We sometimes forget how much Disney had an impact on western civilization. The places where we drew a big part of our moral views from are the animated movies produced by this particular movie magnate. They are great works of art, at least most of them are (don’t get me started on their classic fairy tale sequels), but Disney isn’t the only one with the ability to create movies that captivate our soul and keep us young for so long.
Most people are not aware that there are many animation studios that can pull off the emotions and inspiration a good Disney movie can within the viewers. Some of these alternatives have managed to do a more consistent job, and retain the level of quality with their work that surpasses that of Disney. If you have a Disney craving but have already gone through most of their opus, then you are at the right place. Here are some animated works that do not come from Disney, but are definitely within their level.
1. Studio Ghibli
Japan has a very strong cartoon style that stems from its comic books (manga), and these animated movies are widely known as Anime. While the style is distinct, one of the studios that really stands out on a global scene, and receives praise with each new publication is, of course, the mighty Ghibli. The most notable director, who is incidentally also a co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki, is the creator of their best works that include My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke, (1997), Spirited Away (2001), Howl’s Moving Castle (2006). An oriental twist to their animation style, and inspirational and picturesque environments are some of the qualities that these movies poses. It is a widely known fact that they had Disney as their inspiration, and they maintain that spirit until today. The oriental setting is something to revere as well, and the pantheon of mythical beings that appear in their work is exciting and new for western audiences.
2. Studio Dreamworks
We can all agree that Shrek is great, but there is a side to the work done by studio Dreamworks that really resembles Disney’s, and for me personally, I was astonished by the fact that The Road to El Dorado came from them. There are other movies produced by Dreamworks that fit this style perfectly like Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) with its incredibly Alladinish look, or The Prince of Egypt (1998) which stood out for me with its incredible soundtrack and its title song performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and a lot of the themes produced by Hans Zimmer. All in all, there is a lot to see here, so if you missed some of their work, you might want to take a second peek.
3. Director Don Bluth
When it comes to work similar to Disney’s, we can hardly sidestep the director that formerly worked in association with them. Don Bluth parted ways with them to concentrate on his own work, and ended up creating quite a few animated gems. The Secret of NIMH (1982), Anastasia (1997), All Dogs Go to Heaven (1998) are some of his more notable works. The atmosphere and themes in his work are a step further into the shadows compared to Disney, but the vibe is quite similar.
4. Warner Bros Studios
Of course, you are aware of the legendary Warner Bros, but they seem to fade in comparison to Disney when it comes to feature animated movies in recent years. Still, a big part of the younger audience isn’t aware of their older work which was really top-notch. Titles like Quest for Camelot (1998) and The Iron Giant (1996) really stand the test of time, and before you start complaining that this is not old, remember that these are movies from nearly 20 years ago.
These are not the only ones though, and you should definitely share your favorite Disney lookalikes with us – we’re sure that you’ve ran into a few of them yourself. You can always sense when, at the core, a certain movie has Disney as their inspiration. You can just feel it, and it really brings out that inner child smile. We hope you enjoy these movies!