tasked with exterminating.
Wolfwalkers
- Release Date
-
November 13, 2020
- Runtime
-
103 minutes
4
‘Frozen’ (2013)
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
After Princess Elsa (Eva Bella, Spencer Lacey Ganus, and Idina Menzel) of Arendelle nearly kills her sister, Anna (Livvy Stubenrauch, Agatha Lee Monn, and Kristen Bell), with her ice magic, magic trolls wipe Anna’s memories of Elsa’s powers, and the King and Queen have them separated and instruct Elsa to conceal her powers. This drives a wedge between the sisters, made worse when the parents die at sea. Anna tries to patch things up during Elsa’s royal coronation, but an accident exposes her powers, and she flees into the mountains, leaving behind a sudden and unending winter.
Frozen was a breakout hit on release, and remains a beloved Disney property thanks in large part to Elsa. Her struggles are very relatable, especially the lessons of “conceal don’t feel” drilled into her by her parents, which makes her fear and despise a central part of herself. This is a major reason why her song “Let it Go” was such a hit: along with Menzel’s phenomenal singing voice and the great music, the song sees Elsa cut loose for the first time in her life and embrace her magic rather than fear it.
Frozen
- Release Date
-
November 27, 2013
- Runtime
-
102 minutes
3
‘Shrek’ (2001)
Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
Obsessed with creating the perfect kingdom, Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) banishes all fairy-tale creatures from his land, forcing them into a swamp inhabited by an ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers). With the aid of a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), Shrek confronts Farquaad and makes a deal with him to recover Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a dragon-guarded castle in exchange for the removal of the squatters. However, there is more to the princess than meets the eye, and she and Shrek soon form a strong bond.
Shrek defied expectations set by its tricky production history to become perhaps the seminal animated film of the 2000s, ushering in an era of cynical fairy-tale parodies and cementing CGI’s dominance over animated movies. Amidst its hilarious jokes and killer soundtrack, the film also has a timeless story about ostracization, judgment without knowing someone, and self-acceptance. Fiona in particular has a great arc involving hiding a curse that affects her every night, which leads to a beautiful payoff during the climax.
Shrek
- Release Date
-
May 18, 2001
- Runtime
-
90 minutes
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Shrek / Blind Mouse (voice)
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Eddie Murphy
Donkey (voice)
2
‘Nimona’ (2023)
Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Ballister Boldheart (Zayaan Kunwar and Riz Ahmed) is set to become the first common-born to join a knightly order founded one thousand years ago by a hero who vanquished a great monster. During his knighting ceremony, Ballister’s sword activates and kills Queen Valerin (Lorraine Toussaint), and he is forced to go on the run after his boyfriend, Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang), cuts off his arm. Ballister is soon met by Nimona (Mia Collins and Chloë Grace Moretz), a little girl with shapeshifting powers, who, believing Ballister to be a villain, appoints herself as his sidekick while he tries to clear his name.
Another beloved Netflix release, Nimona survived a near cancellation by Disney to receive near-universal praise. This is due to its profound story, especially regarding Nimona, who longs for acceptance but finds herself being treated like a freak or a monster at every turn. Her friendship with Ballister starts out as one of unwanted necessity, but gradually morphs into a genuine camaraderie between two people considered outcasts by society who find belonging in one another.
Nimona
- Release Date
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June 30, 2023
- Runtime
-
101 Minutes
1
‘Turning Red’ (2022)
Directed by Domee Shi
13-year-old Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang) lives with her parents in Toronto, where she helps to maintain the family’s ancestor temple and does what she can to appease her controlling mother, Ming (Sandra Oh). One day, Meilin wakes up to discover that she has transformed into a giant red panda, as part of a family curse, and her mother makes arrangements for a ceremony to seal the panda away. Meanwhile, Meilin’s friends discover and accept her panda form, which encourages Meilin to use her new powers to help raise money for tickets to see her friend group’s favorite boy band, 4*Town.
Turning Red was a victim of poor marketing and delays due to COVID, making it an undeserving box-office failure. It checks a lot of the same boxes as KPop Demon Hunter: there are boy bands, off-the-wall levels of crazy comedy, a focus on Asian culture, and a main character struggling with another side of herself. However, Turning Red has a stronger emphasis on mother-daughter relationships and generational trauma, while the panda transformations also serve as a metaphor for puberty.
Turning Red
- Release Date
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March 11, 2022
- Runtime
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100 minutes