Spirited Away (2001)

• 8.6/10 (via IMDb)
• FSK 0

Summarizing the content of Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece is not that easy. However, explaining why this popular film can be so disturbing for young viewers is even more so – and extensive:

Young Chihiro finds herself in a world where she is initially all alone. Her parents have been turned into pigs, and throughout the story, there is an ominous foreshadowing that her parents could eventually be slaughtered and eaten.

During her time in this strange world, she encounters even stranger inhabitants and beings: a threatening old woman with a huge head whom she must work for, hopping heads, a terribly oversized baby, masked spirits, and a suspicious figure which engulfs other workers?

Chihiro has to take care of everything, try to save her parents, manage her work, escape from a monstrous and greedy guest. She becomes covered in soot, dirt, blood, and mud. The film depicts a journey of coming of age and courage, yet for children who could potentially see this film at a very young age (I remind you, the film has a FSK 0 rating), it could be a rather disturbing experience.

Coraline (2009)

• 7.8/10 (via IMDb)
• FSK 6

After moving into a new house, a young disillusioned girl named Coraline discovers a door to a parallel world. There she meets much kinder and more attentive versions of her parents, more fun, joy, and a seemingly happy life – but it comes at a price. And that price gave many children goosebumps.

What seems like an innocent portal to a better world quickly turns into a nightmare from which she cannot awaken. Lost, devoured children, a creepy and too friendly mother, a distorted version of her real world. And then the other parents want to sew buttons into her eyes? Yes, literally.

Coraline’s stop-motion style, the fantastic character design, the ominous soundtrack, and the menacing atmosphere made the animated film the first horror movie for many children.