Animated movies are usually associated with family-friendly entertainment aimed at kids because the use of color and creativity appeals to children with heartwarming stories. However, animation is a medium for all ages and can address many topics, asproved by the latest success,Inside Out 2. As the movie industry grows, studios aim animated movies toward an older demographic, with titles such as theSpider-Versemovies and the upcomingLord of the Ringsfilm.
However, some animated movies go beyond having an older demographic. They address themes that aren’t afraid to explore the darkest corners of life and the human psyche, even putting adults on edge. Animation also has a secret side that can get extremely dark, even if it doesn’t feature overly dark imagery. Whether it be the terrifying setting, plot, or messages,these movies are unafraid to address darker yet thought-provoking subjects.
10’Akira' (1988)
Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo
Thirty-one years after the nuclear destruction of Tokyo, Kaneda goes on a journey to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government program experimenting on him. Kaneda must face the government, the military and the scientists responsible for the suffering they’re causing Tetsuo until his powers suddenly manifest, leading to a battle between them.
Akiratells a dark story set in a post-apocalyptic world, and while the setting isn’t familiar, the story could very well be. It shows thedark side of the governmentand its unknown and terrifying antics, which cause an unwitting young man to go through unspeakable pain. The dark story, paired with gruesome imagery, makes itan unsettling yet intriguing watch, contributing to its subsequent legacy. Indeed,Akirahas become a cult classicand a prime example of the great heights Japanese anime can often achieve.
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9’Bambi' (1942)
Directed by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, and David Hand
There isn’t a soul on this Earth unfamiliar withBambi, as the classic story of a young doe explores the horrors and wonders of the forest. The story follows Bambi as he experiences life with his mother’s and friends' help until they are ready to go on a journey of love and terror as the looming threat of man is ever present.
WhileBambiisn’t as dark as many other animated efforts, the sheer shock and disparity between darkness and age rating make it infamous. Families and kids went into the movie expecting a fun and wholesome movie about wildlife, but instead, they got alifetime of traumafrom the iconic scene of Bambi’s mother’s death and thecontinuous horrors man commits, such as burning the forest. Despite its surprisingly dark nature,Bambi is one of the best 1942 moviesand a timeless classic that further strengthens Disney’s legacy.
8’Wizards' (1977)
Directed by Ralph Bakshi
Wizardsis a uniquely crafted animated movie that wasMark Hamill’s debut filmjust before his appearance as the titular Luke Skywalker inStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. After his brother, Blackwolf, unjustly takes the throne from their mother, Avatar goes on a journey to end his brother’s tyrannical rule. The film features a creative world and a colorful cast of characters in this bizarre story.
Ralph Bakshiis known for creating dark and mature animated movies, andWizardscontinues this trend. The mystical world might leave some believing it to be a family-friendly fantasy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With multiple character deaths, explicit imagery, use ofactual war footage and depictions of Nazis,Wizardsis far more demanding than the average movie, animated or otherwise. Thedarkness is subtle and in-your-face, with shocking deaths and ruthless storytelling.
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7’The Secret of NIMH' (1982)
Directed by Don Bluth
Known for his oddly dark children’s movies, directorDon Bluthmade his directorial debutwithThe Secret of NIMH. The film tackles thesensitive topic of animal testing and its inhumane nature, hoping to teach audiences the horrors that are actually happening. It follows a field mouse as she looks for a new place to move her family due to the extended reach of farmers. However, all she discovers are enhanced rats, which are the result of a testing facility not too far away.
The Secret of NIMHis another movie that is way darker than expected. Because of the age rating, the film doesn’t contain any specific imagery or scenes but has adisturbing tone and unsettling momentsthat would scare any child. It took a while before Bluth could get the film off the ground, but the wait was worth it. He eventually got it made, and it would become one of his best.
The Secret of NIMH
A determined widowed field mouse faces adversity as she endeavors to move her family to safety from an impending threat. With assistance from a resourceful crow and a group of superintelligent escaped lab rats, she embarks on a perilous journey to protect her children and secure their future.
6’Coraline' (2009)
Directed by Henry Selick
Based on the book byNeil Gaiman,Coralineis another stop-motion masterpiece by directorHenry Selick, whose next movie willadapt another of Gaiman’s acclaimed books. After moving into a new home, Coraline finds a secret passage leading to another world very similar to hers. Everything seems much better here until her other family tries to force her to stay, and other terrifying secrets emerge.
