Table of Contents
With animation dominating the entertainment industry through movies, TV shows, anime, and video games, we tend to bring our favorite cartoon characters to life. Here’s our decision on what we consider the top 10 Best animation studios in the world based on their track record.
Pixar – one of the best animation studios
Pixar is a prime example of how creativity creates excellence. For decades, the studio has been trying to create characters we all love. Pixar has tried to tell stories that appeal to all ages, not just younger audiences. From the Toy Story franchise to WALL-E, Pixar has managed to capture audiences time and time again, and we have no doubt they will continue to do so for years to come. It’s not just the movies that hit theaters that stand out; even short films surprise us with sheer detail.
Walt Disney
Disney is a name synonymous with many emotions. We can’t imagine the amount of effort put into the studio’s movies, games, and TV shows. The franchise is ubiquitous, and the foundation of its success is laid by the classic animated films that have brought the studio to life.
Walt Disney Animation Studios was founded in 1923. The two brothers were initially responsible for producing animated short films. Over the years, we’ve seen characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck brought to life. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the studio’s most popular film, and if you factor in movie ticket price inflation, it would be one of the most profitable animated films ever made.
Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli is arguably the most beloved animation studio in the world, and it’s all thanks to Hayao Miyazaki and the insanely talented team of animators that are part of the company. The amount of detail and heartfelt emotion that goes into each of Ghibli’s films is astounding.
The first film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind released in 1984 was quite successful and it allowed Studio Ghibli to become the organization it is today. Not once has the studio faltered when it came to delivering top-notch storytelling and animation. If that doesn’t impress you, eight of the fifteen highest-grossing animated films of all time are owned by Studio Ghibli.
Dreamworks
Dreamworks Animation has always lived in the shadow of giants like Pixar and Disney, but no matter how you look at it, the studio is still one of the best animation studios. From theater to television, the studio has yet to fail to deliver compelling stories that are beautifully choreographed.
After all, the studio was co-founded by the great Steven Spielberg and alongside Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. With some of the best animators working at the studio, we’ve experienced some of the best franchises over the years with Shrek and Kung Fu Panda as two of their most notable films. While other studios may have an edge over Dreamworks, the studio will be considered one of the greats over time.
Nickelodeon – one of the best animation production companies
Nickelodeon is responsible for some of the best cartoons ever released on TV. Kids of the ’80s and ’90s are living proof of the studio’s rise in the animation world including Spongebob Squarepants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Jimmy Neutron. Their original shows like Rugrats have also been wildly successful, and have steadily grown over the years.
Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers boil down to nostalgia and ingenuity, and many of us grew up watching shows like Looney Tunes, Batman: The Animated Series, and Space Jam. Their performance was a completely different act of class.
The studio’s journey couldn’t have been more perfect when the studio closed for 11 years in 1969. After reopening in 1980 with the revival of the animated content industry, its fanbase has come back and increased over the years. It’s not just the TV shows that Warner Brothers participates in, but also movies and video games. The LEGO video game series boasts more than a dozen games and more in the works. With the studio growing at breakneck speed, we can only expect great things to come our way.
Cartoon Network
While not everyone shares the same opinion when it comes to Cartoon Network with its recent shows falling short of studio classics like Dexter’s Lab, Scooby-Doo, and The Powerpuff Girls, it remains one of the most-watched television studios of all time.
Nickelodeon may have the edge right now, but it wasn’t long ago that both studios struggled when it came to the quality of their shows. Shows like Adventure Time and Ben 10 have been quite popular with younger audiences, and we expect the studio to revive some of its old franchises to spark the rivalry between CN and Nickelodeon.
Toei Animation
If you are familiar with anime, then you must have heard of Toei Animation with Dragon Ball being their most famous franchise. Other popular series include Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and One Piece. Although Toei’s fan base is mainly from Japan, anime is becoming more popular globally. With several popular franchises in the works, we don’t expect the studio to slow down anytime soon.
Sony Pictures Animation – one of the best animation company
Sony Animation is one of the studios with the most animated films in the world. Although the studio is very young compared to the likes of Dreamworks, Disney, or Pixar, it has grown exponentially over the years. Some of its best films include Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Hotel Transylvania. But the studio has really caught everyone’s attention with Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse quite recently.
Sony has proven its worth as a master animation company over the years, and we expect more films to cement its place as one of the all-time greats over time.
Oriental Light and Magic
Oriental Light and Magic has undergone a rapid transition over the years, and it has rebranded itself as just OLM. It is one of the few Japanese studios to be successful in the United States as well as other countries.
While you may not have heard of most of the titles that OLM has produced over the years, one name has resonated through generations of people, and that is Pokemon. The animated series is still running successfully and it is, in fact, the most valuable franchise in the world. And we’re not talking about cartoons; we’re talking about any entertainment franchise including the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
Above is our list of what we consider the Best animation studios in the world. If you want the best anime-watching experience, then come to the above studios. If you have any questions, leave us a comment.
–
Animost – Vietnam 3D Animation Studio
hello@animost.com