Totally Cool Cartoons
by grendelkhan | created - 25 May 2013 | updated - 27 Jul 2014 | PublicThese are cartoons that can just be described as "cool." These are my picks, your mileage may vary. I'm sticking with line animation here, rather than CGI, so no Pixar (cool as they are) and no stop motion (though what is cooler than Rankin-Bass or Aardman?).
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1. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour (1968–1978)
TV-G | 55 min | Animation, Comedy
Bugs Bunny and all his cartoon friends are stage performers entertaining audiences with 7 features per show, all of which are classic theatrical cartoons from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
Stars: Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Hal Smith, Jim Backus
Votes: 10,306
This is basically a placeholder for the brilliant and anarchic Lonney Toons cartoons. Disney may have ruled the feature roost, but Warner Brothers had it all over them in the short realm. For my money, the best era is the post-war to mid-50s, before the budgets started getting thinner. Chuck Jones was at his peak and Friz Freleng created many a beloved cartoon.
2. Woody Woodpecker (1941)
7 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
The psychiatrist needs a psychiatrist after attempting to treat Woody Woodpecker.
Director: Walter Lantz | Stars: Mel Blanc, Sara Berner, Ben Hardaway, Margaret Hill-Talbot
Votes: 1,080
Woody could be tons of fun, though quality varied in later years. Also along for the ride are Andy Panda and Chilly Willy.
3.
The Magical World of Disney (1954–1997)
Episode:
The Donald Duck Story
(1954)
Unrated | 60 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
Walt Disney takes a look at the story of the creation of Donald Duck and his later career.
Directors: Robert Florey, Jack Hannah | Stars: Walt Disney, Clarence Nash
Votes: 45
The Donald Duck cartoons are probably the best shorts from Disney, as his volitile nature lended itself well to wild gags. Disney brilliantly combined these for some of the Ludwig Von Drake features, on the Wonderful World of Disney.
4.
The Magical World of Disney (1954–1997)
Episode:
Goofy's Cavalcade of Sports
(1956)
Unrated | 60 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
Explaining the outset that the concept of athletic training was born of necessity, Goofy scans a scrapbook of his escapades in boxing, swimming, golfing, baseball and other sports.
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman | Star: Walt Disney
Goofy was at his best when he was used in these kinds of short films, where he is used to parody sports and other cultural features, rather than straight adventures. They have much in common with Tex Avery's short subjects at MGM.
5.
The Magical World of Disney (1954–1997)
Episode:
The Ranger of Brownstone
(1968)
Unrated | 60 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
Ranger J. Audobon Woodlore tries to run his national park with efficiency, but one of the bears, Humphrey, manages to continually sabotage operations, as seen in various cartoons taking place at the park.
Directors: Hamilton Luske, Jack Hannah, Charles Nichols | Stars: Clarence Nash, Bill Thompson
Votes: 26
Excellent compilation episode featuring the Ranger and Donald Duck.
6. Popeye the Sailor (1933)
Passed | 7 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Popeye begins his movie career by singing his theme song, demonstrating his strength at a carnival, dancing the hula with Betty Boop, pummeling Bluto, eating his spinach, and saving Olive Oyl from certain doom on the railroad tracks.
Directors: Dave Fleischer, Seymour Kneitel | Stars: William Costello, William Pennell, Bonnie Poe, Mae Questel
Votes: 1,907
Popeye's always been hit or miss for me; but, when he's good, he's really good!
7. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
G | 75 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
After being snubbed by the royal family, a malevolent fairy places a curse on a princess which only a prince can break, along with the help of three good fairies.
Directors: Les Clark, Clyde Geronimi, Eric Larson, Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske | Stars: Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton
Votes: 160,799 | Gross: $51.60M
Snow White leaves me rather cold, but this one is great. Maleficent is probably the scariest villain ever created at Disney.
8. Fantasia (1940)
G | 124 min | Animation, Family, Fantasy
A series of eight famous pieces of classical music, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and interpreted in animation by Walt Disney's team of artists.
Directors: James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, Ford Beebe Jr., Norman Ferguson, David Hand, Jim Handley, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Ben Sharpsteen | Stars: Leopold Stokowski, Deems Taylor, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Corey Burton
Votes: 103,931 | Gross: $76.41M
You have to have a bit of patience with this one, as it can get a bit pompous and drags in segments. Warner Borthers sent it up in juct 7 minutes. Night on Bald Mountain is amazing animation and the Sorcerer's Apprentice is both fun and scary.
9. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
G | 75 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Alice stumbles into the world of Wonderland. Will she get home? Not if the Queen of Hearts has her way.
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Jack Kinney | Stars: Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway
Votes: 153,948 | Gross: $1.07M
Disney fairly well captures the flavor of Lewis Carroll, though the feature drags a bit here and there.
10. Peter Pan (1953)
G | 77 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Wendy and her brothers are whisked away to the magical world of Neverland with the hero of their stories, Peter Pan.
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Jack Kinney | Stars: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Bill Thompson
Votes: 153,004 | Gross: $87.40M
An exciting adventure from Disney.
11. Cinderella (1950)
G | 74 min | Animation, Family, Fantasy
When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq and from her Fairy Godmother.
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske | Stars: Ilene Woods, James MacDonald, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton
Votes: 173,844 | Gross: $85.00M
My favorite fairy tale and Disney does a wonderful job with it. Bibbedy, Bobbedy Boo is still one of their best songs.
12. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
G | 74 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
In this collection of animated shorts based on the stories and characters by A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh, a honey-loving teddy bear, embarks on some eccentric adventures.
Directors: John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, Ben Sharpsteen | Stars: Sebastian Cabot, Junius Matthews, Barbara Luddy, Howard Morris
Votes: 39,680
The Pooh cartoons wonderfully capture AA Milne's books and I always loved the way the books themselves were included in the animation, such as when the falling rain causes the letters to run down the page, or how the gopher says, "Don't look me up, I'm not in the book!"
13. The Jungle Book (1967)
G | 78 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Bagheera the Panther and Baloo the Bear have a difficult time trying to convince a boy to leave the jungle for human civilization.
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman | Stars: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, Bruce Reitherman
Votes: 198,551 | Gross: $141.84M
Wildly fun, the last with Walt's involvement. great stuff, with people like Phil Harris, Louis Prima, and Sebastian Cabot involved. George Sanders as Shere Khan is sheer brilliance.
