As December ends viewers prepare for upcoming animated releases for 2025 and it provides opportunity to reflect on notable animated titles from 2024 . Despite news about delay on Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-verse animated titles still delivered exciting moments and quality viewing experiences in 2024. Many anticipated franchises had new releases including sequels with additional studios also joining animation field this past year.
Animation Success: From Franchise Sequels to Unexpected Newcomers of The Year
Not every 2024 animated feature earned large box office results however there were still unexpected surprise achievements. Sequels included Kung Fu Panda Inside Out Moana and Despicable Me while Transformers series branched out with their first animated film plus The Wild Robot surprised most with strong critical commercial success this past year. Many different studios attempted animated features providing diverse offerings to viewers who appreciate animated art formats.
Inside Out 2 Earns Highest Grossing Animated Movie Title While Exploring Complex Emotions
Inside Out 2 a sequel to the beloved 2015 film became 2024's highest grossing movie that continued the story about young Riley’s personified emotions. Amy Pohler reprised her role as Joy while original cast members Bill Hader as Fear Mindy Kaling as Disgust Phyllis Smith as Sadness and Lewis Black as Anger came together as emotions who are important in Riley's young development during her life. Inside Out 2 successfully expanded story adding new insights into her feelings particularly through teenage development in relatable fashion that was warmly appreciated by fans of series.
While Inside Out 2 was a solid continuation adding emotional narrative regarding the importance of accepting all conflicting feelings within a young developing human, it also is considered somewhat formulaic. New characters offered original insights on adolescent emotions such as Anxiety however many critics noted similar plot elements used within the original film demonstrating a formulaic nature. Many film lovers however have called the story powerful providing strong character and visual presentation of abstract emotions as an overall successful venture.
"The Most Precious of Cargoes": a Holocaust Story Featured in 2024 Cannes Film Festival
Over fifteen years after another animated film competed in the Cannes Film Festival 2008 another made entrance at 2024 with Michel Hazanavicius' film The Most Precious of Cargoes based around events during the Holocaust. The film focused on kind acts of Polish citizens during times of despair through a soft and somber animation design. The dual narratives of a young child raised with love and a father trapped at a concentration camp provided perspective from those directly affected by terrible times in history.
"The Most Precious of Cargoes" showed a realistic version of history while also offering important lessons without falling into sentimentality. Alexandre Desplat's musical score provided important dramatic tension with character expressions helping to create powerful visual messages to viewers with honest imagery throughout the entire production. The film stands as important historical artwork while not compromising important artistic standards making it one of 2024s more memorable pieces.
Transformers One: A Visually Stunning Prequel Revitalizes Franchise Via Animation Medium
Transformers One became the first feature length animated movie within Transformers franchise after a decades-long wait . The Transformers movie explored early days of Optimus Prime and Megatron on Cybertron revealing their shared origin story with action sequences. This creative direction was greatly appreciated by many critics showing positive reviews and fan support for exploring lore through the medium of animation. Transformers fans were reminded about earlier iterations of animated formats of show and it helped to revive appreciation of Hasbro toy franchises that generated the inspiration.
Transformers One offered both emotional plot line alongside beautiful visuals providing many viewers with an enjoyable visual treat. While acting as a prequel movie Transformers One sets the stage perfectly for first-time fans showing origins of the franchise through character traits and clever narrative callbacks to past plots. The film successfully uses a straight forward emotionally driven plot line enabling vibrant design details to shine through which will potentially bring in new viewers and reenergize old fans into franchise.
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Showcases Beloved Characters in AI Adventure
Wallace and Gromit returned to cinemas in "Vengeance Most Fowl" with a unique story about dangerous automation and AI. The beloved Aardman Studio characters continue to deliver quality narratives along with funny humor highlighting a clever message with their handmade stop-motion style movie. The iconic villain Feathers McGraw has come back highlighting important villain traits within popular children narratives who are equally important and memorable.
The film features much humor which had many viewers waiting for almost two decades bringing out British humor for families with easy to engage storylines . Wallace and Gromit are back with same clumsy charm with Gromit often protecting Wallace in unique ways making this one of most beloved duo teams in film. It serves as a very warm welcoming return with old elements made new again creating many engaging moments for loyal long term viewers.
