The world of animation can be enthralling if you know where to start. Think of the Pixar creation Up which took the world by storm upon its release in 2009. A whole lot of people were introduced to the world of animation with Carlâs adventure in the film.

Over time, many of those fans dug deeper and uncovered a whole new world of animation films. And while many Hollywood heavy-weights came and captured our attention over the years, it was the short animation movies that kept us going in the meantime.

Short and crisp with strong plots and adorable characters, short films offer the perfect escape and often true insights into other worlds we often fail to recognise in our daily lives. With a mix of new and old short animated films (which still havenât lost their charm), check out these 6 short animated films for a good time, or if you just want to get started.

This one traces the journey of a ball of yarn named Purl who gets employed in a company run entirely by humans, and how it tries to make its own space within the company by adjusting to suit the office culture. Many have also looked at the film through the prism of women employment in male-dominated industries and the kind of injustice and struggles women face to make a name and space for themselves.

A 4-minute short film on guide dogs, this one maps the story of a dog named Pip who wants to become a guide dog but doesnât fit all the requirements to join the dog training institute. This film is a reminder that in order to prove ourselves to others, we must have faith in our own skills.

As the name suggests, this film beautifully presents the cycle of nature from one season to another. With a captivating background score, the film tries to understand what goes behind the scenes as one season gives way to another, and how in this case a little shepherd girl manages to free her valley from cold, gloomy winters.

This one is adorable and inspiring all at once. Through the protagonist of this short film the creators have tried to remind us that our shortcomings should never become an excuse to not try harder and live the life we dream of. And in this case itâs an adorable present that helps us understand it.

A story about love and acceptance, this one is the perfect movie for anybody who has been labelled âdifferentâ. This film also successfully reminds us that there is nothing a man or woman canât do just because theyâre traditionally not taught to do it in the first place. Itâs about learning and coming out a winner in the face of a challenge, no matter how small.

This 2014 release is a beautiful story about a little pug named Dustin who has to adjust to living with an unusual housemate, who soon turns into a rival. Though very different in nature, the two have regular face offs until eventually Dustin finds a play-mate in his house-mate. But the realisation comes at a cost. Watch this endearing film to find out why.

Before we wrap this up, a quick reminder that Kobe Bryantâs Dear Basketball, award-winning short film Bao and critically acclaimed Dutch short film Mind My Mind also deserve an honorary mention here. Though these amazing animated films are not available for free streaming online, weâd recommend you do give these a watch as well if you wish to take this further!

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