Best Animated Movies of 2023 So Far

2023 has been a big year for movies, with the likes of Barbie and Oppenheimer creating some serious groundswell that has countless patrons visiting their local theaters. On the animated front, not every animated movie hit the silver screen, but there was quite a showing when it came to the films that populated the medium this year. We here at ComicBook.com took the opportunity to break down some of the biggest and best examples of animated movies that dropped this year and had a major impact on the world of movies.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

A sequel to Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse had a high bar to clear, and most viewers who saw Across The Spider-Verse are in agreement that the second chapter of Miles Morales’ animated story was at least just as good. Upping the ante by introducing hundreds, if not thousands, of new Spider-Men and Spider-Women, Miles found himself struggling against a new villain known as the Spot and fighting against fate in the form of Miguel O’Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099. A third film is currently in the works via Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse, though it has been delayed to an unknown date as it stands.

Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham

While not making its way to theaters, the original DC Animated movie, Batman – The Doom That Came to Gotham, showed a very new take on the Dark Knight. Adapting a story that was forged by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, the story imagines a Bruce Wayne in a time that is reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft’s world. Introducing some major Gotham villains as Cthulu-esque beings, The Doom That Came To Gotham is one of the best Bat-Man animated movies in recent memory.

The Venture Bros: Radiant Is The Blood of The Baboon Heart

Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick first began the story of the Venture Bros on Adult Swim almost two decades ago. The creators have been able to create one final film as a send-off to the series, and luckily, it answers pretty much all the questions from the series that fans have been dying to learn for some time. Radiant is The Blood of The Baboon Heart is an amazing swan song to the series and worth checking out to bid a fond farewell to Hank and Dean.

Black Clover: Sword of The Wizard King

Black Clover’s anime adaptation might have come to an end a few years ago, but the recent Netflix film, Sword of The Wizard King, brought back Asta and company in a big way. Creating an original story for the shonen franchise, Black Clover: Sword of The Wizard King offers some of the best animated action of the year. As rumors flow regarding a potential return for the anime series, this new anime movie does well at holding Black Clover fans over in the meantime.

The Super Mario Bros Movie

Easily becoming one of the biggest movies of the year, The Super Mario Bros Movie was able to perfectly capture the aesthetic of the Mushroom Kingdom and its residents. Illumination and Nintendo were able to combine a star-studded cast with some dazzling animation to make a worthy video game adaptation. While this new take on Mario and Luigi might not be considered the top animated movie of the year critically, The Super Mario Bros Movie has earned its wild box office numbers.