There’s a certain stigma surrounding animated movies, and it’s the idea that they’re meant solely for children. Since the film is animated, brightly colored, and oftentimes features kids as the main characters, some adults decide these movies aren’t for them. That’s where they’re sorely mistaken. An animated movie can hold just as much power as a drama blockbuster featuring some A-list actors. It’s true that sometimes studios will put out animated movies with huge movie stars voicing the cartoon characters for easy cash grabs, but thankfully that’s not always the case.
There are some absolutely stellar animated movies that could potentially change your life. Maybe that sounds dramatic or farfetched, but if you’re going through something and see your situation displayed in a different medium, it could really affect you. Especially a coming-of-age animated movie. Seeing real-life people go through major life-changing decisions is always nice, but there’s something very pure about animated films. Let’s take a look at 10 coming-of-age animated films, ranked, of course.
10 Toy Story 3 (2010)
For a long time, people thought the Toy Story franchise was over when the third installment was released. It was the perfect ending, in which Andy gave up his beloved toys to Bonnie instead of taking them to college. Toy Story 3 is the perfect movie that assures young viewers and even older ones that it’s okay to grow up and let go. It’s comforting to know your childhood will be preserved with special memories, and you’ll be okay when you make that next big step.
9 Spirited Away (2003)
10-year-old Chihiro is getting used to a new home and city when things take a wicked turn. The family ends up discovering an abandoned amusement park, and when her parents get turned into pigs, it’s up to Chihiro to save them. Chihiro befriends No-Face, aka Kaonashi, and together they work to free her parents. Spirited Away is essential when listing animated movies that have coming-of-age aspects.
8 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Miles Morales is such a great Spider-Man precisely because of how he came to be the web-slinging superhero. He’s just a regular young kid who attends a school he’s not too fond of and struggles to connect with his dad. After becoming Spider-Man, Miles deals with a number of things that are traumatizing, such as witnessing his uncle get killed right in front of him. Miles finds himself in the Spider-Man persona and, with the help of his friends and the people who love him, is able to defeat the Kingpin.
7 Moana (2016)
Moana is a perfect take on a buddy comedy as she and Maui sail the seas in search of the Heart of Te Fiti. Moana has everything you could possibly need or want in an animated film. Singing, action, a good cry scene, and of course, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. After Moana’s grandmother dies, Moana makes it her mission to find herself and leave home for the first time. Grab tissues and get your imaginary microphone ready for this special film.
6 Luca (2021)
Luca is one of those movies that instantly makes you think of summer. The pretty visuals of Italy, the light coloring, the food, the friendship; it just screams summer. When his parents forbid him from going on land and discovering the outside world, Luca does the reasonable thing and goes on land anyway. From there, the friendship of a lifetime blossoms with not only Luca and Alberto but with Guilia as well. It’s a great movie about growing up and becoming less scared about new and exciting opportunities.
5 An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000)
Following the first movie, An Extremely Goofy Movie is a perfect sequel to the original. It’s a coming-of-age story for both Max and Goofy as the former starts college and the latter decides he wants to finish his degree at the same school. Max is apprehensive since his father is known for being embarrassing, but he soon finds out that there’s more to his father than meets the eye.
4 Turning Red (2022)
Turning Red received plenty of backlash for speaking about periods in a movie “targeted” toward children. However, Mei-Mei is literally thirteen, and at that stage in her life when things are awkward and hormones are raging, and frankly, it was a very accurate description of what girls go through. Turning Red is a great coming-of-age story that depicts a mother-daughter pair that finally takes the time to get to know each other by the time the credits roll.
3 Big Hero 6 (2014)
Big Hero 6 is a very special movie when it comes to grief and accepting a monumental loss. Young teenager Hiro is a super smart kid with a passion for tech, something that his brother Tadashi notices. Tadashi constantly pushes Hiro to be his best self, encouraging him to apply to college prematurely and make friends with people on his level, but it only happens when a tragic event occurs. While Hiro is struggling with loss and grieving, Tadashi’s creation, Baymax, helps him heal and grow as a person.
2 Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Kubo and the Two Strings is a supremely underrated animated movie and a great coming-of-age story as well. It’s action-packed, the story-telling is beautiful, and the animation is mesmerizing. Kubo is also a likable and reliable main character, as he takes us with him on this life-changing journey. He ends up finding himself and getting closure on what happened to his parents, making it a well-rounded movie.
1 Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Kiki’s Delivery Service is such a comfort movie when you need a pick-me-up and a cozy watch. Kiki is a 13-year-old who is also a witch in training and has to move away from her family in order to become a full-blown witch. She’s not completely alone, as she has Jill, her talking cat. This film is all about finding out who you really are and having confidence in yourself while also being quite mundane, which is great.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
