Best Cartoons (TV) of all time:
1) The Simpsons: For over 20 years The Simpsons have been a part of American culture. Naysayers can argue it has passed its prime and isn’t what it once was to which I completely agree. However, The Simpsons was so good that even the more recent episodes are still better than most of the drudge on television. What makes The Simpsons great is it was the first cartoon to successfully market itself to an older crowd (where The Flinstones failed) and still be enjoyed by kids. Being a prime time show it is very high quality animation with great music, guest appearances and some of the most loveable and relatable characters in history. When you really stop and think The Simpsons has touched almost 3 generations of Americans, and made them all laugh.
2) Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, etc… there are so many great characters, so many great stories, that when I grew up and found out that many of these cartoons were made before television I couldn’t believe it. If you were stuck on the side of the road and Mickey Mouse came to help you he’d give you a ride and $20, Bugs Bunny would throw a bowling ball through your windshield. While Disney was busy selling innocence, Warner Brothers was making genuinely funny cartoons. I got a chance to watch a “lost” episode of Looney Tunes where Bugs Bunny gets lost in Nazi Germany and fights Hitler that will make you pee your pants. Looney Tunes is superbly animated, wonderful shows with such a gritty edge that will still have people laughing 200 years from now.
3) Avatar the Last Airbender: Anyone who doesn’t think this show should be number three obviously hasn’t watched it. Great animation coupled with an engulfing storyline and interesting characters Avatar is great and works on so many levels. From young kids to adults this beautifully animated show is something that finally got it all right.
4) Animaniacs: After a conversation with a friend I went back and watched the Animaniacs, and once I got through watching a good majority of the series I found myself asking “how did they ever market this as a children’s show?” Animaniacs with their zany antics manage to make a show that I loved as a kid, yet somehow was too young to understand a lot of the jokes. In one scene Dot is asked to “Look for Prints” and Prince the musician pops out. Her brother then says “No, Fingerprints.” To this Dot looks at Prince, he smiles and she says “I don’t think so.” Along with causing Chaos around the WB lot, they manage to squeeze in great side shows like Goodfeathers, and the classic Pinky and the Brain, all with top notch animation.
5) Family Guy: Yeah, I put this behind The Simpsons, but not to take anything away from Family Guy. Family Guy is awesome, walking that great line between comedy and social commentary. Family Guy mixes two great aspects of two great cartoons, the satirical nature of South Park and the adventurous nature of The Simpsons Halloween Specials. As great as The Simpsons are, they are still grounded in reality with the exception of the Halloween episodes. Family Guy while having an anchor in reality plays with time, space, and the relative awkwardness of the television and animation. When The Simpsons first came out they really pushed the envelope as far as what was appropriate for television, Family Guy has taken over where The Simpsons left off and earns the parental warning they have before every episode.
6) South Park: It was tricky but I put this behind Family Guy for one reason and that is animation quality. I can remember when South Park first came out and I was in an animation class in college. I asked my animation teacher what he thought about South Park, he explained that the animation was terrible (obviously) but it was so cheap and quick to make that they were great at staying topical. He continued on how in a recent episode they were making fun of Kathy Lee Gifford, and in 10 years no one will understand that joke. Now with the advance of computers he could not be more correct. South Park stays relevant by being topical, satirical, and really pointing out the most ridiculous parts of being American… even if the animation is terrible.
7) Superman (Fleischer 1941): Okay, so there wasn’t television when this came out, but it was made as short films that were meant to entertain kids, which makes me think if there was TV, this would have been on it. In an age of holds, and loops, and cutting corners to reduce budget, Superman spares no expense. Beautifully animated and colored it really makes up for the cheesy stories. This series not only set the groundwork for other “adventure” television shows, it set the standard. If you’ve never had a chance to watch them, they’re beautiful.
8) GI Joe: In the early 80’s the U.S. softened legislation on product placement and television, especially for kids, this brought about a renaissance of cartoons in the U.S. strictly made to sell toys. Between 1983-87 U.S. children were introduced to Transformers, Voltron, Thundercats, Silverhawks, MASK, Dungeons and Dragons, He-Man, and so many more. I’ve watched all of these and can for sure say GI Joe was the best. While many of the previously stated shows told the same story over and over, GI Joe told interesting stories that even today hold up (like 3 GI Joes staying in an alternate universe to help the Baroness lead the resistance movement against Cobra). The sexual innuendos between Lady Jay and Flint and the loud rants by Cobra Commander take on a whole new direction as an adult viewer. Lastly, the thing that separates GI Joe is the bad guys, a mix of mercenaries and psychos out for themselves. GI Joe with its cheesy dialogue, one liners, action, and immense number of vehicles used for no reason than to sell it as a toy later, really optimizes what those 80’s cartoons were about. *On a side note, if you watch GI Joe today, notice how much the animators go out of their way to never show anyone die. People always manage to “bail out” before the plane explodes, or they shoot the wall behind someone causing a collapse instead of actually shooting them.
