10 Best Animated Movies of 2025, Ranked

2025 has been a great year for movies, and while plenty of fantastic live-action movies are getting all kinds of buzz, animated films are often left out of the conversation. The medium of animation allows for all kinds of stories that could never work in live-action to be told, making the possibilities endless. Animated movies make up some of the most creative and visually stunning movies of each year, and that has once again been the case for 2025.

Major studios, like Disney, DreamWorks, and Sony Pictures Animation, have released new animated films this year, while smaller and independent studios have also offered new selections. Movies like David, The Bad Guys 2, Fixed, In Your Dreams, and more have made headlines this year, but only a few can be the best. So, here are my top 10 animated movies of 2025.

10) Elio

Pixar’s Elio is the studio’s most recent original film, and while it isn’t universally praised, I think it’s a fantastic time. The film follows a young boy named Elio who, frustrated with his place on Earth, successfully attempts to get abducted by aliens. Once in space, the aliens mistake him for the ruler of Earth, leading to an intergalactic threat.

Elio‘s story is full of heart, and this is thanks to the personal touches put in by directing trio Adrian Molina, Domee Shi, and Madeline Sharafian. The unique story and themes of acceptance give an emotional tone to the comedic premise, making it an underrated Pixar gem.

9) Zootopia 2

2016’s Zootopia is one of Disney’s most critically acclaimed films, and 2025 finally saw the release of the highly awaited sequel, Zootopia 2. The sequel sees Nick and Judy go undercover to investigate the appearance of a reptile in the mammal-dominated society.

While it isn’t as good as its predecessor, Zootopia 2 is still a great time. Like the first movie, the sequel has some surprisingly deep social commentary. The continued worldbuilding and animal-based humor are as strong as ever in the sequel, making Zootopia 2 a joy to watch.

8) Dog Man

DreamWorks’ Dog Man was the studio’s first animated film in 2025, and it is also their best. The spinoff of the Captain Underpants franchise follows a police officer who has his dog’s head sewn onto his body after they are caught in an explosion. The new and improved Dog Man continues to fight crime, facing off against the villainous Petey the Cat.

The best part of Dog Man‘s is its art style, which perfectly recreating the crude, childlike drawings of the original graphic novel. Dog Man also has a surprising amount of heart, with its simplistic story shockingly pulling on the heartstrings of even adults.

7) The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for SquarePants

The SpongeBob SquarePants movie has gotten a plethora of movies over the past few years, and 2025’s The Search for SquarePants didn’t seem much different than its predecessors. However, the film is surprisingly great. The film follows SpongeBob and Patrick as they go on an epic adventure with the Flying Dutchman, a ghostly pirate who has appeared throughout the animated series.

As of the writing of this article, The Search for SquarePants has 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest rated SpongeBob movie. The upgraded animation style and brilliant humor make the film a great time, especially for fans of the original show.

6) The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie

The Looney Tunes characters are some of the most iconic figures in animation history, and they finally got their first-ever feature-length, fully-animated, theatrical film in 2025. The Day the Earth Blew Up follows Daffy Duck and Porky Pig as they uncover an alien conspiracy, with the duo jumping into action to save the world.

The Day the Earth Blew Up is one of the funniest movies of 2025, as it finally brings back the franchise’s zany humor. The animation harkens back to the original cartoons, moving away from some of the more contemporary takes on Looney Tunes. The film also puts Daffy and Porky in the spotlight, with the franchise finally moving away from Bugs Bunny.

5) Predator: Killer of Killers

2025 saw the release of two films in the Predator franchise: the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated anthology film, Predator: Killer of Killers. Building off of what Prey set up, the David Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung film tells three different stories of Yautja taking on some of Earth’s mightiest warriors, set in the eras of Vikings, ninjas, and World War II.

While the Predator franchise has been a bit hit or miss, Killer of Killers is arguably the best film in the franchise. As the highest-rated Predator movie on Rotten Tomatoes, it significantly expands on the lore of the titular alien species, showing off their home planet and more of their culture. It also creatively ties in elements of the broader Predator franchise, making it a treat for fans.

On its own, however, Killer of Killers is still a great film. The gorgeous animation allows for some beautiful and unique Yautja designs. On top of that, the film features some thrilling action sequences that show off how dangerous the Yautja are.

4) Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, the French and Belgian production Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is another one of the best animated movies of the year. The story follows a young girl named Amélie who was born in a vegetative state. However, she breaks free of her condition in a seeming miracle, allowing her to adventure and discover the world on her own for the first time.

Little Amélie is one of the most emotional movies of 2025, as it pulls on the heartstrings of viewers throughout its run. The movie also features a unique animation style that looks incredible, elevating the story immensely. The film has been an awards season success so far, and it won’t be surprising if it continues these successes at the Oscars.

3) Arco

The 2025 French animated film Arco isn’t nearly as popular as some of the other entries on this list, which is a shame, as it is one of the best of the year. Directed by Ugo Bienvenu, the sci-fi fantasy film tells the story of the titular ten-year-old as he travels from his home year of 2932 back to the year of 2075 via a rainbow.

With 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, Arco is clearly one of the best films of the year. The worldbuilding is one of the best aspects of Arco, with its time-travel story being used to its fullest extent. The story also has tons of heart, stars fantastic characters, and wears its inspirations on its sleeve, meaning that Studio Ghibli fans will love it.

2) Ne Zha 2

Ne Zha 2 is the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. This record is well-earned, as it is an absolutely fantastic film that is deserving of that record. Directed by Yu Yang, the sequel tells the story of Ne Zha, a young boy who was born with incredible powers. Ne Zha must use these abilities to save the world from an evil force, with the story being based on the 16th century novel Investiture of the Gods.

The best part of Ne Zha 2 is its action. The film contains some of the best fight scenes ever put to animation. They are endlessly creative and incredibly fun to watch, with them being the highlights of the film. The movie’s unique story also reaches an epic scale that is hard to match, with the 2-hour 24-minute movie being the sequel to a 2-hour 23-minute original.

1) KPop Demon Hunters

Of all the animated movies that have been released in 2025, the best one is also arguably the most popular one: KPop Demon Hunters. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix film tells the story of a trio of K-pop singers who moonlight as demon hunters, with them protecting their fans and the world from evil forces. The fantasy musical mixes mythology with tons of original K-pop music, from in-universe bands like the Saja Boys and Huntrix.

KPop Demon Hunters‘ music is the highlight of the film, which is why it isn’t surprising how popular the songs are. The songs manage to perfectly encapsulate the music that has inspired them, while simultaneously building character, conveying the story, and remaining incredibly catchy.

The film is also gorgeously animated. The character design and art style are unique and memorable, and the action scenes are stunning. The demons seen throughout the film are so interesting to look at, and the colors pop in almost every frame.

KPop Demon Hunters isn’t a perfect movie, but it sure is a fantastic one. While all of the movies on this list are great, KPop Demon Hunters tops my list as the best animated film of 2025. What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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