Greatest Animated Movie Ever

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I'll try and leave each of these up for at least a few days to give people sufficient time to watch these movies. If it looks like everybody has voted on both matches, however, then I'll just move on immediately.

Round 1:

Match 1:


Lilo and Stitch

vs.


The Incredibles

vs.


Ranma 1/2: Nihao, My Concubine

vs.


The Jungle Book


Match 2:


Paprika

vs.


The Adventures of Tintin

vs.


Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

vs.


Animaniacs! Wakko's Wish


My Picks:

Match 1:

I'm holding off, here, to at least check out some of Ranma 1/2 before laying down my final verdict.


Match 2:

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker- IMO, it's the best animated Batman movie that I have seen, or at the very least ties for me with MOTP as 2 of my favorite Batman movies ever. Yes, I'm biased. I like these movies even more than Nolan's films (which I am a fan of, BTW).

The Adventures of Tintin- This is one of the best, most entertaining adventure films that I've seen in a long time, in general.

Animaniacs! Wakko's Wish- It may be the nostalgia-goggled talking here, but I got a ton of laughs out of this one as a kid.

Paprika- Look, I respect Satoshi Kon, and all, but I've always had a hard time getting into the guy's work, and this movie is no exception for me. Sorry, but I think Tokyo Godfathers might be the only one I enjoyed (and even then, I haven't seen that in a while, so I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy it on a re-watch).

[LumRanmaYasha]

Oh wow! I can vote on both of these matches without having to see any additional movies! 

Match 1:

The Incredibles - While I know the film isn't too popular around here, I really do consider it to be one of Pixar's finest. A lot of that boils down to it's the dynamic between the Parr family and their internal problems, and Bob's desire to get more out of his life, which, to me, made it THE most "human" film Pixar had done up until that point. Re-watching it again recently, these elements, plus the darker aspects of the film (and how fucked up a character Syndrome is), really do make it deserve the amount of praise it's gotten after all these years, and while it's not my favorite Pixar film, it's still one that I love incredibly.

The Jungle Book - While not a perfect film by any means, I don't think it's a stretch to say that The Jungle Book was possibly the single animated movie that inspired my love for animation. A lot of that does have to do with the story, with Mowgli's dilemma of finding where he fits in, a relatable problem, as well as his endearing relationship with Baloo. Something about the film, in nearly all it's scenes, be it the "You wanna be like me" sequence at King Louie's or the final, tense showdown with Shere Khan, has always captivated me in a way that few other animated films did as a kid and do now. While not the best film in Disney canon, nor my favorite, anymore, it's still one that I hold close to my heart, and was an important piece in developing my growing love for animation.

Lilo and Stitch - Really, just another good movie by Disney. Of note is how real Lilo feels as an actual child, how Nani is always a protective and supportive guardian but in a believable way. Those parts of the film are probably the strongest elements of it, but Lilo's relationship with Stitch is no less essential to the central theme of family in the film. While I can't say everything about this movie still holds up for me, I do think it was one of the more inventive films Disney has done, and alongside Emperor's New Groove a triumph of their animation department in the 00's.

Ranma 1/2: Nihao, My Concubine - Just so you know, E-K, this is a film that'll be more enjoyable to you if you know these characters and this world well. Not to say I don't think there's no fun to be had in it without prior knowledge, but my favorite parts of the movie, personally, come from seeing Mousse and Ryoga really kick some ass despite their normally pathetic losing streaks/lives. That's some real satisfaction, there. Otherwise, it was a nice movie, but one that's definitely going to be more fun if you are already a fan of the show. Otherwise, it's just a decent shonen-movie, nothing special. I'm not sure whether I like this film or the first Ranma movie more, since the core plot (Akane gets kidnapped, everyone goes to rescue her) is the exact same thing and the difference is in the antagonists behavior/underlying motives and which characters get moments of awesome. So...yeah, while I love me some Ranma, this movie is just an okay time-passer and easily the weakest link this match, and I really only nominated it because GSF nominated DBZ movies which all suck, imo, and at least this movie is fun to watch and not an obnoxious and mindless action-fest. If you don't get a great first impression of the series from this movie, you should think of it like how you might not get a good impression of One Piece if you had only seen "Desert Princess" before, or whatever; the series is much, much better, and the movie is just a nice compliment to it.

Match 2

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - Y'know how as a kid I thought superheroes were the dumbest thing in the world and looked down on them and action cartoons in general? Yeaaahhhh, this movie single-handedly changed that, because even as a kid I could recognize it was a character-driven film with moral and psychological complexity, which impressed me since I didn't think children's entertainments respected kids enough to give us that. My enjoyment of this movie has not lessened over the years, though I personally find Mask of the Phantasm the stronger film (and this isn't a biased opinion, I only saw that movie for the first time last year). It's easily one of the best parts of the entire DCAU, and a treat of a movie even if watched standalone. An easy first for me, this match.

The Adventures of Tintin - As a long-time Tintin fan I was overjoyed by the excellency of this movie. A great adaption of some of the storylines of the source material, with even greater animation and directing. That chaotic chase sequence in Bagghar is up there as one of my all time favorite scenes in animation and film in general. You done good, Speilberg, you done good, and I eagerly await a sequel.

Paprika - Well I liked it, E-K.  Granted, I'm a sucker for these sorts of movies in general, but it was well-made and well-directed film, though not a top favorite of mine. This is actually the only Satoshi Kon film I've actually seen, which reminds me I have to watch his other films for this competition, plus Paranoia Agent at some point as well.

