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Central Theme / Animated Films

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  • Aladdin:
    • Be Careful What You Wish For. It may seem great at first, but was it worth it?
    • What does it mean to be free?
    • How dishonesty might affect your life.
    • Happiness comes when we cease wishing to be something else and simply be who we were born to be.
  • An American Tail: Searching for a new home.
  • All Dogs Go to Heaven: What does it mean to be a good person? What does it mean to live?
  • Arthur Christmas: Doing something for the right reasons is ultimately more important than how well you do it.
  • Bambi:
    • The natural world is beautiful and intense all at once, governed by forces beyond our control.
    • Without respect and careful thought, man can easily become the enemy of nature.
  • Barnyard: What is the nature of a "strong man" in relation to others
  • Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker: Underestimating others as well as learning to step out of your predecessor's shadow and do your own thing.
  • Beauty and the Beast:
    • Can love be found in the least likely of places, or people?
    • Beauty does not define someone's moral character, it is their actions.
  • Bee Movie: The importance of contributing to our environment. Even the smallest of creatures can make a big change.
  • Big Hero 6: Healing. Both the obvious kind (seen through Baymax's role as The Medic), and the not-so-obvious kind (seen through Hiro's struggle with the pain of losing his brother, and Professor Callaghan's struggle with the pain of losing his daughter). Not all wounds can be stitched or bandaged; some require the aid of loyal friends.
    "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"
  • BIONICLE films:
    • Mask of Light: Being responsible and facing your fate.
    • Legends of Metru Nui: Being a hero is not about glory, it's about overcoming failures and doing your best to save others. Self-discovery is just as important as your superpowers.
    • Web of Shadows: A chosen, respected leader is better than a feared tyrant. Disagreements need to be respectfully resolved for the greater good. Nobody is strong if they're alone.
  • Brave:
    • It takes effort to become a better person and shape your destiny.
    • Reconciliation and compromise between those with different ideals or goals.
    • The value of ancient legends and history; learning from the mistakes of the past.
  • Brother Bear: Love is found in unexpected places, and realizing this is an important Rite of Passage.
  • A Bug's Life: What does it mean to be "big?" Redefining order in a flawed hierarchy.
  • Cinderella: Friendship, kindness, and optimism are important strengths.
  • Coco:
    • How do you reconcile between your desires and the needs of a family?
    • Our deceased loved ones live on in our hearts and memories.
    • What is the value of music?
  • Coraline: Accepting the fact that living in the mundane, average real world is still better than a too-good-to-be-true fantasy world.
  • Dumbo: Your strengths can be found in unexpected places. To a degree, it also promotes the importance of maternal love.
  • Despicable Me: How parenthood can change you in ways you never expected.
    • Despicable Me 2: Can you be a hero for someone regardless of your personal appearance?
    • Minions: The loyalty towards a superior being.
    • Despicable Me 3: Adjusting to a familial role (Lucy), and continuing family traditions (Dru).
  • The Emperor's New Groove:
  • Encanto:
    • Don't let yourself or others be defined by their gifts or talents (or lack thereof).
    • Generational Trauma.
  • Fantasia:
    • Music expresses everyday events.
    • Hear the music, see the music.
    • The beauty and savagery of nature.
    • Hierarchies of power. Many segments in the film end with a seemingly unstoppable character (or characters) abruptly meeting their match after someone (or something) far more powerful arrives on the scene; the Sorcerer in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", the collapse of Earth's ecosystem in "The Rite of Spring", Vulcan and Zeus in "Primavera", and the Christian worshippers in "Night on Bald Mountain".
    • The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Don't start something you can't finish.
  • Ferdinand: Can you judge a bull by its cover?
  • Finding Nemo: Good parenting requires you to let go and take a leap of faith.
  • The Fox and the Hound: What are the limits of The Power of Friendship under societal pressure?
  • Frozen (2013): The Power of Love, whether familial or romantic.
    • Frozen II: The balance between independence and family.
  • The Good Dinosaur: It's healthy and perfectly natural to be afraid, but letting your fears (or your attempts at being fearless) dominate you isn't the way to deal with them.
  • Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: The consequences of Blind Obedience.
  • Hercules: A person's strength and worth is not defined by their might, fame, or stature, but by their character and integrity. One should also be themselves to achieve their goals instead of something they're not for personal gain. Hercules' Humble Hero contrast with Hades' Ambition Is Evil approach emphasizes this theme.
  • Heroic Times: Kings and knights are sinful people, good intentions can lead you down a path of despair, and holding onto outdated notions of chivalry can turn the most noble person into a monster.
  • Home (2015): Finding your home. Family is another.
    • You can run as far and as fast as you can, but sooner or later, your past will catch up with you, and hurt those around you. When that happens, all you can do is stop running, and face it.
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame:
  • Ice Age: Friendship, forgiveness, redemption, and how the actions of one innocent person, kidnapped for the slaughter, can transform a trio of misfits into a true family.
  • The Incredibles: What does it mean to be extraordinary?
  • Inside Out:
    • The value of ALL our emotions, even those we might not want to feel.
