19 Adults Share Which Animated Movies Traumatized Them As Children

Some animated movies leave a mark that lasts far longer than the credits. For a lot of people, the films they watched as kids were funny, colorful, and then suddenly terrifying in ways they did not understand at the time.

That is exactly what happened in this Reddit thread, where people shared the animated movies that scared them, upset them, or just stuck with them for years. The answers range from classic Disney to darker cult favorites, and the reactions are as memorable as the scenes themselves.

Some of these titles may bring back a few uneasy memories, and a few spoilers are ahead.

We all have one animated film from our childhood that is (probably) to blame for every nightmare we've ever had.

Walt Disney Studios

And people decided to share their trauma:

20th Century Fox

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

"The huntsman's murder face, the freaky forest, the queen-to-hag transformation, the queen falling to her death at the end (and presumably also crushed by a boulder), etc."

-u/Brittamas

That one still has a reputation for being a little more intense than people remember.

2. The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

"I sincerely believe this movie created a lot of hoarders."

-u/RmmThrowAway

3. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

"It still makes me cry if I watch it now."

-u/swallowyoursadness

A few of these picks are less about jump scares and more about emotional damage.

4. FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

"The black smoke always scared me. Tim Curry is a master."

-u/MurderGiraffe19

5. Balto (1995)

"The first time I realized children could die was during the scene where coffins were being built for the children who would die if the sled dogs didn't bring the medicine in time."

-u/ookellispookelli

6. Pinocchio (1940)

"The sheer chaos of that mess got to me, THEN boys started to turn into donkeys and sobbed for their mother, and I lost it. Early Disney was dark!"

-u/Itsnotmonica

Disney really did not hold back in those early years.

It’s the same kind of tension as someone refusing their partner’s pet adoption dream.

7. We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993)

"Specifically Professor Screw-Eye and his circus."

-u/CrazyRainbowStar

8. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

"That bat gave me nightmares for a solid week."

-u/Apprehensive_Maybe13

9. 9 (2009)

"I saw it in theaters when I was 9 years old and I still have nightmares about it to this day."

-u/bakermillerfloyd

10. The Land Before Time (1988)

"Littlefoot's mom dying instilled a fear in me and was the first time I realized that - one day, someday - my own mom will die."

-u/CaptainHindsight212

That is the kind of scene that stays with people for years.

11. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

"I rewatched it again as an adult, and that movie was dark."

-u/Odysseuss87

12. Watership Down (1978)

"Aw, look at the talking bunnies, how cute! Why - OH MY GOD, THAT'S SO MUCH BLOOD."

-u/KittyLilith17

13. The Last Unicorn (1982)

"That damn harpy."

-u/Bushtuckapenguin

14. Spirited Away (2001)

"The parents turning into pigs and No-Face gave me nightmares for weeks (I was 5 when I first saw it). Nowadays it's one of my favorite movies, though!"

-u/Veksutin

15. The Lion King (1994)

"The first time I watched it was during the second week of kindergarten...the same week my dad died."

-u/wineshivers

16. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

"The best movie I never want to see again."

-u/Sh4dy_

17. Treasure Planet (2002)

"When that character fell into the black hole. My brother was a huge astronomy nerd (still is) and explained that black holes tear you apart by the atoms - and that if a black hole appeared near our galaxy, we would all be done."

-u/arasairotciv

18. Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989)

"I've mostly blocked it from my mind now, but I have vague memories of a kid fleeing a shapeless black ooze as it consumes his home. I've thought about rewatching it as an adult to see how it holds up."

-u/dirkofdirges

So, do you agree with the Redditors? We have to say that the answers make sense.

Some of these films made us wonder if they were truly meant for kids, whether it was because of the images, the gore, or the entire plot. But, TBH, they are meant to guide children into an adult world.

And that world is filled with nasty surprises.

Some childhood favorites are a lot darker than people like to admit.

Want another Reddit relationship blowup, read about a partner wanting a rescue pet adoption despite past trauma.