SkunkyArt | AnimationFan15 — The Best Animations of 2023

Wish: What was originally meant to be the true celebration of Disney's 100-year legacy, this animated film, while having some strong animation and some good songs, ultimately faltered in some odd storytelling decisions that kind of hampered the final product. However, I can't bring myself to hate it like everyone else because a considerable effort was present, and at least Once Upon a Studio felt more like a bigger love letter to the company's centennial.

Migration: The Super Mario Bros. Movie wasn't the only film to be released by Illumination. Their second offering came in the form of this charming little film about a family of ducks getting lost while trying to migrate to Jamaica. Despite how simplistic and straightforward the film may sound, this film is simply a ton of fun by having an epic scale of adventure, a cast of such loveable characters, and a touching moral of expanding your horizons and learn that the world is much bigger than you think. Also, the short film that came before the film, Mooned, was just excellent, as we get to see what happened to Vector (the villain from the first Despicable Me) after getting trapped on the Moon.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: Personally, my favorite piece of media involving the heroes in a half shell. What makes this film so amazing, other than the sketchbook-style animation, is that the turtles themselves give off a very teenage-like energy by having the voices, appearance and attitude of standard teenagers. Definitely a step up from the live-action TMNT films produced by Michael Bay in the 2010s.

The Boy and the Heron: My very first Studio Ghibli film I saw in theaters. The latest outputting from famed Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki, this film about a young boy going on a quest in a magical world with a talking heron fully embraces the magic and wonder Ghibli has been utilizing since the day they were founded. While I did love this film to bits, I think Spirited Away, which I saw in full for the first time this year, is still Miyazaki's (and Ghibli's) best film.

Leo: Would you believe me if I said that this film starring Adam Sandler as a lizard giving a class full of fifth-graders life advice fared more successfully than Wish? Welp, it's because it's true: it has a higher percentage rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and is generally regarded by many as having much more heart and soul put into it. Hell, I'm willing to admit that I found more heart in this film than Wish.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget: After 23 long years, Ginger and her flock of chickens are back at it again in the latest Aardman offering. I knew going into this film that it would never be able to top what they pulled off in the original film, but that doesn't put a dent in the fact that I still enjoyed this film quite a bit, with its homages to 60s spy films, and seeing the return of the characters from the original 2000 film we've come to love... with a little recasting, of course.

Lackadaisy: People are probably going to be after my head if I didn't mention this one, so I decided to check it out just for the sake of not offending fans of it. I won't lie when I say that I was genuinely impressed this pilot, given its beautiful hand-drawn animation and being set in Prohibition-era America. Though, I still think The Amazing Digital Circus was a better pilot.

The Loud House - Road Trip story arc: On July 14, fans of The Loud House got to feast on seven straight episodes of the Louds going on a cross-country road trip all over America, dealing with all kinds of adventures like trying to get rid of an ancient curse, touring the White House, hiking through the Rockies, reuniting with an old camp crush, trekking Route 66, experiencing the Hollywood celebrity life, and trying to hide from family friends. While I didn't think every episode was perfect, it was certainly a nice treat while the summer season was in full swing.

Number Lore: The follow-up to Mike Salcedo's famous Alphabet Lore series. While 2022 was dedicated to telling the story of the alphabet stopping the exploits of F, 2023 was all about the alphabet trying to stop alien numbers from invading their land and stealing their kind. So far, only three episodes have been released, but I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for future episodes.