10 Iconic Animated Period Movies Better Than History Lessons
Acclaimed classics and underrated masterpieces of animation.
Animated films are one of the best ways to immerse yourself in magical, mysterious, and sometimes dark worlds. And when animations are based on real historical events, watching them becomes not only fascinating, but also educational.
1. Balto, 1995
Created by Steven Spielberg 's animation studio Amblimation, this heartwarming animated film is based on the true events of The Great Race of Mercy. In 1925, a jet-black Siberian husky named Balto delivered diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska, saving children. This feat made the dog a legend.
The hero of the movie differs slightly from his inspiration – the real Balto was a purebred husky and had a house, while the animated character lives in an abandoned ship with his best friend, the goose Boris, and is a cross between a wolf and a husky.
2. Anastasia, 1997
Anastasia is the first film from the animation division of 20th Century Fox, which later became part of the Disney corporation. The plot of the movie tells of the fictional future of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanova after the tragedy that befell the royal family at the beginning of the 20th century.
Anastasia was only 8 years old when she had to leave her home and family. Then, during the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the Romanov family, revolutionaries led by Grigori Rasputin seized power. The Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna and her granddaughter Anastasia escaped execution, but the girl got lost in the crowd.
3. The Wind Rises, 2013
The Wind Rises is an animated film by legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki. It is based on a manga drawn by the director in 2009, based on the novel of the same name by Tatsuo Hori. And the author, in turn, tells the story of a real Japanese aircraft designer.
Jiro Horikoshi, learns that he cannot fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot due to health problems. After graduating from university, he gets a job as an engineer at a Japanese company and rises to become one of the country's most respected aircraft designers.
Jiro lives through World War II and many other tragic events that had a devastating effect on the entire generation.
4. Persepolis, 2007
Based on the autobiographical comic book of the same name, Persepolis is a black and white animated story about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. The story begins with a description of the events of 1979, when eight-year-old Marjane witnesses the beginning of radical changes in the country.
Her parents quickly realize that the girl's character will not allow her to endure the hardships, so they send her to study in Austria. At first, Marjane feels inspired to emigrate, but when she finds herself far from her family, she realizes that she may never see her parents or her homeland again.
5. The Prince of Egypt, 1998
The Prince of Egypt is rightly considered one of the best DreamWorks Animation projects. The story of Moses begins with a farewell. His own mother is forced to say goodbye to the baby – the cruel Pharaoh has ordered that every child in his land be killed because an ancient prophecy says that one of them will pose a deadly threat.
But Moses survives – he is found by the Pharaoh's wife and raised in the palace with his son Rameses, the future ruler of Egypt. Sooner or later, Moses will have to learn about his past and allow the prophecy to come true.
6. Mulan, 1998
Mulan is based on the medieval Chinese ballad about Hua Mulan, the first woman to join the army. Disney had high hopes for the film as it sought to repair relations with China following the release of Martin Scorsese 's Kundun, about the Dalai Lama.
The story of the selfless Mulan lived up to expectations and became the first animated blockbuster, and the main character is recognized as the bravest and most courageous in Disney history.
7. Zarafa, 2012
The French animated feature film is based on the true story of a giraffe named Zarafa. It features historical figures such as Pasha Muhammad Ali of Egypt and King Charles X of France.
One day, a boy named Maki goes on a long journey. His goal is to rescue a giraffe that has been kidnapped by the Egyptians, who want to take the innocent animal as a gift to the King of France. Maki must save his best friend at all costs and bring him back to his homeland.
8. The Secret of Kells, 2009
Three animation studios worked on the creation of The Secret of Kells: Irish, French and Belgian. The plot centers on the adventures of the young monk Brendan and the story of the rescue and completion of the famous Book of Kells, a richly illustrated ecclesiastical manuscript considered a national treasure of Ireland, in the early 9th century.
The project was directed by Nora Twomey and Tomm Moore. A few years after The Secret of Kells, Moore will create Song of the Sea (2014) and Wolfwalkers (2020), in which he will again reflect on ancient legends and spiritual connection.
9. Grave of the Fireflies, 1988
An adaptation of the story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka about the life of children in wartime Japan. The story is almost autobiographical: one of Nosaka's sisters died of illness, his adoptive father was killed in a bombing raid, and his second sister died of starvation.
The animation often appears on lists of the best films about World War II and is considered a school classic in Japan. Grave of the Fireflies is a complex and emotionally difficult work – so it is best not to show it to children.
10. Loving Vincent, 2017
A unique international project, created by the incredible efforts of artists – they spent two years painting the entire film with oil paints, imitating the palette of Van Gogh's works.
First of all, this animation is the first of its kind, as the artists did not use standard and time-tested animation techniques to create it. Second, it is simply a fascinating biopic – the last years of the great Dutch artist's life are presented here in sequence.