I started this account on the side to discuss my love of animation, and have “met“ some wonderful people here. What was started as a side project is becoming some of my favourite social media time of the day and I‘ve become more interested in animation since starting it…

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #1 is the delightful film Whisper of The Heart. It’s the absolute top tier of Ghibli films. A fine companion to Kiki’s as they both explore themes of adolescence, finding your passion, and the need for community in…

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #2 is The Red Turtle. A lush fable with stunning atmosphere. It might be slow for children, but if you have patience you will be rewarded and absorbed. One of the most unique films in the Ghibli canon. A-

I just saw another fake “realistic” AI version of Spirited Away. There needs to be serious lawsuit for AI slop. I hope Ghibli gets enough from their lawsuits to fund a generation of beautiful hand drawn cartoons.

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #3 is When Marnie Was There. Hiromasa Yonebayashi makes visually sumptuous movies, but I wish he made more personal stories like this one (I haven’t loved his Studio Ponoc output). What I appreciate most is the…

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #4 is The Cat Returns. This is a movie I took for granted, manly because it has simple goals. Unlike many other Ghibli projects that aim for epicness in theme and scope, this film wants to just entertain you…

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #5 is From Up On Poppy Hill. This is EASILY Goro’s best movie. A charming coming of age romantic movie with a (better) story of kids trying to rescue their clubhouse. Very nostalgic. The plot point to keep the two apart is…

Hidden gem alert! I didn’t watch The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store before because I heard middling things, but o wanted something light. I loved this movie. It’s slight but charming, with very low stakes. Kids will love the cute and peculiar animals and parents will love the whimsy.

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #6 is The Secret World of Arrietty. So much of this movie is beautiful and fun. I love the initial adventure with her Dad. I love the little adventures with Spiller (the end credits show what the movie should have been)…

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. #7. I’ve seen a lot of reviews of Ocean Waves that call it a hidden masterpiece. I’ve given it a rewatch and I would say that it’s neither the calamity or the masterpiece people claim, but instead a kind of flat melodrama…

The good news is that Netflix has announced they will be releasing Brad Birds new animated movie (Ray Gunn) later this year. The bad news is that NETFLIX has announced they will be releasing Brad Birds new animated movie later this year. I will be so annoyed if they don’t release it in theaters

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. Hayao was obviously insensitive about his son Goro not being ready to make movies, but he wasn’t wrong. Despite being supported by some of the best animators in the world, Tales From Eartha is a mess….

Ranking the 9 Ghibli films not directed by Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki. At the bottom at 9th - not surprisingly - is the only Ghibli film I would say has nothing to recommend it - Earwig and the Witch. The worst Ghibli film by far…

It’s a mess. Reminds me of the last Mission Impossible movies where there’s a few cool scenes but overall too much reverence and too many flashbacks. I haven’t loved Takeshi Koike‘s Lupin so take my criticism with a grain of salt. Proof that no amount of glitz can paper over a weak script. D+

I watched this 20 years ago, and am currently doing a rewatch. I’m enjoying it more now than back then, yet it really feels like something of its time. I’d love to see something now with such depth, complexity, and willingness to take its time to tell a story…

I think K Pop getting all the rewards is well deserved. South Park winning best animated series at the critics awards is just silly. People who don’t watch animation voting for the one they heard of.

Im excited to rediscover this hidden gem on Tubi. If you love Ghibli then Romeo‘s Blue Skies is a must see. Part of the World Masterpiece Theatre, it resembles the early work of Takahata and Miyazaki in style and tone (Especially Takahata’s Heidi show)...

If it is able to sustain the quality of the 1st episode, Sentence to be a hero might be the next big anime. (It already has a better story than Solo Levelling ever had). youtu.be/Ho1GPmxTYGI

By Roy Cobb. 1975. History rhymes.

What show or movie is your go to example of incredible world building?

Most visually stunning 1970s psychedelic animated movie? My choice is Belladonna of Sadness. (Not for everyone- This movie is very trippy and has scenes of sexual assault)

My best of 2020s list, updated. What am I missing? What did I most get wrong? (Summit of the Gods is an 8/10 for context. It’s just been a great decade)

My top 12 animated films of 2025. Ended up being a great year.

My favourite animated film of 2025 was Little Amélie or the Character of Rain. I don’t think it’s an accident that my top 3 were all movies about the need for human connection and empathy, and I found no movie as deeply moving and gorgeous as this one…

My choice for the 2nd best animated film from 2025 is Arco. The most common comparison in reviews is to Ghibli films, which is reductive but give you a sense of the tone and themes. Castle in the sky meets interstellar. It’s vibrant and special. A- youtu.be/e4RrOe8IbI8

My choice for 3rd best animated film of 2025 is The Colours Within. The warmth from this film and gentleness of storytelling makes this a comfort watch. Naoko Yamada specializes in stories of friendship and acceptance and this is one of her best. A-

This scene from 100 Meters was possibly the best animated sequence in film in 2025.

