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Cartoons are for kids… or so some people think. But even when an animated show is actually made "for kids," that doesn't mean it's stupid, disposable slop. Some of the greatest cartoons ever made are standout epics regardless of their intended audience. But what are actually some of the greatest animated TV shows ever made?
While the history of animation dates back to the dawn of cinema's golden age, the first animated television show is often considered to be Crusader Rabbit (1950-1959). The series paved the way for animation in the newfangled business that was television, unlocking an industry that has survived and thrived ever since. The advent of cable, the internet, and streaming has turbo-charged animation, with seemingly more animated shows made now than ever before.
With animation still a powerhouse in the realm of television, it begs the question of what are actually some of the greatest of all time. (A quick note that we're excluding anime from Japan, but only because that is a prolific category worthy of its own list.) Here are just 32 of the greatest animated TV shows ever made.
32. Johnny Bravo
Whoa, mama! From 1997 to 2004 on Cartoon Network, dimwit narcissist Johnny Bravo swung (and usually missed) with a bevy of beautiful ladies in his smash hit cartoon. While the premise of a so-called ladies' man who lives with his mother and strikes out with gals is an odd thing to make as a show for children, this creation by animator Van Partible (with episodes directed by Butch Hartman) was a major hit for Cartoon Network, with several Annie Award nominations to its name.
31. Voltron Legendary Defender
In 2016, Netflix unleashed one of the greatest animated reboots of the streaming era: Voltron Legendary Defender. A reimagined take of the original '80s hit cartoon Voltron (itself an English dubbed version of the Japanese anime GoLion), Voltron Legendary Defender blasted off with its fresh spin on the original show's mythology and characters, adding new dimensions with plentiful heart and humor. Boasting breathtaking animation and an expansive sci-fi universe that would have made Frank Herbert take notes, Voltron Legendary Defender proved that reboots can be just as blazing as the iconic originals.
30. Young Justice
Who said sidekicks have to play second-fiddle? In this critically acclaimed series from Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman, the sidekicks of the Justice League from the DC Universe take center stage in this action-packed young adult epic. Based on the Teen Titans and Young Justice comics published by DC, teen heroes Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian, and more form their own superhero squad to work in parallel with the Justice League. But saving the world ain't playtime, as Young Justice challenges its maturing heroes in ways that would bend and break men of steel. Once canceled on Cartoon Network due to its majority female viewership – which executives lamented because they believed they didn't buy toys – Young Justice eventually found new life on the short-lived DC Universe app and later Max.
29. Clerks: The Animated Series
It lasted only six episodes, but it wasn't even supposed to be there anyway. In 2000, the lethargic protagonists from Kevin Smith's seminal 1994 indie drama Clerks – namely Dante, Randall, and Jay and Silent Bob – found themselves on the ABC network, starring in an outlandish cartoon series with an adult-oriented sense of humor that foreshadowed future giants like Family Guy and American Dad. While the vulgarity of Smith's acclaimed movie was toned down to suit broadcast TV standards, Clerks: The Animated Series ran buckwild with whatever it could get away with. Clerks was not long for this world, but there's simply too much hysteria – and razor-sharp satirizing of the pop culture zeitgeist circa 2000 – to not check it out.
28. Static Shock
The superhero Static comes from the comic book publisher Milestone, an appropriate name given the publisher's history-making strides towards diversity and representation in mainstream comics. In 2000, Static electrified viewers on The Kids' WB with his epic series Static Shock, executive produced by comics creator Dwayne McDuffie. Lasting four seasons and over 50 episodes, Static Shock followed the adventures of Black American teenager Virgil Hawkins, who taps into his electromagnetic superpowers to protect Dakota City. With exciting action, lively characters, and occasional dives into important issues, Static Shock lit up Saturday mornings like few others before and since.
