History DarkerAndEdgier / AnimatedFilms

** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory 3'' is considered [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNzb79IQObk much]] more intense than the first two, as well as unusually dark for a {{Pixar}} movie. This is one of the more {{justified}} examples, though, since the concepts introduced earlier in the series leave room for FridgeHorror. The third has a more intense feel because it [[AscendedFridgeHorror calls attention to a fair bit of said fridge horror]]. That, and it's a PrisonEpisode rife with disturbing elements like [[KillerRabbit sadistic teddy bears]] and {{cymbal banging monkey}}s. Considering the time gap in between each movie's theatrical release, this seems somewhat appropriate. It's almost as if Pixar directed the film at an older audience who grew up on the older films. The way ''Toy Story 3'' ended, it felt like Pixar wanted to give the now Teen/Young Adult audience of the first movie some closure on the series they came to love when they were kids.

** How much darker it is than the first film is debatable. It's still quite kid-friendly, and while there is more action, it's justified due to the villain having an army with him, and at least most of it is just as mild as anything in the first one. On top of that, "kill" and "dead" were already used relatively normally in the first one, and Tai Lung was considered pretty scary, even to some of the adults. If there's anything darker about this installment, it's some of the underlying themes and the status of the villain. Other than that, there's still quite a bit of comedy mixed in with the action, and most of the deaths that are in it are offscreen.

* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' wasn't ''that'' dark or edgy, but it was more serious compared to DreamWorks' other animated films. And it's still DarkerAndEdgier compared to the book it was based on.

** Disney's ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', despite getting a G rating, may very well be the darkest movie of the DisneyAnimatedCanon. The whole story is driven by the villain's sexual obsession with one of the female protagonists, and a number of darker themes - including lust and [[TheFundamentalist religious fanaticism]] - are shown. Well, you can watch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oNzUD0NfJY the first five and a half minutes of it]] and see for yourself. It's still LighterAndSofter than [[Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the original book]] by far, though.

** While not as extreme as the above, ''Disney/'TheLionKing'' is considered darker than most Disney movies; it involved [[spoiler:the villain successfully killing one of the good guys, ''his own brother'', [[KilledOffForReal for real]]]], and clearly averted NeverSayDie. It also dealt rather bluntly with issues like mass starvation. RogerEbert notably stated that Lion King [[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19940624/REVIEWS/406240301/1023 "is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children."]]

** While not as extreme as the above, 'Disney/'TheLionKing'' is considered darker than most Disney movies; it involved [[spoiler:the villain successfully killing one of the good guys, ''his own brother'', [[KilledOffForReal for real]]]], and clearly subverted NeverSayDie. It also dealt rather bluntly with issues like mass starvation. RogerEbert notably stated that Lion King [[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19940624/REVIEWS/406240301/1023 "is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children."]]

** How much darker it is than the first film is debatable. It's still quite kid-friendly, and while there is more action, it's justified due to the villain having an army with him, and at least most of it is just as mild as anything in the first one. On top of that, "kill" and "dead" were already used relatively normally in the first one, and Tai Lung was considered pretty scary, even to some of the adults. If there's anything darker about this installment, it's some of the underlying themes and the [[CompleteMonster status]] of the villain. Other than that, there's still quite a bit of comedy mixed in with the action, and most of the deaths that are in it are offscreen.

* As far as {{Pixar}} movies go, only [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc one franchise so far]] hasn't involved at least one death, but ''{{Brave}}'' and ''TheIncredibles'' are considered to be among their darkest.
** ''Toy Story'' 3 is considered [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNzb79IQObk much]] more intense than the first two, as well as unusually dark for a {{Pixar}} movie. This is one of the more {{justified}} examples, though, since the concepts introduced earlier in the series leave room for FridgeHorror. The third has a more intense feel because it [[AscendedFridgeHorror calls attention to a fair bit of said fridge horror]]. That, and it's a PrisonEpisode rife with disturbing elements like [[KillerRabbit sadistic teddy bears]] and {{cymbal banging monkey}}s. Considering the time gap in between each movie's theatrical release, this seems somewhat appropriate. It's almost as if Pixar directed the film at an older audience who grew up on the older films. The way ''Toy Story 3'' ended, it felt like Pixar wanted to give the now Teen/Young Adult audience of the first movie some closure on the series they came to love when they were kids.
** Before ''ToyStory3'', there was ''TheIncredibles'', with gun violence, ElectricTorture, [[InterruptedSuicide suicide attempts]], large-scale destruction, bad guys who WouldHurtAChild, and "[[AntiHero good guys]]" who run from the police and lie to their own families, all in the same film. BradBird's history of working on ''TheSimpsons'' really comes through in the style and tone of ''TheIncredibles''.

** While not as extreme as the above, ''TheLionKing'' is considered darker than most Disney movies; it involved [[spoiler:the villain successfully killing one of the good guys [[KilledOffForReal for real]]]], and clearly subverted NeverSayDie. It also dealt rather bluntly with issues like mass starvation. RogerEbert notably stated that Lion King [[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19940624/REVIEWS/406240301/1023 "is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children."]]

