15 Animated Movies About Fish: Best Ocean Cartoons to Watch

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Animated movies about fish have a special kind of charm.

They are colorful.

They are funny.

They are emotional.

And they usually remind us that the ocean is beautiful, mysterious, and full of creatures who apparently have better character arcs than some humans.

From Finding Nemo to Ponyo, animated fish movies can be sweet, strange, scary, or surprisingly deep.

No ocean pun intended.

Okay, maybe a little intended.

Best Animated Movies About Fish

This list includes movies about fish, sea creatures, mermaids, underwater worlds, and ocean adventures.

Some are truly fish-focused.

Some are more about sea life in general.

Some are technically about sponges, sharks, monsters, or mermaids.

But they all belong in the big animated ocean bucket.

That sounds like a weird bucket.

Still useful.

Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo is the gold standard for animated movies about fish.

• Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
• Main fish: Marlin, Nemo, and Dory
• Best for: Family adventure, emotion, and ocean comedy
• Main theme: Letting go, bravery, and family love

The story follows Marlin, an anxious clownfish searching the ocean for his son, Nemo.

Along the way, he meets Dory, a cheerful blue tang with short-term memory loss.

The movie works because it is funny and heartfelt.

Marlin’s fear makes sense.

Nemo’s desire for independence makes sense.

Dory’s optimism saves the day more than once.

Also, the ocean looks gorgeous.

Pixar really made fish emotional and then expected us to be fine.

Rude, but effective.

Finding Dory

Finding Dory gives Dory the spotlight.

• Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
• Main character: Dory
• Best for: Fans of Finding Nemo
• Main theme: Memory, identity, family, and self-trust

This sequel follows Dory as she tries to find her parents.

It keeps the ocean adventure feeling of the first movie, but shifts the emotional focus to Dory’s past.

It is not quite as fresh as Finding Nemo, but it still has strong heart.

And Hank the octopus is excellent.

Technically not a fish.

But I am not arguing with an octopus who can drive a truck.

Ponyo

Ponyo is one of the most magical animated fish movies ever made.

• Studio: Studio Ghibli
• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Main character: Ponyo
• Best for: Gentle fantasy, gorgeous animation, and family viewing

Ponyo is a goldfish-like girl who wants to become human after meeting a boy named Sosuke.

The movie is bright, strange, innocent, and full of ocean magic.

It is not structured like a typical adventure movie.

It feels more like a dream.

A very wet dream with giant waves and tiny ham sandwiches.

Only Studio Ghibli could make that feel poetic.

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid is not only about fish, but it is one of the most famous animated ocean movies ever.

• Studio: Disney
• Main character: Ariel
• Sea friends: Flounder and Sebastian
• Best for: Music, romance, and classic Disney fans

Ariel is a mermaid who dreams of life beyond the sea.

The movie has memorable songs, bright underwater animation, and some of Disney’s most famous sea characters.

Flounder is adorable.

Sebastian is stressed.

And honestly, Sebastian spends most of the movie trying to prevent disaster while everyone ignores him.

Relatable management energy.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning

The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning is a direct-to-video prequel to Disney’s original film.

• Studio: DisneyToon Studios
• Main character: Ariel
• Best for: Fans who want more Atlantica stories
• Main theme: Music, family, and self-expression

This movie takes place before Ariel meets Prince Eric.

Music is banned in Atlantica, and Ariel has to choose between family rules and her love of song.

It is not as iconic as the 1989 classic.

But if you like Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and underwater Disney worlds, it is a decent bonus watch.

Shark Tale

Shark Tale is a flashy underwater comedy with a very 2000s personality.

• Studio: DreamWorks Animation
• Main character: Oscar
• Other key character: Lenny the vegetarian shark
• Best for: Comedy, celebrity voices, and colorful ocean-city visuals

Oscar is a small fish with big dreams.

When he accidentally becomes famous as a “shark slayer,” his lie quickly gets out of control.

The movie is silly, loud, and packed with pop-culture energy.

It may not have the emotional depth of Finding Nemo, but it has personality.

And Lenny being a vegetarian shark is still a funny idea.

Respect his dietary journey.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is technically about a sponge, not a fish.

But it is underwater, animated, and full of sea creatures, so it belongs here.

• Studio: Nickelodeon Movies
• Main character: SpongeBob SquarePants
• Best for: Fans of Bikini Bottom comedy
• Main theme: Growing up, friendship, and proving yourself

The movie feels like a bigger, longer SpongeBob adventure without losing the show’s weird humor.

SpongeBob and Patrick go on a quest.

Plankton causes problems.

Everyone is ridiculous.

Perfect.

If you already love SpongeBob SquarePants characters, this is an easy watch.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water takes the Bikini Bottom crew into even stranger territory.

• Main character: SpongeBob SquarePants
• Best for: Fans of absurd SpongeBob humor
• Style: Mixes animation with live-action elements
• Vibe: Weird, fast, and very SpongeBob

This movie is not as classic as the first SpongeBob movie.

But it is still fun if you enjoy the show’s nonsense.

There are strange jokes, superhero-style moments, and enough underwater chaos to keep things moving.

Is SpongeBob a fish?

No.

Do I care?

Also no.