9) Batman the Animated Series: Spurred by the Tim Burton’s Batman fever that gripped the nation in the early 90’s, BAS was a complete shift from the animation that had come before it. Only a few years earlier we had the cheesy, GI Joe, Thundercats etc… with their cost efficient animation. Inspired by the Fleischer Superman cartoons these were beautifully painted, written, composed, and animated cartoons with a wicked soundtrack. To continue the feeling of the Fleisher Superman cartoons, BAS seemed to be set in the 1940’s with police blimps, fashion, and vehicles from that era. One of BAS’s biggest claims to fame is it is one of the only cartoons to create a character that later became a comic character. Harley Quinn was never a character until she appeared in the first season of BAS. Coming to a peak in the early 90’s when it reached prime-time; BAS eventually declined but also had some wicked spin-offs.
10) The Tick: If you have ever picked up a comic book ever, you will love this cartoon. A complete satire on the Superhero genre we follow a superhero named “The Tick” who is super strong, but may be the dumbest person alive, his sidekick Arthur who gives up life as an accountant to become a flying Moth, his friend BatManuel the Latino Batman, and so many others. This show was so funny and so ahead of its time that it’s no wonder it never took off as a series. The animation was above average with some of the greatest villains ever conceived. There is a live action version but isn’t anywhere near the quality of the animated series.
11) Robotech: I can remember as a kid waking up at 6am every morning for an entire summer to watch Robotech. Not because I was a huge Robotech fan, but because I wanted to know what happened next. Robotech was one of the first and only cartoons to tell a whole story over a season. The story follows Earth where an alien ship has just crashed. The technology found in this ship launches a new industrial revolution on Earth mixing modern machine with robot technology. Everything is fine before the Zentraedi return and want their ship back; this sparks a war between the two races. Robotech was a bit overlooked because it was part of the mid 80’s cartoon flood, but is a great introduction of modern Anime and design to American culture.
12) Spiderman and His Amazing Friends: Few cartoons withstand the test of time like SHAF. Marvels previous attempt at an animated series, the Fantastic Four of the 70’s is awful (sorry fanboys, it’s terrible). SHAF not only had Spiderman but served as a half hour launching pad for Marvel characters from Daredevil to Wolverine (with a terrible accent). Spiderman succeeded where FF and so many other shows failed, and what child of the 80’s couldn’t wait for Peter Parkers living room to transform to a command center.
13) SpongeBob Squarepants: A cartoon about a Sponge, who lives in the ocean, has a Starfish best friend, a villainous plankton plant, and occasional guest appearance by a squirrel in a spacesuit, yes, these are all part of one of the most popular cartoons ever. I dare any individual to watch this show and not burst out laughing. Sure the animation isn’t great, but the universal humor and wonderful character design make this one of the greatest cartoons ever.
14) Samurai Jack: In 2001 Samurai Jack took animation by storm with its super stylized animation that introduced American culture to a new way of animating. It changed the entire thinking of what animation is with it absence of lines, flat images and beautiful backgrounds Samurai Jack made up for the lackluster plot and dialogue with wonderful art that made each frame a masterpiece. This show is a visual orgasm with intricate shapes, colors and the split screens to make it appear as a comic book, it is the most visually adventurous cartoon on this list.
15) The Vision of Escaflowne: Following the great Japanese tradition of big hair, dragons, schoolgirl outfits, and giant robots, Escaflowne combines great visuals with a story so complex it makes you ask yourself what just happened. Even with the complex plot, much like a David Lynch movie you can’t help but watch. Escaflowne was one of those gems you couldn’t find anywhere but the back of your local video store subtitled in English. Then in the late 90’s Fox took Escaflowne, dubbed it in English, and stuck it in their Saturday morning line-up to create a huge fan base. A movie later followed but like most Anime, blew all their funds on the first 10 minutes.
