10 Best Animated Movies Turning 20 In 2025

2025 will mark the 20th anniversary of some old animated favorites, and it’s hard to believe certain movies have been around for so long. Looking back at the best animated movies from 20 years ago is also a good way to rediscover some forgotten classics. The 2000s saw plenty of straight-to-DVD movies, or movies based on popular children’s TV shows that were huge at the time but don’t get talked about much these days.

2005 was an interesting year for feature-length animated movies. After releasing Finding Nemo and The Incredibles in back-to-back years, Pixar took a year off before releasing Cars in 2006. Other studios battled it out to claim the throne, with DreamWorks and Aardman Animations both producing classics. Disney also produced its first fully computer-generated movie, finally catching up to the competition and ushering in a new era.

10 Pokémon: Lucario & The Mystery Of Mew

The Eighth Pokémon Movie Is A Highlight For The Franchise

Even for dedicated fans of Pokémon, it can be hard to keep track of the sheer output of movies and TV shows that relate to the video games. Lucario and the Mystery of Mew stands out as one of the best Pokémon movies of all, and it was a big deal for fans at the time. The fourth generation of games didn’t debut in Japan until 2006, so the movie offered a first look at some exciting new Pokémon, including Lucario, of course.

Lucario and the Mystery of Mew certianly isn’t the type of movie that will appeal to Pokémon newcomers, but it’s a treat for hardcore fans. The story spans hundreds of years, so it offers a glimpse into a distant past when Pokémon were used in large-scale medieval battles. There are some great action scenes, but Lucario and the Mystery Mew also has some emotional moments as Ash is separated from his beloved Pikachu.

9 Chicken Little

Disney’s First Computer-Generated Animation Wasn’t Their Best

Chicken Little holds an important place in the history of Disney animated movies, as it was the studio’s first movie produced entirely using computer-generated animation. Pixar and DreamWorks had already been setting the industry standard for many years with hits like Toy Story and Shrek, and Chicken Little is nowhere near as polished. By contrast, Pixar released The Incredibles one year before the relatively simplistic Chicken Little.

For their first foray into computer-generated animation, Disney resorted to their tried-and-tested playbook by adapting a popular old folk tale. The problem with Chicken Little – aside from the animation being a little rough around the edges – is that the story and the characters feel underdeveloped. Disney produced many better movies in the 2000s, both before and after the switch to computer-generated animation.

8 Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch

Disney’s DVD Sequel Brings Back Some Beloved Characters

Director

Michael LaBash , Tony Leondis

Release Date

August 30, 2005

Cast

Chris Sanders , Dakota Fanning , Tia Carrere , David Ogden Stiers , Kevin McDonald , Kunewa Mook , Jason Scott Lee , William J. Caparella

Disney continued producing straight-to-DVD sequels for some of their most popular animated movies in 2005. While Mulan II and Kronk’s New Groove will also be turning 20 in 2025, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch is probably the pick of the bunch. Like with any Disney DVD sequel, there’s a noticeable drop-off in quality, but it isn’t nearly as bad as some of the studio’s other misguided sequels.

Stitch Has a Glitch sees Stitch revert to his destructive old habits due to a fault in his molecular composition. This all happens while Lilo is preparing for a hula festival, so there are plenty of funny scenes as Stitch causes chaos with her rehearsals. Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch is a good stepping stone between the first movie and the animated series. If the upcoming Lilo & Stitch live-action remake is a hit, Stitch Has a Glitch could provide the framework for a fun sequel.

7 Kim Possible Movie: So The Drama

The Second Kim Possible Movie Delivers On What The Show Does Best

Kim Possible is one of the best Disney cartoon shows, and the 2005 movie gives fans more of what they love. Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama is the second movie based on the show, following 2003’s A Stitch in Time. So the Drama steps things up, with a story grounded in the present that still makes room for plenty of exciting action scenes as Kim faces off against Shego and Dr. Drakken.

So the Drama follows Kim and her sidekick Ron Possible as they fight off an army of robotic toys. It’s a silly premise in some ways, but the toys are a surprisingly effective metaphor for the small, creeping changes that can upend someone’s life as they face the prospect of growing up and leaving high school. For Kim Possible fans, So the Drama will represent a fond memory, and the sight of Kim’s battle suit may bring about a wave of nostalgia.

6 Hoodwinked!

Hoodwinked Is Part Shrek And Part Pulp Fiction

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Hoodwinked!

Director

Todd Edwards , Cory Edwards , Tony Leech

Release Date

December 16, 2005

Hoodwinked was independently-funded, and it looks extremely rough and unusual in places. Disney hadn’t yet nailed computer-generated animation in 2005, so it’s no surprise that an independent feature fails to reach the heights of Pixar. Despite its often shoddy appearance, Hoodwinked was a huge box office hit, grossing over $100 million on a budget of just $8 million.

The voice cast of Hoodwinked features some big names, including Glenn Close and Anne Hathaway. The plot is a fairy tale parody much like Shrek, although it uses a different approach. Its non-linear crime story evokes Pulp Fiction, but with talking woodland creatures. Hoodwinked is still worth watching almost 20 years later. If one can look beyond the outdated animation, there’s an intriguing genre mash-up that knows how to have fun.

