Top 10 Best Animation Studios

The Top Ten

  1. Pixar

    Pixar, also known as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. It is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.

    The studio began in 1979 as the Graphics Group, which was part of the Lucasfilm computer division. In 1986, it became an independent... read more

    I like Disney, I like DreamWorks, but I love Pixar. Pixar, for me, is just a master of original stories. Disney leans heavily on story adaptations, especially fairy tales, with some original stories here and there (like Brother Bear, Zootopia, Home on the Range, Dinosaurs, The Emperor's New Groove) that are just hit and miss.

    DreamWorks just doesn't have a consistent image. Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon, then there's Home, Shark Tale, Boss Baby, Shrek 3, Bee Movie... You just can't have any clear expectation from DreamWorks, and that is bad.

    Pixar, however, is different. Whatever they come up with will be marked with high, or at least moderate, expectations. Even Cars 2. And I don't even think that Cars 2 is that bad, especially if you compare it to the wrecks that other companies have made. That puts Pixar above all others.

  2. Walt Disney Animation Studios

    Walt Disney Animation Studios, headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, is an American animation studio that creates animated feature films, short films, and television specials for The Walt Disney Company. It is one of the oldest and most influential animation studios in the... read more

    Disney Animation Studios has been gaining momentum since they released Bolt. This was followed by a stream of new hits including The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Winnie the Pooh, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, and most recently Big Hero 6.

    Disney doesn't need Pixar to keep the brand alive anymore because their own animation studios have just entered what many animation fans are calling the new Disney Renaissance. We just have to hope Zootopia, Moana, Giants, and Frozen 2 keep the studio producing new and fresh material to entertain and endear people just as much as their Golden Era and Renaissance period films.

    Disney should have the number one spot. Frozen is the fifth highest-grossing movie of all time, and they have so many great classics like Sleeping Beauty, The Lion King, and The Jungle Book, to name a few.

    They also own Pixar, which deserves the number two spot. Half of the movies Pixar has made have won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and all but two were nominated.

    The only films DreamWorks has made that can even be mentioned in the same caliber as Disney are Shrek (just the first one, not the sequels) and How to Train Your Dragon 2.

  3. DreamWorks Animation

    DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA), also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks, is an American animation studio owned by Universal Pictures. Universal Pictures is a division of NBCUniversal, which is part of Comcast. As of June 13, 2025, DreamWorks Animation has produced 51 feature films... read more

    Charming (hahah!) character designs, topics, and great music.

    The animation when they worked in 2D was breathtaking. I wish full movies that looked like how they used to would still be made. Fully shaded animation can look interesting without being adult-oriented or extremely edgy. I want something I can feel proud of after watching, not something that leaves me feeling uncomfortable.

    In DreamWorks' movies, they show creativity. In Disney, all the movies have the same plot line, and almost all the stories are about fairy tales. Frozen isn't the best. It can't be compared to The Croods because Frozen has the same ending as Beauty and the Beast. The only difference is that in Beauty and the Beast, the beast dies, and in Frozen, Anna gets frostbite. At the same time, Croods is a totally different story. It should have gotten the Oscar.

    Every DreamWorks movie shows creativity and variety, but it is not found in Disney. So, DreamWorks should be #1.

  4. Studio Ghibli

    Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio founded in 1985. The studio is best known for its animated feature films and has also produced several short films, television commercials, and one television movie. It released the iconic anime film "Spirited Away" in 2001, which received international... read more

    I was only introduced to their work in 5th grade, but man, this studio is amazing. I can even compare their quality to that of Disney, but at the same time, I cannot. Ghibli does their own thing, and their aura is a unique one. While it can compete with Disney's aura and quality, it is still irreplaceable.

    Not only that, but the animation in all of their works I've seen is gorgeous, probably the best that I've ever seen (sorry Disney and Pixar). It's easily the most defining trait of their films. Their movies also have relatable characters and well-written plots. Yeah, apparently people consider it the Disney Studios of Japan, but I honestly don't care because both animation companies are absolutely wonderful.

    Also, why the heck is DreamWorks ahead of these guys? Yeah, DreamWorks has some good films, but oi, their history is a gruesome and complicated one indeed.

  5. Nickelodeon Animation Studio

    They gave us Rocko, SpongeBob, Invader Zim, and Avatar. How could you not love at least one of those four shows?

    This studio deserves higher because of SpongeBob. Episodes like Band Geeks, Chocolate With Nuts, Pizza Delivery, The Camping Episode, Frankendoodle, and Graveyard Shift are classics!

    Because of Avatar and SpongeBob, I think this should be higher, like 6.

  6. Blue Sky Studios

    Blue Sky Studios was an American computer animation film studio based in Greenwich, Connecticut. It was founded in 1987 by Chris Wedge, Michael Ferraro, Carl Ludwig, Alison Brown, David Brown, and Eugene Troubetzkoy after the closure of MAGI, the company they had worked for, which was one of the visual... read more

    This is the #2 best animation studio after Disney. Whoever works for this masterpiece of a studio is a genius in several ways possible. Their films are SO original! Ice Age was so original in 2002. Robots is ALSO original, considering Robots was made BEFORE WALL-E! It's also a shame Video Brinquedo had to ruin it with their lack of originality.

    Horton Hears a Who CGI film was also original, along with the super original Rio. Good luck with Epic, Blue Sky! I hope it's as good as your other films. All in all, Blue Sky is WAY better than DreamWorks and Pixar combined (my opinion). I hope anyone else agrees with me!

    The Ice Age sequels may show that Blue Sky ran out of ideas, but Blue Sky was lucky to make the Rio duology, Bunny, Robots, and nearly every other movie that isn't an Ice Age sequel.

