Top 10 Scariest Animated Movies That Will Send Chills Down Your Spine
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 most terrifying, frightening, and disturbing animated movies. Viewer discretion is advised! What’s the scariest animated movie you’ve seen? Did it make our list? Let us know down in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo for more great videos everyday!
#10: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
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On the surface, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a goofy musical about Halloween messing with the traditions of Christmas. But we can understand how some folks might choose to avoid watching it. As whimsical as it can be in its own twisted ways, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” does contain some frightening visuals, particularly during the “This is Halloween” and “Making Christmas” numbers. So perhaps those who consider themselves to be faint of heart should hold off on watching this until they feel comfortable with the imagery. The same could absolutely be said for “Corpse Bride.”
#9: “Monster House” (2006)
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One could joke about motion-capture animation being disturbing on its own. (Heck, we almost considered “The Polar Express” for this list for that reason!) However, “Monster House” manages to be a perfect horror movie that everyone in the family can enjoy (assuming they like being scared, of course). With every gag and joke uttered, there are shots where you feel truly scared for the kids as the sentient house takes out people in some pretty vicious ways. For us, though, we will never forget the shot where DJ and Chowder look back and get a brief flash of the house’s horrifying face.
#8: “The Secret of NIMH” (1982)
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We’d be remiss if a Don Bluth movie didn’t make it on this list, and “The Secret of NIMH” is the top of his work in terms of disturbing and scary animated movies. The movie explores many heavy themes that are further heightened by its rotoscope animation. Not only will you witness the struggles of taking care of a deathly ill loved one, but you’ll also experience the harsh realities and brutal nature of the animal kingdom. This includes some of the horrifying things humans can do to animals. It’s a spectacular film all around; just know that this is not a fun film or one you’ll want to rewatch. The owl will make sure of that.
#7: “The Brave Little Toaster” (1987)
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“The Brave Little Toaster” could have just been a cute movie about a cute kitchen appliance doing cute things. It could have been. But no. Instead, it chose to scar a whole generation of kids several times within the span of ninety minutes. There’s the scene with the flower, Toaster’s nightmare, the chop shop, the junkyard… And that’s all without getting into the general violence. Rewatching it now, we’d be amazed if at least one kid didn’t walk away with a brand new phobia. How were we allowed to watch this stuff?
#6: “The Black Cauldron” (1985)
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Disney movies once showed that they weren’t afraid to get dirty, dark, or grim. But of the entire Disney collection, none have come as close to instilling a certain level of fear as “The Black Cauldron.” From the intimidating environments and the Horned King’s appearance to the music and death of one character, this truly is the most dismal Disney movie we’ve seen. Granted, it isn’t as creepy as the other movies we’re about to get into, but we wouldn’t be surprised if most House of Mouse fanatics skip over this one.
#5: “Mad God” (2021)
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Stop-motion animation and horror aren’t the first two genres we’d blend together, but “Mad God” shows how it can be done. Running just a little over eighty minutes, “Mad God” takes viewers for a ride through a world that has been forever tainted and traumatized by the horrors of war. The violence is never-ending as animals are held captive for experiments, inhuman beasts roam freely at the top of the food chain, and factories supply husks to sustain higher life forms until the end of time. What’s on the surface will disturb most viewers, but what’s more disturbing is how some bits of “Mad God” relate to the modern world’s political and social issues. Don’t be surprised if this sticks with you long after viewing.
#4: “Watership Down” (1978)
For those who love animals, especially rodents, this one might be hard to sit through. “Watership Down” tells the story of a family of rabbits seeking refuge for a new home after their old one comes under the threat of desolation. What follows is a series of unfortunate events that will probably make you cry and, if you own a rodent as a pet, make you want to hug them as you sob. Really, some of the moments you’ll witness in “Watership Down” will make you forget all about “Bambi” and “The Lion King.”
#3: “Seoul Station” (2016)
Some folks would argue the less details in visuals, the less scary things can be. “Seoul Station” completely debunks that notion. A prequel to the live-action Korean movie “Train to Busan,” “Seoul Station” explores what life was like before the events of the previous movie. But it isn’t just the zombies and viscera that make this movie scary. “Impending doom” is the name of the game. Hye-sun and Ki-woong’s struggle to make ends meet is depressingly relatable to some, but it is nothing compared to the zero-to-sixty acceleration of going from normal life to zombie outbreak in which they find themselves.
#2: “Coraline” (2009)
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“Coraline” could have very easily stolen our top spot, and it almost did! Since its debut, this movie has been considered one of the most frightening kids movies of all-time. From the set pieces to the color schemes to the buttoned eyes of the Other World inhabitants, everything invokes that “sick to our stomachs” feeling of something not being quite right. It isn’t until the last third of the movie that “Coraline” finally takes a hard turn into its horrific imagery. And trust us when we say if you haven’t seen this movie yet, it will follow you for the rest of your life. And if “Coraline” doesn’t, “ParaNorman” certainly will.
Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions…
“The Plague Dogs” (1982)
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Cujo’s Got Nothing on This Canine Flick
“The Last Unicorn” (1982)
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“Fear(s) of the Dark” (2007)
You’re Going to Need a Colorful Palate Cleanser After This#1: “Perfect Blue” (1997)
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Sometimes, you don’t need grotesque visuals or horrifying character designs to truly terrify an audience. Sometimes, all it takes is a taste of reality. “Perfect Blue” tells the story of a pop idol who retires from singing to pursue acting. However, not everyone is happy with her decision, and someone is pretending to be her while carrying out a series of grisly murders. You will feel her fear throughout the movie’s eighty-minute runtime as you’re constantly guessing who could be the killer. Adding to the fear is when you realize how relevant “Perfect Blue” truly is even today, especially for women on the internet.