16) Powerpuff Girls: It is hard for a man to say he loves the Powerpuff Girls but here I am. A few years ago I picked up Powerpuff Girls after a friend had recommended it. Focusing on three girls Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, these three girls were essentially test tube babies that were made to be the “Perfect little girls” made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. However, when they were made Chemical X was accidentally added giving them super powers. When you watch Powerpuff Girls you realize it is a show clearly marketed toward females, and it is very good at it. What makes PPG great is the writing and the villains. Nominated multiple times for Emmy’s PPG has some great, short little stories that stretch the boundary of the medium. Adding to this is what might be the greatest villain ever, Mojo JoJo, a super smart Monkey that says everything he’s going to do twice, he may be one of the greatest things ever conceived by mankind, right after that wheel thing.
17) Jackie Chan Adventures: Most people know who Jackie Chan is, and know most of his movies, but have no idea he was in one of the greatest cartoons ever. The show stars… well, Jackie Chan, his niece Jade and his crabby uncle known as “Uncle”. Officially, Jackie is an archeologist but is a sometime secret agent who fights crime, and just gets into a bunch of adventures usually involving some sort of artifact. The best part of these are the cameos by real Jackie Chan in each episode but much like the real Jackie Chan, animated Jackie Chan is great at getting his butt kicked. Many times Jade would get into trouble or end up saving the day but this show was solid all the way through from story, to technical, to the great characters, I enjoyed every episode.
18) X-men the Animated Series: X-men was released as a Saturday morning cartoon on Fox, with its first episode “Night of the Sentinels.” At the time of its release, X-men the comic book was maybe the hottest thing out there. While I do love X-men the Animated Series, I enjoyed X-men Evolution more (better animation). What made the Animated Series great was the character design of Jim Lee. Every character in X-men the Animated Series might not have been created, but was designed by artist Jim Lee who is one of the greatest comic minds of all time. Unfortunately with poor writing the stories in XAS very quickly degraded to ways to sell toys butchering some classic comic stories as a tool to introduced second tier characters. In the end X-men was one of the longest running Marvel animated series in history.
19) King of the Hill: What I love about this show is there is not a shred of it that was made for kids. This show from episode one was made for adults and follows Hank Hill and his family and friends in Arlen Texas. The show had a very dry sense of humor about it and really poked fun at the generation gap between conservatives and their children and that fine line between normalcy and white trash. The show was shown in prime-time so it always was on the higher side of quality with its very thin lines and simple backgrounds. It really was funny, and managed to cut out its own little niche for 13 seasons.
20) Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Bridging the gap between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Clone Wars follows the Jedi and the battle against the Trade Federation. Influenced greatly by Samurai Jack, Clone Wars was a more stylized departure from most things Star Wars. Dare I say this show was better than both movies, with intense action sequences and great character design Clone Wars gives us some great moments like Anikin’s light saber battle in the rain, that makes us wish Lucas was smart enough to put them in the movie. We should also mention that this series gave us some of the best Star Wars toys to come out in years.
21) Thundercats: Part of the Animation influx in the mid 80’s Thundercats followed a group of cat people that need to leave their home planet Thundera and flee to a planet called Third Earth. Upon arrival the Thundercats set up camp and begin living but the evil Mumm-Ra wants to capture the “Eye of Thundera” or the source of the Thundercats power. Well, there you have the plot for every episode. The show itself gets very repetitive, and anyone who was a fan as a kid will not find it nearly as interesting as an adult. What put Thundercats on this list was the opening sequence. Along with having the catchiest of the theme songs the opening of Thundercats is unparalleled with its quick cuts, and extreme angles it pushed the limits of what animation was at the time.
22) Digimon Season 1: With the Pokemon craze that was sweeping the world Digimon sat in the background. A very fun show with some really great characters it was mistaken as a poor man’s Pokemon. However anyone who watched Pokemon quickly realized it was a terrible show with the same plots every episode. Digimon had an interesting plot that followed a group of kids and their “Digital Monsters” trapped in a Digital world that spanned all of season 1. Unfortunately I can’t put season 2 on this list because it’s unwatchable.
23) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: This show is on this list not because of any great leaps or bounds creatively or technically but strictly because of the cultural phenomenon it created. TMNT followed a group of genetically mutated turtles and a rat that lived in a sewer, knew martial arts, and fought a ninja named Shredder. When you say it out loud SpongeBob makes more sense. The original comic book was very cutting edge but was watered down for mass audiences; however that didn’t stop hundreds of different toys, shirts, cards, and a few video games and movies from hitting U.S. children right upside the head.