  7. Aardman

    Aardman created characters that I love, such as Wallace, Gromit, Ginger, Rocky, Mac, Babs, Bunty, Fowler, Molly, Frizzle, Roddy, Rita, Shaun the Sheep, Fluffles, and Lady Tottington.

    This studio is very underrated, but I wish Aardman had another branch in the US instead of just one studio in Bristol, England. This studio is well-known for making such unique stop-motion animation and its iconic characters like Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and others. Speaking of movies, Early Man will come out this 2018, and I hope it is good.

  8. Fox Animation Studios

    This is the home of many beloved sitcoms such as The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Futurama, American Dad, Family Guy, and its spinoff The Cleveland Show. It's also home to the Ice Age movies, Rio, and The Simpsons Movie.

    The Simpsons have been on the air for like 24 years and counting. That alone makes Fox worthy of #1, and I haven't even mentioned Futurama and Family Guy.

    Fox has such iconic sitcom families like the Simpsons, the Flanders, the Wiggums, the Griffins, and the Hills, among others.

  9. Hanna-Barbera Productions

    Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was a major American animation studio that had a dominant presence in television animation for several decades. The company was founded in 1957 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, former animation directors at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, along with live-action director George... read more

    They have more iconic characters than any other animation studio. About eight of their cartoon characters would make the top twenty list: Scooby-Doo, Fred Flintstone, Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, any of the Smurfs, George Jetson, and many others. I think this should be #2, right behind Disney.

    P.S. I never really liked Disney anyway.

    The animation is so slick it's rivaled only by one guy: the legendary Tex Avery.

    This is the home of Flintstones, Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, Yogi Bear, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, Tom & Jerry, and Wacky Races.

  10. Illumination

    I know this studio has to pay its dues like Pixar and DreamWorks have, and those studios deserve their perches. But I can see Illumination pouncing on them from behind, especially if they continue to make characters and stories as colorful and creative as The Lorax and Despicable Me.

    One of their greatest strengths is making characters that appeal to everyone. The character of Gru is truly lovable and relatable to all ages, and the Lorax himself was really a tribute to the work of Seuss. I love the work this studio has done and am so looking forward to their future ventures. Currently, I feel they're severely underrated.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    DIC Entertainment

    In all honesty, even if the animation doesn't age well nowadays, DIC was the company that revolutionized original Saturday Morning Cartoons along with Hanna-Barbera.

  12. ?

    SpindleHorse

    13. The Contenders

  13. Warner Bros. Animation

    They made Iron Giant and all the DC Animated films. Enough said here.

  14. Cartoon Network Studios

    It's one of the most-watched channels this year and last year, more than Nick.

  15. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation

    They have made masterpieces like The Iron Giant, Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, Osmosis Jones, Cats Don't Dance, and Quest for Camelot. It's kinda sad that almost everyone has forgotten these awesome movies that easily compete with other films from Disney or Fox in terms of quality and originality.

    Really cool animation, especially in the 90s to early 2000s.

    They made The Lego Movie. What else not to like?

  16. Paramount Animation

    To be honest, I think this animation studio is better than Disney Animation Studios. This studio puts a lot of effort into their animation. Also, the storylines and plots are actually original, unlike some other animation studios.

  17. Madhouse

    They are on the next level of traditional animation, handmade. The best animated series (One-Punch Man, Death Note, Claymore) and movies (all Satoshi Kon-directed movies) are made by these guys.

    Parasyte -the maxim-, No Game No Life, Death Note. What else can I say?

  18. Laika

    Laika, LLC is an American stop-motion animation studio based in Oregon. It is known for producing acclaimed feature films such as Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link. In addition to films, Laika also creates commercial content, music videos, and short films... read more

    Laika has some of the most original and beautiful films I've ever seen, and I don't feel like they receive enough credit for that. They have kept stop motion a wonderful form of animated art, even though no one else attempts to do it anymore. The people at Laika continue to top themselves every time, with Kubo being one of the best films of 2016.

    Coraline has always been one of my favorite films of ALL TIME. When you see how much effort they put into their movies, you realize what an amazing and unique animation studio they are.

    Laika is one of the only studios on this list, if not the only one, to get over 75% on Rotten Tomatoes for five movies in a row. It's a shame their movies are flopping financially.

    But I have to give credit to the fact that they actually seem to care more about making quality stuff than making money. They refuse to make much merchandise, they refuse to try out CGI (which tends to make more financially successful movies), and they refuse to lower their budgets on their movies. Impressive!

  19. Sony Pictures Animation

    Sony should be way higher than Illumination. Both are, on average, bad companies, but Sony not only has more movies in general, but more good movies overall. Only the Despicable Me trilogy and Lorax were good movies from Illumination. Whereas, with Sony, I can name at least seven decent movies.

    I've gained major respect for them ever since they released Spider-Verse. Way better than Illumination Entertainment because of that movie alone.

    They've had an equal share of good and bad films. They're okay but still could improve. The Emoji Movie was a disastrously bad movie.

  20. Universal Animation Studios

    I like Universal everything. It should have at least made it in the top ten. This is ridiculous!

    Flippy from HTF is the #1 mascot for Universal Studios, better than Minions, Sing, Woody Woodpecker, The Land Before Time, Secret Life of Pets, Despicable Me, Curious George, and Balto.

  21. MTV Animation

    Beavis and Butthead came from here.

  22. DisneyToon Studios

    The makers of Planes and the Tinker Bell movies with endless sequels.

  23. Toei Animation

  24. Sullivan Bluth Studios

  25. Funimation

  26. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation

    In its heyday, it pounded Popeye and Woody and gave Mickey, Donald, Bugs, and Daffy a run for their money.

    Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote, and the Road Runner were created just to compete with Tom & Jerry.

  27. Hasbro Studios

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