10 Near-Perfect Animated Movies No One Remembers

Animation is an entirely unique medium that has produced some near-perfect films, yet many of those masterpieces have slipped from the mainstream’s view. These overlooked works come from around the world and span hand-drawn, stop‑motion, television, and documentary forms.

In This Corner of the World (2016) is a beautifully hand-drawn WWII drama about a young woman living in Hiroshima, based on Fumiyo Kōno’s manga, that balances culture and catastrophe with spellbinding visuals. The Elm‑Chanted Forest (1986), the first Yugoslav animated feature, is an exquisitely bizarre musical about a painter who speaks with enchanted creatures and must stop the evil Cactus King; it even streams on YouTube.

Havoc in Heaven (1961) offers classic Chinese animation centered on Sun Wukong’s early adventures, notable for its music and action. Treasure Island (1986–1988) is a Soviet made‑for‑TV adventure comedy presented as a single film across two parts, mixing animation with live‑action pirate segments.

animated movies, hand-drawn, stop-motion, television, documentary, fumiyo kōno, hiroshima, sun wukong, treasure island, yugoslav