Animated movies have an unfair reputation as being movies for children. While this may be their intended audience in some circumstances, viewing animated movies solely as entertainment for children removes some of their artistic qualities and diminishes their worth as actual cinema, ignoring the powerful character stories that are often told in these movies.
This reputation has been slowly evolving over the past few decades, with the fantastic work of Pixar and Studio Ghibli showing that the animated movie ought to be respected as cinema. Some animated movies have affected viewers more than live-action films, with many provoking a viewer's first cry at a film.
Frankenweenie
Frankenweenie is another stop motion story by Tim Burton, based on an animated short he released in the mid-1980s. The film follows a young boy as he tirelessly works to bring his dog back from the dead, with the boy eventually being successful in doing so.
While the film itself is lighthearted to an extent, the subject matter is heartbreaking, particularly for those who have lost pets in childhood.
Princess Mononoke
The first entry from Studio Ghibli in this list, Princess Mononoke tells the story of a clash between the advancing technological progress of humans and the vastness of nature and the gods that created it.
While the film isn’t sad in the traditional sense, there is certainly a bittersweet ending to this film that is destined to trigger an emotional response from the viewer, even more so considering the moving score by Joe Hisaishi.
When The Wind Blows
A slightly more obscure film, especially for those outside the UK, this British animated movie follows an elderly couple as they try and survive the onslaught of a nuclear attack, showing the couple as they eventually succumb to radiation poisoning.
Those growing up in the UK may have even had to watch this in school, with the sight of this sweet old couple suffering with radiation poisoning leading to emotional scars that would persist into adulthood.
The Land Before Time
In the same vein as The Lion King and Bambi, the Land Before Time is another animated movie that focuses on the emotional trauma felt by the main character after they experience the loss of a parent.
For many, this film is the saddest they have seen, with the main character being so expressive that it is impossible not to shed a tear at their grief.
Up
Up certainly marked the trend toward emotional, tearjerker movies from Pixar Animation. The opening scene from Up is almost legendary in its heartbreaking content, showing a couple struggling with fertility, and then growing old together before the wife would eventually die, leaving the husband alone and their biggest dreams seemingly unrealized.
Not only does this opening scene deal with heartbreak, but it also contrasts this with what appeared to be a perfect and beautiful relationship.
Iron Giant
The Iron Giant may be one of the most underrated movies of all time. While it does have a strong reputation, it isn’t often considered in the same category as other animated movies that were released at the same time.
The film is a mature and emotional examination of childhood and the concept of "obeying one’s nature." The beautiful friendship between the Iron Giant and a young boy also leads to one of the most heartbreaking endings in animation.
Bambi
The oldest entry on this list, Bambi has broken the hearts of several generations of children. The scene that scarred several generations shows the titular Bambi escaping from some hunters, though Bambi’s mother wouldn’t be so lucky.
The music and the emotive Bambi combine to make this scene one of the most heartbreaking, not only in animated movie history, but in movie history period.
The Lion King
For many, The Lion King is their favorite Disney movie, with the film retelling Shakespeare’s Hamlet and introducing some catchy songs and a fantastic Elton John soundtrack.
The most memorable scene in the film is Mufasa’s death, with the villainous Scar killing Mufasa to take control of Pride Rock. The scene in which Simba sees his father’s body and then nuzzles up to it as he cries is still a tearjerker today.
Coco
Coco tells the story of a young boy who travels to the Land of the Dead on Dela Des Muertos. The film is one of Pixar’s best and not only gives a fantastic exploration of Mexican culture, but also helps give one of the poignant stories in Pixar’s history.
The conclusion of the film is almost impossible to watch without crying. Without giving away the ending, the interaction between Miguel and his Grandmother is truly beautiful and also captures old age dementia perfectly.
Grave Of The Fireflies
While Studio Ghibli is known for its lighthearted stories, Grave of the Fireflies didn’t start this tradition. The film is centered around two siblings living in Kobe during World War II, with the older brother trying to keep his sister (and himself) safe during this turbulent and dangerous time.
The film begins with sadness and, despite a few scenes of happiness, has one of the most heartbreaking and emotional endings ever seen in an animated movie, showing both the tragedy of war and the doomed attempts of a child to protect himself and his sister.