The 10 Best Animated War Movies, Ranked (2024)

When one thinks of war movies, one commonly imagines live-action features, with actors playing soldiers stuck on the battlefield, being bombarded by bombs and bullets, or sometimes, by swords and arrows. Acclaimed triumphs like Saving Private Ryan or epic historical tales like Lawrence of Arabia are common examples of what a war movie should be. To many, these movies are always live-action to make the chaos and danger of battle feel more real.

However, not every war movie uses this approach. Some opt to tell the stories through animation, which allows more creative freedom in terms of color palette and how the information is presented while still allowing the movie to feel like a work of art, as every frame is hand-drawn with care. Animation doesn't serve to discredit these war films at all; in fact, it enriches the genre. These are the greatest animated war films, which reel their audiences through the alluring power of cartoons.

Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)

Barefoot Gen is deceptive, following a young child living in Hiroshima during World War II. But, of course, anyone who knows the context of the situation will immediately be filled with a sense of impending doom. When the long-awaited atomic bomb finally does drop, the imagery switches from innocent to visceral, with some of the most disturbing imagery ever depicted in an animated film.

After that, the movie is incessantly dark, exploring the scope of the destruction that, at the time, was unlike anything humanity had ever seen before. Barefoot Gen places audiences directly into the main character's shoes as he peruses the blasted landscape, looking for any way to survive the devastation. While it isn't the most accomplished animated movie of all time, Barefoot Gen is haunting and eye-opening as it portrays what the atomic bomb is truly capable of.

Barefoot Gen

TV-PG

Anime

Biography

Drama

Release Date

June 13, 1992

Director

Mori Masaki

Cast

Issei Miyazaki , Catherine Battistone , Yoshie Shimamura , Iona Morris , Masaki Kôda , Brianne Brozey , Barbara Goodson , Takao Inoue

Runtime

83 Minutes

Writers

Keiji Nakazawa

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9 'Waltz with Bashir' (2008)

Conflict: 1982 Lebanon War (1982)

Waltz with Bashir is a true story based on the experiences of Ari Folman serving as a soldier in the 1982 Lebanon War. Folman not only stars as himself in this highly-stylized animated docudrama but also wrote, directed, and produced the movie. In his personal passion project, Folman opens up about his recurring nightmares as a result of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which he still feels decades after he fought in the war.

Emotionally jarring yet tender and sympathetic, Waltz with Bashir dives deep into the human aspect of soldiers who risk their lives fighting in armed conflicts. It explores the profound effects that senseless violence can have on an individual's mind, enhancing the message with striking visuals. Nominated for an Oscar, this movie shows what war is really like, reminding audiences that even if one's military service ends, their inner battle is never over.

Waltz with Bashir

R

Documentary

Animation

Biography

Drama

War

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 26, 2008

Director

Ari Folman

Cast

Ron Ben-Yishai , Ronny Dayag , Ari Folman , Dror Harazi , Yehezkel Lazarov , Mickey Leon

Runtime

87

Writers

Ari Folman

See Also

"Saving Private Ryan" Is Tom Hanks's Best MovieEight Movie Museums Cinephiles Need to Visit

8 'The Wind Rises' (2013)

Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)

The Wind Rises is an animated biopic about Japanese aeronautical engineer Jiro Horikoshi, who always dreamt of being a pilot but couldn't because of his lack of 20-20 vision. During the Second World War, Jiro designs warplanes for the Japanese Empire, falling into a profound sadness, knowing that his beloved machines were being used to kill people.

The movie shows the developmental process of Jiro's proudest invention, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, a plane made famous for its prevalence and efficiency in World War II, though Jiro still finds himself remorseful at it being used for purposes he doesn't agree with. The Wind Rises is a near-perfect Studio Ghibli movie that may not feature much of the war itself but follows a key figure in it who is torn between his family, personal values, and the ideals of his country, with very little to help him balance the three.

