Netflix truly has something for everybody, including a host of family-friendly movies covering a wide range of options. So even though the streamer’s animated selection is comparatively thin, there are still a number of great choices in the library. Whether you’re looking for something for the kids or you want to indulge your inner kid, Netflix has some good animated films at any given time. But if you’re not sure what you’re looking for exactly, we’ve taken the time to pull together the best animated movies on Netflix right now.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best movies on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime, and the best shows on Disney+.
New movies to stream at a glance
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Puss in Boots2011
98m
Genre
Fantasy, Adventure, Animation, Family
Stars
Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson
Directed by
Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
The Vikings in the village of Berk pride themselves on their dragon-slaying abilities. The chieftain’s son Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) isn’t quite as keen on the barbaric activities, preferring science and engineering instead. When Hiccup stumbles across an injured dragon in the forest, his special talents come in handy as he helps the dragon recover. But this newfound friendship will not be looked on kindly by the village.
90m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Stars
Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis
Directed by
Chris Miller
The Shrek universe expands a little on Netflix with this spinoff starring everybody’s favorite feline foilist. This prequel tells the bold, daring tale of Puss’ rise from ordinary kitty cat to the legendary Puss in Boots. With help from mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the savvy Kitty, Puss sets out to steal the famed goose that lays Golden Eggs.
90m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Family
Stars
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
Directed by
Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Dreamworks has long been an animation stalwart, but Shrek may be its ultimate calling card. The twisted take on common fairy tales brings us to a kingdom ruled by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Disturbed by the fairy tale creatures in his realm, he banishes them, only for them to all find refuge on the swamp of an ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers). Determined to get the creatures off his land and regain his solitude, Shrek cuts a deal with Farquaad to save the beautiful Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a fire-breathing dragon so that Farquaad can marry her. But Fiona’s got a secret up her sleeve.
92m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Family
Stars
Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Alessia Cara
Directed by
Kris Pearn
A family tale made for those who wish they could get away from their family, The Willoughbys is a Netflix original that has gone somewhat under the radar. When the four Willoughby children are abandoned by their selfish parents, they must adapt to a contemporary world. Their old family was very old-fashioned, and now they have one mission in life: Become the ultimate modern family.
90m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Family
Stars
Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan
Directed by
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
A Seussian kind of tale, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs takes us to Swallow Falls, an island town experiencing such hard times that everybody can only afford to eat sardines. Fortunately, inventor Flint Lockwood soon builds a machine that can convert water into food, resulting in tasty delights literally raining from the heavens. But when his machine spins out of control, all that falling food threatens to bury the town.
91m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Stars
Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke
Directed by
Gil Kenan
Everybody has a childhood story about the scariest house in the neighborhood, but DJ Harvard’s is probably better than yours. The house across the street from DJ’s is actually a monster. Or, rather, it’s possessed by a malevolent entity that needs to feed on the energy of the living. As Halloween draws near and the house looks forward to feasting on all of the neighborhood children, it’s up to DJ and his friends Chowder and Jenny to discover the source of the house’s power and defeat it before it’s too late. More of a comedy with some spooky animated elements, Monster House is a fun film that will engage viewers of all ages.
102m
Genre
Family, Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Directed by
Hayao Miyazaki
The Castle of Cagliostro is the debut film of animation legend Hayao Miyazaki, and an entry in the Lupin III franchise. For those not familiar with the franchise, The Castle of Cagliostro follows the thief Arsène Lupin III, grandson of Maurice Leblanc’s iconic gentleman thief. After Lupin and his partner, Jigen, rob a casino, they discover that the cash they stole is counterfeit. They trace the money to the country of Cagliostro, whose ruler, Count Cagliostro, is planning to marry Princess Clarisse to consolidate absolute power over the country and its hidden treasure. The action dances smoothly along scene to scene with Miyazaki’s characteristically ebullient touch and stands as an enjoyable watch for fans of Studio Ghibli and its founder.
96m
Genre
Animation, Family, Adventure, Comedy
Stars
Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones
Directed by
Sergio Pablos
Netflix’s first original animated feature film, Klaus is an alternative and entertaining Santa Claus origin story. When a selfish young postman is assigned to a remote Scandinavian town, his unlikely friendship with a recluse leads to the accidental creation of an incredible (and familiar) toymaker. Klaus features the voice talent of Jason Schwartzman (who really carries the film), J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Norm MacDonald, and Joan Cusack. The film earned a 2020 Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.
130m
Genre
Animation, Drama
Stars
Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami, Aoi Yuki
Directed by
Naoko Yamada
Not all animated movies are for children and A Silent Voice is certainly one anime film geared toward an older audience. The film follows Shoya, a young man haunted by the guilt of bullying a deaf student named Shoko Nishiyima until she changed schools. Although he didn’t act alone, the other bullies turn on Shoya, marking him as an outcast and putting a target on his back. Years later, Shoya is overwhelmed by a need to make things right, so he learns sign language and seeks out Shoko to atone for his past sins. Through honest, painful communication, the two form a strong friendship as well as a community around them. With lush animation, deeply complicated themes, and flawed-yet-relatable characters, A Silent Voice is a riveting, soul-searching, and provocative film.
130m
Genre
Drama, Animation, Romance, War, History
Stars
Non, Daisuke Ono, Mayumi Shintani
Directed by
Sunao Katabuchi
While Netflix rightfully gets a lot of praise for its original content, it has also been remarkably deft with acquisitions, especially on the foreign film market. In This Corner of the World is a great example. This award-winning anime film was released in the U.S. in 2017 through Funimation Films and, after acquisition, it’s now available to stream on Netflix. It follows Suzu Urano, a young woman who moves to Hiroshima in 1944 to live with her husband’s family. When her town is hit by the atomic bomb, Suzu rises to the call to protect her family and rebuild her country, as much as any individual can after such unseen atrocity. A horrifying yet poignant tale that shows the Japanese perspective of World War II and depicts the challenges of overcoming overwhelming tragedy, In This Corner of the World is deeply illuminating.
108m
Genre
Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Family
Stars
Jeff Bridges, Mackenzie Foy, Rachel McAdams
Directed by
Mark Osborne
Another beneficiary of Netflix’s acquisition arm, The Little Prince received a limited release before Netflix snatched up the streaming rights, making it available for an even broader audience. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s famous novella comes to life with breathtaking animation and a faithful retelling of the classic tale in Mark Osborne’s 2015 adaptation. Classic characters like The Fox, The Snake, and The Rose all make appearances in different, contrasting animation styles that juxtapose the original drawings and computer-generated graphics. This visual technique helps frame the adapted story of the famous prince, which itself exists within a story of The Little Girl (Mackenzie Foy) and her uptight Mother (Rachel McAdams). Widely considered one of the best film adaptations of The Little Prince, this film is a joy for fans of the novella as well as newcomers.
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