27. Scavengers Reign
Beautiful, haunting, imaginative - these are just a few words that can describe this mesmerizing science-fiction epic from creators Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner. In Scavengers Reign, the survivors of a damaged interstellar cargo ship find themselves at the mercy of an alien planet with strange, and at times menacing fauna. As the survivors work tirelessly to get back to their ship and continue their voyage, they become drawn into the planet's many mysteries. Featuring gorgeous animation and hypnotic sequences that sometimes feel like watching a hand-drawn nature documentary, Scavengers Reign stands out as one of the most beautiful shows ever crafted. Originally made for the Max streaming service, it later landed at Netflix.
26. Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
The launch of the Disney Channel in the 1980s inspired a slew of original television cartoons with some unexpected leads. Among the first wave of Disney Channel shows included DuckTales, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop, Timon & Pumbaa, and more. But among the best of them is undoubtedly Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. This series stars the titular chipmunks who start a detective agency to take on cases deemed (literally) too small for conventional police. While the show only lasted a year, between 1989 and 1990, an astonishing 65 episodes were produced and made Chip and Dale household names. In 2022, the heroes got their hybrid live-action/animated reboot movie that was aimed at both kids and adults with its hilarious commentary on Hollywood reboots and millennial nostalgia.
25. Adventure Time
If there's any one Cartoon Network series that defined the early 2010s, it has to be Adventure Time. A whimsical and delightfully surreal animated fantasy, Adventure Time takes place in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo where Finn the Human and Jake the Dog traverse a kingdom full of bizarre creatures and quirky characters. No matter what gets thrown Finn and Jake's way, Adventure Time never fails to be an engaging (and often poignant) story about the power of friendship in the face of adversity. While originally made for kids, the series became a major hit in its appeal to adults familiar with the fantasy genre.
24. Daria
If your mental image of cartoons is that of energetic characters making kooky faces, you've never met Daria. While the show spins-off from the more popular and remembered Beavis & Butt-Head, Daria stands out from it and other animated shows with its sober and grounded portrayal of high school life from the POV of acerbic teenager Daria Morgendorffer, who meets her suburban surroundings with apathy and cynicism. In contrast to other animated shows of its time, Daria's distinctly un-complicated animation - evoking the realism of indie cinema - imbued the show with a refreshing identity. While its abundance of licensed popular music makes Daria something of a late '90s/early '00s time capsule, the show's authentic storytelling about the trials of growing up make it timeless even decades later.
23. King of the Hill
Sandwiched between The Simpsons and Family Guy is Mike Judge's cult classic satire of middle-class America, King of the Hill. The show chronicles the life of conservative propane salesman Hank Hill, who raises his family in suburban Texas while the world around him becomes increasingly unfamiliar. With sandpaper dry wit and unexpected thoughtfulness in its clever social commentary, King of the Hill is one of the most impactful animated shows ever made, an attribute that is betrayed by its understated and realistic aesthetics.
22. Todd McFarlane's Spawn
When there's Hell to pay, Spawn comes to collect. An adaptation of Todd McFarlane's hit comic book series from the 1990s, Todd McFarlane's Spawn tells of U.S. Marine Al Simmons (voiced by Keith David) whose sins as a soldier dooms his soul to Hell. After he's betrayed and killed by his own government, the devil Malebolgia resurrects Al as a member of his "Hellspawn" army and allows him to return to Earth to see his wife Wanda - except no one told him he'd look like a monster. With a memorable pitch-black vibe and over-the-top action that mimics McFarlane's splash panels, Spawn remains one of the finest and darkest superhero cartoons ever made.
21. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
Like, zoinks! While there have been many Scooby-Doo cartoons throughout the franchise's existence, everything fans love and remember about Mystery, Inc. traces back to the original from 1969. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? marks the beginning of the Scooby-Doo franchise, with the title mascot accompanying some meddling and groovy kids who take on cases that might be supernatural in nature - only for them to unmask the "ghost" as some lame adult in a costume. It may not be the most sophisticated animated show ever made, but there's a reason we're all still in love with Scooby-Doo after all these years. What we wouldn't do for a Scooby Snack.