14. The AristoCats (1970)
G | 78 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
With the help of a smooth talking tomcat, a family of Parisian felines set to inherit a fortune from their owner try to make it back home after a jealous butler kidnaps them and leaves them in the country.
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman | Stars: Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Sterling Holloway, Scatman Crothers
Votes: 114,656 | Gross: $37.68M
Very much in the vein of 101 Dalmations, but with it's own fun. A lively jazz score helps elevate it.
15. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
G | 79 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When a litter of Dalmatian puppies are abducted by the minions of Cruella De Vil, the owners must find them before she uses them for a diabolical fashion statement.
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wolfgang Reitherman | Stars: Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson, J. Pat O'Malley, Martha Wentworth
Votes: 182,128 | Gross: $144.88M
Delightful tale of the dalmation puppies and the delightfully evil Cruella DeVille.
16. Robin Hood (1973)
G | 83 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The story of the legendary British outlaw portrayed with the characters as anthropomorphic animals.
Directors: Wolfgang Reitherman, David Hand | Stars: Brian Bedford, Phil Harris, Roger Miller, Peter Ustinov
Votes: 138,860 | Gross: $32.06M
Not Disney's best, but still a lot of fun, before things started to fall apart for Disney, in the 70s. Roger Miller as Alan A Dale makes for a great narrator.
17. Superman: The Mad Scientist (1941)
G | 10 min | Animation, Short, Action
The Man of Steel fights a mad scientist who is destroying Metropolis with an energy cannon.
Directors: Dave Fleischer, Steve Muffati | Stars: Bud Collyer, Joan Alexander, Jackson Beck, Jack Mercer
Votes: 3,503
The Fleischer cartoons are gorgeous to look at and have exciting stories. the Man of Steel isn't omnipotent yet, so he faces some real challenges.
18. Matty's Funnies with Beany and Cecil (1959–1962)
30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Board title "Matty's Funday Funniest" from 1959.
Stars: Jim MacGeorge, Irv Shoemaker, Sody Clampett, Paul Frees
Votes: 121
Legendary cartoons from Bob Clampett. The duo started out as puppets, then later became cartoons. The style would influence people like John Krikfalusi and the animators of the Simpsons.
19. Space Angel (1962– )
Not Rated | 30 min | Animation, Family, Sci-Fi
Scott McCloud is the Space Angel, a secret agent for EBI (Earth Bureau of Investigation) on board the spaceship Starduster fighting hard to protect the solar system.
Stars: Ned Le Fevre, Margaret Kerry, Hal Smith, Johnny Coons
Votes: 131
The animation is practically non-existant and the "synchro-vox" techniqgue of superimpose human mouths is bizarre, but the stories were fantastic and the series was designed by some great artists, like Doug Wildey and Alex Toth.
20. The Yogi Bear Show (1961–1962)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
Yogi, a smooth, talkative forest bear looks to raid park goers' picnic baskets, while Park Ranger Smith tries to stop him.
Stars: Daws Butler, Don Messick, Jimmy Weldon, Renzo Palmer
Votes: 11,148
Hanna-Barbera became the leading studio on television, with more limited animation, but excellent stories and voicework. The feature guys dismissed it as "radio with pictures;" but kids loved it.
21. The Flintstones (1960–1966)
TV-G | 26 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The misadventures of two modern-day Stone Age families, the Flintstones and the Rubbles.
Stars: Alan Reed, Mel Blanc, Jean Vander Pyl, Bea Benaderet
Votes: 40,986
Fred, Barney, Wilma and Betty came to houses every week, with Stone Age adventures and comedy. The concept was swiped from the Honeymooners, but the characters soon established themselves. The primitive versions of modern conveniences were always one of the highpoints.
22. The Jetsons (1962–1963)
TV-Y7 | 25 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The misadventures of a futuristic family.
Stars: George O'Hanlon, Janet Waldo, Mel Blanc, Penny Singleton
Votes: 23,949
The Jetsons were essentially the Flintstones at the other end of time, though minus the neighbors. This series was filled with wonderful mid-century modern designs and futuristic ideas, some of which actually came to pass. Great voice acting and smart comedy make ths still a lot of fun.
23. Space Ghost (1966–1968)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of a space superhero who can become invisible and his sidekicks.
Stars: Don Messick, Ginny Tyler, Gary Owens, Tim Matheson
Votes: 2,131
The best of the Hanna-Barbera hero shows, by far. Alex Toth designed it and filled it with memorable villains. The Dino-Boy companion shorts aren't in the same league.
24. Jonny Quest (1964–1965)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Quest family and their bodyguard investigate strange phenomena and battle villains around the world.
Stars: Mike Road, Tim Matheson, Don Messick, Danny Bravo
Votes: 5,319
Great adventure series that was wildly imaginative, grounded in (mostly) real science and understood that a little scary is not a bad thing. It's very much of its time and yet still timeless.
25. The Bullwinkle Show (1959–1963)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Rocky, a plucky flying squirrel and Bullwinkle, a bumbling but lovable moose, have a series of ongoing adventures.
Stars: Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, Edward Everett Horton
Votes: 4,587
Rocky and Bullwinkle were the subversive cartoons of their day. the series satirized everything, holding no cows sacred. The early cartoons are a bit cruder but they became more sophisticated as they went. The companion features were equally brilliant, with Fractured Fairy Tales sending up everything from the Brothers Grimm to Disney. Mr Peabody and Sherman took shots at history and Dudley Do-Right poked fun at melodrama and goody-goody heroes.
26. Underdog (1964–1973)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of a rhyming canine superhero.
Stars: George S. Irving, Wally Cox, Allen Swift, Norma MacMillan
Votes: 2,639
What looks like a Superman parody on the surface turns out to be much smarter underneath. Wally Cox made the rhyming hero endearing and the adventures were exciting and fun.
27. Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales (1963–1966)
30 min | Animation
The educational misadventures of a fast-talking penguin and his dumb walrus friend.
Stars: Kenny Delmar, Don Adams, Bradley Bolke, Larry Storch
Votes: 467
Tennessee and Chumley get into all kinds of trouble and must consult Mr Whoopie and the 3DBB (3-Dimensional BlackBoard), for lessons in science and history, to get themselves out of trouble. The companion cartoons varied a bit, with Commander McBragg being a personal favorite.
28. The Adventures of Batman (1968–1969)
60 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The animated debut of Batman & Robin brings the Dynamic Duo to animated life in Filmation's cult classic take on The Dark Knight and The Boy Wonder, defending Gotham City from The Caped Crusader's Rogues Gallery, one crook at a time.
