Recommend us a kids' cartoon
Each week I create a 2-2.5 hour block of programming for the family to watch together over a nice breakfast. We call it Sunday Brunch Cartoons, and we're nearly two years into it without missing a day. I'm releasing a full list of our watch queue, with the hopes that you can think of something really good (or memorably bad) that we should include.
No 70s Hanna-Barbera.
https://feddit.uk/pictrs/image/a12bea0c-89fb-4c86-a610-f231583719ad.webp
Plaintext: Title Batman: Caped Crusader Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years Cybersix Gargoyles Infinity Train Mythbusters Hey Arnold! Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Amphibia Animaniacs Scooby Doo; Mystery Inc. Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends Gumby Gurren Lagann Mighty Max (Remastered) My Adventures With Superman Sailor Moon Original ReBoot Recess Crash Course Video Games She-Ra Space Patrol Luluco The Owl House Tron: Uprising Star vs the Forces of Evil Rocky & Bullwinkle Sym-Bionic Titan Freakazoid! Teen Titans Bump In The night Looney Tunes Golden Collection Nate Is Late / Oskar et Malika The Big O Unicorn Warriors Eternal Mega Man Megas XLR Motorcity Fraggle Rock Men in Black: The Animated Series Histeria! The Tick Swat Kats Adventure Time: Fiona & Cake Kim Possible Dexter’s Laboratory Star Trek Mobile Fighter G Gundam The Adventures of Salmon Max Captain N: The Game Master Darkwing Duck Danny Phantom Wakfu Kirby: Right Back At Ya Regular Show Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Inspector Gadget The Legend of Zelda Underdog (1964) Kid Cosmic Looney Tunes Cartoons Samurai Jack Adventure Time The Loud House King Arthur and the Knights of Justice The California Raisin Show Visionaries Knights of the Magical Lights He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Transformers: Prime Yuu Yuu Hakusho Invader Zim Ducktales Avatar: The Legend of Korra Codename: Kids Next Door Pingu Bill Nye TSG Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Reading Rainbow Wishbone Red Wall Ramen Akaneko Space Ghost Powerpuff Girls Transformers War For Cybertron Dungeons and Dragons Ren & Stimpy Rugrats Super Mario World Fairly OddParents Hilda Moomin Batman: The Animated Series Earthworm Jim Amazing World of Gumball Beakman’s World Rocko’s Modern Life The Real Ghostbusters The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Bravest Warriors Beetlejuice Ruri Rocks Transformers: Beast Wars Courage the Cowardly Dog Rentaghost The Busy World of Richard Scarry Over the Garden Wall Button Moon Cow & Chicken Bocchi the Rock Adventure Time: Distant Lands The Angry Beavers The Trap Door Pinky and The Brain Clone Wars (2003) Avatar: The Last Airbender Gravity Falls A Series of Unfortunate Events Steven Universe Trigun Batman Beyond Bluey Ed, Edd, & Eddy
EDIT: Thanks, Lemmy!!! You've all delivered so many really exciting suggestions. There's enough on my 'shopping list' now to keep us going, well, basically forever - but what's another 10Tb of cartoons among friends?
Here's the full list of suggestions I've collected. In alphabetic order, this time. Thanks again!
And since it seems like you’re not shying away from shows with some fucked up things kids probably shouldn’t have watched but are kinda formative anyways
Thanks! The newer DuckTales is in this list, we finished that earlier this year. The older stuff I haven't gotten to yet. I definitely need to get Chip & Dale, haven't seen that stuff in centuries, feels like.
We're fairly permissive with scary/intense stuff, our true north isn't PEGI or ESRB so much as Don Bluth's admonition that kids can handle anything, as long as there's a happy ending. He found Robot Dreams (2023) way more traumatic than Ghostbusters (1984), and that's just a story about growing apart and making new friends. He's very self aware, and will tell us when something's too much to handle.
I should get Macross, yeah. I never saw that one actually. Thanks!
I don't think of ren and stimpy or space ghost as happy ending shows.
You've got me there. I rarely use either, for that reason. R&S is actually out of rotation because the wife doesn't approve, just yet. Fair is fair, our kid is weird enough as it is.
I'm not really sure about space ghost. The zapping of Zorak that happens pretty frequently is your typical cartoon violence comparable to what goes on in bugs bunny. I'd just want to give it a review before putting it in front of kids.
