Created by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2001 to broaden the range of films eligible for Oscars, the Best Animated Feature award was intended to recognize animation beyond the occasional nomination of an animated film (the Academy had previously nominated Beauty and the Beast in 1992 and given honorary awards to Walt Disney). Yet since the category’s inception, it has largely been dominated by a few studios specializing in CGI animation. Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks have been frequent winners, while studios that favour hand-drawn or stop-motion techniques—such as Laika and Cartoon Saloon—have often been nominated but rarely victorious.
Below is The Film Magazine’s Ranked list of every Best Animated Feature Oscar winner, ordered from least to greatest. Each entry considers artistic achievement, importance to the medium, cultural relevance and lasting impact, and notes notable contenders from the same year that offered bolder or different approaches. These are the Best Animated Feature Oscar Winners, ranked.
22. Happy Feet (2006)
A tone-deaf juvenile penguin discovers he has a different gift from the rest of his musical colony: he’s an extraordinary tap-dancer.
Directed by George Miller—better known for Mad Max and the screenplay for Babe—Happy Feet is a visually detailed Antarctic jukebox musical. Its documentary-like naturalism and lavish visuals impress, but the story is straightforward and the songs are inconsistent.
21. Toy Story 4 (2019)
Woody, Buzz and the gang set off on a road trip to help handmade toy Forky accept his identity.
As a fourth sequel that follows a near-perfect trilogy, Toy Story 4 faced tough comparisons. It’s a solid, emotionally resonant entry that offers surprising darkness and the familiar heart audiences expect from the franchise, though it occasionally feels unnecessary next to the trilogy’s high bar.
20. Shrek (2001)
A solitary ogre and a loquacious donkey embark on a reluctant quest to rescue a princess in exchange for peace in the ogre’s swamp.
Shrek shifted mainstream animation toward satirical, snarky storytelling, influencing decades of fantasy parodies. Its earnest theme of self-acceptance and distinct visual humour remain influential and enduring.
19. Brave (2012)
Scottish princess Merida defies marriage traditions and seeks a witch’s spell to change her fate, inadvertently altering the lives of her family.
Though one of Pixar’s less acclaimed films, Brave offers a lively protagonist and a refreshingly candid mother-daughter relationship. The plot is familiar in places, but its emotional honesty and spirited lead make it worthwhile.
18. Frozen (2013)
A princess develops dangerous ice powers and flees into the wilderness; her younger sister mounts a perilous quest to bring her home.
Frozen’s animation quality, memorable music, and its unconventional focus on sisterly love over romantic rescue helped make it a cultural phenomenon. While it may be slightly overrated by some, its storytelling and emotional core justify its success.
17. Finding Nemo (2003)
A neurotic single dad clownfish traverses the ocean to find his lost son, aided and impeded by a forgetful companion.
Finding Nemo turns a parent’s worst fear into a moving underwater adventure. The animation makes expressive fish convincing, and the chemistry between Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres elevates the film’s emotional impact.
16. Up (2009)
An elderly widower ties thousands of balloons to his house and travels to South America with a cheerful Boy Scout and a distracted talking dog.
Up’s unforgettable “Married Life” montage is one of Pixar’s most affecting moments. Though its final act leans into generic action, the warmth, humour and heartfelt storytelling make it enduringly memorable.
15. Encanto (2021)
Mirabel, the only member of the magical Madrigal family without a gift, embarks on a journey of self-discovery to save her family’s fading powers and her community.
Encanto stands out for its vibrant character designs, strong vocal performances and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s infectious songs. The film’s refreshing choice to focus on internal struggles—self-doubt, historical trauma and family secrets—rather than a physical villain gives it emotional depth and cultural resonance.
14. Ratatouille (2007)
A rat with a passion for cooking helps a mediocre French chef turn his failing kitchen around.
Ratatouille makes animated food look irresistible and tells a compelling story about following creative instincts in unconventional ways. Its memorable climax, including the critic Ego’s moment of transformation, remains one of Pixar’s finest.
13. Big Hero 6 (2014)
A grieving teen genius inherits an inflatable healthcare robot and, with fellow young prodigies, confronts a costumed villain.
Big Hero 6 blends superhero action with sincere exploration of grief and sibling relationships. Baymax, the inflatable nurse robot, is one of animation’s most lovable characters, and the film balances spectacle with genuine feeling.
12. Rango (2011)
A pet chameleon who fantasizes about being a hero winds up in a drought-stricken frontier town and poses as a tough lawman.