Stars: Bud Collyer, Bob Hastings, Jackson Beck, Jack Grimes
Votes: 1,598
The Superman cartoons are ok but the Batman ones were great. They were lively and they were actually allowed to fight the villains. however, this would eventually lead to the restrictions on violence that made many 70s cartoons so bland.
29. Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950)
Approved | 8 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
The story of a little boy who would only talk in sound effects. With story by Dr. Seuss (and Bill Scott of Rocky and Bullwinkle fame) this cartoon won the Oscar for best short subject (animated) for 1950.
Directors: Robert Cannon, John Hubley | Star: Marvin Miller
Votes: 2,084
Fantastic cartoon from UPA, featuring writing from Dr Seuss.
30. The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958–1962)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The adventures of a blue dog with a southern accent.
Stars: Daws Butler, Don Messick, Doug Young, Hal Smith
Votes: 3,895
Fun cartoons, featuring Daws Butler as the Southern hound, who often had to deal with smart alecky opponents.
31. Dumb-Hounded (1943)
Approved | 7 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
The Wolf escapes from prison but is hounded by the police dog named Droopy. Wherever The Wolf goes, the little fellow is there, too.
Director: Tex Avery | Stars: Bill Thompson, Frank Graham
Votes: 1,215
Start of the Droopy series, which made me very happy. Wonderfully deapan comedy mixed with wild sightgags.
32. George of the Jungle (1967–1970)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
An anthology of Jay Ward cartoon creations, featuring a dumb ape man and his friends.
Stars: Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, Daws Butler
Votes: 1,249
Cartoon series from Jay Ward. not quite up to Bullwinkle standards, but still great fun.
33. The Herculoids (1967–1969)
TV-Y7 | 10 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
King Zandor and a group of bizarre creatures protect their futuristic kingdom from creatures from other galaxies.
Stars: Virginia Gregg, Ted Eccles, Don Messick, Mike Road
Votes: 1,314
On a far away planet, live a family of adventurers and their monstrous companions. Very inventive, with wonderful Alex Toth designs.
34. Frankenstein, Jr. and the Impossibles (1966–1968)
30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Three cartoons packed into one half hour. Frankenstein Jr. was a robot constructed by a boy-genius to fight crime, The Impossibles were undercover agents disguised as a rock group.
Stars: Ted Cassidy, Hal Smith, Paul Frees, John Stephenson
Votes: 297
Great series. The Frankenstein Jr cartoons were decent, if a tad uninspired, at times. The Impossibles were the real favorites, mixing the Beatles with superheroes.
35. The Archie Show (1968–1969)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The comedic misadventures and music of Archie Andrews and his friends.
Stars: Howard Morris, Dal McKennon, John Erwin, Jane Webb
Votes: 369
First of the long running Archie cartoon series, from Filmation. Archie and the gang have short adventures, sing some songs, and do some quick jokes. The series would spawn the pop hit, "Sugar, sugar." Few of the later series were as good as the first.
36. Archie's TV Funnies (1971–1973)
30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Archie and the gang present animated adaptations of popular comic strips like Smokey Stover and Dick Tracy.
Stars: John Erwin, Howard Morris, Dal McKennon, Jane Webb
Votes: 112
Archie and the gang work at a tv station, where they broadcast cartoons based on popular comic strips. The ebst, for my money, was Dick Tracy.
37. The Dick Tracy Show (1961– )
23 min | Animation, Crime, Adventure
Cartoon series produced by UPA, in which Dick Tracy (voiced by the distinguished film and stage actor Everett Sloane) played more or less of an incidental role. Most of the crime fighting ... See full summary »
Stars: Jerry Hausner, Benny Rubin, Mel Blanc, Everett Sloane
Votes: 266
Stylistic cartoon series, featuring the comic strip detective.
38. The Lone Ranger (1966–1969)
30 min | Animation, Family, Western
An ex-Texas Ranger fights injustice in the Old West.
Stars: Michael Rye, Shepard Menken, Agnes Moorehead, Dick Beals
Votes: 147
Animated adventures of the masked hero. Very stylized animation, with stories featuring steampunk elements. Very reminiscent of the Wild Wild West.
39. Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969–1978)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A group of teenage friends and their Great Dane (Scooby-Doo) travel in a bright green van solving strange and hilarious mysteries, while returning from or going to a regular teenage function.
Stars: Don Messick, Casey Kasem, Nicole Jaffe, Vic Perrin
Votes: 41,483
Created to compete with the Beatles and Archie cartoons. The musician idea was abandoned in favor of pure mysteries, though music was a regular feature, during the chase scenes. This is still the best of the series, with great stories and characters, along with thos meddling kids and their dog.
40. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1985)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The educational adventures of a group of Afro-American inner city kids.
Stars: Bill Cosby, Gerald Edwards, Lou Scheimer, Erika Scheimer
Votes: 2,616
Bill Cosby created this series, voiced it, and appeared in intro and epilogue segments. Great series, with plenty of good morals. The stiffer Filmation animation and use of stock footage did limit things a bit.
41. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1975)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The further adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise, as they explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei
Votes: 8,172
Star Trek lasted 3 years on the networks, but gained new life in syndication. This led to Filmation pitching a cartoon series, which was enthusiastically received by all. The original cast was back (minus Walter Koenig, who instead wrote an episode). The animation allowed for real aliens and the use of mostly sci-fi writers led to some of the smartest cartoons on tv. It was marred by repeated use of stock footage, like most Filmation cartoons.
42. Super Friends (1973–1985)
TV-G | 60 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The greatest of the DC Comics superheroes work together to uphold the good with the help of some young proteges.
Stars: Danny Dark, Casey Kasem, Olan Soule, Shannon Farnon
Votes: 4,566
Filmation had produced cartoons featuring Superman, Batman and, Aquaman, as well as back up cartoons featuring the Flash, Green Lantern, Atom, Hawkman, the Justice League and the Teen Titans. They also put Superman and Wonder Woman into episodes of the Brady Kids. Now, Hanna-Barbera had the license and they went with the Justice League. Alex Toth did the design work. The stories were nventive, making up for the ban on violence, and featured ecological themese, in keeping with the spirirt of the times. It would spawn additional series for the next decade.
By far the best of the superfriends shows, featuring the Justice League battling the Legion of Doom.
43. Speed Racer (1967–1968)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Teenager Gô Mifune aspires to be the world's best race-car champion with the help of his friends, family and his father's high-tech race-car, the Mach 5.