Ren and stumpy on the other hand can be kind of dark and brutal, especially the later episodes. I'd have similar (or stronger) reservations about aqua teen hunger force, or venture brothers.
ATHF and Venture Bros are out of the question until he's at least 15. Even then a lot of the humour won't click until later. Like, there's an actual pedophile in VB. Give me a little credit.
The action in Space Ghost is mild for his tastes. Wacky violence doesn't faze him, what really gets to him is bittersweet endings where there's a happy ending, but not quite the one he expected.
Then you have to skip that one Futurama episode with the dog.
God no. Futurama is one of those ones where I'm just gonna make him wait until he's ready
No Hanna Barbera? You should throw a few in to mix it up. Like a Snagglepuss, one Huckleberry hound, and one Yogi Bear. The first season of Scooby Doo is iconic. Josie and the Pussy Cats was good. 60's Hanna would include the excellent Johnny Quest. I'd also throw in a singular Space Ghost and Herculoids to break things up.
You make some solid points, if I'm willing to tolerate the California Raisins he should at least see some of these. We'll do a retro theme one day and hit all of these, likely.
What was the reason for skipping Hanna Barbera (and '70s in particular) to begin with? The limited animation?
Unvarnished snobbery, but yes. The animation.
Add just a little bit of 60s and 70s Hannah Barbara (Johnny quest, Scooby-Doo, old superhero shows) so that when they are older, you can show them Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law and GOATed of all time animated series The Venture Bros
Venture Bros might be the only reason I'd need to sit through a season of Johnny Quest. This is an extremely solid argument, I think you've changed my mind completely!
I forgot to add the caveat when they get older for venture bros. But it'll just make them appreciate it more when they do see it
Of course, it's a great series but it'll be all the better if I don't have to explain the jokes to his therapist in fifteen years lol
Hey I think you've got enough recs already, just wanted to say I'm really enjoying reading your replies. You seem like a good person, and I used to go by Wakko in my youth so you're obviously cool. That's all!
That's super sweet of you, cheers. 😘
100%, agreed that it's good to at least have the kids be familiar with those classic shows. Scooby-Doo has a ton of versions since their original Hanna Barbera, so OP has options if they want to avoid the original. One I watched recently and would recommend is Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!
The animation style is totally different, which might take some getting used to for OP and their spouse, but the kids should enjoy it. It's got a solid cast, with the likes of Frank Welker (who's not only known for his animal voices, but who's been doing the voice of Fred since the 70s!) and Grey Griffin (sometimes credited as Grey DeLisle, who's done voices on a significant amount of shows on the list.) Also, its focus is on funny, and it gave me some legit laugh out loud moments.
I found Freakazoid to be hilarious when I was in my teens, even though a lot of the jokes felt like they were written for my parents. It's a fairly short series too, at least compared to a lot of the other kids shows.
It wasn't a commercial success because all the adverts were targeted at too young an audience. It should have been presented for what it is, which is goofy and random enough for kids and genuinely twisted enough for grownups.
Freakazoid and The Tick have always been two of my favorite classics
I was worried they wouldn't stand up, but if anything they're even better now that I'm old enough to really delight in how strange it is.
I think The Tick was similar, if I recall correctly. I still loved it as a kid.
Eek! The Cat.
Don't remember much about the episodes but I did used to watch it "religiously" as a kid.
Added! I know I've seen it, but I can't recall anything specific.
I think the following would make great additions
Talespin
Garfield and Friends(seem to remember watching this one religiously as a kid, but more so for the “and friends” part. )
COPS was a weird one
Gotta have the Thundercats!
M.A.S.K
Gotta have X-Men just for the theme song at least lol
I'm def adding Thundercats, Talespin, and X-Men, but COPS is a hard no lmao. I didn't even know that existed though, that's hilarious. Is M.A.S.K. good or hilariously bad?
I was gonna mention M.A.S.K. There was also a straight to video series for Ring Raiders. Both of them were really to sell toys, but so was Transformers and G.I. Joe (I think the toys came first in all these cases). Full caveat, I haven’t watched any of these since the 80s, but I do still have a MASK toy my son is now playing with.
Mobile Police Patlabor is similar to Gundam and maybe not a kids cartoon, but does feature in a KMFDM video from the late 90s for Juke Joint Jezebel.