24) The Ren and Stimpy Show: I have no idea what John Kricfalusi was smoking when he created this show but I’m awfully glad he did. A psychotic Chihuahua named Ren and a really naive cat named Stimpy get into one adventure after another with really no rhyme or reason for any of it. Featuring the voice talent of Billy West the show really came to life with his great voices for both Ren and Stimpy in some episodes. Ren and Stimpy had an exaggerated animation style that wasn’t seen much when the show first came out. I loved Ren and Stimpy and had no idea what was going on half the time, but I think that was part of the fun of it. Ren and Stimpy survived parent complaints and 5 years on television before their adventures came to rest, however every once and a while something new comes out that ensures the “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy” song will never die.
25) Aeon Flux: In 1991 Aeon Flux first appeared in short versions on American television on MTV’s Liquid Television (that also brought you Beavis and Butthead). This super stylized, futuristic idea was the brain child of Peter Chung. After Liquid Television a full out show was made but never really made it big. The plot is very confusing and scared a lot of the audience off, but it is oh so pretty to look at. With the long, lanky style Aeon Flux became an animated Egon Schiele drawing with an anarchist attitude.
Honorable Mention:
Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears: This is what happens when you mix Lord of the Rings with children’s candy. The story goes that the Gummi Bears were a once great civilization that fled on boats to a distant land (elves) leaving man in charge. These magical and advanced bears left a small group behind that live underground and are now considered myths. The show itself had great animation because this was one of Disney’s first attempts at an animated series so they really flexed their muscles. What made it miss the top 25 are the stories that were so repetitive and so cute they could make you ill. Despite it falling short in some areas it still is a solid show that any animation lover can appreciate.
My Guilty Pleasures:
Scooby Doo: You want to talk repetitive this show takes the cake. Every episode finds the gang in some different place in their hippy van in the middle of some type of situation involving a scary creature. This show makes you throw out all logic, like where do they get money? Do they sleep in the van? Most importantly, where the hell are they going? Despite all this lack of logic I loved this show as a kid (until they added Scrappy-Doo, that thing needs to die), I got so into it, and laughed at the same gag used over and over. As most that watched Scooby-Doo I would get so excited when the gang would get help from Batman and Robin, or the Harlem Globetrotters. The show has sub-par animation, bad stories, and I loved every second of it.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Cleary the result of drugs this show follows a wad of meat, fries and a shake that live in a house together. That is it; that is the plot, they just kind of hang out until Master Shake gets an idea on how to make money and usually takes advantage of Meatwad or their neighbor Carl. After a great theme song you are left with terrible animation and a plot that appears written by a bunch of guys smoking pot all day. What makes me love this show is everything you shouldn’t; Aqua Teen Hunger Force knows what it is and doesn’t make excuses for it. I’ve laughed so hard at this show so many times, yet when I show it to my girlfriend she clearly contemplates breaking up with me. The Moonites are some of the greatest characters ever and you have to love a show that caused a Bomb Threat scare during movie promotion.
The “Watch it again and then complain it’s not on the list.” Section
Transformers: For those who have never watched Transformers I’ll tell you what happens in pretty much every episode; Megatron wants enerjon cubes, the Autobots discover his plot and go to stop him, they get beat, they re-group and defeat Megatron the last 5 minutes. This show is so repetitive it made me seasick. The animation is average at best, stories were barely tolerable, and the only time anything interesting happens is when Hasbro wanted to release a new toy. So, fanboys, before you get all upset and angry keep in mind this isn’t a “Best Television Inspired Toyline” list because Transformers would be number 1. I loved the Transformers cartoon as a kid but this is an animated television show list, and when you really step back and look at it, the show just wasn’t very good.
Care Bears: Bad animation, and even worse stories about a group of bears that live in the sky, know everything about you, and just want to be your friend…kind of creepy.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Let me start off by saying He-man is a good show, I loved the show as a kid and if there was a top 50 list I’d definitely put it on there. The problem with He-man is there is nothing special about it. The show is a so heavily influenced by Heavy Metal that I can’t give it originality points, the animation is average at best, and the voices are by far the worst of all those 80’s cartoons. He-Man has two lingering problems, the first is the soundtrack. He-man decides to put the cheesiest music behind everything; the music penetrates every scene and really becomes a distraction. Second is the pacing; in He-man, everything moves slowly, from cats, to bad guys, to He-man himself, everything just moves slowly. Outside of just being an animated cartoon, the one thing that I noticed viewing it as an adult is it’s a really gay show. Now I’m not using “gay” as stupid or weird, I mean genuinely gay. While watching it I kept saying that there were no way the writers and artists didn’t know what they were doing. There are so many phallic symbols and compromising holds, that the creators had to know what they were doing, or they were just completely stupid.