*** Along with AtlantisTheLostEmpire, during the Leviathan Chase scene, a lot of men on the Ulysses die and there is quite a death count.
* ''Film/HowToTrainYourDragon'' wasn't ''that'' dark or edgy, but it was more serious compared to DreamWorks' other animated films. And it's still DarkerAndEdgier compared to the book it was based on.

** Disney's ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', despite getting a G rating, may very well be the darkest movie of the DisneyAnimatedCanon. The whole story is driven by the villain's sexual obsession with one of the female protagonists, and a number of darker themes - including lust and [[TheFundamentalist religious fanaticism]] - are shown. Well, you can watch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwnh-sxaBwk the first five and a half minutes of it]] and see for yourself. It's still LighterAndSofter than [[Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the original book]] by far, though.

* As far as {{Pixar}} movies go, only [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc one franchise so far]] hasn't involved at least one death, but ''Brave'' and ''TheIncredibles'' are considered to be among their darkest.

* As far as {{Pixar}} movies go, only [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc one franchise so far]] hasn't involved at least one death, but ''ToyStory3'' and ''TheIncredibles'' are considered to be among their darkest.
** As mentioned in the page quotation, ''ToyStory'' 3 is considered [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNzb79IQObk much]] darker than the first two, as well as unusually dark for a {{Pixar}} movie. This is one of the more {{justified}} examples, though, since the concepts introduced earlier in the series leave room for FridgeHorror. The third has a darker feel because it [[AscendedFridgeHorror calls attention to a fair bit of said fridge horror]]. That, and it's a PrisonEpisode rife with disturbing elements like [[KillerRabbit sadistic teddy bears]] and {{cymbal banging monkey}}s. Considering the time gap in between each movie's theatrical release, this seems somewhat appropriate. It's almost as if Pixar directed the film at an older audience who grew up on the older films. The way ''Toy Story 3'' ended, it felt like Pixar wanted to give the now Teen/Young Adult audience of the first movie some closure on the series they came to love when they were kids.

* As far as {{Pixar}} movies go, only [[MonstersInc one franchise so far]] hasn't involved at least one death, but ''ToyStory3'' and ''TheIncredibles'' are considered to be among their darkest.

*** Along with AlantisTheLostEmpire, during the Leviathan Chase scene, a lot of men on the Ulysses die and there is quite a death count.

*** Along with AlantisTheLostEmpire, during the Leviathan Chase scene, a lot of men on the Nautilus die and there is quite a death count.

** Pixar's newest film ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' is said to be darker than the previous Pixar entries.

** ''ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' probably fits as well in comparison to most Disney films. What with the voodoo and the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsbcN2LbgvM "villain's death'']]. (Go ahead and skip to about 2:45)

** All of Disney's films during the early 2000s except ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' and ''Disney/{{Home on the Range}}''.

** Pixar's newest film ''Film/{{Brave}}'' is said to be darker than the previous Pixar entries.

* ''Film/KungFuPanda2'' is significantly darker than [[Film/KungFuPanda the first film]]. Multiple characters are KilledOffForReal on screen, (though we don't see their bodies) and the NeverSayDie rule is broke a LOT, to where it seems like "death", "dead", and "kill" are used every other sentence. The villain wants to take over all of China with giant cannons that are seemingly unstoppable and really are used to kill.

* As far as {{Pixar}} movies go, ''ToyStory3'' and ''TheIncredibles'' are considered to be among their darkest.

** In fact, All but [[MonstersInc one film series]] cranked out by that studio actually features at least one death.

** While not as extreme as HoND or TBC, TheLionKing is considered darker than most Disney movies; it involved [[spoiler:the villain successfully killing one of the good guys [[KilledOffForReal for real]],]] and clearly subverted NeverSayDie. It also dealt rather bluntly with issues like mass starvation. RogerEbert notably stated that Lion King [[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19940624/REVIEWS/406240301/1023 "is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children."]]
*** Even in comparison to the first movie, the sequel is perhaps ''[[UpToEleven even darker]]''. Its VillainSong is considered much more intense than that of the first, subjects like child abuse and war are dealt with much more bluntly, and the violence is both heavier and more frequent.

* The original ''IceAge'' is regarded as being DarkerAndEdgier than ''[[LighterAndSofter Ice Age: The Meltdown or Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs]]''.
* ''TheSecretOfNIMH'' was one of the "darkest" animated feature films that DonBluth ever made.
** While characters actually bleed in ''The Secret of N.I.M.H.'', ''TheLandBeforeTime'', ''AllDogsGoToHeaven'', and the poorly-received ''TitanAE'' appear to be actually darker.

** All of Disney's films during the early 2000s except ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', ''Disney/LiloandStitch'', and ''Disney/{{Home on the Range}}''.

* ''TheSecretOfNIMH'' was one of the "darkest" animated feature films of its kind in its time, not counting RalphBakshi.