    • The struggle to maintain balance between happiness and sadness.
    • The importance of honesty and openness regarding what you're feeling — towards yourself as well as others.
  • The Iron Giant:
    • It doesn't matter if you appear threatening or villainous. You are what you choose to be.
    • Also, the folly of prejudice and Black-and-White Morality.
  • Kubo and the Two Strings:
    • The memory of those passed can live on through their family and friends.
    • Learning through loss.
  • Kung Fu Panda series: Anyone can find greatness through belief in oneself and working hard in their own way.
    • Kung Fu Panda: There is no thing that makes you special. It's just you and what you do.
    • Kung Fu Panda 2: Learning to accept your past without being ruled by it.
    • Kung Fu Panda 3: Finding out who you are, and what that means for you. It also teaches that sometimes you've got to make tough decisions in order to do the right thing.
  • The Land Before Time: With some perseverance and teamwork, any hardship can be overcome. Some journeys can only be completed if everyone stays on the same path.
  • The LEGO Movie: Anyone can be special. Creativity is a wonderful, powerful thing that often crops up in unexpected places and, sometimes, unexpected people.
    • The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part: Not everything is as awesome as you expect it to be, and sometimes bad circumstances brought on by anger and misunderstanding can make people change for the worse. However it is still important to make the effort to make things better for everyone and yourself rather than sulking in that negativity.
    • The LEGO Batman Movie: According to Word of God from producers Phil Lord & Chris Miller "Can Batman be happy?" Throughout the film, Batman's neuroses from losing his parents make it hard for him to connect to his friends, family or enemies, as he doesn't want to lose anyone close to him ever again. But despite Alfred, Barbara Gordon, Robin, the Justice League and even the Joker pointing this out to him throughout the film, Batman continues to refuse to admit he has a connection to anyone. In the finale, Batman is forced to admit that everyone, including him, needs others. And instead of protecting you from pain, pretending you don't just hurts those you care about and you yourself.
  • Lilo & Stitch: The struggle of ʻohana (family) in the face of tragedy and hardship. Or as stated in the film itself:
    "ʻOhana means family; family means nobody gets left behind—or forgotten."
  • The Lion King series:
  • The Little Mermaid series:
Madagascar: Adjusting to unfamiliar environments.
  • Meet the Robinsons: "Keep moving forward." Don't let the regrets of your past keep you from achieving the dreams of your future.
  • Megamind:
    • Doing what you believe you have been chosen for or are fundamentally supposed to do (destiny) versus doing what you want to do (free will) in order to achieve happiness.
    • Power can reveal one's true character, as shown when a creep like Hal gains Metroman's powers.
  • Moana: Searching for one's identity and purpose.
  • Monsters, Inc.: What do you do when you find out your profession is unethical? What does it take to try and change it for the better?
  • Mr. Peabody & Sherman: The unpredictability of family.
  • My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks: The conflict between pursuing art for fame and glory, and pursuing it for its own sake.
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas: Be Yourself; don't try to change yourself into someone you're not. Appreciate what you have and who you are, without trying to force others to do the same.
  • Onward: Rediscovering the magic in modern life and appreciating your family.
  • ParaNorman:
    • The importance of forgiveness and not getting overcome by anger.
    • Blind fear and mob mentality can make even the most sensible men do monstrous things.
  • Pocahontas:
    • Love and personal courage can change the world.
    • The destructive nature of (racial) hatred and violent conflict.
  • The Princess and the Frog:
    • Finding a balance in your life for hard work and for fun.
    • Getting what you want is not always what you need; that need being love.
  • Rango: What does it mean to be a hero? Does it mean you should replicate the heroes before you? Or does it mean that you should be a hero in your own way?
  • Ratatouille: Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.
  • Raya and the Last Dragon: It's important to trust people, but that trust has to go both ways for it to work.
  • Return To Never Land: The loss and rediscovery of one's innocence.
  • Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling: Things change, and it can be overwhelming. But not all change is bad, and you're better off accepting it rather than clinging to the past.
  • Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island: The past has a way of shaping the present.
  • The Shrek series:
    • Rejecting traditional Fairy Tale Tropes for true love and happiness.
    • Monsters, ugly beings, and other misfits can still be accepted because of who they are inside.
    • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish:
      • Life is precious; never take it for granted.
      • The inevitability of death, and finding the resolve to not let fear overtake your life.
  • Sing 2: Conquering your fears. Many characters have to face what they fear the most so they can accomplish their goals and move forward with their lives.
    • Rosita has to face her fear of heights so she could fulfil a leading role in the show and save Buster's life.
    • Johnny has to face his fear of Klaus, his abusive dance instructor, and his own self-doubts that he is not good enough for a place like Redshore City.
    • Meena has to not be afraid of being rejected so she could ask Alfonso on a date.
    • Porsha has to face of her fear of losing her father's approval. She learns that she no longer wants his approval anymore and decides to side with the Moon Troupe against her father instead.
    • Clay has to face his fear of performing after being held back for years of his grief over his wife's death.