One thing is for sure, I seriously need some gen 1 Transformers. My fav is still Transformers Prime, despite the janky CGI Blum's voice acting really does it for me.
I'll get some Patlabor and make an assessment before showing him, generally as long as there's a happy ending there's not much he can't handle.
I agree with you on COPS was just one of the cartoons in my brain as I was thinking of things I watched a bit of as a kid.
Mask was like a mix of GI Joe and Transformers I think, transforming vehicles but with a focus on the driver as well. I haven’t watched it in ages, I’ll have to see if I can source it.
Gobots could be an interesting one, knockoff transformers but only had like a season, I recall liking the villainous motorcycle as a kid.
Another one I’m going to have to look up is centurions, I enjoyed them when I was 4, but they as a show didn’t last long and I have almost forgotten everything about it.
I'll look into Gobots and Centurions! I should find some Medabots too, while I'm at it.
Man I used to love those Centurions toys. Such a great concept to have modular pieces on the figures
Yep was pretty neat, like a cross between GI Joe and Lego. Lots of fun
I may have missed them in the list but how about
The Marvellous Misadventures of Flapjack
Chowder
Catdog
Rocket Power
Ren & Stimpy
Doug
As Told by Ginger
The Wild Thornberrys
Johnny Bravo
Sharkey and George
I Am Weasel
I did try a little Ren and Stimpy on him, I think I'm gonna wait a bit on that one - wife's advice. That said, you've mentioned a lot that nobody else has, and I can't believe I haven't shown him Doug yet!
Yeh I wasn't sure on that suggestion but then you had the likes of Courage, Billy and Mandy, Invader Zim etc so thought it was worth a punt.
I feel like I have more rattling around in my head SK if I think of any more over the day I'll reply again. I grew up on that era of cartoons and have so many fond memories of them!
Do you have Rugrats in there, I feel like that is an obvious choice I can't see
Thank you!! I can't believe how fruitful this post was. I also use animated shorts as interstitials between episodes, which I didn't mention yet. At some point I'll have to compile a list of my fav indie animators and ask the community what I might be missing. That's a bigger task though, because I don't keep a spreadsheet of those!
Whilst I watched a shit load of Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network in those days which was full of shorts too my memory of those isn't as good unfortunately but I'll keep an eye out for that post in the future in the hopes of some nostalgia!
Oh and sorry - I got a little muddled answering your question, Rugrats is definitely in our rota!
Flapjack is such an incredible show.
Fuck yeh!
My copy of it is old and of poor quality—I will be finding a high quality rip of it and marathoning it tonight. I haven’t seen it in nearly a decade!
I don't currently have a copy, but after talking about it today I need to find one and watch it again too!
You have a bit of anime on there but I feel like pokemon and Dragonball z are missing. Simpsons could be added too.
Someone else recommended original Dragonball, and I'm taking that onboard. DBZ is great, but I think for the sake of time I'll look for that edit I heard of that keeps it all concise and action-packed. As you can see we have a lot of stuff in rotation!
Just a heads up that original run Dragonball contains a bit of nudity (Goku is often naked and they don't hide it). It's fairly innocuous but I know not something every parent wants their kids to see.
Good note. His mom has always been pretty casual about nudity, so we don't really fuss about ((non-sexual)) nudity in media. Bodies are just normal to him, I'm kinda jealous tbh.
I tried watching it with my kids. I phased it out because of Master Roshi. He normalizes some pretty gross behavior and not in a cautionary comeuppance kind of way.
"Okay kids, so the joke is that he's an unrepentant asshole who enjoys constantly violating other people's privacy in a sexual way, and they thought that it was funny for women to have to perpetually deflect unwanted advances while also being both sexy and demure at all times, also marital rape laws in Japan were only amended to cover all cases of non-consent instead of just violent ones in 2023. We'll talk more about that last one when you're older, the point is that you shouldn't emulate his behaviour -- you know what, let's just watch anything else".
This is an important tip. If I start to run Dragon Ball, I might just cut out those scenes entirely, it's easy enough to do.
The Moomin are there. No need to add anything else.
It's good stuff, we're due for another showing soon.
I highly recommend reading up on what Tove Jansson got up to during her life. Shes my favorite woman of all time.
