5 Perfect Animated Movies on Netflix Better Than ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

KPop Demon Hunters debuted on Netflix in June 2025, and in brief order, everybody misplaced their minds. The movie obtained a whole bunch of tens of millions of views and even made its way into theaters, a really uncommon feat for a Netflix Authentic that started off on the streaming platform. The phenomenon was so large and so surprising that retail firms are nonetheless scrambling to capitalize on it with merchandise like Lego sets and video games.

I get it. The songs are extremely catchy and the film is funnier and extra action-packed than anyone may have anticipated. However whereas everyone seems to be nonetheless so enthusiastic about KPop Demon Hunters, I’d prefer to level out that there are different — and, dare I say, higher — animated films on Netflix as nicely. There are movies which have stood the take a look at of time, others that managed to deliver one thing new to longstanding fandoms, and loads of straight-to-Netflix flicks that didn’t make fairly the identical splash, however are nonetheless arguably superior.

So in the event you’re in any respect fatigued by KPop Demon Hunter-mania, I invite you to scroll proper previous it on Netflix and take a look at these 5 animated masterpieces as a substitute.

5

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

KPop Demon Hunters and The Mitchells vs. the Machines even have fairly a bit in frequent. Each are animated movies that have been produced by Sony Footage Animation and have been launched instantly onto Netflix. The Mitchells vs. the Machines reached over 50 million views on the platform inside its first month, which doesn’t actually examine to the mega-hit of KPop Demon Hunters. And but, it was simply one of many largest releases throughout the pandemic.

Written and directed by Mike Rianda, the film focuses on the dysfunctional Mitchell household, who set out on a street journey to drop Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) off in school. However on the best way, the robotic apocalypse hits and everybody on Earth, besides the Mitchells, will get kidnapped by a megalomaniacal AI system.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines has strong laughs and a novel artwork model that blends 3D and 2D components, however what’s finest concerning the movie is how private it feels and the way actual the characters appear. Because it seems, the rationale for its relatable household dynamics is as a result of these relationships have been copied just about verbatim from Rianda’s precise household, which the filmmaker told Polygon all about for its fifth anniversary.

4

The Willoughbys

Picture: Netflix

The primary time I noticed The Willoughbys, I swore it was based mostly on a Roald Dahl story. This uncommon darkish comedy made for youths is about 4 weirdo kids with mother and father so horrible and neglectful that the youngsters determine to attempt to kill them by planning probably the most lethal trip potential. Seems the film just isn’t based mostly on something by Dahl. As an alternative, it’s based mostly on a guide by Lois Lowry, a Newbery Medal-winning creator recognized for The Giver and lots of different books.

Nonetheless, I stand by the concept The Willoughbys has a Roald Dahl sensibility to it. Director Kris Pearn brings a beautiful sense of childlike whimsy blended with humor that ought to be method too darkish for youths, however it’s employed with such a foolish, suave contact that there’s no method anybody may ever take it significantly. Whereas the film might seem like it is “only for children,” it’s extremely enjoyable for any age and the straight-to-Netflix animated movie deserves to get extra eyes on it.

3

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Film

Picture: Netflix

Of all of the completely different iterations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the 2018 animated sequence Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might be probably the most divisive. It created each a rabid fanbase of devoted followers, together with loads of on-line scorn from old-school TMNT followers. The love for the sequence comes from its high-quality animation and its sharp, quick, humorous writing. The hate comes from its departures from longstanding TMNT lore, like an altered origins story and a household dynamic that’s radically modified by Grasp Splinter (Eric Bauza) being type of a jerk, Raphael (Omar Miller) being the crew chief, and Leonardo (Ben Schwartz) being a smartass quipster.

However in 2022, when Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Film was launched on Netflix, an incredible many followers of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that hated the sequence have been blown away by the movie. The film is ready in a future the place a brain-like alien race referred to as the Krang have taken over Earth. To forestall the invasion, the younger soldier Casey Jones (Haley Joel Osment) is distributed again to the early 2020s by his commander, Leonardo. Casey then conjures up the younger, smartass Leo to seek out his internal chief and cease the Krang earlier than they take over.

Primarily, it’s the story of Leonardo turning into Leonardo, which is why a large cross-section of TMNT followers cherished this film. Excellent could also be a little bit of a attain right here, however in the event you’re a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this film is a must-watch.

2

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

Picture: Netflix

Everybody’s favourite man and canine duo made a giant comeback with the discharge of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which debuted on the BBC in December 2024 earlier than touchdown on Netflix in January 2025. The primary new Wallace and Gromit film in nearly 20 years (!) positively didn’t disappoint, telling a recent story with gorgeous animation that additionally featured the return of iconic villainous penguin Feathers McGraw. Whereas Aardman management has hinted that one other journey may very well be coming quickly, there’s nonetheless no official affirmation of the following Wallace and Gromit outing. So for now, the perfect factor you are able to do is revisit Vengeance Most Fowl. There are positively worse methods to spend a comfy night time in.

1

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Sony Footage Animation

Positive, KPop Demon Hunters might have received an Academy Award for Greatest Animated Characteristic Movie on the Oscars in 2026, however so did Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in a 12 months with a lot tighter competitors.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse tells the story of Miles Morales, who inherits the Spider-Man mantle after the loss of life of Peter Parker (and after getting bitten by a radioactive spider himself). His first main journey as Spider-Man finally ends up as an interdimensional affair after Kingpin causes a multiversal rip, bringing a number of other spider-powered heroes into his house dimension.

The film is cherished for its breakthrough animation, which celebrated the artwork of comedian books maybe greater than any animated movie in historical past. It additionally had a killer solid, a tremendous story greater than worthy of the trilogy it kicked off. And, sure, a soundtrack that even tops the likes of KPop Demon Hunters.