Were it not for NIMH, the world of feature film animation might not still exist. In 1982, Disney was a clumsy, confused beast that couldn’t score a hit to save its life, despite its near-monopoly on children’s entertainment. Enter filmmaker Don Bluth—or rather, exit Bluth, in a frustrated huff, from Disney, along with a whole squad of talented animators sick of the rut they were stuck in. They grabbed a weird, gently moody little sci-fi/fantasy story for kids and let their ambitions run wild all over it—and kicked Disney’s ass with a beautifully animated adventure about a brave mom trying to take care of her kids. Not only did this success allow for new voices in animation to be heard, it forced Disney to fight for its crown. The animation renaissance of the ‘90s? You can thank Mrs. Brisby for that. by Bobby Roberts