Stars: Katsuji Mori, Peter Fernandez, Corinne Orr, Jack Grimes
Votes: 3,366
This Japanese cartoon became a hit in US syndication. Part of the charm was the rather fevered delivery of the dialogue, as they tried to match the mouth movements of the original cartoons. The stories were exciting, with elements of racing, spi-fy, and crime stories. It would spawn later series (which pale in comparison) and a live action movie (which isn't bad, but can't hold a candle to the cartoon).
44. Space Sentinels (1977)
23 min | Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi
A trio of teenage superheroes, representing three different racial groups, use their powers to fight against evil forces.
Stars: George DiCenzo, Evan C. Kim, Dee Timberlake, Lou Scheimer
Votes: 201
This was an attempt to cash in on Star Wars, though it owed more to Green Lantern. Three people are plucked from different times in Earth's past and given superpowers and training. They are returned to Earth as its protectors. The group faces many challenges, from aliens who were worshipped as gods in ancient Egypt, to rogue Sentinels. The episodes could be a bit uneven, and the comedy was usually lame, but the adventures were good. It started out as the Young Sentinels, but the name was changed to attract the Star Wars audience.
45. Spider-Man (1967–1970)
TV-Y7 | 25 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Original cartoon series based on the web-slinging Marvel comic book character, Peter Parker, who, after being bit by a radioactive spider, assumes extraordinary powers.
Stars: Paul Soles, Peg Dixon, Paul Kligman, Bernard Cowan
Votes: 4,095
The animation was nothing to write home about, but the stories were good and it had many of the elements of the comics. It was superior to the Marvel Super Heroes show, which had little motion to speak of, nd was a bit more faithful than Hanna-Barbera's Fantastic Four.
46. The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour (1976–1978)
TV-G | 24 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Scooby Doo and the gang solve mysteries; then Blue Falcon and Dynomutt fight crime in each two-part episode of this animated series.
Stars: Patricia Stevens, Frank Welker, Casey Kasem, Don Messick
Votes: 3,709
Scooby Doo was more of the same, but Dynomutt featured comedic adventures of a pair of superheroes. It was actually pretty funny, duplicating many of the elements of the Adam West Batman show.
47. Josie and the Pussycats (1970–1972)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
An up-and-coming pop-music group and its entourage get involved with strange mysteries while touring the world.
Stars: Sherry Alberoni, Jerry Dexter, Cathy Douglas, Patrice Holloway
Votes: 2,328
Plenty of music and mystery, as the Archie characters are brought to life by H-B. They would also meet Scooby Doo, in the New Scooby Doo Movies.
48. The Addams Family (1973)
30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The spooky family finds adventures while on a cross-country road trip in a camper shaped like their mansion.
Stars: Josh Albee, Howard Caine, John Carver, Ted Cassidy
Votes: 1,142
Fun cartoon series, based on both the comics and the live tv series. The designs were based more on the comics.
49. The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972–1973)
TV-G | 83 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The Mystery Inc. gang investigate more supernatural sightings with various guest stars and characters.
Stars: Nicole Jaffe, Casey Kasem, Don Messick, Heather North
Votes: 5,621
Scooby and the gang meet up with various guest stars, including the Addams Family, Josie and the Pussycats, the Three Stooges, and Batman & Robin. The episodes varied a little bit, based on the guest stars (Mama Cass? Sandy Duncan?) but were quite good, overall.
50. Astro Boy (1963–1965)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
As long as trouble's brewing across the universe, the small but powerful robot, Astro Boy, will have adventures, assisted by his mentor, Dr. Elefun.
Stars: Billie Lou Watt, Mari Shimizu, Esperanzita Martínez, Ray Owens
Votes: 1,040
This early Japanese cartoon series featured an adaptation of Tetsuwan Atom. It became one of the first Japanese hits in the US and led to later anime reaching our shores. Very imaginative, if a bit crude, by today's standards.
51. Battle of the Planets (1978–1980)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A five-member superhero team called G-Force fights to defend Earth and its space colonies from the threat of the planet Spectra.
Stars: Alan Young, Keye Luke, Ronnie Schell, Janet Waldo
Votes: 2,234
Sandy Frank brought Gatchaman to the US shores, with new voicing (from H-B veterans) and revamped stories that put the action on other planets (which all looked like Earth). Violence was toned down and a robot narrator added to cover the missing footage. Compared to Saturday morning fare, it was mind-blowing.
52. Flash Gordon (1979–1982)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of the comic strip space hero and his friends as they battle the tyranny of Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo.
Stars: Robert Ridgely, Alan Oppenheimer, Diane Pershing, Allan Melvin
Votes: 1,067
Cartoon series from Filmation. The stories were faithful to the original strips and the animation was lush, using rotoscoping for the action scenes and for model shots. This was the best thing on Saturday morning, until they added a cute dragon, in the second season.
53. Thundarr the Barbarian (1980–1981)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Thundarr the Barbarian and his companions Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel wander a devastated future Earth and fight evil wherever they find it.
Stars: Henry Corden, Robert Ridgely, Nellie Bellflower, Dick Tufeld
Votes: 1,800
Exceptional adventure series, featuring the exploits of three adventurers in a post-apocalyptic Earth. Marvel Comics writer Steve Gerber (Howard the Duck) created the series and the show was designed by Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, and Gil Kane. Exceptional writing and artistry made it stand out.
54. Hong Kong Phooey (1974–1975)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A kung-fu-fighting pup and his snickering cat sidekick battle crime.
Stars: Scatman Crothers, Joe E. Ross, Kathy Gori, Don Messick
Votes: 3,979
The animation was standard fare, but the comedy, thanks to the delivery of Scatman Crothers, was superior, making this a memorable show.
55. Spies (1943)
Unrated | 4 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Private Snafu has a secret: his ship leaves for Africa at 4:30. He's determined to keep it, but bit by bit it slips out, and eventually, the details end up right on Hitler's desk and the ship is engaged.
Director: Chuck Jones | Star: Mel Blanc
Votes: 651
Meet Private Snafu, the epitome of the GI. or maybe not. These wartime cartoons were made for the US Army, to cover a variety of topics, and featured work from Warner Bros., with people like Chuck Jones and Dr. Seuss involved.
56. Take Heed Mr. Tojo (1943)
7 min | Animation, Short
Director: Shamus Culhane | Star: Dick Nelson
Votes: 60
The first of the Mr. Hook cartoons, done for the US Navy, in WWII, much like the Private Snafu toons for the Army.