    • Buster has to face both his fear of failure, feeling the Moon Troupe is not good enough for the big leagues, and his fear of Jimmy Crystal, understandably who is a unstable, murderous maniac.
  • Son of the White Horse: History Repeats. Nature and tradition are good but technology and advancement can be destructive, so remember the past and try to avoid the same mistakes even if it's ultimately futile.
  • Song of the Sea: Bottling up negative emotions such as grief or anger only makes you feel worse. You have to confront your problems instead of ignoring them in order to move forward.
    • Even though someone you love is gone, they live through your memories of them and what they taught you.
  • South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut: There are much worse things in life than swearing.
    • You might not want to take responsibility for your faults, but if you don't, you'll never learn from them.
    • The problems of fighting for a lost cause.
    • Learning to stand up to your loved ones.
  • Spider-Man: Spider-Verse: What does it truly mean to be a Spider-Man?
    • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: "Anyone could wear the mask. You could wear the mask." No matter where they come from or who they are, anyone can be a hero, as long as they're willing to take the leap of faith to get there.
    • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: The struggle between your personal choices and the expectations of the outside world, and the various consequences that arise from said struggle.
  • The Spine of Night: Knowledge, and the attitude humans should have towards it, even in the face of truly upsetting or dangerous information.
  • Steven Universe: The Movie:
  • The Super Mario Bros. Movie has a focus on perseverance, as explained by co-director Aaron Horvath. Mario's character arc is about him not giving up on saving his brother, even when difficult battles make him ready to give up.
  • Tangled: Learning to assert yourself and realize your dreams.
    • The film also has significant Subtext about children growing up under Abusive Parents. In a departure from the original fairy tale, it isn't the tower itself that keeps Rapunzel separated from the world, but Gothel's years of Gaslighting that have convinced her that she is too weak and the world is too cruel for her to ever do anything for herself. Rapunzel's Coming of Age Story is realizing that Gothel is wrong.
  • Teen Titans Go! To the Movies: You don't need to be an Ideal Hero to be a hero. In fact, if you be yourself, that makes you more distinct.
  • Toy Story series: Confronting your insecurities and accepting change.
    • Toy Story: The destructiveness of jealousy and insecurity, and The Power of Friendship.
    • Toy Story 2: Choosing between long-lasting, superficial admiration or a genuine, fleeting relationship. Confronting your mortality and deciding how you will live your life because of it; is it better to take risks if it means you'll get damaged or even killed, or to live the safe life — and is the safe life really living at all?
    • Toy Story 3: Moving on and accepting change.
    • Toy Story 4: Even if life takes you through many unexpected routes you can't alter, and if you're faced with tough choices, following your heart will ultimately be the best choice in the long run. And giving people second chances can change their lives in ways they never imagined.
  • The Tragedy of Man: Humanity is doomed to struggle, as no belief system or society can be perfect. God and Mother Nature can't be defied without losing our humanity. Man, Woman and Evil will always clash and overcome each other by taking different forms in every historical era.
  • Turning Red:
    • Puberty and growing up.
    • Learning to live with yourself and to accept and embrace who you are, instead of hiding it out of fear and/or to please others.
    • Generational Trauma and the struggles and problems with trying to live up to the high expectations of your parental figures.
  • UglyDolls:
  • Up:
    • Life is an adventure. Don't let grief and bitterness keep you from it.
    • Also, don't let the material things you did or did not have blind you to relationships, past or present.
  • WALL•E:
    • Even in the bleakest of scenarios, love and determination can renew life.
    • People need to stand on their own two feet and take care of themselves to make a life worth living.
    • Fighting for free will.
  • Wendell & Wild: Imprisonment and denying people their liberty.
  • The Willoughbys:
    • The family you choose along the way will always be stronger than the ones you have blood ties to.
    • You aren't obliged to forgive any of your abusers, even if you're related to them.
  • Winnie the Pooh franchise:
  • Wizards: Does technology and progress drive man to evil, or is it only in how you use it?
  • Wolfwalkers: Protection and imprisonment aren't that different. Restricting someone's freedoms in the name of "protecting" them is just as oppressive as straight up caging or enslaving them.
  • Wreck-It Ralph:
    • First film:
      • Don't let your nature be defined by your role.
      • Don't drive people away simply because you dislike them. There could be a time when you need them most and they're nowhere to be found.
      • We should think about how others feel and be more inclusive. Likewise you mustn't let your resentment get to you because if you lash out you will often hurt innocent people and ruin the whole community.
    • Second film:
      • Sometimes, you can be your own worst enemy.
      • It's okay if you and your loved ones have different personal interests or life goals.
  • Zootopia:
    • Regardless of who you are, you must define yourself and your positive change in the world.
    • Broad, wanton discrimination can be hurtful, even when you mean well. And even though we all have our prejudices, we need to do our best to see past them for each other.
    • Many people are unaware of their own prejudice. Those who supposedly display prejudice can also be a victim of prejudice. In fact, thinking they are prejudiced can be prejudice in and of itself. Likewise, a good, helpful, friendly, empathetic and kind-hearted person who hates prejudice can be prejudiced themselves.

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