1) The Simpsons: For over 20 years The Simpsons have been a part of American culture. Naysayers can argue it has passed its prime and isn’t what it once was to which I completely agree. However, The Simpsons was so good that even the more recent episodes are still better than most of the drudge on television. What makes The Simpsons great is it was the first cartoon to successfully market itself to an older crowd (where The Flinstones failed) and still be enjoyed by kids. Being a prime time show it is very high quality animation with great music, guest appearances and some of the most loveable and relatable characters in history. When you really stop and think The Simpsons has touched almost 3 generations of Americans, and made them all laugh.
2) Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, etc… there are so many great characters, so many great stories, that when I grew up and found out that many of these cartoons were made before television I couldn’t believe it. If you were stuck on the side of the road and Mickey Mouse came to help you he’d give you a ride and $20, Bugs Bunny would throw a bowling ball through your windshield. While Disney was busy selling innocence, Warner Brothers was making genuinely funny cartoons. I got a chance to watch a “lost” episode of Looney Tunes where Bugs Bunny gets lost in Nazi Germany and fights Hitler that will make you pee your pants. Looney Tunes is superbly animated, wonderful shows with such a gritty edge that will still have people laughing 200 years from now.
3) Avatar the Last Airbender: Anyone who doesn’t think this show should be number three obviously hasn’t watched it. Great animation coupled with an engulfing storyline and interesting characters Avatar is great and works on so many levels. From young kids to adults this beautifully animated show is something that finally got it all right.
4) Animaniacs: After a conversation with a friend I went back and watched the Animaniacs, and once I got through watching a good majority of the series I found myself asking “how did they ever market this as a children’s show?” Animaniacs with their zany antics manage to make a show that I loved as a kid, yet somehow was too young to understand a lot of the jokes. In one scene Dot is asked to “Look for Prints” and Prince the musician pops out. Her brother then says “No, Fingerprints.” To this Dot looks at Prince, he smiles and she says “I don’t think so.” Along with causing Chaos around the WB lot, they manage to squeeze in great side shows like Goodfeathers, and the classic Pinky and the Brain, all with top notch animation.
5) Family Guy: Yeah, I put this behind The Simpsons, but not to take anything away from Family Guy. Family Guy is awesome, walking that great line between comedy and social commentary. Family Guy mixes two great aspects of two great cartoons, the satirical nature of South Park and the adventurous nature of The Simpsons Halloween Specials. As great as The Simpsons are, they are still grounded in reality with the exception of the Halloween episodes. Family Guy while having an anchor in reality plays with time, space, and the relative awkwardness of the television and animation. When The Simpsons first came out they really pushed the envelope as far as what was appropriate for television, Family Guy has taken over where The Simpsons left off and earns the parental warning they have before every episode.
6) South Park: It was tricky but I put this behind Family Guy for one reason and that is animation quality. I can remember when South Park first came out and I was in an animation class in college. I asked my animation teacher what he thought about South Park, he explained that the animation was terrible (obviously) but it was so cheap and quick to make that they were great at staying topical. He continued on how in a recent episode they were making fun of Kathy Lee Gifford, and in 10 years no one will understand that joke. Now with the advance of computers he could not be more correct. South Park stays relevant by being topical, satirical, and really pointing out the most ridiculous parts of being American… even if the animation is terrible.
7) Superman (Fleischer 1941): Okay, so there wasn’t television when this came out, but it was made as short films that were meant to entertain kids, which makes me think if there was TV, this would have been on it. In an age of holds, and loops, and cutting corners to reduce budget, Superman spares no expense. Beautifully animated and colored it really makes up for the cheesy stories. This series not only set the groundwork for other “adventure” television shows, it set the standard. If you’ve never had a chance to watch them, they’re beautiful.
8) GI Joe: In the early 80’s the U.S. softened legislation on product placement and television, especially for kids, this brought about a renaissance of cartoons in the U.S. strictly made to sell toys. Between 1983-87 U.S. children were introduced to Transformers, Voltron, Thundercats, Silverhawks, MASK, Dungeons and Dragons, He-Man, and so many more. I’ve watched all of these and can for sure say GI Joe was the best. While many of the previously stated shows told the same story over and over, GI Joe told interesting stories that even today hold up (like 3 GI Joes staying in an alternate universe to help the Baroness lead the resistance movement against Cobra). The sexual innuendos between Lady Jay and Flint and the loud rants by Cobra Commander take on a whole new direction as an adult viewer. Lastly, the thing that separates GI Joe is the bad guys, a mix of mercenaries and psychos out for themselves. GI Joe with its cheesy dialogue, one liners, action, and immense number of vehicles used for no reason than to sell it as a toy later, really optimizes what those 80’s cartoons were about. *On a side note, if you watch GI Joe today, notice how much the animators go out of their way to never show anyone die. People always manage to “bail out” before the plane explodes, or they shoot the wall behind someone causing a collapse instead of actually shooting them.