My choice for 4th best animated movie of 2025 is 100 Meters. Kenji Iwaisawa has now directed 2 animated movies about becoming obsessed with something (On Gaku about music) and both movies show a deep understanding of behaviour and nuance. Now streaming on Netflix. B+ youtu.be/GNgK75OZ0mQ

My choice for 5th best animated movies of 2025 is one of the biggest stories. K pop demon hunters could have been buried in the Netflix algorithm like so many other movies, but it exploded because… it’s really good. Everything is at a high level here, including the earworms . B+ youtu.be/yebNIHKAC4A

My 6th favourite animated movie of 2025 is Zootopia 2. This zippy and funny movie is how you make a sequel. Deepen the characters and the world while still feeling fresh. The first one is about racism, so of course the 2nd one is about apartheid. B+. youtu.be/5AwtptT8X8k

My 7th favourite animated movie from 2025 is one no one talks about. The Legend of Hei 2 is a delightful family adventure film. It continues from the first film without missing a beat. If you like Avatar the last airbender you will like this. Effortlessly engaging. B+

My #8 animated movie of 2025 is Chainsaw Man : Reze Arc. While I still have issues with the tonal shift of different acts I still love both parts. The emotional centre of the first half and the action zaniness of the 2nd. B+ youtu.be/tAzAhDNdehs

Most beautiful looking Cartoon Saloon movie? It‘s Song of the Sea. One of the most exquisite movies ever.

My 9th favourite animated film in 2025 was Olivia and the clouds. An independent film where many of the creators were learning animation on the job. The aesthetic is crude yet experimental and vibrant. A folk story in the modern world. Truly original. B. youtu.be/NQBgeKsCrik

My 10th favourite animated film from 2025 is The Day the Earth blew up. It aims to honour the legacy of Loney Tunes, and to be very, very funny. It succeeds at both. Easily the best Looney Tunes movie. youtu.be/Z8Jh__XdTYM

‪I watched 30 animated films from 2025 last year. Here’s the middle of the pack. Some good movies here.

I commented on some moron‘s thread and now my algorithm is full of idiot homophobic crap. I want to balance that out. Name one of your favourite LGBTQ+ animated character. (Pictured is Amity Blight from The Owl House).

I watched 30 animated films from 2025 last year. Here is the bottom of my list (30 to 21). I’ll add some brief thoughts in the comments.

Me entering 2026

Science Saru! This looks great. youtu.be/mqB39GOkuSI

I grew up in an area that would have been considered fairly progressive (very liberal). Regarding the Stranger Things discourse, a lot of people are sanitizing the past. To come out in the 1980s or early 1990s while at a suburban high school would take a tremendous amount of courage…

My top 12 most anticipated animated movies coming up in the next year or so. Theres a lot to be excited for.

Upcoming animated films o am anticipating, ranked. At the top is Beyond the Spider Verse. It says a lot about this series that my son was an grade 4 when the first one came out and will be in university when the final one comes out, and he’s excited…

Upcoming animated films ranked to my anticipation. At #2 we have Daisy’s Life. Little is known about Masaaki Yuasa’s new film other than it might come out in Japan and is based on a book with elegant sparse illustrations by Yoshitomo Nara. If this is what got Yuasa out of retirement I am there

25 upcoming animated movies ranked according to my anticipation. My #3 Is Kindred Spirits. Together with Cartoon Saloon Tomm Moore directed three of the greatest animated films … ever? His first put outside the Irish folklore trilogy looks magical from the very limited info that we know.

25 upcoming animated movies ranked according to my anticipation. My #4 is Wildwood. It really looks like LAIKA - who have never made a bad film - are aiming for greatness here Will it be their third masterpiece? youtu.be/3HQ-HrwIgOc

25 upcoming films ranked according to my anticipation. #5 is All You Need is Kill. An anime version of this story seems like a slam dunk. Early reports are mixed, but I’m still seeing this first day.

25 upcoming films ranked according to my anticipation. At 6 I have Hina is Beautiful. This is by writer and director Kenji Iwaisawa, who directed the unique and entertaining films On Gaku and 100 Meters. He is one of the freshest talents out there.

5 upcoming animated films ranked according to my anticipation. At 6 I have The Last Blossom, the follow up by Baku Kinoshita to one of my favourite anime ever, Odd Taxi. youtu.be/B-ktvueMoRk

25 upcoming animated films ranked according to my anticipation. At 7 I have Ray Gunn. Hand drawn Brad Bit’d is all I need to look forward to this.