For decades, Disney and Pixar have been the unchallenged champions of the animation world. From “Toy Story” and “Frozen” to “Encanto,” their films have defined childhoods and created characters who many children still look up to. 

However, the land of animation is changing, and many other competitors are rising to take the title of the best animation producer. 

Studio Ghibli’s timeless hand-drawn creativity continues to enchant viewers across the world, while Riot Games has emerged as an unexpected new challenger with “Arcane,” a series that redefined video game storytelling through animation. Through this, the question arises: is Disney and Pixar still at the peak of animation, or are they losing their position to these rising animation producers?  

Disney & Pixar: Past and Present 

Disney and Pixar have built their legacy on emotional storytelling, such as movies like “Inside Out,” “Up,” and “Coco”, but also their magical fantasies, such as “Moana,” “Frozen,” and “Incredibles.” These animations alone have allowed them to break box office records and pushed the boundaries of animation. 

Yet, recent years have posed challenges. With the two recent productions of “Elemental” and “Strange World,” which received lukewarm reviews compared to their other productions, critics have argued that their reliance on familiar formula—heartfelt family dramas with a touch of magic—have caused them to drift away from the continuous era of diverse storytelling. 

Art teacher Daniel Spellman believes that a large contributor to Disney and Pixar’s challenges lies not just externally, but internally as well. 

“Pixar did a large cut to their staff before Inside out 2 came out, laying off their staff” Spellman said, “and  since ‘Inside Out 2’ was so successful, they gave a large bonus to their staff, but not the production team who was cut off.” 

Because of this mistreatment towards the animation team, many of the new generations of animators have grown weary of being animators for Pixar. In addition to their lack of new animators, Spellman brings up the point that Disney and Pixar are hesitant to create original series in theatres because of the lack of people willing to watch them. 

Studio Ghibli: Consistently Original and Traditional 

While Pixar utilizes artificial intelligence in order to enhance their storytelling, Studio Ghibli continues to stay true to traditional animation styles. 

With their past films like “Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” and “Howl’s Moving Castle,” along with their most recent release of “The Boy and the Heron,” gives to the world a fresh, but traditional form of storytelling in the form of animation. What sets Ghibli apart from all the other animation studios is their ability to utilize hand-drawn styles to tell stories that feel deeply personal and leave an emotional impact. 

“I’ve heard so much about ‘The Boy and Heron’” said Jeree Apan (10), “however, I’ve not heard much news about Disney’s newer shows and movies.” 

Riot Games: The New Contender 

Riot Games recently made an appearance in the world of animation, but its debut series “Arcane” has left a large impact. Released on Netflix, the show blends stunning visuals with enticing and unique storytelling. Based on the popular video game League of Legends, Arcane broke free from the “video game adaptation curse” and garnered consistent high ratings, even winning an Emmy for Best Animated Program. 

As the Riot game debuted in the world of animation with one of the largest hit shows of the year, the spot for the top animation producer became unclear. 

“I think that disney is actually starting to fall behind in terms of animation” Apan (10) said. “They always use the same art style… as other animated movies and shows come out, you start to see how creative animation can actually be.” 

However, Hannah Uesugi, a sophomore at Ayala, offers a different perspective. 

“I think Disney will remain at the top.. And people are simply attached to the Disney brand due to nostalgia” Uesugi (10) said. But “I do think that other animation producers are becoming a competitor to Disney since they are able to be more original and creative.”  

While Disney and Pixar remain strong, the rise of Riot Games and the enduring allure of Studio Ghibli signals a change in the animation industry. Each studio brings something unique to the table: Disney’s technical brilliance, Ghibli’s emotional depth, and Riot’s bold innovation. As the industry evolves, perhaps there’s room for all three to redefine the art of animation in their own ways.