9) Batman the Animated Series: Spurred by the Tim Burton’s Batman fever that gripped the nation in the early 90’s, BAS was a complete shift from the animation that had come before it. Only a few years earlier we had the cheesy, GI Joe, Thundercats etc… with their cost efficient animation. Inspired by the Fleischer Superman cartoons these were beautifully painted, written, composed, and animated cartoons with a wicked soundtrack. To continue the feeling of the Fleisher Superman cartoons, BAS seemed to be set in the 1940’s with police blimps, fashion, and vehicles from that era. One of BAS’s biggest claims to fame is it is one of the only cartoons to create a character that later became a comic character. Harley Quinn was never a character until she appeared in the first season of BAS. Coming to a peak in the early 90’s when it reached prime-time; BAS eventually declined but also had some wicked spin-offs.
10) The Tick: If you have ever picked up a comic book ever, you will love this cartoon. A complete satire on the Superhero genre we follow a superhero named “The Tick” who is super strong, but may be the dumbest person alive, his sidekick Arthur who gives up life as an accountant to become a flying Moth, his friend BatManuel the Latino Batman, and so many others. This show was so funny and so ahead of its time that it’s no wonder it never took off as a series. The animation was above average with some of the greatest villains ever conceived. There is a live action version but isn’t anywhere near the quality of the animated series.
11) Robotech: I can remember as a kid waking up at 6am every morning for an entire summer to watch Robotech. Not because I was a huge Robotech fan, but because I wanted to know what happened next. Robotech was one of the first and only cartoons to tell a whole story over a season. The story follows Earth where an alien ship has just crashed. The technology found in this ship launches a new industrial revolution on Earth mixing modern machine with robot technology. Everything is fine before the Zentraedi return and want their ship back; this sparks a war between the two races. Robotech was a bit overlooked because it was part of the mid 80’s cartoon flood, but is a great introduction of modern Anime and design to American culture.
12) Spiderman and His Amazing Friends: Few cartoons withstand the test of time like SHAF. Marvels previous attempt at an animated series, the Fantastic Four of the 70’s is awful (sorry fanboys, it’s terrible). SHAF not only had Spiderman but served as a half hour launching pad for Marvel characters from Daredevil to Wolverine (with a terrible accent). Spiderman succeeded where FF and so many other shows failed, and what child of the 80’s couldn’t wait for Peter Parkers living room to transform to a command center.
13) SpongeBob Squarepants: A cartoon about a Sponge, who lives in the ocean, has a Starfish best friend, a villainous plankton plant, and occasional guest appearance by a squirrel in a spacesuit, yes, these are all part of one of the most popular cartoons ever. I dare any individual to watch this show and not burst out laughing. Sure the animation isn’t great, but the universal humor and wonderful character design make this one of the greatest cartoons ever.
14) Samurai Jack: In 2001 Samurai Jack took animation by storm with its super stylized animation that introduced American culture to a new way of animating. It changed the entire thinking of what animation is with it absence of lines, flat images and beautiful backgrounds Samurai Jack made up for the lackluster plot and dialogue with wonderful art that made each frame a masterpiece. This show is a visual orgasm with intricate shapes, colors and the split screens to make it appear as a comic book, it is the most visually adventurous cartoon on this list.
15) The Vision of Escaflowne: Following the great Japanese tradition of big hair, dragons, schoolgirl outfits, and giant robots, Escaflowne combines great visuals with a story so complex it makes you ask yourself what just happened. Even with the complex plot, much like a David Lynch movie you can’t help but watch. Escaflowne was one of those gems you couldn’t find anywhere but the back of your local video store subtitled in English. Then in the late 90’s Fox took Escaflowne, dubbed it in English, and stuck it in their Saturday morning line-up to create a huge fan base. A movie later followed but like most Anime, blew all their funds on the first 10 minutes.