57. Sealab 2020 (1972)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Cartoon adventure series that focused on a group of Oceanauts in their experimental complex on the ocean floor.
Stars: Ross Martin, John Stephenson, Josh Albee, William Callaway
Votes: 272
Apart from the Superfriends, this was the last of the Hanna-Barbera pure-adventure shows, for some time. The setting is an underwater research community and the episodes revolved around the dangers lurking underneath, oceanic n'erdowells, and the like. The Wild Wild West's Ross Martin voiced one of the leads. This was a favorite as a young child and I would pretend to be at Selab, when I was at the town swimming pool, in the summer. The animation is stiff by today's standards but the stories are good. Footage would be later used for the much altered Sealab 2021.
58. Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (1976–1978)
30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
This series is based on the adventures of Tarzan who seeks to champion the less fortunate, to right wrongs and to protect both the animals in his jungle as well as the human visitors.
Stars: Robert Ridgely, Jack Bannon, Erika Scheimer, Robert Chapel
Votes: 318
Excellent Tarzan cartoon series (the side image is not from the show) from Filmation. They used rotoscoping for the action scenes, which gave them more life; and, plots quite often revolved around "lost" civilizations. Robert Ridgely (Thundarr, Flash Gordon, Beverly Hills Cop 2) provided the voice.
59. Groovie Goolies (1970–1971)
TV-G | 60 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Sabrina's involved with a band of monsters, The Groovy Ghoulies; a rock band with Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein; who scare people for their own amusement.
Stars: Jane Webb, John Erwin, Dal McKennon, Larry D. Mann
Votes: 383
The Sabrina cartoons were ok, on par with the Archie Show; but, the Groovy Goolies were just that. The show featured brief skits and quick gagas with the characters, whoe were charicatures of the Universal monsters. The show was patterned after Laugh-In, though the jokes were usually lamer. Filmation voice stalwarts, like Larry Storch and Howard Morris did many of the voices. It was a fun show with some great music and can count Alice Cooper as a fan.
60. The Pink Panther Show (1969–1970)
TV-Y | 22 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
A classy, resourceful panther has plenty of hilarious misadventures, outwitting those who annoy him with his clever tricks.
Stars: Rich Little, Paul Frees, Dave Barry, Larry Storch
Votes: 21,486
The Pink Panther came down from the movie screen and lept onto the tv screen, with new cartoons from Dave DePatie and Friz Freleng. Pink was the coolest cat on tv and the silent cartoons were big on slapstick and sightgags. Also joining the Panther were the Ant and the Aardvark (who had debuted on the D-F show Tijuana Toads) and the Inspector, who was based on Inspector Clouseau (and voiced by Pat Harrington of One Day at a Time).
61. The New Adventures of Zorro (1981)
22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The further adventures of the masked hero of Spanish California.
Stars: Henry Darrow, Julio Medina, Don Diamond, Ernesto Macias
Votes: 303
Filmation brought Zorro to life in this animated series, a cut above their usual stuff. It's filled with intrigue and swashbuckling, with rotoscoping giving life to the fencing, though no one ever gets hurt. The plots were on par with the Disney series, and Henry Darrow, an actual Latino actor, voiced the character. he also had a sidekick, Amigo, in his adventures. The shows featured an epilogue with a Spanish lesson or bits about the history of Old California.
62. Butch Cassidy (1973–1974)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The globe-trotting adventures of a group of teenage spies masquerading as a rock-and-roll band.
Stars: Judy Strangis, Micky Dolenz, John Stephenson, Kristina Holland
Votes: 111
Not, the outlaw, but the leader of a rock 'n' Roll band, who double as secret agents. The show came from H-B and was a nice twist on the Scooby Doo mystery theme, minus the animal-centric comedy. Mickey Dolenz, of the Monkees, played the drummer. The stories were pretty good.
63. Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–2009)
TV-Y | 3 min | Animation, Short, Family
A series of shorts illustrating various songs that teach multiplication tables, grammar, science, American history, computers, economics, and environmentalism.
Stars: Bob Dorough, Jack Sheldon, Lynn Ahrens, Bob Kaliban
Votes: 4,314
Not so much a regular cartoon series, as much as a series of educational commercials. The networks had mandated educational content on Saturday morning, which led to things like the US of Archie, with it's historical stories, and the moral lessons in the Superfriends. However, an ad agency approached Fred Silverman at ABC, with the idea of cartoons set to music, designed to teach multiplication tables. The started with the classic "Three is a Magic Number," the first cartoon for Multiplication Rock. It proved a huge hit and they slowly worked their way through the numerical sequence. Next, they added Grammar Rock, America Rock (in time for the Bicentennial) and Science Rock. The songs were catchy and the cartoons lively. Teachers later reported hearing humming when they administered the Constitution test, and found out the students were humming the song "We the People," which features the text of the Preamble (you just had to remember to insert "of the United States..."). The US Congress asked for copies of "The Three Ring Circus," (about the three branches of government, and, "I'm Just a Bill," (about how laws are created and passed). This was the rare educational cartoon that actually aided learning and was fun.
64. The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! (1981–1982)
25 min | Animation, Fantasy
The adventures of a high school for superheroes while the Marvel Family fights evil with the power given to them by the wizard, Shazam.
Stars: Maylo McCaslin, Barry Gordon, Dawn Jeffory, Burr Middleton
Votes: 190
This was two cartoons: Hero High and Shazam. hero High was average stuff from Filmation (meant to be an Archie superhero show, but the company turned it down); but, Shazam wonderfully captured the spirit and tone of the classic Captain Marvel stories. Paul Dini (Batman TAS) had one of his earliest writing credits here.
65. Danger Mouse (1981–1992)
TV-Y | 25 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Danger Mouse, the greatest secret agent in the world, must follow Colonel K's orders (and try not to break Professor Squawkencluck's inventions) to foil Baron Greenback's and his henchman Stiletto's plans.
Stars: David Jason, Terry Scott, Edward Kelsey, Victor Knight
Votes: 3,911
Outstanding and hilarious cartoon series from the UK. The stories featured the adventures of the World's Greatest Secret Agent, with the World's Worst Assistant. The match wits with the evil toad, Baron Silsa Greenback, and a few other villains, including the rather Scottish alien JJ Quark. The series was great fun and featured voicework from David Jason (Touch of Frost).
66. Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984–1985)
TV-Y7 | 24 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
This series focuses on five lion robots and their pilots as they fight the evil forces of King Zarkon and Prince Lotor.