** As mentioned in the page quotation, the third ''ToyStory'' movie is considered [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNzb79IQObk much]] darker than the first two, as well as unusually dark for a {{Pixar}} movie. This is one of the more {{justified}} examples, though, since the concepts introduced earlier in the series leave room for FridgeHorror. The third has a darker feel because it [[AscendedFridgeHorror calls attention to a fair bit of said fridge horror]]. That, and it's a PrisonEpisode rife with [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel disturbing elements]] like [[KillerRabbit sadistic teddy bears]] and {{cymbal banging monkey}}s.
*** Considering the time gap in between each movie's theatrical release, this seems somewhat appropriate. It's almost as if Pixar directed the film at an older audience who grew up on the older films. This Troper was fairly young when he first saw ''ToyStory''. They way ''Toy Story 3'' ended it felt like Pixar wanted to give the now Teen/Young Adult audience of the first movie some closure on the series they came to love when they were kids.
*** And the entire series, along with {{Pixar}} itself, was almost shut down completely due to not being satisfied with the "edgy" ''Toy Story'' cut; naturally, they pulled off a miracle and created the classic trilogy we know and love today.
*** Clarifying edit: ''The team'' wasn't satisfied with the "edgy" ''Toy Story'' cut, and we're talking about ''the original one''; the [[ExecutiveMeddling bigwigs]] demanded the movie be "edgy" so that the cynical children of the nineties would give it the time of day. The original cut was dark on a level you might shy away from in most ''adult'' movies. How dark? Try "Woody was a manipulative psychopath who used terror to rule the other toys with an iron fist, and the conflict of the movie was basically that ''Buzz didn't catch on''." There's concept art of Slinky Dog ''licking Woody's boot'' in terror.

** Disney's ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', despite getting a G rating, may very well be the darkest movie of the DisneyAnimatedCanon. The whole story is driven by the villain's sexual obsession with one of the female protagonists, and a number of darker themes - including lust and [[TheFundamentalist religious fanaticism]] - are shown. Well, you can watch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwnh-sxaBwk the first five and a half minutes of it]] and see for yourself.
*** It's still LighterAndSofter than [[Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the original book]] by far, though.
** While not as extreme as the above examples, TheLionKing is considered darker than most Disney movies; it involved [[spoiler:the villain successfully killing one of the good guys [[KilledOffForReal for real]],]] and clearly subverted NeverSayDie. It also dealt rather bluntly with issues like mass starvation. RogerEbert notably stated that Lion King [[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19940624/REVIEWS/406240301/1023 "is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children."]]

* ''TheSecretOfNIMH'' was arguably the "darkest" animated feature film of its kind in its time, not counting RalphBakshi.

** Let's not forget the repressed memories of Po's traumatizing childhood.

* DigimonXEvolution. When Digimon die, they actually leave their corpses behind, the hero has an attack called "All Delete", and previous heroes are ruthless killers.

** All of Disney's films during the early 2000s except ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', ''Disney/LiloandStitch'', and ''Disney/HomeontheRange''.

* ''TransformersTheMovie'' was pretty dark compared to the tone of the series before it.

** As mentioned in the page quotation, the third ''ToyStory'' movie is considered [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNzb79IQObk much]] darker than the first two, as well as unusually dark for a {{Pixar}} movie. This is one of the more {{justified|Trope}} examples, though, since the concepts introduced earlier in the series leave room for FridgeHorror. The third has a darker feel because it [[AscendedFridgeHorror calls attention to a fair bit of said fridge horror]]. That, and it's a PrisonEpisode rife with [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel disturbing elements]] like [[KillerRabbit sadistic teddy bears]] and {{cymbal banging monkey}}s.

** Before ''ToyStory3'', there was ''TheIncredibles'', with gun violence, ElectricTorture, [[InterruptedSuicide suicide attempts]], large-scale destruction, bad guys who WouldHurtAChild, and "[[AntiHero good guys]]" who run from the police and lie to their own families, all in the same film. {{Brad|Bird}}'s history of working on ''TheSimpsons'' really comes through in the style and tone of ''TheIncredibles''.
--->"Really, really little kids should not see this movie. They should wait till they get older. We're getting some reactions from people who were disappointed that their four-year-old was a little freaked out by it. Well, I don't want to compromise the intensity in order to please a four-year-old."

** ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' probably fits as well in comparison to most Disney films. What with the voodoo and the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsbcN2LbgvM "villain's death'']]. (Go ahead and skip to about 2:45)
* The original ''IceAge'' is regarded as being DarkerAndEdgier than [[LighterAndSofter Ice Age: The Meltdown or Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs]].

** How much darker it is than the first film is debatable. It's still quite kid-friendly, and while there is more action, it's justified due to the villain having an army with him, and at least most of it is just as mild as anything in the first one. On top of that, "kill" and "dead" were already used relatively normally in the first one, and Tai Lung was considered pretty scary, even to some of the adults. If there's anything darker about this installment, it's some of the underlying themes and the [[CompleteMonster status]] of the villain. Other than that, there's still quite a bit of comedy mixed in with the action, and most of the deaths that are in it are offscreen.