The Sea Beast

The Sea Beast is more about sea monsters than fish, but it is a great ocean adventure.

• Studio: Netflix Animation
• Main characters: Maisie Brumble and Jacob Holland
• Best for: Sea adventure, monster stories, and family action
• Main theme: Questioning old stories and choosing compassion

The movie follows a young girl who stows away on a monster-hunting ship.

What begins as a monster-hunting adventure becomes something more thoughtful.

The movie looks beautiful and has a strong message about fear, propaganda, and understanding creatures we were taught to hate.

So yes, not exactly a fish movie.

But definitely an ocean movie worth watching.

The Incredible Mr. Limpet

The Incredible Mr. Limpet is an older movie with a very strange fish transformation story.

• Main actor: Don Knotts
• Best for: Classic family movie fans
• Fish angle: A man transforms into a fish
• Vibe: Whimsical and old-fashioned

The story follows a timid man who becomes a fish and helps during World War II.

That sentence alone is very specific.

It is part live-action, part animation, and very much a product of its time.

If you like older oddball family films, it is worth knowing.

If you only like modern animation, it may feel unusual.

Because it is.

A Fish Tale

A Fish Tale, also known as Help! I’m a Fish, is about kids who turn into fish.

• Best for: Viewers who like transformation adventures
• Fish angle: Children become fish after drinking a potion
• Main problem: They must find the antidote before time runs out
• Vibe: Adventure, danger, and ocean fantasy

The premise is simple and fun.

Kids drink something they absolutely should not drink.

Then they become fish.

Classic cartoon science problem.

The movie has a strong sense of urgency because the characters only have a limited time to reverse the transformation.

So yes, lesson learned:

Do not drink mysterious potions from eccentric scientists.

Seems basic, but apparently we need reminders.

Izzie’s Way Home

Izzie’s Way Home is a smaller fish adventure movie.

• Main character: Izzie
• Fish angle: Aquarium fish released into the ocean
• Best for: Younger viewers who like simple fish adventures
• Main theme: Finding family and making friends

Izzie starts in an aquarium with her father, Harold.

After being released into the ocean and separated, she has to find her way back to him.

Along the way, she meets other sea creatures and learns to survive outside the aquarium.

It is not as polished as Pixar’s ocean movies.

But it still fits the “fish trying to find home” category.

Back to the Sea

Back to the Sea is another animated fish movie that often gets compared to bigger ocean films.

• Fish angle: Sea creatures trying to return home
• Best for: Younger kids and fish-movie completionists
• Vibe: Simple, colorful, and lightweight

This is not the strongest animated fish movie on the list.

It is hard for any smaller fish film to avoid comparisons to Finding Nemo.

And that comparison is not always kind.

Still, if you are building a full list of fish cartoon movies, it earns a mention.

Not every ocean movie can be Pixar.

Some are just trying to swim.

Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack

Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack is the weird horror pick.

• Type: Horror anime movie
• Fish angle: Undead fish with mechanical legs
• Best for: Adults who like bizarre horror anime
• Viewer note: Not for young kids

This is not cute fish content.

This is nightmare fish content.

The story involves strange undead sea creatures walking on mechanical legs and spreading horror through Tokyo.

Yes, walking fish.

No, thank you.

If you like strange horror, this is memorable.

If you came here from Finding Nemo, maybe do not make this your next family movie night.

Deep

Deep is a little tricky because the title can refer to different ocean-themed animated projects.

The version described in this post is closer to The Deep, an animated adventure series about a family of deep-sea explorers, not a fish-focused movie.

• Best for: Deep-sea adventure fans
• Ocean angle: Exploration, mystery, and sea creatures
• Important note: More ocean-adventure than fish movie

That said, deep-sea stories still fit the broader ocean animation theme.

The ocean is huge.

There is room for fish, sharks, monsters, submarines, and whatever terrifying creature lives where sunlight gives up.

Quick Picks: Best Animated Fish Movies by Type

Why Animated Fish Movies Work So Well

Animated fish movies work because the ocean is already a perfect fantasy setting.

• It is colorful.
• It is mysterious.
• It is full of unusual creatures.
• It gives characters a huge world to explore.
• It lets animators play with movement, light, and scale.

Fish also make great animated characters because they can be cute, funny, nervous, brave, dramatic, or absolutely terrifying.

Sometimes all in the same movie.

The ocean gives storytellers room for comedy, adventure, danger, and emotional growth.

Also bubbles.

Bubbles help.

Final Thoughts on Animated Movies About Fish

Animated movies about fish can be sweet, silly, strange, emotional, or deeply weird.

That is what makes the category fun.

• Finding Nemo gives us family and adventure.
• Finding Dory gives us memory and identity.
• Ponyo gives us magical ocean wonder.
• The Little Mermaid gives us songs, romance, and sea friends.
• Shark Tale gives us underwater comedy.
• Gyo gives us fish nightmares we did not ask for.

If you want the safest family pick, start with Finding Nemo.

If you want something magical, watch Ponyo.

If you want classic Disney sea life, go with The Little Mermaid.

And if you want horror fish with mechanical legs?

Well, that is between you and Gyo.

No judgment.

Maybe a little concern.

What is your favorite animated movie about fish or sea creatures? Drop your pick in the comments.