The Wind Rises

PG-13

Animation

Biography

Drama

History

Romance

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Release Date

July 20, 2013

Director

Hayao Miyazaki

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt , John Krasinski , Emily Blunt , Martin Short , Stanley Tucci , Mandy Patinkin

Runtime

126

Writers

Hayao Miyazaki

7 'Flee' (2021)

Conflict: Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)

Flee touches on a lot of different concepts as it follows the life of Amin Nawabi, an alias used by a real person who wishes to remain anonymous. Nawabi voices himself as he recounts the story of his survival amidst the Soviet-Afghan War in a documentary style. Amin is a gay man forced to keep his sexuality a secret, as hom*osexuality unfortunately was and still is a crime punishable by death in Afghanistan.

Amin details his harrowing tale in vivid, brutally realistic detail as he makes plans for him and his boyfriend to escape to Denmark. As such, the movie is a Danish film, with renowned actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau serving as executive producer. Flee is not just a survivor's tale but also a socially conscious masterpiece that covers themes not commonly explored in the war genre, portraying the hardships of refugees in a way that hasn't been seen before. One of the best LGBTQ+ movies in recent years, Flee is as confronting as it is rewarding.

Flee

PG-13

Documentary

Animation

Where to Watch

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Release Date

December 3, 2021

Director

Jonas Poher Rasmussen

Runtime

1 hr 30 min

6 'When the Wind Blows' (1986)

Conflict: Unnamed fictional conflict (No exact dates given)

When the Wind Blows was released near the end of the Cold War, and came as a bit of a wake-up call as to what the rural English countryside would look like if World War III actually broke out. An elderly couple, Hilda (Peggy Ashcroft) and Jim (John Mills), live quietly in their isolated home in the country when all hell breaks loose and a nuclear mushroom cloud flattens the landscape. They survive the initial blast but are completely unprepared for the situation, even though Jim spends days stockpiling food and building a makeshift fallout shelter.

As an older couple, this is a time when they need assistance the most, yet no one else is left alive to help them out of their predicament. The ending is obvious to see from a mile away, but the long, slow burn towards it is horrific every step of the way. Jim tries to remain optimistic for both his and Hilda's sake, but it quickly becomes all too apparent that there is no way that anyone, much less these two, could have adequately prepared for this. Gut-wrenching and even a little frightening, When the Wind Blows captivated audiences with its unique animation style and minimalistic yet impactful storytelling.

When the Wind Blows (1987)

16+

Animation

Drama

War

Release Date

February 6, 1987

Director

Jimmy T. Murakami

Cast

Peggy Ashcroft , John Mills , Robin Houston , James Russell , David Dundas , Matt Irving

Runtime

84 Minutes

Writers

Raymond Briggs

WATCH ON TUBI

5 'The Iron Giant' (1999)

Conflict: Cold War (1947-1991)

The Iron Giant takes place during the height of the Cold War in 1957, after a lonely young boy named Hogarth (Eli Marienthal) stumbles across a gigantic robot of unknown origin. The robot, who is dubbed "Giant" (Vin Diesel), reacts aggressively to anything it perceives as a weapon, leading audiences to believe he may be a weapon produced by one of the world's superpowers during this period of high tension.

Despite his original purpose, the Giant and Hogarth become fast friends, but it is only a matter of time before the government catches on that something is up. This is a movie that's a lot more kid-friendly, but it sadly didn't get the contemporary attention it deserved. It's not only innocent and whimsical but absolutely heartbreaking, too, especially towards the end. With beautifully done animation and a heartfelt story to boot, The Iron Giant remains one of the best and most intelligent animated war flicks that is palatable for children without reducing its impact.

The Iron Giant

PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

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Release Date

August 6, 1999

Director

Brad Bird

Cast

Jennifer Aniston , Harry Connick Jr. , Vin Diesel , James Gammon , Cloris Leachman , Christopher McDonald

Runtime

86 minutes

Writers

Ted Hughes , Brad Bird , Tim McCanlies

4 'The Breadwinner' (2017)

Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)

The Breadwinner takes place in 2001, at the onset of the Global War on Terror and the War in Afghanistan, as American troops begin to fight the oppressive Taliban regime. Taking place in the capital city of Kabul, the story centers on an 11-year-old girl named Parvana (Saara Chaudry) who is forced to work to provide for her family. The only problem is women are forbidden from working under the Taliban. Parvana has no choice but to disguise herself as a boy in order to secure a job so that her family can have food.

