But the blossoming, nerdish personality of Po, the lead, doesn’t let you remember any of that. Little of it makes sense, even in the bizarre universe of animated films. The protagonist, a panda, works at a noodle restaurant, worships kung fu masters, and later, faces off against a nefarious snow leopard. Kung Fu Panda (Amazon Prime Video and Netflix) Produced by Guillermo del Toro, the film’s imagery is vibrant and flavourful, it swoops you into a realm of music and spirit. Here, wooden figurines are brought to life in the Mexican land of the dead - through which their folk and culture is celebrated with glory and style. Visually striking and colourful, The Book of Life is an enchanting story about a romance being withered by a conniving and greedy man. After being challenged by Julius Caesar to complete twelve tasks, the duo embark on an adventure trying to carry out tasks that only Gods have been able to do - putting together a tale of hard work and perseverance.

While its animations don’t hold up to our current 3D, Pixar-accustomed palettes, its plot remains just as pleasurable and cheerful as the Asterix and Obelix series.

The 12 Tasks of Asterix (Amazon Prime Video)Īsterix, known for his fearlessness and valiance in the comics, is nothing short of a gallant warrior in this 1976 Franco-Belgian film. There is warmth in the wintry village and compassion amidst grudging communities. It’s a simple, delightful journey - from selfishness to selflessness. What nudged Santa Claus into giving toys to children during Christmas? This film has a very peculiar interpretation of his origin story - where a rich, postal politician banishes his son to an island where Klaus lives, making him deliver over six thousand letters in a year, which laters turns into leaving gifts and lumps of coal with children alongside Klaus at night. Here are some animated films, available online, maybe not as widespread but are equally admirable and impactful. Such films are thin on the ground though - those that your six-year-old preschooler can enjoy as much as you, those that have significance beyond entertainment, and those that can stand the test of time.

They are titles that often work for all age groups, unimpeded by the myth that animated features are for kids. The Lion King, the Toy Story franchise, WALL-E - these are all champions of their field, every Tom, Dick, and Harry knows those names and has watched at least one of them.

English cartoon movies for children