A lighthearted story with some pretty dark scenes, Tarzan was a huge critical and commercial success upon release while also being the most expensive animated movie ever made (at the time.) Moreover, Tarzan was also groundbreaking in its technical aspect with the team behind it developing the "Deep Canvas" technique for computer-assisted background painting.

RELATED: 10 Things About The Little Mermaid That Make Zero Sense

Even now, Tarzan remains a beloved movie with fans regularly watching and discussing it. However, those who wanted more from the movie can be pleasantly surprised while watching other similar Disney animated movies.

10 The Sword In The Stone Explored The Idea Of Unlikely Heroes (1963)

Arthur holding the sword in The Sword in the Stone Cropped

The Sword in the Stone was adapted from the novel of the same name that was, in turn, based on Arthurian legends. The story follows a young boy named Arthur who is being trained by the wizard Merlin to become the next great king of England.

The animated movie first received mixed reviews from critics but was a financial success. It was also the last movie from Walt Disney Productions that was released before Walt Disney's death.

9 Hercules Had A Unique Visual Style (1997)

Hercules embracing Meg in Hercules Cropped

Unbeknownst to some viewers, Hercules isn't actually an accurate adaptation of Greek myths, but it is still a fun movie to watch. The story follows the son of Zeus Hercules who becomes a mortal and grows up in the realm of humans. As an adult, he must now prove that he is worthy of being a god.

The movie had a unique visual style which wasn't received equally well by all critics (as weren't the songs), but it seems that these elements along with hilarious jokes and unforgettable characters were the reasons why the movie is remembered even today and was a success at the box office upon its release.

8 Peter Pan Features A Playful Male Lead (1953)

Peter Pan fighting Captain Hook in Peter Pan

Adapted from the play of the same name, Peter Pan is about a trio of siblings led by Wendy who meet Peter Pan, the hero from their stories. Peter Pan takes the group to the magical island of Never Land where they can stay eternally young. There, they also encounter Peter Pan's enemy Captain Hook.

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The last movie distributed by RKO before Walt Disney founded his own distribution company, Peter Pan was a critical and commercial success and went on to spawn a 2002 sequel along with a series of direct-to-DVD prequels about one of the characters named Tinker Bell.

7 Pinocchio Is Also An Adaptation (1940)

Pinocchio growing donkey ears in the original Pinocchio

Adapted from the Italian children's novel The Adventures of PinocchioPinocchio follows a puppet made by a woodcarver that is brought to life by a blue fairy. He must now prove that he is "brave, truthful, and unselfish" which will lead him to become a real human boy.

Despite being a box office bomb upon its release during WWII, Pinocchio went on to become commercially successful during its 1945 reissue and was the first animated movie to win a competitive Academy Award. Moreover, it is now considered to be one of the best-animated features ever made.

6 The Emperor's New Groove Features Exceptional Music (2000)

Llama Kuzco and Pacha in the jungle in The Emperor's New Groove Cropped

The story of The Emperor's New Groove begins when the young and selfish Incan emperor Kuzco gets turned into a llama as a result of his ex-advisor's attempt to poison him. He now tries to find a way to become a human again while a villager he had earlier hurt helps him along the way.

The Emperor's New Groove underperformed at the box office but found success with home media becoming the best-selling DVD of 2001. Moreover, it was praised by critics and received a nomination for the Best Original Song Academy Award.

5 Robin Hood Features An Unconventional Protagonist (1973)

Robin Hood having fun with an arrow in Robin Hood Cropped

Robin Hood is a story about the eponymous protagonist who, along with his companion Little John, helps the inhabitants of Nottingham fight against Prince John who raises taxation.

RELATED: 10 Darkest Moments In The Disney Animated Canon, Ranked

Nowadays, the movie has been receiving mixed reviews, but at the time of its release, Robin Hood was both a critical and commercial success. Nevertheless, what matters is that fans still love it both for its animation and for its humor.

4 The Jungle Book Explores Friendships Between Animals And Humans (1967)

Mowgli and Baloo swimming on the river in The Jungle Book Cropped

Based on the book of the same name, The Jungle Book tells the story of a boy named Mowgli who was raised by wolves as a feral child. He now interacts with the different inhabitants of the area including Baloo the bear, Bagheera the panther, and others.

The last movie produced by Walt Disney (who died during its production), The Jungle Book was praised by critics and even became the second-highest-grossing animated movie in the United States and Canada.

3 The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh Highlights The Childhood World Of A Young Boy (1977)

The friends having fun in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Cropped

Interestingly, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh wasn't a single story initially. In fact, these were separate featurettes that were later put together and linked with additional footage to create a feature film.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was praised by critics and now holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has also spawned sequels and TV programs along with a variety of accompanying merchandise and even an attraction at Disneyland.

2 Aladdin Was Also Inspired By An Existing Story (1992)

Aladdin and Jasmine flying on the carpet in Aladdin Cropped

Based on an Arabian folktale, Aladdin tells the story of a poor young man named Aladdin living on the streets. Luckily, he finds a magical lamp with a genie in it who can now make three of Aladdin's wishes come true.

As expected, Aladdin became a hit at the box office and held the title of the highest-grossing animated movie of all time until it was surpassed by another Disney movie. In addition to that, it won two Academy Awards for its score and one of its songs.

1 The Lion King Also Explores The Loss Of A Father (1994)

Rafiki taking a newborn Simba to be presented to the animals (The Lion King)

The movie that beat Aladdin's box office record was The Lion King which followed a lion cub named Simba who must become the next king after his father's death.

The Lion King was praised by critics and received two Academy Awards. It also remains the highest-grossing animated movie of all time even though it isn't the highest-grossing animated movie anymore.

NEXT: 5 Ways Beauty & The Beast Is Better Than Lion King (& 5 Why Lion King Is)