She lived on a rock in the middle of the sea with her ladyfriend. Built a sauna under her cabin because the government didn't give her a permission to build one, so had to do it in secret. She also published cartoons that mocked hitler in the 1930s and 1940s.
She rules. I wonder if I could build one on the sly in my spare parking spot...
Build one on top of a trailer: https://karrysaunat.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/kuva19.jpg
The dream 😮
You've already got all of my recommendations, but please alphabetically sort these so we can check more easily!
Sorry about that, I'm kind of a mess this morning!
Total Drama Island and/or The Ridonculous Race (same universe). They're camp (hehe) but pretty good overall
Holy smokes. I missed the boat on TDI's original run, thanks for the suggestions!
I’m a little worried that no one has mentioned Mystery Inc. yet. It’s probably the best version of Scooby-Doo ever done.
Also look in to Clone High both the 2002 version and the 2023 restart. It’s a really fun show more for teenagers and the blueprint that Total Drama Island ripped off. It’s also the very first time Miller and Lord, of Spider-verse and Hail Merry fame, got to run a show.
Mystery Inc. is in regular rotation, was it left out somehow? I agree, it's my fav SD series.
While the lad is showing signs of being an early bloomer (like both his parents), it hasn't happened yet and stuff like Clone High is being purposefully omitted for now. We watched a minute of S01E01 with him and we all agreed to save it for later. Wife said TDI is a 'not yet' for the same reason, though I haven't seen it myself yet. They're on the list, but not in rotation yet!
Mystery Inc is on the list, there's just not enough people talking about it in the comments :)
These are all 90s cartoons, so if you can find them:
Pinky and the BrainSaw you have that one alreadyI should get original Animaniacs, the new stuff is alright but I have no excuse not to have the classics. We have Batman TAS, but I'd totally overlooked the others. Thanks!!
Growing up I loved Pinky and The Brain and Batfink
Adding Batfink! We have P&tB. 8)
Aah! Really Monsters!
Angry Beavers
Rocko's Modern Life
We've got Rocko and Beavers in the mix, but not A!RM. That's going on the list!
Ah, I must have missed those. Yeah, Real Monsters was a fun one. I really liked that one as a kid. Tried to revisit recently with my kid, and it didn't hit the same. Then again, neither does Rocko or Ren and Stimpy. Guess I have to chalk it up to getting old or maturing or something. I still classify them as "good" shows, rating them through the lens of youth. Still love Rugrats. My wife and I watched the whole series together before we even had a kid.
I actually like Rocko more than I did as a kid, but the trouble is that my kid doesn't really care for it. A lot of the jokes are slyly adult. Rugrats is a classic though!
This clip lives rent free in my head.
So does Mr. Bighead's song about hating recycling.
You can't fight city hall. You can't fight corporate America.
They are big and you are small, you can't fight city hall!
My specialty! Cartoons! No guarantees my opinions may not be basic or good!
• Code Lyoko ( can get a little dark at times and also characters with not just foreheads, but fiveheads ) ( also has maybe 2 or so scenes of an underage girl in just her undies/bra, but in a European kid friendly manner ) ( every episode is available on a dedicated official Code Lyoko ENG dub channel, and original dub on its own official channel as well )
• If you can somehow find it, Dofus: The Treasures of Kerubim ( Kerubs's Bazaar is apparently the, IMO, horrible English name ) ( same universe as Wakfu, but in a distant past I guess )
• Summer Camp Island ( 6 seasons that start off more episodic and start to get more serialized before the very serialized and probably rushed close to death final season ) ( summer camp run by 3 witches, shenanigans with magic and magical creatures happen )
• Some episodes are technically lost media, either in the original ENG dub or in general, but Skippy: Adventures in Bushtown ( a rare example of Australian cartoon work, follows an anthro kangaroo who basically does everything he can to fight against a corrupt mayor ) ( huh, sounds topical with the state of the world, kinda ) ( episodes available can be found on the The Skippy Archive yt channel, if that makes any difference )
• Ahhhh! Real Monsters ( unless I completely missed this on the list, kinda shocked it's not there while the classsic Klasky Csupo show Rugrats is )
• Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog ( the campy in a pretty dumb kinda way cartoon and not SatAM, though I personally recommend that one if you want something a little more serious and darker in tone )
• Rocket Power ( another Klasky Csupo I personally think is good enough to pass )
I wanted to list some others, but I scroll down to the list only to find them. I mean, Angry Beavers was already there. Same with like Batman Beyond and D.W. and Infinity Train. This post just makes me realize I don't know as many cartoons as I should.