Stars: Peter Cullen, Michael Bell, Jack Angel, Lennie Weinrib
Votes: 5,177
An American adaptation of a Japanese cartoon. However, the American crew didn't have story translations, so they had to work out the basic plot and write their own scripts and characters. The show is great adventure, with complex characters. The favorite are the Lion Force episodes, but the series included a seperate Japanese cartoon as the later season of Voltron. This is one of the early anime pioneers, along with Astroboy, Spped Racer, Battle of the Planets, Robotech, and Star Blazers
67. Star Blazers (1979–1984)
22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
In the year 2199, a starship must make a dangerous voyage to the distant planet Iscandar and back to save Earth from an alien invasion.
Stars: Eddie Allen, Michael Bertolini, Amy Howard Wilson, Lydia Leeds
Votes: 1,568
The success of Star Wars had Hollywood scrambling to cash in. This helped bring seeral anime programs to US shores, including Space Battleship Yamato, which was renamed Star Blazers. The Earth has been subjected to an alien attack, using radioactive wepaons, driving the populace underground. The Earth is contacted by a rival alien, who has the technology to help Earth but cannot make the journey. So the Earth outfits a spaceship and sends a team to find Earth's salvation. The series featured mature stories and quality animation. The Yamato sequels were used as additional seasons.
68. Robotech (1985)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An alien spaceship crash lands on Earth and the technology and secrets she bears lead Earth into three destructive interplanetary wars.
Stars: Steve Kramer, Tom Wyner, Robert Axelrod, Bill Capizzi
Votes: 4,021
Three different Japanese anime shows were united into one US series, Robotech. The series had soap opera, space battles, intrigue, action, romance, and just about anything you could ask for. Some criticised the altered storylines and characters, while others thrilled to the more mature adventures, after years of Scooby Doo and the like.
69. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981–1986)
TV-Y7 | 22 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
Spider-Man battles crime in New York City with the help of Iceman and Firestar.
Stars: Hans Conried, Sally Julian, Jerry Dexter, Anne Lockhart
Votes: 4,035
Another variation on Spider-Man, which added Iceman, from the X-Men, and Firestar, a new mutant character. The series was generally ok; but, what made it standout was the "Origin of Firestar," which featured the X-Men as guest stars (they had appeared in one episode of the Marvel Superheroes syndicated show) and an additional appearance later on. The series was getting closer to bringing the massively popular X-Men to life.
70. G.I. Joe (1985–1986)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An elite special missions force fights against the terrorist forces of Cobra.
Stars: Jackson Beck, Christopher Collins, Michael Bell, Neil Ross
Votes: 5,634
I never liked this series but it was a huge hit in it's day. The stories could be good, though the animation and models were rather stiff, even compared to Filmation and Hanna-Barbera. Also, the restrictions on violence meant that no one ever got seriously hurt, as missiles hit planes and laser beams fly everywhere (can't have bullets!). To me, it was a watered down Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD (which was the genesis for the JOE team concept).
71. The Transformers (1984–1987)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Two opposing factions of transforming alien robots engage in a battle that has the fate of Earth in the balance.
Stars: Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, Corey Burton, Christopher Collins
Votes: 23,531
Again, I'm not a fan, but it had many, so as a nod to the younger generation, I'll include it.
72. Thundercats (1985–1989)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A team of humanoid cats fight evil in their adopted home world.
Stars: Bob McFadden, Larry Kenney, Earl Hammond, Lynne Lipton
Votes: 19,037
Now here was an 80s cartoon I could get into. The show featured great adventure stories and the animation was lush. The voicework was very good, too. It had it all over the juvenile He-Man and the sanitized GI Joe. This was about as epic as it got in the 80s.
73. Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987–1988)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Mighty Mouse has humorous, satirical adventures in this short-lived Saturday Morning cartoon by Ralph Bakshi.
Stars: Patrick Pinney, Dana Hill, Rodger Bumpass, Michael Pataki
Votes: 726
Ralph Bakshi helped revive the old Terrytoon character Mighty Mouse, but with a twist. The episodes were very hip and self aware, thanks in large part to people like John Krikfalusi. This was a great show that ended up getting yanked by the network after a scene was misinterpreted by a conservative watchdog group. It would help lay the groundwork for Ren and Stimpy, in the coming years.
74. Bionic Six (1987)
TV-Y7 | 22 min | Animation, Action, Family
A family of machine-enhanced human beings, each possessing unique powers after being augmented with bionic technology, battles evil. Together, the family form a superhero team called the Bionic Six.
Stars: Norman Bernard, Carol Bilger, Samantha Paris, Alan Oppenheimer
Votes: 907
I've only seen a couple of these, but the animation is great (from Tokyo Movie Shinsa) and the stories were good. Alex Toth did some design work on it.
75. Pryde of the X-Men (1989 TV Movie)
22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Just as teenage mutant Kitty Pryde is welcomed to the X-Men, the team of mutant heroes are called into battle to prevent Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants from crashing a comet into the Earth.
Director: Ray Lee | Stars: Michael Bell, Earl Boen, Andi Chapman, Pat Fraley
Votes: 1,406
This was a pilot for an X-Men cartoon, but it didn't come to pass (not in this form, anyway). It features a great story, based around Kitty Pryde's arrival at Professor Xavier's school. All of the pieces are here, though Wolverine still has an Australian accent, as in Spidey and His Amazing Friends. Eventually, someone looked up a wolverine in the encyclopedia.
76. Akira (1988)
R | 124 min | Animation, Action, Drama
A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.
Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo | Stars: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tesshô Genda
Votes: 205,077 | Gross: $0.55M
After the groundwork had been laid with anime in adapted form, the US was ready for pure Japanese anime (well, with English dubbing). This feature adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's manga blew everyone away, with it's cyberpunk styling and epic story. critics fawned over it and people turned out to see it in theaters (if they were lucky); but more turned out when it came to home video. It owes much to Blade Runner, but it would inspire as much as it took from others.
77. Sailor Moon (1992–1997)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A group of schoolgirls discover they are incarnations of super-powered alien princesses, and use their abilities to defend the earth.
Stars: Stephanie Sheh, Kotono Mitsuishi, Kate Higgins, Aya Hisakawa
Votes: 7,551
This series did much to attract young girls to anime, setting the groundwork for one of the biggest components of manga and anime fandom.