20. Doug
Imagined by creator Jim Jinkins as a semi-autobiographical series, Doug chronicles the hilarious life of Doug Funnie, an ordinary preteen boy with a loyal dog (named Porkchop), a journal, and an overactive imagination. While the world of Doug is visually unusual - and its strange soundtrack of mouth noises and scat singing very distinct - the show is a classic coming-of-age saga in which the title hero finds himself up against life's everyday challenges while harboring an unrequited crush on his friend Patti Mayonnaise. While a lot of beloved children's cartoons strike a fine balance between outrageousness and authenticity, Doug's unique brand of sincere storytelling makes it one of the most instructive kids' shows ever to air.
19. Harley Quinn
To help launch the short-lived DC Universe streaming platform, a spotlight was placed on Joker's ex-girlfriend, Harley Quinn. What no one could have expected, however, was how brazenly hilarious and simultaneously profound her show would be. Co-created by Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacher, Harley Quinn follows its title anti-heroine as she breaks free from the Joker's toxic influence and strikes out on her own as Gotham City's premier supervillain. Come for the cranked-up sense of humor that gleefully satirizes superhero pop culture, stay for its affectionate grasp of Harley that celebrates her escape from abusive relationships.
18. Hey Arnold!
Throughout the 1990s, Nickelodeon established itself as a formidable rival against Disney with an enviable roster of kids' programming. Among the channel's diverse offerings was Hey Arnold!. Like another major Nick hit, Doug, Hey Arnold! boasted an unusual art style balanced by its predominantly realistic settings. (Save for the occasional ghost or two.) Hey Arnold! told of the day-to-day adventures of title character Arnold (no last name), who lives with his grandparents and their eccentric apartment neighbors in a major city. With hilarious stories focused on learning to grow up in an oftentimes unfair world, Hey Arnold! confidently stood out from Nickelodeon's other talking animals and laughing sponges.
17. BoJack Horseman
Would you believe me if I said that one of the sharpest satires of Hollywood and its restless, fame-obsessed inhabitants also featured a talking horse? In 2014, Netflix launched the critically acclaimed BoJack Horseman, an adult-oriented dramedy about the life of faded TV sitcom star BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett) who tries to stage a career comeback while failing to address the root of his own personal issues. While its strange world is populated by humans and talking animals alike, BoJack Horseman feels alarmingly real in the ways it truthfully interrogates broken people and directly grapples with difficult topics, including addiction, mental illness, and suicidal depression. Throughout its six-season run, BoJack Horseman racked up acclaim and numerous awards and nominations.
16. The Boondocks
A searing American satire with the visual artistry of Japanese anime, The Boondocks is the brilliant brainchild of creator Aaron McGruder that dwells in the comical subdimensions between racial lines. An adaptation of McGruder’s comic strips, the show chronicles the life of well-read 10-year-old Huey Freeman (voiced by Regina King) after his Black family move into a white suburb. A principled comedy that relishes in its unabashed political incorrectness and rumination of contemporary Black culture, The Boondocks is as challenging as it is entertaining.
15. South Park
Its epic run of over 25 seasons, 320-plus episodes, and vast multimedia and merchandising empire belay its humble origins. Created by University of Colorado alums Matt Parker and Trey Stone, South Park came out of a crude (and rude) Christmas-themed short Parker and Stone made out of construction paper and cut outs. The project blew up online and snowballed into South Park, a riotous comedy about foul-mouthed children fighting aliens, the Devil, ManBearPigs, and the 1989 Denver Broncos in snowy Colorado. A seminal pop culture phenom of the late ‘90s, South Park drew plenty of controversy for its offensive humor. Over time, South Park became a platform for its creators to express everything from their libertarian politics to their taste in showtunes.
14. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited
Animation is a medium naturally suited to the exploits of comic book superheroes. But while there are a million and one superhero cartoons out there - and certainly many with Batman and Superman - few feel as focused and operatic as Justice League and its sequel, Justice League Unlimited. Arguably the definitive DC Comics animated series of the 2000s, the first show explores the formation of the iconic superhero team. The sequel sees the Justice League expand to include the rest of the DCU, with overlooked, B- and C-tier heroes getting the spotlight in its episodic seasons. While the shows spiritually pay homage to the Gold and Silver Age of comic books, its modern sheen and quality production make JL/JLU a timeless classic.