I know! I fancied myself as something of a media maven after years of collecting and curating shows for my kid, but in this thread I've got now 145 new shows, some of which I know for certain I should have already had - and scores that I had never heard of. I'm going to need another server at this rate.
Code Lyoko looks cool, definitely an aesthetic there with the noggins. Kerubim looks cool, but it does seem hard to find. Dang! Writing everything down to try again later, high hopes. Thanks!!
Beetlejuice Ducktales The gummi bears David the Gnome
I think the original run of The Muppet Show deserves a spot on the list too
All on my list, and you're absolutely right.
I really like the Lilo and Stitch series and movies
I had forgotten there was a TV series! He watched some of that as a toddler. I wish there was more of Chris Sanders' style in Disney!
Inspector Gadget
Care Bears
Babar
Rupert
Mona the Vampire
Monster By Mistake
Mummies Alive!
Tales From the Cryptkeeper
Freaky Stories
Magic School Bus
Stickin' Around
Ned's Newt
Anatole
Cardcaptors
Beast Machines (it's a sequel to Beast Wars)
Xiaolin Showdown
Jackie Chan Adventures
American Dragon: Jake Long
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (not a cartoon)
Inspector Gadget is one of his top faves! A lot of these look like excellent ones to have around for spooky season, adding them!
Ah, so glad to finally see americna dragon and xaolin showdown
All added, good recs! I hadn't heard of CITY, it looks super charming!
I don't see them in the list, but you may want to add the rest of the DCAU- The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond (Return of the Joker may be a bit over the line), Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.
I was sad that my kid hates Batman Beyond, actively protests if I try to put it on! It's on my short list of fav Batman serie.
How does New Batman compare to Caped Crusader? We're into that.
New Batman Adventures is essentially another season of TAS, but with animations closer to Superman TAS. The updated character designs take some getting used to, but the stories are good.
The original Pink Panther
It's on my list!
Man, Zoids would be a perfect addition to that list. Maybe SD Gundam would be fun too, its like a chibi version of Gundam.
I'd forgotten about that, it wasn't for me when I saw it on TV but I think my kiddo would love it!
Breakfast takes 2 hours in your house?
Hahahaha, jealous?
Brunch does, anyway.
With a playlist like this, I'd be happy to eat each cheerio one-by-one just to stick around.
The Misadventures of Flapjack. I’d say it has the spirit of Ren and Stimpy.
Oooh, added!
Actually shocked to not see Moongirl and Devil Dinosaur on the list. A stunning soundtrack and amazing voice work makes it one of the most underrated cartoons of the last 20 years
omfg this kind of show is exactly why I made this thread. You fucking RULE for this.
David the Gnome!
It's on the list!
This has been on my list of ancient lovely things to revisit. Have you given it a spin lately? How's it hold up after all this time?
It's format is different. The characters often speak directly to the audience. Sometimes it's less story driven and more just explaining what gnomes are like in mythology. I watched a bunch a year or two ago but never finished it all. Loved every minute though, it definitely influenced the human I grew up to be. While I've got your attention I also loved whatever the animated borrower's series was....maybe it was called The Borrower's? Ghibli later made a movie called The Secret Life of Arriety which was also excellent. Also the Rankin/Bass movie The Flight of Dragons!
Nice! On a whim I took the time to find and watch a couple episodes some years back and it was fun to remember how David just talks to the audience about stuff sometimes.
I remember it being a very "warm"-feeling show, but of course it's impossible to disentangle my earliest thoughts about it from that quick review. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug!
Sidenote, I feel like David the Gnome and Fern Gully are strong examples of something lovely we lost in storytelling for kids. A less polished but somehow both a warmer and a more honest look at things.
Thanks for the recs!
Watching Fern Gully tonight thanks for the reminder! I also loved Don Bluth movies as did many. Was recently reminded of Rock a Roodle and rewatched it during a flood in my area. Similarly strange format, solid place on my heart.
Was low-key halfway baiting to see if you'd go on a Don Bluth tear 😂 happy to have guessed correctly haha.