78. Liquid Television (1991–1994)
TV-14 | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Crime
MTV's classic, surreal, experimental, grotesque, macabre and darkly humorous animation anthology featuring both serialized and one-off segments. The show also features music videos and rare live action and puppet segments.
Stars: Holly Payne, Robert Scull, William Waghorn, Mandy Perryment
Votes: 1,019
MTV launched this groundbeaking anthology of hip animation. The features varied wildly and included Beavis and Butthead, Aeon Flux, Grinning Evil Death, Plymptoons, and Stick Figure Theater. It lasted for 3 seasons and helped launch the careers of Peter Chung and Mike Judge.
79. The Simpsons (1989– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
The satiric adventures of a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield.
Stars: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner
Votes: 435,581
The Simpsons began life as companion shorts for the Tracy Ullman Show. The producers originally hoped to bring Matt Groening's Life in Hell cartoons to life, but he went a different route, with a wild family, somewhat modelled on his own. This led to a Christmas special and the legendary tv series, which has lasted for over 20 years. It's glory days are long behind it, but it produced some of the finest moments in tv comedy.
80. The Critic (1994–2001)
TV-14 | 522 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
Jay Sherman is a New York film critic who has to review films he doesn't like for a living.
Stars: Jon Lovitz, Nick Jameson, Maurice LaMarche, Nancy Cartwright
Votes: 9,082
Some of the Simpsons writer/producers went off to create their own show, built around John Lovitz. What they came up with was a series about a film critic, on a dysfunctional cable channel. What they delivered was smart film parody, some engaging character-driven comedy, and lots of fun. The series was canned by the network but gained new life on cable, setting a precedent for many shows in the future.
81. The Tick (1994–1997)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An invulnerable, somewhat dim, superhero protects The City from all manner of evil-doers.
Stars: Townsend Coleman, Micky Dolenz, Rob Paulsen, Cam Clarke
Votes: 10,161
Ben Edlund's loopy indy comic was brought to life at Fox, complete with insanity intact. The series was a breath of fresh air in a seas of toy commercials, disguised as cartoons, and some lackluster fare aimed solely at very young children. It was a cartoon that adults could watch and love.
82. Beavis and Butt-Head (1993–2011)
TV-14 | 15 min | Animation, Comedy, Music
Animated MTV series about two teenage heavy-metal music fans who occasionally do idiotic things because they're bored. For them, everything is "cool" or "sucks."
Stars: Mike Judge, Kristofor Brown, Dale Revo, Tracy Grandstaff
Votes: 34,236
After finding success on MTV's Liquid Television, the anarchic duo got their own series on the same network. Mike Judge filled the world with two idiots, set somewhere in the Southwest. The cartoons were Id run rampant, with some sly social commentary mixed in. Where it really excelled was in ripping into the less-than-stellar videos featured on MTV. Bands could suddenly become cool or be declared lame with one quick spot on the show.
83. Daria (1997–2002)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
A smart and cynical girl goes through teenage life as a proud outsider in a world of mainly idiotic adolescents and condescending adults.
Stars: Tracy Grandstaff, Wendy Hoopes, Julian Rebolledo, John Lynn
Votes: 27,219
Extremely smart show that was spun-off from Beavis and Butthead. Daria had been one of their classmates, now she got her own show and gave a heroine to every brainy school girl who felt like an outsider. The show fit in very well with the indie comics world, standing alongside such works as Love and Rockets, the work of Dan Clowes, and Sarah Dyer's Action Girl Comics.
84. The Maxx (1995)
TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Confused hulking homeless superhero The Maxx tries to protect his social worker and friend Julie from an omniscient serial killer Mr. Gone both in the real world, which may or may not actually be real, and the subconscious fantasy world.
Stars: Amy Danles, Glynnis Talken, Tony Fucile, Michael Haley
Votes: 4,065
MTV helped bring Sam Keith and William Messner-Loeb's comic to life in this odd, but well done series. The Maxx is a superhero, or maybe he is just the dream avatar for a janitor. Reality and fantasy would twist back and forth in this intelligent series. It also had the distinction of coming out more consistently than the Image comic.
85. Æon Flux (1991–1995)
TV-14 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
There is a mysterious and immoral secret agent from the country of Monica. Her motives and background remain unexplained, as do those of her antagonist/lover, Trevor Goodchild.
Stars: Denise Poirier, John Rafter Lee, Max Redmond, Julia Fletcher
Votes: 7,054
The other big hit, spawned by Liquid Television. Aeon Flux is an agent for the anarchic nation of Monica, as she works to undermine the ordered society of Breen, led by her sometimes lover Trevor Goodchild. The series rarely made sense and was more an exercise in style over substance, but it was an engaging style.
86. Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (1993–1994)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The adventures of the human survivors in a future dinosaur dominated world.
Stars: David Keeley, Susan Roman, Bruce Tubbe, Dawn Greenhalgh
Votes: 476
Cartoon series based on Mark Shultz's breathtakingly beautiful comic series Xenozoic Tales (affectionately known as Cadillacs and Dinosaurs). The animation came from Canadian company Nelvana, and they went to town on the designwork, raising this above standard fare for Saturday morning.
87. Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
TV-PG | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight battles crime in Gotham City with occasional help from Robin and Batgirl.
Stars: Kevin Conroy, Loren Lester, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings
Votes: 116,892
In the wake of two hugely successful Batman films from Tim Burton came this animated series from Warner Brothers. The series drew inspiration from the legendary Fleischer Superman cartoons and the classic stories of the Batman comics. It was faithful in all areas, even adapting some of the stories directly. It launched a whole franchise of Warner/DC Comics collaborations (DC is a subsidiary of WB).
88. Tiny Toon Adventures (1990–1995)
TV-G | 21 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The wacky adventures of the new young hip generation of Warner Brothers Looney Tunes characters, most of them descendants of the original classic toon cast.
Stars: Charlie Adler, John Kassir, Tress MacNeille, Joe Alaskey
Votes: 14,232
Warner Brothers decided to revive their Looney Tunes characters as younger versions, ala Flintstones Kids and Muppet Babies. This sounded like a recipe for disaster, but they wisely created new characters, who were proteges of the classic gang. These new characters soon established their own personalities, while delivering the same anarchic fun and satire of the originals. Stephen Speilberg took far too much credit for the series, but it was a gas.
89. Animaniacs (1993–1998)
TV-Y7 | 21 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
The zany adventures of a trio of 1930s animated characters in the modern world.