16) Powerpuff Girls: It is hard for a man to say he loves the Powerpuff Girls but here I am. A few years ago I picked up Powerpuff Girls after a friend had recommended it. Focusing on three girls Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, these three girls were essentially test tube babies that were made to be the “Perfect little girls” made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. However, when they were made Chemical X was accidentally added giving them super powers. When you watch Powerpuff Girls you realize it is a show clearly marketed toward females, and it is very good at it. What makes PPG great is the writing and the villains. Nominated multiple times for Emmy’s PPG has some great, short little stories that stretch the boundary of the medium. Adding to this is what might be the greatest villain ever, Mojo JoJo, a super smart Monkey that says everything he’s going to do twice, he may be one of the greatest things ever conceived by mankind, right after that wheel thing.
17) Jackie Chan Adventures: Most people know who Jackie Chan is, and know most of his movies, but have no idea he was in one of the greatest cartoons ever. The show stars… well, Jackie Chan, his niece Jade and his crabby uncle known as “Uncle”. Officially, Jackie is an archeologist but is a sometime secret agent who fights crime, and just gets into a bunch of adventures usually involving some sort of artifact. The best part of these are the cameos by real Jackie Chan in each episode but much like the real Jackie Chan, animated Jackie Chan is great at getting his butt kicked. Many times Jade would get into trouble or end up saving the day but this show was solid all the way through from story, to technical, to the great characters, I enjoyed every episode.
18) X-men the Animated Series: X-men was released as a Saturday morning cartoon on Fox, with its first episode “Night of the Sentinels.” At the time of its release, X-men the comic book was maybe the hottest thing out there. While I do love X-men the Animated Series, I enjoyed X-men Evolution more (better animation). What made the Animated Series great was the character design of Jim Lee. Every character in X-men the Animated Series might not have been created, but was designed by artist Jim Lee who is one of the greatest comic minds of all time. Unfortunately with poor writing the stories in XAS very quickly degraded to ways to sell toys butchering some classic comic stories as a tool to introduced second tier characters. In the end X-men was one of the longest running Marvel animated series in history.
19) King of the Hill: What I love about this show is there is not a shred of it that was made for kids. This show from episode one was made for adults and follows Hank Hill and his family and friends in Arlen Texas. The show had a very dry sense of humor about it and really poked fun at the generation gap between conservatives and their children and that fine line between normalcy and white trash. The show was shown in prime-time so it always was on the higher side of quality with its very thin lines and simple backgrounds. It really was funny, and managed to cut out its own little niche for 13 seasons.
20) Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Bridging the gap between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Clone Wars follows the Jedi and the battle against the Trade Federation. Influenced greatly by Samurai Jack, Clone Wars was a more stylized departure from most things Star Wars. Dare I say this show was better than both movies, with intense action sequences and great character design Clone Wars gives us some great moments like Anikin’s light saber battle in the rain, that makes us wish Lucas was smart enough to put them in the movie. We should also mention that this series gave us some of the best Star Wars toys to come out in years.
21) Thundercats: Part of the Animation influx in the mid 80’s Thundercats followed a group of cat people that need to leave their home planet Thundera and flee to a planet called Third Earth. Upon arrival the Thundercats set up camp and begin living but the evil Mumm-Ra wants to capture the “Eye of Thundera” or the source of the Thundercats power. Well, there you have the plot for every episode. The show itself gets very repetitive, and anyone who was a fan as a kid will not find it nearly as interesting as an adult. What put Thundercats on this list was the opening sequence. Along with having the catchiest of the theme songs the opening of Thundercats is unparalleled with its quick cuts, and extreme angles it pushed the limits of what animation was at the time.
22) Digimon Season 1: With the Pokemon craze that was sweeping the world Digimon sat in the background. A very fun show with some really great characters it was mistaken as a poor man’s Pokemon. However anyone who watched Pokemon quickly realized it was a terrible show with the same plots every episode. Digimon had an interesting plot that followed a group of kids and their “Digital Monsters” trapped in a Digital world that spanned all of season 1. Unfortunately I can’t put season 2 on this list because it’s unwatchable.
23) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: This show is on this list not because of any great leaps or bounds creatively or technically but strictly because of the cultural phenomenon it created. TMNT followed a group of genetically mutated turtles and a rat that lived in a sewer, knew martial arts, and fought a ninja named Shredder. When you say it out loud SpongeBob makes more sense. The original comic book was very cutting edge but was watered down for mass audiences; however that didn’t stop hundreds of different toys, shirts, cards, and a few video games and movies from hitting U.S. children right upside the head.