"Flow" Explores Climate Crisis with Unique Visual Storytelling Format and No Dialogue
"Flow" is a strong competitor for Academy Award Best Animated Feature 2025 demonstrating a very powerful dialogue-less story of animals dealing with apocalyptic flood dangers caused by ignoring climate change. The animated film follows animals like a cat who must seek refugee from great floods and adapt to their new world while encountering all types of other unique animals along his path. "Flow’s" lack of exposition creates an immersive and intense viewing experience with many critics praising this film as one of best from 2024.
The movie resembles allegorical stories of the bible while using theme of a Biblical flood to comment on potential problems caused by current climate situations with human negligence being the central cause of main crisis. Characters are uniquely brought to life via non verbal expressions which further increases emotive potential while also showcasing strong potential of character communication through visual and bodily language showing their different species types and behaviors without any verbal communication.
DAN DA DAN: First Encounter: A Unique Anime Movie Merges Romance and Supernatural Themes
"Dan Da Dan First Encounter" a theatrical version of initial episodes for Dandadan anime brings manga to animated life with highly energetic visuals and the heartfelt humor many fans love. It provides an original merging of romance and supernatural themes between students. Many skeptics who voiced doubts about the anime quality showed increased excitement for television release following strong initial movie.
"Dan Da Dan" combines both Shōnen and romance while exploring contrasting beliefs of the protagonists which include aliens vs spirits as the duo encounters many different enemies across settings. The color palettes and visuals were carefully directed to replicate the manga source material to please diehard fans. This effort shows care by movie teams that honored manga origins while delivering an original series to wider viewing audiences in 2024.
Memoir of a Snail: A Claymation Movie Examines Isolation and Self Discovery With Creative Use of Morbid Humor
Memoir of a Snail has received recognition as one of most underappreciated animated projects in 2024 using an R rated premise focused on Grace's struggles accepting differences within herself as a character with Sarah Snook providing a beautiful vocal range that brings her to life. The story explores lonely ostracized settings via Adam Elliot bleak claymation style showing emotional extremes while conveying unique themes. It acts a sort of spiritual successor to Mary and Max further enriching Adam Elliots stylistic thematic library of unique characters.
The unique artwork with clay shows painful details of Grace’s isolation in depressing ways yet never completely dismisses hope. The clay modeling acts in surreal ways conveying emotional experiences and trauma visually that has viewers interpret deep feelings while still allowing humor during darker sequences within the films story.
HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle Reinvigorates Anime Series via Film Adaptation Format
HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle delivered a long awaited rivalry between Karasuno and Nekoma high schools. It was adapted from anime and placed on large movie screen highlighting an intense battle that showcased the strategic elements of the sport of volleyball. The two powerhouse volleyball teams faced each other in grand showdown that had many fans praising as one of top titles from 2024. The story picks up from where season 4 left and delivers its intended goals successfully.
The film brings adrenaline and high energy with emotionally charged moments which have always characterized Haikyuu series from years back. The storyline moves quickly while not summarizing past details to provide more time to current storylines expecting fans to have prior knowledge making it feel authentic while adding beautiful animation work providing additional positive responses across audiences who wanted an exciting movie format for the beloved sports themed animation show.
The Wild Robot Presents Heartwarming and Gut Wrenching Family Story During An Animated Adventure
The Wild Robot directed by Chris Sanders focuses on strong family like bonds via robots on a deserted island setting. The story is adapted from series written by Peter Brown with actors like Lupita Nyong'o Pedro Pascal and Catherine O'Hara who lent their voices to help bring characters to life. Despite underwhelming initial promotion it achieved large acclaim both from movie critics and financially further elevating movie to notable ranks of successful ventures within film making community.
"The Wild Robot’" uses both humour alongside powerful tragedy demonstrating power of love while reflecting upon important ideas of the circle of life as a narrative . Dialogue brings a higher level of emotional intensity along with strong vocal contributions throughout by the ensemble cast where Lupita Nyong’o voice performances stood out as very successful especially as a first major foray into animation world since The Jungle Book from 2016.
Look Back: Anime Movie Explores Complex Relationships via Creative Dedication in Visually Stunning Art
"Look Back” a movie adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto explores themes surrounding artistic journey via creativity which create isolation for characters and later leads to deep connection over their shared dedication to creation. "Look Back" conveys how artistic expression leads to self reflection that also is a connecting device with others via intense moments during life while showcasing difficult emotions such as jealously and feeling left behind.
Within a short run time “Look Back" tells a sad tale about creativity which showcases emotional and social impact of dedicating time to a particular medium while also showcasing an intense exploration of loneliness and personal artistic drive and journeys as artists discover both loss and gains. Unique visual art details capture deep and real character emotion during this visually powerful film.