30 Animated Films ’90s Kids Loved (But Totally Forgot About)

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For me, the 1990s were just a magical time for animated movies. Films like The Lion King really defined the era, and Toy Story completely changed things with its amazing 3D animation. It wasn’t just about the big hits, though. The decade brought back some older favorites and saw a ton of films become massive successes. There were so many classics! And honestly, some of the best ones feel like they’re just cherished memories for those of us who grew up watching them – films that maybe haven’t gotten the recognition they deserve, but we still love.

Over time, while fans still cherished most of the films, a few faded from memory. Despite being lesser-known, these movies are just as good as the more popular ones they were released alongside. In fact, some have recently been rediscovered and are now considered the best of their time.

Tiny Toon Adventures sparked a revival of Warner Bros.’ classic Looney Tunes, introducing a new cast of characters who studied under the originals at “Acme Looniversity.” A full-length movie was planned even before the series began, initially intended for theaters. However, the creators decided a direct-to-video release would allow fans to watch it repeatedly—just like the original Looney Tunes—and the film was later broken up and shown as several episodes within the show’s reruns.

This movie follows the summer adventures of Babs and Buster Bunny as they try to avoid becoming someone’s dinner on a road trip. Meanwhile, Plucky Duck joins Hamton and his family at an amusement park, which, as you can imagine, leads to plenty of wacky mishaps. And Elmyra, always looking for a furry friend, loses her cat and sets out to find a new one. The film perfectly captures the fast-paced, energetic humor of the Tiny Toon show, making it a fun watch for fans who don’t have time for the full series.

As a lifelong movie and book fan, I’ve always loved the story of Babar the Elephant! It all began with the original book by Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff back in 1931. Over the years, lots of animators have brought Babar to life on screen. I particularly remember the 1999 animated film – it actually played in Canadian cinemas! In the US, it was released straight to video. It beautifully covers the first four books: it’s a bit sad at the start, with Babar losing his mother to a hunter, but then he goes to the city and is raised by a wonderful old woman. Eventually, he returns to the jungle, saves the elephants from some nasty rhinos, and is rightfully crowned their king. It’s a classic!

The books have sparked debate because some feel they excuse European colonialism and rely on damaging stereotypes. While the movie tries to address these issues, it doesn’t completely avoid them. However, the story’s gentle approach allows parents to discuss these sensitive topics with their kids, and its bright, engaging plot offers fun, age-appropriate entertainment for younger viewers without being frightening.

The Madeline series, like the Babar books, started as French children’s stories in the late 1930s. However, Madeline has successfully avoided harmful stereotypes in its tales of a young girl at a boarding school in Paris, guided by a strict but caring teacher. The books are known for their rhyming style and follow Madeline’s exciting adventures around the city. Over the years, Madeline has been adapted into various forms, including a popular 1998 live-action movie starring Frances McDormand.

Shortly after, an animated movie called Madeline: Lost in Paris was released. It’s designed for younger kids and is based on the stories from the first few Madeline books. The film features well-known actors like Lauren Bacall and Christopher Plummer, and includes songs inspired by the rhymes in the original books, making it a great option for families with young children.

Following the success of Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs introduced the mischievous Warner siblings and a cast of hilarious characters. The show was popular for five seasons, but it appealed to adults as much as children with its witty jokes and visual gags. Ultimately, the network canceled it in 1998 after 99 episodes, seeking programming more geared towards younger viewers.

Released on video a year after the main series ended, Wakko’s Wish doesn’t rely much on past storylines. The film takes the Warner siblings to a whimsical, wintery town where Wakko makes a wish on a shooting star to help his sick sister, Dot. When everyone finds out whoever gets the star gets a wish, the whole town turns into a chaotic race to find it. The movie’s over-the-top comedy is similar to films like It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and it has just the right amount of heartwarming moments to make it a fun holiday watch.