The animation, reminiscent of classic Disney flicks, only makes The Breadwinner's plotline much sadder. It explores issues that are unfortunately far too common in severely impoverished countries, including child labor and unequal rights between men and women. Harsh but all too real, The Breadwinner helps raise awareness about these tragedies that happen every single day.

The Breadwinner (2017)

PG-13

Drama

War

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Release Date

November 17, 2017

Director

Nora Twomey

Cast

Saara Chaudry , Soma Bhatia , Ali Badshah , Kawa Ada , Ali Kazmi

Runtime

94 minutes

Writers

Anita Doron , Deborah Ellis

3 'In This Corner of the World' (2016)

Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)

In This Corner of the World shares a lot of similarities with Barefoot Gen in that it is a Japanese anime film that follows a child living in Hiroshima at the end of World War II, which is already a recipe for a soul-crushing story. The child is Suzu, who gradually grows into an adult before the audience's eyes before leaving Hiroshima to live with her husband in the town of Kure.

In This Corner of the World explores Suzu's feelings of profound sadness as her husband is sent off to the war in the Pacific, and the world's first atomic bomb decimates her hometown and the family she still has there, all while her passion for life slowly begins to fade. Poor Suzu just cannot catch a break, but unfortunately, that is the reality of wartime. Things go from bad to worse, and it can be hard to find any ounce of motivation through it all. Beautiful, heart-wrenching, and melancholic, In This Corner of the World stands as a modern triumph in the anime genre, delivering a poignant narrative without being too preachy.

In This Corner of the World

PG-13

Anime

Drama

Family

Release Date

November 12, 2016

Director

Sunao Katabuchi

Cast

Non , Ava Pickard , Kenna Pickard , Karen Strassman , Melodee Spevack , Michael Sorich , Tony Azzolino , Anne Yatco

Runtime

129 Minutes

Writers

Sunao Katabuchi , Fumiyo Kono , Chie Uratani

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2 'Persepolis' (2007)

Conflict: Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)

Persepolis has a highly unique monochrome animation style and occurs during the Iran-Iraq War in the '80s, along with the Iranian Revolution prior to the conflict. The main character is a young girl named Marjane (Chiara Mastroianni), who is forced to grow up faster than any child should as a direct result of her country's conflicts. The minimalistic black-and-white style comes as a sharp contrast to bright and colorful children's films, further emphasizing how Marjane must become an adult if she is to survive. It also emphasizes how bleak her world is and how there is little joy in anything.

Persepolis was nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and two BAFTA Awards, yet it remains a criminally underrated entry in the animation genre. Its narrative is powerful and striking and doesn't pull any punches in showing the realism of childhood in a war-torn nation. Not every child's life is filled with joy and happiness — some sadly don't even have the chance to enjoy the bliss, a sad but unfortunately true reminder.

Persepolis (2007)

PG-13

Animation

Biography

Drama

War

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 27, 2007

Director

Vincent Paronnaud , Marjane Satrapi

Cast

Chiara Mastroianni , Catherine Deneuve , Danielle Darrieux , Simon Abkarian , Gabrielle Lopes Benites , François Jerosme

Runtime

95 minutes

Writers

Marjane Satrapi , Vincent Paronnaud

1 'Grave of the Fireflies' (1988)

Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)

Grave of the Fireflies is yet another movie about World War II that comes from Japan. The difference is that this is one of the most depressing movies ever made and leaves no room for fleeting moments and whimsical glee that are typical of other Studio Ghibli movies. The story follows two children, older brother Seita and younger sister Setsuko, who must survive after their home is destroyed in an American bombing raid near the end of the Second World War.

At times of war, food is scarce, and the environment has turned into an "everyone-for-themselves" type of situation, which unfortunately means kids like Seita and Setsuko are left with only scraps. With the poignant reminder that war spares no one, especially the innocent, Grave of the Fireflies is an all-time classic, a movie that will undoubtedly make the audience cry with its tear-jerking narration and crushing storyline. The emotional factor and the story itself are what make this movie the best and most complex animated war flick, hands down.

Grave of the Fireflies

Not Rated

War

Drama

Release Date

July 26, 1989

Director

Isao Takahata

Cast

Tsutomu Tatsumi , Ayano Shiraishi , Akemi Yamaguchi

Runtime

89 minutes

Writers

Isao Takahata

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NEXT: The Best War Movies of the 21st Century So Far