17. Elio
Pixar’s latest film is for the weird kids who hyperfixate. Elio’s story of an outcast child who has lost everyone who’s important to him and is seeking anyone, anywhere who might accept him, is the science fiction isekai every little kid wishing for friends imagines growing up. The titular orphan dreams of leaving Earth for the stars to find friends and family beyond this floating rock. Through a series of happy coincidences he manages to make his way to a galactic community that loves him, albeit under a guise of being Earth’s leader and representative, and his attempts to maintain the facade lead to some life-threatening antics. But as he finds his people in space, he grows to appreciate what he’s left behind. It’s a heartwarming story about a character who’s making the best of what he’s got, even as a child who has endured more than he should have had to at such a young age. — KS
