10 Best 2D Animated Movies If You’re Sick of 3D (We Know You Are) 

It's no secret that 3D animations are much easier to produce. Especially now – you don't have to wait days for the computer to process all the models. 3D projects are affordable and relatively quick to make, and they do well at the box office.

The same cannot be said for traditional hand-drawn animation – it rarely pays off. Nevertheless, brave and dedicated animators continue to create 2D projects: on screens rather than on paper, but still with their hands.

1. Ernest & Celestine

Celestine is a little mouse and Ernest is a big hungry bear who is supposed to eat mice for breakfast. But these two unexpectedly discover that they have a lot in common and become good friends in a world where such friendship is impossible.

The animation is stylized as a watercolor painting and is a treat for eyes tired of sharp, explosive animation. It has wonderful characters, cozy details, and lots of light and air.

2. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

Japanese coming-of-age story from Studio Ghibli, in which the main character is found in a bamboo tree by her soon-to-be adoptive father. The girl is so tiny that she can hardly be considered a person, but rather a fairy tale creature. But gradually, Kaguya grows, and discovers a world full of joy and sorrow.

The last masterpiece from the brilliant Japanese animator Isao Takahata. Takahata had spent years refining his projects down to the last frame, creating his own rules rather than following ready-made traditions.

3. The Illusionist

This is the story of an aging illusionist who is forced to take any job he can get. He performs in almost empty theaters, at parties and in bars. During one of these performances, the main character meets the young Alice, who will change his life.

The animation shows that magic does not necessarily have to be something fantastic. The movie was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and won a Cesar Award.

4. Boy and the World

The boy Cuca lives in an amazing world, which one day collapses – his father leaves in search of work and does not return. Cuca embarks on a journey to find his father, but gradually loses track of where he is and even forgets the purpose of his adventure.

The animated movie has a rather unusual drawing style, which many might call "childish." But no matter how crooked and uncertain the lines may seem, they are all part of a half-fairy, half-real plot.

5. Song of the Sea

Ben lives in the lighthouse with his father and his sister Saoirse. Ben does not like his sister: he is sure that he lost his mother because of her. He does not know that Saoirse, like her mother, comes from a tribe of Selkies, seal women. But when Saoirse is kidnapped by the evil witch, Ben must save his sister.

For all its fabulousness, Song of the Sea is a very realistic family story. The hardest thing for Ben is not rescuing his sister, but finally accepting and loving her.

6. Long Way North

The girl Sasha not only dreams about the North, but also worries about the fate of her grandfather Oloukine, who went there. But Sasha's fears are not shared by her parents. The renewed conflict forces the girl into action – she will repeat the path of her grandfather, hoping to find him.

The animation captivates with its lightness and sense of unity with nature, even if it is sometimes cruel and merciless to humans. The project was directed by Remi Chaye, who was able to convey the true spirit of adventure that lies within each of us.

7. April and the Extraordinary World

Fans of Jules Verne will appreciate both the structure of the universe itself and the way it is presented to the audience. In the center of events there is a girl, April, and a cat named Darwin. There will be not only adventures, but also real experiences. The elixir of immortality, you know, will not create itself.

This is ironic steampunk for teenagers – a rather unusual full-length project about the daughter of scientists in a world where no great discoveries have been made.

8. The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales

This is a trilogy combined into one full-length movie. In the animation you will see the rural life of the animals. No, nobody eats anybody. No, adults won't be bored. Funny situations and fascinating characters – it's all there.

Movies like this come out once in many years. In the era of the final and irrevocable triumph of 3D, The Big Bad Fox is a rare hand-drawn animal. The movie was created by the same French guys who drew Ernest and Celestine. The connection is evident in the watercolor animation style, the choice of talking animals as main characters, and the high quality of literally everything.

9. Klaus

Young Jesper deliberately becomes the worst cadet at the Postal Academy in the hope that his father will give up on his son and allow him to return to a life of idleness. But the father has other plans – he sends his son to develop the northernmost post office and sets a condition: six thousand letters must pass through it in one year. Otherwise, he will cut Jesper out of his will – and then goodbye, goodbye to a carefree life, silk sheets, a personal butler and coffee in bed.

Klaus is a visual feast in which every frame is precise to the last detail, and all of this adds up to a Christmas story that can touch even the most hardened cynic.

10. The Red Turtle

After a devastating shipwreck, a man lands on a deserted tropical island. He tries to escape by building a raft out of bamboo. But a mysterious red turtle interferes, destroying the raft again and again. The desperate man gives up, and the red turtle turns into... We won’t give away any spoilers, you really better see for yourself.

The Red Turtle, a joint Franco-Belgian-Japanese animation project, is a case in which the story of its creation is as beautiful and profound as the movie itself. A harmonious combination of work invested and results achieved, external beauty and internal content, cooperation between two continents and two different cultures.