13. Over the Garden Wall
When the autumn equinox comes around, that's the right time to fire up Over the Garden Wall. A beautifully short-lived miniseries, Over the Garden Wall follows two brothers who get lost in a mysterious forest. This simple, storybook-like premise betrays the world of haunting mystery that awaits, as the brothers encounter all kinds of threats with a brave chest and a sense of humor. A fine balance between dark melancholy and innocent whimsy, Over the Garden Wall is all tricks and more treats that make it a perfect Halloween binge.
12. Steven Universe
The groundbreaking Cartoon Network series Steven Universe combined science-fiction, fantasy, and coming-of-age storytelling to produce a singular show unlike anything seen before. The series follows Steven, a young boy who inherits his late mother's powerful gems to protect Earth from alien threats. Celebrated during its lifetime for its progressive themes including gender diversity - historic for a childrens' cartoon - Steven Universe champions the power of love is the greatest power that transcends time and space.
11. Gargoyles
It might be a Disney cartoon, but you'll find no mouse ears anywhere. Debuting on syndicated TV in autumn 1994, Gargoyles is the epic saga of ancient, living gargoyles from medieval Scotland who were betrayed by their human allies. A thousand years later in modern day Manhattan, the Gargoyles reawaken from stone slumber and resume their duties as mankind's nocturnal guardians. While conceived as an action-oriented childrens' cartoon, Gargoyles was celebrated by audiences and critics for its mature approach to storytelling with Shakespearean influences and character-driven melodrama. While a modest success during its lifetime, the legend that is Gargoyles has only increased since the show went off the air in 1997.
10. Samurai Jack
Animation auteur Genndy Tartakovsky is synonymous with quality productions. But after all these years, his greatest epic is still maybe Samurai Jack. A groundbreaking and transgressive show that combines Japanese cinema with pulp science fiction, the series tells of Jack (Phil LaMarr), a samurai warrior whose battle with the demon Aku sends him into the distant future. On a lone wolf quest to get back to his proper time, Jack searches high and low to battle Aku once more. Hailed for its unique approach to TV including minimal dialogue, experimental storytelling, and novel atmosphere - think a classic sci-fi book adapted by Akira Kurosawa - Samurai Jack slices and dices its way to animation immortality.
9. Gravity Falls
"What if Twin Peaks was made for kids?" That's a crude way of summarizing Gravity Falls, but you can't deny it's kind of in the right direction. In this acclaimed animated series that aired on the Disney Channel in 2012, twins Dipper and Mabel Pines spend a summer with their eccentric great uncle in Gravity Falls, a pacific northwest mountain town overrun with mysterious creatures, dark secrets, and supernatural forces. Beloved for its sharp writing, serial plot narrative, and gleeful fun with popular conspiracy theories, Gravity Falls makes a great case for its loyal fanbase.
8. Rocko's Modern Life
An irreverent social satire packaged in a zany cartoon for children, Rocko's Modern Life prepared kids for the utter ridiculousness of adulthood. The series follows a mild-mannered, easily frightened Australian wallaby named Rocko who, along with his friends, navigates the surreal challenges that lurk in the mundane world. Although Rocko's Modern Life wasn't the only Nickelodeon show to cater to an adult audience via humor that barely skated by broadcast censors with innuendo and double entendre - Hello, Ren and Stimpy! - Rocko's Modern Life did it with equal parts manic enthusiasm and tasteful panache. In 2019, the Netflix sequel film Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling gives the show's creators a chance to grill an even sillier world ruled by smart devices and coffee house franchises.