I can't claim any deep knowledge, but one of my best homies ever helped me connect the dots that many many many of my favorite media as a youth came outta that studio / that approach to storytelling.
Looking back, yeeeeesh, dude made exclusively emotionally damaging movies lmao. I remember the heartbreak for each one. Still think they're better.
[Edit: not familiar with Rock a Roodle, hoping I'll remember to give it a whirl]
Since I see you have some anime there:
Should all be wholesome and pretty kid friendly.
Also, some older cartoons you missed:
LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH.
Gotta check out your other recommends :). Briefly tried Tiger and Bunny.
I'd also recommend Heavens Design Team. It's a brilliant biology lesson and a wholesome hilarious comedy at the same time.
Ruri Rocks if you want a slice of life to teach you a ton of geology fundamentals in a short, enjoyable time. :D
Added all these to my list, thanks! I haven't heard of most of those, but I'm still kicking myself that I didn't have Doug in rotation.
I don't see Danger Mouse or Count Duckula on there. Classic British series by Cosgrove Hall. Danger Mouse has had a reboot relatively recently, though I haven't seen any of the new ones.
Other than that, Mr Magoo and, separately, the Pink Panther show.
And back to the UK for Mr Benn if you can find all the episodes.
No idea where you can watch any of these, but I'm sure they're out there somewhere.
Oh that wasn't a typo, I hadn't heard of Mr. Benn. I am a fake Brit though, keep in mind. Adding that one to the list!
All solid recs, I'm definitely remiss on those scores. I know he's seen Mr. Bean from back in our Netflix days, but I don't have any locally.
Some that come to mind that I don’t see on your list:
Also, out of interest, why no 70s Hanna-Barbera?
That's a stunning list, thank you!
My own personal prejudice I guess, I feel like the laziness of the animation and writing of that era set back the whole medium, made it "just trash for kids" in a lot of people's minds.
I'd argue that the early seasons of Scooby Doo, before they started adding celebrities and making the ghosts real, are the best part of 70s Hannah Barbera. The overall lesson of supernatural stuff not being real is a good thing to teach kids.
That's true, though I feel like Mystery Inc. covers that ground with stronger animation fundamentals. I'll still throw some original SD S01 at him someday, it's earned that much.
That sounds lovely. I'm stealing that idea! Hilda and invader zim is so good.
I recently finished litre witch academy, that I could recommend. And the most bizarre thing I've seen is John Dillermand. Maybe first screen it before you show it for your kids :)
M.A.S.K., Count Duckula, Bananaman, Noozles, or Adventures of Little Koala. 1988's C.O.P.S is a good one, too. As is Inspector Gadget. Also the Tintin series is a great one too.
If you're going just from the list then Darkwing Duck, Looney Tunes Golden Collection (always a classic) + the Looney Tunes movies, She-Ra (Original or Modern), Dexters Lab, or Ducktales (I'd also suggest Bonkers, which was a short Disney Afternoon era show in 92, and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego).
Thanks! The list is all the stuff we're currently watching, but Bananaman and Adventures of Tintin look perfect for us!
Invader Zim has a lot of laughs for kids and adults!
Zim is great. I wish Jhonen's art style was in more cartoons.
If you're okay with subtitles (As I don't think it has a dub.), Ranking of Kings is fantastic, recent, and more or less age appropriate. Ling Cage and Hero Inside also fall into that realm (Hero Inside has a dub though.) The original Dragonball (Which is about Goku as a kid doing adventure stuff. Dragonball Z is where he grew up and screamed a lot with gold hair.) and Ultimate Muscle both have english dubs that are solid and definitely were bona fide Saturday morning cartoons. G.I. Joe, Pirates of Dark Water, Street Sharks, and Double Dragon can also fill out a list on the more classic side.
One thing I'm super proud of is his ability to handle subbed content. We saw a three-hour stage performance of Spirited Away in Japanese, and he read through the whole thing no problem. I'll definitely look into these, and I do think he's about ready for original Dragonball!
If you want to be a smidge pretentious, before Dragonball you can find a Journey to the West cartoon (I don't know any offhand but zero doubt they exist, its one of the most popular east asian stories of all time.) and watch that, as Goku was modeled after Sun Wukong from those stories.
Of course there is one, from 1999 apparently! I'll get it for sure.
