Animated films are more prevalent than ever, and the painstaking process by which they are made often leads to some of the best films. It is one of the most diverse mediums in the film industry, able to tell stories in a way live-action never could. Technological advances have allowed animated films to look better than ever before, enabling them to mimic reality and all its minute details.
From the texture of a character's skin to the fingerprints they leave behind, animated films can offer an unparalleled level of detail. With this in mind here are the 10 best looking animated films of all time, ranked by photorealism.
The Prince of Egypt
The biblical epic The Prince of Egypt may feature stylized animation, but it manages to capture a surprising level of realism and detail. The film's dark tone didn't pull any punches, and the world it depicts is filled that same darkness.
The stunning landscapes of Egypt were bought to life with the best technology 1998 had to offer. The film still looks great today, and mark one of the last big-budget animated films of this style the west produced.
Kubo and the Two Strings
Painstakingly made through stop-motion animation Kubo and the Two Strings tells a fantastical tale featuring witches, ghosts, and monsters. But despite all that the film manages to capture a level of detail and realism rarely seen in stop mention.
The film even features one of the largest models ever used in a stop motion film, which stood at over 18-feet tall. This enabled them to capture details like never before.
Anomalisa
Anomalisa tells the ironic tale of a customer service expert that is unable to connect with people. The film is mature and features writer/director Charlie Kaufman's unique brand of dark humor and melancholy.
Through stop-motion, Anomalisa aims for photorealism, with every piece of clothing and hair rendered in minute detail. Made on a small budget the film archives a stunning level of realism and was described as one of the most human films of the year.
Grave of the Fireflies
Set during the last few months of the second world war, Grave of the Fireflies is grounded in reality and tells a tale of survival. The film's poignant story is reflected in its visuals, with the devested world around them portrayed in stunning and bleak detail, unlike any other animated film.
Grave of the Fireflies captures the tragedy of the period beautifully though the desaturating of the landscapes and the ruined cities that reflect their lives.
Spirited Away
Though Spirited Away features some of the most surreal and fantastical concepts ever seen, it manages to balance this with its stunning commitment to realism. Although the film is almost two decades old it is still a visual feast.
Featuring breathtaking detail-rich landscapes and lavish interiors populated with detail that are easy to miss, Spirited Away is a film that deserves to be watched more than once. Top that all of with characters, however surreal they may be, that never strays into unbelievability or silliness.
The Adventures of Tin Tin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Using motion capture Tintin was brought to life in 2011's The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Utilizing this technology a level of realism was captured that would have been difficult to produce using traditional animation.
This bridges the gap between live-action and animation, using the best of both worlds to create a unique and realistic looking film. And although the film is stylized it features a larger than life world filled with rich details and elaborate characters.
The Lego Movie
Although The Lego Movie isn't about human characters, it still manages to emulate the real world in great detail. The Lego characters are brought to life so well, it is easy to believe that they are real. But they are not.
The creative team behind the movie took inspiration from actual stop motion Lego films across YouTube to replicate the way they move. In addition to this, the Lego pieces are given imperfection, such as scratches and fingerprints to make them appear real.
Your Name
Without a doubt, 2016's Your Name is one of the best looking 2D animated films of all time. The body-swap drama brought both the city and the countryside to life in detail never before seen.
With some of the most realistic and visually stunning landscapes ever seen in a film of its kind. But beyond that, the detail in the film is almost unparalleled with the world brought to life with a complexity that would have been impossible in the past.
Toy Story 4
Utilizing the best technology available, Toy Story in more stunning detail than ever before. The franchise has come a long way since 1995 and the difference is astounding.
From the fibers of Woody's clothes to the Human characters of the film, everything looks simply breathtaking. But all this came at a cost with every frame of the film reportedly taking sixty to one hundred and sixty hours to render.
The Garden of Words
The Garden of Words is a slow and methodical film, featuring themes of loneliness and responsibility. This is reflected in the film's tone and though its visuals. Featuring many awe-inspiring scenes in heavy rain, the level of detail is unparalleled.
Furthermore, the city itself is rich and rendered in more detail than ever seen before, leaving behind stylized animation and aiming at something better than photorealism. The Garden of Words is a visual feast that everyone should experience.