For over fifteen years, Gary Larson’s comic strip, The Far Side, appeared in newspapers across the United States and became a beloved part of American culture. The comic was known for its quirky, often bizarre humor, featuring eccentric characters like mad scientists, animals with human traits, and comical mishaps. Though Larson stopped drawing cartoons in 1995, he first collaborated with animator Marv Newland to create two animated specials based on his popular work.

Similar to the original comic strips, Tales From the Far Side is a collection of animated Far Side cartoons presented in a random order. Director Marv Newland understands Gary Larson’s humor perfectly – his 1973 short Bambi Meets Godzilla proves it! The first special aired on Halloween and feels like a classic horror film, even including a spooky take on the ‘mad scientist’ trope with a farmer and a cow. The sequel, Tales From the Far Side II, is just as delightfully bizarre and is a full hour long.

Inspired by Diana Young’s FernGully stories, FernGully: The Last Rainforest is a little-known animated film from the 90s. Many kids who saw it likely remember its environmental message, though the movie itself may have faded from memory. The story centers around FernGully, a beautiful rainforest in Australia, filled with plants, animals, and fairies, including a young fairy named Crysta, who shrinks a human logger named Zak to her size.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest tells the story of fairies trying to protect their home from a dangerous pollution spirit named Hexxus and the harm caused by humans. Featuring fantastic voice acting from stars like Tim Curry and Robin Williams, the film delivered an important message about the environment to both children and adults. While its stunning animation is often overlooked, FernGully deserves another viewing.

Pixar revolutionized animation with Toy Story, and followed it up with A Bug’s Life, a clever and original story about ants rebelling against bullying grasshoppers. The film centers on Flik, an inventive ant who accidentally ruins the ants’ yearly offering to the grasshoppers. When the grasshoppers demand an even larger tribute, Flik decides to stand up and fight.

Flik recruits a group of circus bugs, believing they’re brave warriors who can help fight back against the bullies. A Bug’s Life is a funny movie with a heartwarming message about courage, friendship, and standing up for yourself. It’s similar to Seven Samurai, with the circus performers acting like the wandering heroes from that film. However, because it came out between the popular Toy Story 2 and another Pixar hit, many kids didn’t remember it as well as other Pixar classics.

The animated film The Prince of Egypt beautifully tells the story of two brothers, Moses and Rameses, with excellent performances from Ralph Fiennes and Val Kilmer. Fate leads Moses to be raised as an Egyptian prince, but he must escape when his true Jewish identity is revealed. The film then follows Moses’ journey to lead the Hebrews to freedom from Egypt.

DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt is a stunning adaptation of the biblical story, with beautiful animation and a warm color palette. It’s often overlooked, especially when compared to DreamWorks’ more kid-focused films, but its songs are as good as those in classic Disney movies from the same period. It holds up remarkably well, especially compared to the more serious live-action film, The Ten Commandments. Plus, it features a powerful performance from Val Kilmer, one of many strong roles in his career.

Roald Dahl’s books for children are beloved, and many have been made into popular movies, like Matilda. However, people often overlook the animated film version of James and the Giant Peach. This movie uniquely combines stop-motion and live-action techniques to tell the story of James, a young boy living with cruel aunts, who discovers magical crocodile tongues.

This film features magical tongues that can make things grow enormously, and in the story, James unintentionally makes a peach incredibly large. While a bit quirky and humorous, the movie was toned down to be family-friendly for Disney audiences. It was also remarkably advanced for its time, with a strong story. Director Henry Selick, famous for The Nightmare Before Christmas, created another delightful film with this adaptation.

In the follow-up to An American Tail, Fievel Goes West brings the Mousekewitz family to the Wild West. They encounter danger from tricky cats, but luckily have a helpful friend in Wylie Burp, a bloodhound with a strong sense of justice. Though produced by Steven Spielberg, the animated film didn’t get as much attention as other releases at the time, such as Beauty and the Beast, and remains less well-known.

With its timeless characters, funny moments, and well-crafted story, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is a true standout from the 1990s. Beyond its fun adventure, the movie also touches on what it was like for immigrants coming to America, making it a surprisingly touching film that still resonates with those who grew up watching it.

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2026-04-08 04:08