5 Robots

Robots Is An Underrated Gem

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Robots

Director

Chris Wedge , Carlos Saldanha

Release Date

March 27, 2005

In some ways, Robots looks like it wants to be a Pixar movie, following the “what if X had feelings” formula just like Monsters Inc. or Cars. While Robots might seem a little derivative on the surface, it’s a fun, lighthearted movie that still deserves some more love. It has been unjustly forgotten about by some people because it doesn’t belong to any of the major animation studios, but the 20th Century Fox movie has some great moments.

Robots follows a young inventor in a world of sentient robots who travels to the big city to seize his future. When he arrives, he finds that nothing looks the way that he imagined, and he soon teams up with a group of rusty misfits to overthrow an evil corporation. Robots takes a simple premise to great comedic lengths. There are all sorts of fun visual gags in the backgrounds of bustling city scenes, and the dialogue also packs in a lot of great jokes.

4 Madagascar

The First Madagascar Movie Sets Up A Fun Franchise

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Madagascar

Director

Eric Darnell , Tom McGrath

Release Date

May 27, 2005

While critics generally agree that the Madagascar franchise reached greater heights with its sequels, the first movie is still a fun family comedy that does a good job of setting up the characters. Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria start out as pampered zoo animals in New York City, essentially living like celebrities in the entertainment industry. When Marty’s sense of adventure gets the group in trouble, they are shipped overseas and find themselves in the wilds of Madagascar.

The scenes in New York have some great jokes, but Madagascar really hits its stride when the animals reach the island. This is because the supporting characters often overshadow the main four, especially the flamboyant lemur King Julien and the penguins. Even though the characters are all animals, the comedic personas of the voice cast still manage to shine through, with Ben Stiller’s awkward humor and Chris Rock’s eccentric good-natured optimism getting a lot of laughs.

3 Corpse Bride

Corpse Bride’s Stop-Motion Animation Still Looks Fantastic

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7/10

Corpse Bride

Release Date

September 23, 2005

Cast

Johnny Depp , Helena Bonham Carter , Emily Watson , Tracey Ullman , Paul Whitehouse , Joanna Lumley , Albert Finney , Richard E. Grant , Christopher Lee

Corpse Bride is a dark fairy tale that perfectly aligns with Tim Burton’s idiosyncratic sensibilities, and it has grown a devoted fan base over the past two decades. Seen by many as a spiritual successor to The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride is another stop-motion animated musical fable that delights in the macabre. Corpse Bride‘s songs are often catchy, but they’re just as morbid as the movie’s visual aesthetic.

Corpse Bride is oddly optimistic for a movie that revels in grisly imagery. Though it sings about death and despair, Corpse Bride is also a sweet romantic story about how love can transcend any and all boundaries. For fans of Burton’s peculiar vibe, it’s a pleasing treat that deserves a place in the annual Halloween rotation. Its animation and its story have both aged beautifully.

2 Howl’s Moving Castle (English Dub)

The Studio Ghibli Classic Has Stood The Test Of Time

Release Date

November 20, 2004

Cast

Chieko Baisho , Takuya Kimura , Akihiro Miwa , Tatsuya Gashûin , Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Mitsunori Isaki

Howl’s Moving Castle originally premiered in 2004, but English-speaking audiences didn’t get to see the movie in their own language until June 2005. Like many of Studio Ghibli’s best movies, Howl’s Moving Castle presents a remarkably immersive fantasy world, where every corner of Hayao Miyazaki’s compositions is populated with fully realized characters and enigmatic concepts.

Howl’s Moving Castle is a loose adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones’ novel of the same name, and Miyazaki takes plenty of artistic license. It’s one of his most unabashedly romantic tales, although the relationship Sophie has with herself is even more important than the one she fosters with Howl. Howl’s Moving Castle is the kind of inventive story that can easily enchant young audiences, but it has plenty of nuanced meaning for adults who want to step back into Miyazaki’s world.

1 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

Wallace & Gromit’s First Feature-Length Adventure Was Worth The Wait

Director

Nick Park , Steve Box

Release Date

October 7, 2005

Cast

Peter Sallis , Ralph Fiennes , Helena Bonham Carter , Peter Kay , Nicholas Smith , Dicken Ashworth , Liz Smith

Wallace and Gromit first appeared in the 1980s, but they didn’t have a feature-length movie until The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005. Fortunately, their big-screen adventure is just as witty, playful and downright entertaining as any of their short films. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and it has stood the test of time as the standout animated movie of 2005.

With Wallace & Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl coming soon, it’s the perfect time to revisit the first movie. Aardman Animations have long been leading the way with claymation, so it’s no surprise to see that The Curse of the Were-Rabbit still looks wonderful. The brilliant animation is paired with a hilarious story that makes the most of one of Britain’s most popular on-screen comedy duos. From clever wordplay to goofy stop-motion slapstick, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has a huge bag of comedic tricks.