Movies Like Shimajiro and the Song of the Whale

If you liked Shimajiro and the Song of the Whale (2014), a family and animation movie directed by Isamu Hirabayashi and Hiroshi Kawamata, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures (2010)
★ 6.1/10Also animation and family
Born on a Baja, California beach in 1959, new hatchling Sammy races across the beach to the ocean while avoiding being caught by seagulls and crabs. Thus begins Sammy's incredible fifty-year ocean journey where he…
2
Moana (2016)
★ 7.6/10Also adventure and family
In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the demigod to set things right.
3
Under the Boardwalk (2023)
★ 7.3/10Also adventure and animation
Two crabs embark on an epic journey to get home after a storm sweeps them away. Their courage soon unites their families, paving the way for great summers to come.
4
Barbie: Dolphin Magic (2017)
★ 6.6/10Also animation and adventure
Barbie and her sisters take off on another exciting, global adventure to visit their friend Ken at his summer internship at a beautiful and exotic coral reef.
5
Finding Nemo (2003)
★ 7.8/10Also animation and family
Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken from his Great Barrier Reef home to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to his worrisome father Marlin and a friendly but forgetful fish Dory to bring Nemo…
6
The Sea Beast (2022)
★ 7.3/10Also animation and adventure
When a young girl stows away on the ship of a legendary sea monster hunter, they launch an epic journey into uncharted waters — and make history to boot.
7
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)
★ 6.2/10Also adventure and animation
Get ready as Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber and the rest of the Veggies set sail on a whale of an adventure in Big Idea's first full-length, 3-D animated feature film. This is the story of Jonah and the Whale as…
8
The Little Mermaid (1989)
★ 7.4/10Also animation and family
This colorful adventure tells the story of an impetuous mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the very human Prince Eric and puts everything on the line for the chance to be with him. Memorable songs and…
9
The Snail and the Whale (2020)
★ 6.6/10Also animation and family
A half hour animated film for all the family based on the much-loved book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The Snail and the Whale is the much loved classic that shows us a restless young…
10
Barbie in A Mermaid Tale (2010)
★ 7.3/10Also animation and family
Barbie stars as Merliah, a surfer who learns a shocking secret: she's a mermaid! She and her dolphin friend set out for an undersea adventure to rescue her mother, the queen of Oceana.
11
Lu Over the Wall (2017)
★ 6.9/10Also animation and adventure
In a small fishing village, a gloomy middle school student named Kai meets a mermaid named Lu.
12
Crayon Shinchan the Movie: Dangerous Honeymoon -The Lost Daddy- (2019)
★ 7/10Also animation and adventure
Hiroshi and Misae have never been to a honeymoon trip to a foreign country. One day, Misae discovered an inexpensive and family-friendly holiday package to Australia and the Nohara family decided to make it their first…
13
Moana (2026)
★ 7.4/10Also family and adventure
Teenage Moana answers the Ocean's call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with infamous demigod Maui on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.
14
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012)
★ 6.5/10Also animation and adventure
The enthusiastic Pirate Captain, along with his rag-tag crew, sets out to beat his bitter rivals. The chaotic adventure takes them from exotic shores to Victorian London, and from a haplessly smitten scientist to a…
15
Ponyo (2008)
★ 7.8/10Also animation and family
When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be…
16
Trouble (2019)
★ 6.5/10Also animation and adventure
A pampered dog named Trouble must learn to live in the real world while trying to escape from his former owner's greedy children and must learn how to survive on the big-city streets.
17
Shark Tale (2004)
★ 6/10Also animation and family
Oscar is a small fish whose big aspirations often get him into trouble. Meanwhile, Lenny is a great white shark with a surprising secret that no sea creature would guess: He's a vegetarian. When a lie turns Oscar into…
18
Chicken Little (2005)
★ 5.9/10Also animation and family
When the sky really is falling and sanity has flown the coop, who will rise to save the day? Together with his hysterical band of misfit friends, Chicken Little must hatch a plan to save the planet from alien invasion…
19
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
★ 7.3/10Also animation and family
Whether we’re young or forever young at heart, the Hundred Acre Wood calls to that place in each of us that still believes in magic. Join pals Pooh, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Rabbit, Tigger and Christopher Robin as they…
20
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
★ 7.1/10Also adventure and animation
There's trouble brewing in Bikini Bottom. Someone has stolen King Neptune's crown, and it looks like Mr. Krab, SpongeBob's boss, is the culprit. Though he's just been passed over for the promotion of his dreams…