Top 10 Animated Movies: 1980s

If you thought the Rubik’s Cube was cool, you’re gonna love this! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 animated movies of the 1980s!

For this list, we’ve looked at all animated films released within the decade, and have selected those that achieved the most success, were the most original, and advanced the animation industry furthest! We’re only looking at feature length films however, so no shorts, and we’re also omitting live-action hybrids, so sorry “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” fans. This is part of a series of videos spanning the decades of animated movies from the 1920s to the 2000s.

Dino-enthusiast Steven Spielberg worked as producer on our first film, a movie that he imagined as “Bambi”, only with dinosaurs! In many ways, his vision was perfectly realized with “The Land Before Time” and the story of Littlefoot, an orphaned Apatosaurus who’s forced to find his way in life alone. Though the only feature within the series to enjoy a theatrical release, the adventure drama inspired twelve straight-to-video sequels, and a multi-million dollar franchise! Clearly Spielberg knew he was onto a good thing - “Jurassic Park” happened five years later!

Another Spielberg-ian effort, “An American Tail” was the acclaimed movie-man’s first foray into animation. Working alongside respected animator Don Bluth, Spielberg was said to be amazed at just how complicated and time-consuming the process really was! Nevertheless, the finished product was something to be very proud of! Detailing the story of Fievel Mousekewitz, his Russian family, and the problems they encounter as they immigrate to America, it was adorable and eye opening all at the same time!

Set during the final stages of World War II, the story of Seita and Setsuko is a little difficult to watch at times! Though its status as an ‘anti-war’ picture is continuously debated, it certainly provides a harsh and bleak representation of life in general! It’s a movie that’s all about individual stories, rather than over-riding social problems - and it does not shy away from sincerity or sadness! “Grave of the Fireflies” struggled at the box-office because of its challenging themes, but is consistently considered as an all-time great in animation regardless!

The first film ever to be produced and released by Studio Ghibli, “Castle In The Sky” represents a significant moment in the history of animation. Ghibli has become arguably the greatest producer of Japanese anime in the world, while this film’s director Hayao Miyazaki is probably the art form’s most famous name! Just as ‘Laputa’ is a source of wonder in this movie, “Castle in the Sky” was a source of inspiration for animators everywhere! Sheeta and Pazu opened our eyes to a whole new approach, and we liked what we saw!

Another anime classic, “Akira” is also considered a milestone in Japanese animation. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and based upon his manga epic of the same name, the movie tells the story of teenage biker Tetsuo Shima, and his quest to free the confined psychic, Akira. A dystopian Tokyo is brought to life in breathtaking detail, as Otomo imagines the year 2019 in a unique, and kinda unsettling, way! A pioneer for the success of anime outside of Japan, “Akira” was, and is, incredible!

Another Miyazaki landmark, “Kiki’s Delivery Service” would also become the first picture to be released under the distribution partnership between Studio Ghibli and The Walt Disney Company. The American giant had seen the potential in Japanese animation, and quite clearly wanted to get in on the action! The eponymous Kiki is a witch trying to earn her way in the city... It’s a movie that combines the realms of fantasy and reality in a typically Miyazaki way – and it’s a movie that should make any animation countdown with ease!

The first fully Disney effort to gain inclusion on our list, “The Great Mouse Detective” is another important film within the ever-changing animated landscape of the ‘80s! Following the relative disappointment of “The Black Cauldron” in ‘85, Basil, Professor Ratigan and co. were burdened with the tricky task of stamping Disney’s authority once again. For the most part, the rodents were successful! Set in Victorian England and heavily influenced by the Sherlock Holmes stories, this movie had magic, mystery and mice! It just couldn’t fail!

The only movie made in the first half of the decade to make our grade today, was there ever a more poignant portrayal of friendship than “The Fox and the Hound”? Tod and Copper promise to always be ‘friends forever,’ but in the innocence of their youth, they just don’t realize how difficult that will be! Two animals that aren’t meant to be best mates; they’re destined to drift apart, with dangerous consequences! All we can do is watch, hope, and hold back the tears!

Hayao Mayazaki built an animation empire in the ‘80s, and this was his crowning glory! “My Neighbor Totoro” was released theatrically as part of a double bill with “Grave of the Fireflies”, but fared a little better than its brother due to its more light-hearted themes! An intensely natural picture, the plot revolves around a father, his two daughters, and the mystical ‘keeper of the forest’, Totoro. An iconic creature now synonymous with Japanese animation, Totoro’s a neighbor we all wish we had!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “The Transformers: The Movie” (1986)
- “The Secret of NIMH” (1982)
- “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (1984)

Even after “The Great Mouse Detective,” Disney struggled to gain a stronghold at the cinema... But that all changed with “The Little Mermaid”! The story of Ariel and her dreams of becoming human proved a huge hit, and inspired the celebrated Disney Renaissance. Nine more films would be made in the following ten years that re-confirmed Disney as ‘the daddy’! But it all started ‘under the sea’ with a mass of marine characters that made one helluva splash! She wanted to be ‘part of our world’, and boy did she become that!

Do you agree with our list? Which ‘80s classic did we miss? For more memorable Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.