Stars: Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, Frank Welker
Votes: 25,829
WB/Amblin (Spielberg's company) built on the success of Tiy Toons with another series, Animaniacs. The series featured comedic adventures of the three Warner siblings (Yakko, Wakko, and Dot), Slappy Squirrel, Buttons and Mindsy, Goodfeathers, and my favorite, Pinky and the Brain. The Warners and P&B were the stars and brought fun to weekday afternoons throughout the 90s.
90. Freakazoid! (1995–1997)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Short, Action
Washington, D.C. has a new defender: Freakazoid. The comedy and insanity never stop when he's around, and he's only one of the weird heroes of the series. It's better than a nice tub of good things.
Stars: Paul Rugg, David Kaufman, Joe Leahy, Tress MacNeille
Votes: 8,555
More anarchy from WB and Amblin, in the form of a superhero parody. It wasn't quite as smart as The Tick, but it made up for it in enthusiasm and by often breaking the fourth wall.
91. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997)
TV-Y7 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A team of mutant superheroes fight for justice and human acceptance in the Marvel Comics universe.
Stars: Cedric Smith, Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, George Buza
Votes: 48,775
The X-Men finally came to life, with cartoons from Saban. The models were rather over-rendered, which made for stiff action, but the stories were well adapted from the comics. Wolverine even had the right accent. It couldn't hold a candel to BTAS, stylistically, but held it's own storywise. This would help push Marvel into better cartoon series, though often with shaky starts.
92. Spawn (1997–1999)
TV-MA | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
After being betrayed and murdered by his employer, a government assassin is resurrected as a Hellspawn and is forced to act as the reluctant leader of Hell's army.
Stars: Keith David, Richard Dysart, Dominique Jennings, Todd McFarlane
Votes: 10,020
Adult animated adaptation of Todd McFarlane's Image comic. It had the distinction of being more coherent than either the comics or the terrible live action movie, but that doesn't mean it was totally comprehensible. It did have a great budget and wide lattitude from HBO.
93. Clerks (2000–2001)
R | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
The continuing adventures of clerks Dante and Randal, who try to make the best of their menial labor, with no help from Jay and Silent Bob.
Stars: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith
Votes: 13,071
Animated series, based on Kevin Smith's Askiewniverse films. ABC bought it, but only commissioned six episodes, and only aired two of them. It does a great job of capturing the spirit of Clerks, while ably adapting to the restrictions of network tv. Jeff Anderson especially proved to be a good fit with cartoon voicework and the series mixed Smith's dialogue with excellent film parodies. Alec Baldwin made an excellent addition as the slightly insane Leonardo Leonardo.
94. Dexter's Laboratory (1996–2003)
TV-G | 23 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
The misadventures of a boy genius and his annoying sister.
Stars: Kath Soucie, Jeff Bennett, Christine Cavanaugh, Tom Kenny
Votes: 53,728
Debuting as part of Cartoon Network's "What a Cartoon? Show" Dexter proved to be the first hit. The series revolves around a boy genius, wit a secret lab, who is constantly pestered by older sister (and ballet lover) Dee Dee. The series was a geek paradise of sci-fi parodies, superheroes, and Warner Bros. sensibilities. It also featured the companion cartoons Dial M for Monkey (a superhero parody that mixed Dial H for Hero, SHIELD, the Fantastic Four, and DC's simian-centric comics) and Justice Friends (a parody of Marvel heroes Thor, Hulk, and Captain America). The series reached an epic conclusion with, "Last But Not Beast," a full half hour of Dexter and family, Monkey, and the Justice Friends, with parodies of Japanese monsters, power ranger shows (super sentai, in Japan), American superhero comics, and Japanese anime (including 70s Gatchaman-styled and 80s Macross). Then, it was given extended life, but with lesser results.
95. The Powerpuff Girls (1998–2004)
TV-Y7-FV | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Three super-powered little girls constantly save the world (or at least the city of Townsville) from monsters, would-be conquerers and a few other gross things.
Stars: Cathy Cavadini, Elizabeth Daily, Tara Strong, Tom Kenny
Votes: 47,852
Second hit from What a Cartoon?, featuring 3 little girl superheroes. The show had plenty for kids and adults, and gave action heroines to little girls. These gals rocked!
96. Courage the Cowardly Dog (1999–2002)
TV-Y7 | 11 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The offbeat adventures of Courage, a cowardly dog who must overcome his own fears to heroically defend his unknowing farmer owners from all kinds of dangers, paranormal events and menaces that appear around their land.
Stars: Marty Grabstein, Thea White, Peter Fernandez, Simon Prebble
Votes: 50,909
Another Cartoon Network favorite, complete with monsters and aliens, but without the meddling kids of a Scooby Doo.
97. Johnny Bravo (1997–2004)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The misadventures of a dumb blond egomaniac who severely overestimates his own manliness and his supposed "success" with women.
Stars: Jeff Bennett, Brenda Vaccaro, Mae Whitman, Tom Kenny
Votes: 39,278
Another spin-off from What a Cartoon?, with the Elvis-like Johnny Bravo. Wondeful fun, little mama!
98. The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991–1996)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Ren, a psychotic Chihuahua, and Stimpson J. Cat, a dimwitted Manx cat who goes by the nickname Stimpy, have a host of unusual adventures.
Stars: John Kricfalusi, Billy West, Harris Peet, Bob Camp
Votes: 24,637
John Krikfalusi gave life to this grotesque but subversivelly funny duo. The cartoons became big favorites on Nickelodian, before the network started interfering. They were short-lived, but the stuff of legends.
99. Rugrats (1991–2003)
TV-Y | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, Phil and Lil and Susie find themselves in a slew of adventures - both real and imaginary. Baldly go where no baby's every gone before as the Rugrats turn the ordinary into the extraordinary every day.
Stars: Elizabeth Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Nancy Cartwright, Kath Soucie
Votes: 38,463
Another favorite from Nickelodian, featuring the exploits of a group of realistic little kids. The stories were well written and the voice cast was well chosen. It led to a movie and some specials before it was over.
100. Hey Arnold! (1996–2004)
TV-Y7 | 15 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The everyday life of Arnold, a fourth-grader in a nameless city that resembles Brooklyn, New York, who lives in a multi-racial boarding house with his grandparents and a motley assortment of friends and neighbors.
Stars: Francesca Marie Smith, Jamil Walker Smith, Dan Castellaneta, Justin Shenkarow
Votes: 36,563
A favorite of my girlfriend and her son, which quickly grew on me. It has well developed characters, some good humor, and excellent moral lessons.
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