Despite being PG,Coralineuses stop-motion animation to the fullest, enhancing the creepiness and delivering ahorror movie for children. The film’s style isinherently creepy, and the events and oddly dark villain’s motivations enhance its eerie nature. Even darker than the overt horror aspects are the subtext, hidden messages, andtheories about living in an abusive homeand the subtleties of character motivations and history.
5’Watership Down' (1978)
Directed by Martin Rosen
Watership Downhas received multiple adaptations, including a Netflix version and agraphic novel based on the book, but the 1978 animated movie perfectly encapsulates the complex story and dark themes. Fiver, a young rabbit, dreams that their land will be destroyed, so he convinces some friends to go on a journey to find a new home. During this journey, they encounter many threats and obstacles, such as evil rabbits, a raging river, and a rat cemetery.
Therealistic art style enhances the already disturbing events, such as the bloody warzone and the black rabbit of death. The haunting chases between the protagonists and the rabid evil rabbits are enough to send shivers down the spines of adults. Despite its PG rating,Watership Downis filled with blood and even cannibalism as it kills off some of the cutest creatures. It might never feature anything explicitly, but the suggestion of danger is ever-present, making it more emotionally impactful.
Watership Down
4’Perfect Blue' (1997)
Directed by Satoshi Kon
One ofSatoshi Kon’s masterpieces,Perfect Blue, is an anime film about the horrors of celebrity life and the effect fans have on their favorite stars. After singer Mimi decides to move on from music in favor of acting, her life turns upside down, and reality blends into fantasy when her fans abuse her. Soon, Mimi is haunted by a figure from her past and harassed by a stalker.
Unlike Western animated films, anime movies are no strangers to making them dark. The unsettlingPerfect Blueslowly shows the protagonist’s downfall and the delusions she experiences.The events of the film are truly disturbingas her paranoia and psychosis develop from the murders surrounding her and the backlash from the public.Perfect Blueis an unsettling story thatmakes fans reflect on their actions towards celebritiesandproves animation isn’t just for kids.
Perfect Blue
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3’American Pop' (1981)
Bakshi made an even more disturbing movie, this time focusing more on the real world and a family of Russian immigrants.American Popfollows several characters with a love for music, which they try to make into a career until something goes wrong. Zalmie, Benny, Tony and Pete are the generations of the Belinsky family and can never seem to catch a break from tragedy.
Part of what makesAmerican Popso dark is the constant loop of hope/passion and tragedy, as each character has a rough life but lives through music and ultimately meets some grim fate. Whether it be a dying wife, a death in war, or drug addiction, each member goes through a terrible fate.WatchingAmerican Popgets more depressing and hopeless as it continuesto torture every single character. The family’s tragedies are supposed to parallel popular American music in the 20th century, making the film all the more dark as it is based in reality.
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2’Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio' (2022)
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchiois a modern take on the classic novel that leans into brutality and darkness. After the death of his son, Geppetto builds a puppet brought to life by a fairy. Inexperienced but enthusiastic, Pinocchio foes an adventure trying to find a place for himself in fascist Italy. The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Film as it reimaginesPinocchiointo a darker, humanistic story.
As dark as it could get while still being PG,Guillermo del Toro’sPinnochiofeatures striking moments of exploding fish, war montages, and burning at the stake. Even the creation of Pinocchio is shrouded in darkness, as Geppetto builds him from guilt and depression from the loss of his son. The film, which goes through two World Wars, doesn’t hold back and shows Mussolini and the war effort.Guillermo del Toro’sPinocchiois haunting, and despite ending on a somewhat happy note, it still sees the immortal Pinocchio bury all his friends and family.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
1’Grave of the Fireflies' (1988)
Directed by Isao Takahata
Grave of the Firefliesis based on the book of the same name and wasinspired by the author’s real life, who wrote it as a coping mechanism because of his guilt for surviving and his sister dying. The film follows Seita and his two-year-old sister Setsuko as they attempt to survive during the American bombings on Japan. The movie starts with their deaths as their spirits reconnect, recounting their time trying to survive.
Despite being known for their whimsical fantasy stories,Studio Ghibli made one of the darkest movies ever. Any war story is going to be sad to some degree, but focusing on two children and focusing on their survival makesfor a heart-wrenching story. To make it even sadder, the author wrote it as what should have happened, giving the audience an insight into his guilt. The film tried to lessen the depression by showing the siblings' deaths at the beginning, but all that did was ensure the audience that things would never get better.Grave of the Firefliesis a horrific tale of warthat highlights the conflict’s atrocities and how little people matter, making it incredibly dark and depressing and one of thebest and most influential animated movies ever.
