This is not animation geared to children. It is a very witty, adult tale that entwines the personal and the political as it gives a stunning portrait of repressiveness in Iran and describes a young woman’s gradual liberation of mind and spirit.

Anyone who balks at seeing “Persepolis” because of not being attuned to animation would be making a foolish, shortsighted mistake. The film rivals live action in its perceptiveness and entertainment qualities. There are also superb voices provided by Gabrielle Lopes, Danielle Darrieux, Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni and Simon Abkarian.

Amazingly, the animated characters become so lifelike that a scene in which Marjane says goodbye to her mother upon leaving her home country can make one tearful. There is also terrific humor in the animation, as when after a love affair breaks up for Marjane. She suddenly sees in retrospect the man with whom she had been infatuated looking and behaving like a terrible person.

A beloved character for Marjane is her feisty grandmother, voiced movingly and often amusingly by the distinguished French actress Danielle Darrieux. The grandmother gives Marjane moral guidelines that she takes to heart.

The depiction of fundamentalist harassment is sharp and satirical, and the film is packed with observations about life in an atmosphere of repression. It is also filled with the joy of sampling Vienna and Paris.