Rango is an atmospheric, richly detailed animated Western with sharp genre play and striking visuals. Its eccentric humour and stylistic confidence made it a refreshing, non-Pixar winner in the category.
11. Soul (2020)
A struggling jazz musician dies unexpectedly and confronts questions of identity, purpose and passion as he seeks to return to his life on Earth.
Soul is one of Pixar’s most mature films, exploring existential themes through music and inventive, expressionist animation. It introduces the studio’s first Black male protagonist and uses varying animation styles to powerful effect.
10. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
Guillermo del Toro reimagines Collodi’s classic as a dark, emotionally layered stop-motion tale set in fascist Italy, pairing his signature twisted imagery with a new perspective on the story’s moral stakes.
Del Toro’s Pinocchio is a masterclass in stop-motion craft, offering haunting visuals, strong vocal performances and a unique, more somber conclusion to the traditional tale. It stands apart from lighter adaptations through its weightier themes and meticulous detail.
9. Toy Story 3 (2010)
With their owner Andy heading to college, Woody and the toys face an uncertain future and end up at Sunnyside Daycare, where they must fight for survival and purpose.
Toy Story 3 delivers a deeply satisfying conclusion to the original trilogy, providing emotional payoffs for its characters and featuring one of cinema’s most harrowing and effective sequences: the incinerator scene. It remains a rare sequel that feels complete and definitive.
8. Zootopia (2016)
Judy Hopps, the first rabbit police officer in Zootopia, teams with grifter Nick Wilde to investigate a surge of seemingly savage behaviour among predator animals.
Zootopia combines a vivid world and sharp sitcom humour with a potent allegory about prejudice and systemic bias. The film balances timely themes with broad appeal and clever character work, making it one of Disney’s most thematically ambitious family films.
7. The Incredibles (2004)
Retired superheroes Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl try to balance suburban family life with a rekindled call to heroism that draws their entire family into a world-saving adventure.
Brad Bird’s ode to family and classic action cinema combines 1950s futurist design, thrilling set pieces and heartfelt emotion. The Incredibles remains a standout superhero story with charm, wit and genuine warmth.
6. Inside Out (2015)
When Riley’s family moves to San Francisco, her emotions struggle to steer her through upheaval; inside her head, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust vie for control.
Inside Out is a vivid, imaginative exploration of growing up and emotional complexity. It gives sadness an important role in emotional resilience and delivers a colourful, heartfelt journey that resonates especially with adults.
5. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Eccentric inventor Wallace and his clever dog Gromit run a humane pest-control service but an experiment gone awry unleashes a monstrous, vegetable-obsessed beast on their town.
Aardman’s stop-motion comedy is rich in detail, visual gags and painstaking craft. This year was notable for featuring multiple non-CGI nominees and celebrating traditional animation techniques.
4. WALL-E (2008)
An inquisitive trash-compacting robot on a ruined Earth falls in love with an advanced probe and embarks on a journey that reveals a future where humanity lives slothfully aboard a corporate starliner.
WALL-E blends silent-era visual storytelling, romantic charm and sharp satire about consumerism and technological dependence. It’s witty, poignant and beautifully crafted—one of Pixar’s standout achievements.
3. Spirited Away (2002)
When Chihiro’s parents are transformed into pigs, she finds herself trapped in a spirit world and must work in a bathhouse to save them and find her way home.
Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece introduced Studio Ghibli to global audiences with a magical, disturbing and utterly original coming-of-age fantasy. Its indelible imagery—the spirit bathhouse, Chihiro’s train journey and Haku’s dragon form—linger long after the credits roll.
2. Coco (2017)
An aspiring musician forbidden by his family to pursue music is transported to the Land of the Dead, where he seeks to reconnect a forgotten ancestor with the living.
Coco handles grief, memory and family legacy with tenderness and vibrant cultural specificity. Its music, especially the song “Remember Me,” provides an emotional throughline that makes the film deeply moving.
1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Teenager Miles Morales gains spider-like abilities just as his universe’s Spider-Man is incapacitated and other Spider-People from alternate dimensions appear to help set things right.
Spider-Verse revolutionized mainstream animation with a novel visual style that evokes the experience of reading a comic book—complete with halftone textures, motion lines and onomatopoeic graphics—while telling a heartfelt, inclusive story about heroism and identity. Its innovation and emotional core make it one of the most influential animated films of the 21st century.
What do you think of this ranking of Best Animated Feature Oscar winners? Which 21st-century animated movie is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Updated to include Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (1 February 2024). Originally published 4 March 2023.