24) The Ren and Stimpy Show: I have no idea what John Kricfalusi was smoking when he created this show but I’m awfully glad he did. A psychotic Chihuahua named Ren and a really naive cat named Stimpy get into one adventure after another with really no rhyme or reason for any of it. Featuring the voice talent of Billy West the show really came to life with his great voices for both Ren and Stimpy in some episodes. Ren and Stimpy had an exaggerated animation style that wasn’t seen much when the show first came out. I loved Ren and Stimpy and had no idea what was going on half the time, but I think that was part of the fun of it. Ren and Stimpy survived parent complaints and 5 years on television before their adventures came to rest, however every once and a while something new comes out that ensures the “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy” song will never die.
25) Aeon Flux: In 1991 Aeon Flux first appeared in short versions on American television on MTV’s Liquid Television (that also brought you Beavis and Butthead). This super stylized, futuristic idea was the brain child of Peter Chung. After Liquid Television a full out show was made but never really made it big. The plot is very confusing and scared a lot of the audience off, but it is oh so pretty to look at. With the long, lanky style Aeon Flux became an animated Egon Schiele drawing with an anarchist attitude.
Honorable Mention:
Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears: This is what happens when you mix Lord of the Rings with children’s candy. The story goes that the Gummi Bears were a once great civilization that fled on boats to a distant land (elves) leaving man in charge. These magical and advanced bears left a small group behind that live underground and are now considered myths. The show itself had great animation because this was one of Disney’s first attempts at an animated series so they really flexed their muscles. What made it miss the top 25 are the stories that were so repetitive and so cute they could make you ill. Despite it falling short in some areas it still is a solid show that any animation lover can appreciate.
My Guilty Pleasures:
Scooby Doo: You want to talk repetitive this show takes the cake. Every episode finds the gang in some different place in their hippy van in the middle of some type of situation involving a scary creature. This show makes you throw out all logic, like where do they get money? Do they sleep in the van? Most importantly, where the hell are they going? Despite all this lack of logic I loved this show as a kid (until they added Scrappy-Doo, that thing needs to die), I got so into it, and laughed at the same gag used over and over. As most that watched Scooby-Doo I would get so excited when the gang would get help from Batman and Robin, or the Harlem Globetrotters. The show has sub-par animation, bad stories, and I loved every second of it.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Cleary the result of drugs this show follows a wad of meat, fries and a shake that live in a house together. That is it; that is the plot, they just kind of hang out until Master Shake gets an idea on how to make money and usually takes advantage of Meatwad or their neighbor Carl. After a great theme song you are left with terrible animation and a plot that appears written by a bunch of guys smoking pot all day. What makes me love this show is everything you shouldn’t; Aqua Teen Hunger Force knows what it is and doesn’t make excuses for it. I’ve laughed so hard at this show so many times, yet when I show it to my girlfriend she clearly contemplates breaking up with me. The Moonites are some of the greatest characters ever and you have to love a show that caused a Bomb Threat scare during movie promotion.
The “Watch it again and then complain it’s not on the list.” Section
Transformers: For those who have never watched Transformers I’ll tell you what happens in pretty much every episode; Megatron wants enerjon cubes, the Autobots discover his plot and go to stop him, they get beat, they re-group and defeat Megatron the last 5 minutes. This show is so repetitive it made me seasick. The animation is average at best, stories were barely tolerable, and the only time anything interesting happens is when Hasbro wanted to release a new toy. So, fanboys, before you get all upset and angry keep in mind this isn’t a “Best Television Inspired Toyline” list because Transformers would be number 1. I loved the Transformers cartoon as a kid but this is an animated television show list, and when you really step back and look at it, the show just wasn’t very good.
Care Bears: Bad animation, and even worse stories about a group of bears that live in the sky, know everything about you, and just want to be your friend…kind of creepy.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Let me start off by saying He-man is a good show, I loved the show as a kid and if there was a top 50 list I’d definitely put it on there. The problem with He-man is there is nothing special about it. The show is a so heavily influenced by Heavy Metal that I can’t give it originality points, the animation is average at best, and the voices are by far the worst of all those 80’s cartoons. He-Man has two lingering problems, the first is the soundtrack. He-man decides to put the cheesiest music behind everything; the music penetrates every scene and really becomes a distraction. Second is the pacing; in He-man, everything moves slowly, from cats, to bad guys, to He-man himself, everything just moves slowly. Outside of just being an animated cartoon, the one thing that I noticed viewing it as an adult is it’s a really gay show. Now I’m not using “gay” as stupid or weird, I mean genuinely gay. While watching it I kept saying that there were no way the writers and artists didn’t know what they were doing. There are so many phallic symbols and compromising holds, that the creators had to know what they were doing, or they were just completely stupid.