7. The Legend of Korra
Every generation needs an Avatar. And shortly after Avatar: The Last Airbender, there came The Legend of Korra. A continuation of the acclaimed Nickelodeon fantasy epic, The Legend of Korra sees the new Avatar in its headstrong title protagonist, a young woman who struggles in her growth as a proper leader. An explosive expansion of the Avatar universe with even more memorable characters - not to mention a very unique setting influenced by 1920s metropolises - The Legend of Korra hits hard like an earthbender. The show's finale involving a same-sex romance between Korra and another major female character is understood as a historic move in LGBT representation in childrens' media.
6. X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men '97
Batman and Superman aren't the only superheroes who get amazing cartoons. In the early 1990s, Fox Kids was ruled by X-Men: The Animated Series, a colorful and mostly faithful adaptation of Marvel's best-selling X-Men comics. Arriving shortly after Chris Claremont's legendary stint on Uncanny X-Men came to an end, X-Men: The Animated Series cemented Marvel's astonishing mutants as major A-list superheroes for an entire generation. In 2024, the series was reborn in the hit sequel series X-Men '97 on Disney+, which also earned critical and audience acclaim. Fire up the theme song and you can't help but yell out: "To me, my X-Men!"
5. The Flintstones
Way before the Griffins and the Simpsons, there were the Flintstones. While popularly considered a children's cartoon today, in its historic debut in 1960, Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones originally targeted an adult audience with its send-up of contemporary suburbia through Stone Age and dinosaur-related gags. (Kids just love dinosaurs too much to not notice how grown up the humor actually was.) Decades on, The Flintstones occupy an irremovable place in pop culture - maybe even more than their futuristic counterparts, The Jetsons - and it's all because of how innovative and brilliant the original series was.
4. The Simpsons
Sometimes, the giants really are worth their stature. Since its premiere in 1989, Matt Groening's The Simpsons has been an unstoppable juggernaut in its clever caricature of both Western society and universal human nature. In the suburban town of Springfield, family man Homer Simpson tries to raise his family while the world outside goes a bit loony. While even die-hard fans acknowledge that the show is far beyond its peak years - and even its premise of a high school graduate having a stable-enough job to raise a family of five with a dog feels outdated - the show is arguably the picture definition of "too big to fail" with an astonishing 35-plus seasons and over 760 episodes aired. The show has earned numerous awards and milestone achievements that commemorate its historic broadcast length.
3. SpongeBob SquarePants
Many of the so-called "greatest cartoons of all time" try their darndest to elevate childrens' entertainment with smart and mature creativity. And then there's SpongeBob SquarePants, a cartoon that is as gleefully ridiculous as its slapstick name implies. The show chronicles the adventures of SpongeBob, an annoyingly optimistic yellow sea sponge who lives life in Bikini Bottom with best friends Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks, and annoyed neighbor and coworker Squidward. With vibrant animation and infectious humor, SpongeBob SquarePants has stood the test of time to become a major cultural touchstone for millennials and Gen Z. Simply put: Without SpongeBob, the internet's collective sense of humor would be very, very different.
2. Batman: The Animated Series
A revolutionary superhero epic, the Emmy Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series remains the definitive interpretation of DC's resident Caped Crusader. Starring the late Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman, the series follows Batman in his tireless quest to protect Gotham City against his numerous archenemies, including most of all The Joker (Mark Hamill). With an arresting art deco-inspired aesthetic, sophisticated writing, and its plentiful themes of justice, morality, and duality, Batman: The Animated Series soars as the apex of both the superhero genre and childrens' animation at once.
1. Avatar: The Last Airbender
Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked… and everything changed when Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered on Nickelodeon. Broadcast between 2005 and 2008, this imaginative and carefully crafted animated fantasy tells of Aang, a young, highly-energetic monk and the last living "airbender" who reawakens after a century in deep sleep. Teaming up with new friends Katara and Sokka, Aang embarks on a journey to fulfill his destiny as "The Avatar" - a master of the four elements (air, fire, earth, and water) and restore peace in a war-torn realm. While Avatar: The Last Airbender never forgets to be a kids' cartoon and has plenty of comical zaniness, the series impresses as a majestic fantasy with its themes of destiny, duty, and redemption.