Wakko's Wish - It's a fun movie, and I've always enjoyed it myself. But compared to all these other films, it's an easy fourth, honestly.

[VLordGTZ]

Match 1
The Jungle Book
The Incredibles
Lilo and Stitch
Ranma 1/2: Nihao, My Concubine

Match 2
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
The Adventures of Tintin
Wakko's Wish
Paprika

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, I watched about 20 minutes of Ranma 1/2, and yeah, I think I'd have to watch the series first in order to appreciate this one properly. Anyways, here's my order for match 1:

The Jungle Book
Lilo and Stitch
The Incredibles
Ranma 1/2

[gunswordfist]

Match 1
The Incredibles
The Jungle Book
Lilo
Ranma

Match 2
Same as The Vlord

[Foggle]

The Jungle Book
The Incredibles
Lilo and Stitch
Ranma

Paprika
Return of the Joker
The Adventures of Tintin
Wakko's Wish

[Pharass]

The Incredibles
Lilo & Stitch
The Jungle Book
Ranma 1/2

Paprika
The Adventures of Tintin: I thought the movie captured the spirit of Herg?'s comics very well.
Return of the Joker: while I have a slight preference for Mask of The Phantasm, this movie really shows the DCAU Joker at his most evil and was a great send-off (in-universe) for the character.
Wakko's Wish

[Avaitor]

I'm going to skip the second match for now, until I see Paprika and Tintin. I can do the first match though!

I was actually going to go into detail with my choices, but I'll just make it easier and say that I'll second Pharass. I don't feel too bad about not having seen the Ranma movie, since the word seems to be that it won't appeal as much if you're not familiar with the characters, and even those who like the franchise put it at fourth.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I don't feel too bad about not having seen the Ranma movie... even those who like the franchise put it at fourth.

Aka, me. 

Like, let's be honest here, I'm the only one on this board who is genuinely a fan of Ranma. 

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I thought that Desensitized liked Ranma 1/2 as well, or maybe that was another Rumiko Takahashi series.

Honestly, though, I have to admit to being a bit biased just because of Inu-Yasha, which I personally can't stand. That said, I haven't really seen any of her other series, so I can't judge those fairly.

[LumRanmaYasha]

He said he only likes her pre-Ranma work, so I'm guessing he doesn't like it. 

I actually really enjoy InuYasha, and this is from the perspective of someone who hated it as a kid. Reading the manga, the story and characters, while nothing spectacular, are leagues more likable and enjoyable than Bleach, Naruto, Fairy Tail, and series less maligned than it. It's biggest problem is it's pacing, which is super, super slow and exacerbates the problems people had with it more than would have if it was maybe half the length. This is not to say arcs drag on, cause actually the series is more composed of multiple short arcs that tie into the larger plot, but it takes a long while to get character development for many of the characters after a certain point until near the end of the series, and that probably makes the experience tedious for people if they read it slowly. I read it chunks of volumes at a time over a six-month time-span, so obviously I was able to absorb the story quickly and not get bothered by those issues, but no doubt people who were reading it weekly or by the volume as it came out were annoyed. At it's core though, I really do think the story and characters are fine and Sesshomaru is actually one of my favorite characters in any manga (and the best stoic-type character I've seen in any one as well), but it's pacing really kills it from being a great series, objectively. I do think The Final Act turned out quite well, since it saved the core of the story while removing the fillery and poorly paced elements of the manga (condensing the Moryomaru saga from 90 chapters into 6 episodes was a great call, even if it did feel too rushed for me, personally), so while I can't stand to watch the first InuYasha anime, I think that was good at least and showed my point that it really was a good story hurt by poor pacing. As far as the manga goes, I actually enjoy it slightly more than Ranma, but I don't think many people here would be able to really enjoy it very well.

Anyway, both Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, in anime or manga form, are leagues better than either Ranma or InuYasha and I'd recommend them whole-heartedly to anyone on this board. Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer is my favorite anime movie atm, and while it's best enjoyed if you are already a fan of the series, it is one of the most critically acclaimed anime films, definitely the most between those based on shonen manga, and I'd hope everyone will give it a chance whenever it appears in this competition, as well as the other Urusei Yatsura films, though your mileage may vary more with those.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I think Ranma is decent, but her older work is much better. Her stuff after it I just don't care for, though.

The Incredibles
The Jungle Book
Lilo & Stitch
Ranma 1/2

Return of the Joker
The Adventures of Tintin
Wakko's Wish
Paprika

[LumRanmaYasha]

I think Ranma is decent, but her older work is much better. Her stuff after it I just don't care for, though.

So, just InuYasha and Rin-ne? At least you like 5/7ths of her major works, then. 

I actually have not read Rin-ne yet. I've heard mixed opinions about it, and generally the consensus seems to be it's Takahashi's weakest series. I think I'd probably like it if I read it, though, since I'm more tolerable of sitcom-y manga like it.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I think Ranma is decent, but her older work is much better. Her stuff after it I just don't care for, though.

So, just InuYasha and Rin-ne? At least you like 5/7ths of her major works, then. 

Pretty much. She's very talented, but her last two series follow a certain formula I'm not too keen on. It doesn't mean I don't think she'll make a good manga again later, but as of now I'm just not interested.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

At least she has more than one good series under her name. Compare that to Watsuki, who wrote my favorite manga ever, only to follow it up with one mediocre and forgettable series after the other.