We took him to see a kids stage play of Journey to the West at the Fringe, how's that for pretentious? Haha
Most of my favorites are Hannah Barbara cartoons. And I see that others have already convinced you to check out a few, though I’m a little confused why you’ve singled out Hannah Barbara animation and not say Filmation animation from the same time.
Regardless I’d like to offer the following that I don’t think I see in your list:
Hannah Barbara ones I can’t not mention: (Most not from 70s)
I was mostly just signaling that I'm a bit of a hand-drawn animation snob, I didn't mean to give much offense by it. Thanks for the big list, I might end up getting most of these. I had totally forgotten about KaBlam! and the Addams cartoon, those are definite keepers!
I didn’t take offense, nor did I think you meant any. Just having seen a lot of old animation I was genuinely curious why one would throw shade specifically at 70s Hannah Barbara when there are worse offenders in my opinion. But to each their own.
My wife and I had also forgotten about KaBlam! until a few years ago. It’s gotta be pretty high on the list of “Most 90s Things Ever”!
I saw MythBusters on your list, assuming I didn’t completely miss a MythBusters cartoon, you might want to check out some of the other live action stuff from the KaBlam! era like All That, Keenan & Kel, or The Adventures of Pete & Pete.
Yeah it's not a strictly cartoons-only list, but it tries to be. Just for a laugh once I did a live action themed day with Wishbone, Fraggle Rock, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Mythbusters, and Reading Rainbow, but it didn't feel right. All great shows, but it's not Sunday Brunch Cartoons.
I recall those shows fondly, I should go back and see if they've held up. I'm willing to bet a lot of it has!
I don't consider King of the Hill to be a kids' show, although I did watch it as a kid when its original run started. The thing about it is that so much of its brilliance is lost on kids. I, for one, thought it was glamorizing Texan republicanism when I was a kid (growing up in the US, you hear patriotism everywhere so it made sense.) Re-watching it as an adult, I realize it's a mix of slice-of-life realistic depictions and pointed satire. Kids (including teens) are more likely to take things at face value than adults are, so a lot of the themes and details of King of the Hill may go over their heads.
That isn't to say kids can't watch it, if you don't mind them seeing marital infidelity, cannabis use, and a murder. The cannabis use and murder episodes can be skipped (if you avoid the episodes "Hanky Panky" and "High Anxiety"), but there's no hiding John Redwood and Nancy.
So yeah, kids can watch it, but I wouldn't classify it as a kids' show. I do admit that although I didn't understand it or enjoy it much as a kid, I am grateful to have watched it then so that I can notice and appreciate how much I've grown since. It makes it the kind of show you can rewatch in different life stages and notice something new, even if the only thing that changes is how a scene makes you feel. Either way, it's a solid recommendation for the grown-ups.
Fair. Some of these are largely going to depend on the age of the viewers. I would put it in with Bobs Burgers or Futurama personally.
Hey, not an old cartoon but I think Amphibia worth watching. It's a Disney channel cartooon.. I've watched recently with my kid.
Edit: never mind. Just found it on the list.
Amphibia is really high on my list of faves, it's got a lot of creativity and heart. We're probably going to finish it soon, We've been nibbling at it for a little over a year, making it last!
I don't see "The Super Mario Brothers Super Show" on this list, and it feels missing.
Nothing alternates quite as quickly between "well this is solid TV" and "what?! Why?! Wait... What?!" And back again.
Somehow I ended up downloading the other Mario cartoon a couple years ago on an archive.org downloading spree, which is pretty low quality imo. It's time to get the proper one, with the awkward but so-endearing Lou Albano for the live segments. That show was such a trip!
Phineas and Ferb
Wander Over Yonder (Jack McBrayer)
Space Ghost Coast To Coast
Squidbillies
Ahhh Squidbillies, solid addition. Not all that kid friendly to be clear.
I've got Space Ghost and I've seen a bit of Squidbillies, writing all them down. Thanks!
Be aware that Space Ghost Coast to Coast is much newer and quite different from the original Space Ghost.
I actually am using the Coast to Coast one, the old series from '66 is on my list now though. Kinda silly!
My Life as a Teenage Robot, My Little Pony FiM, Phineas and Ferb
Adding these. Thanks!
Ulysses XXXI
Someone else mentioned that, it looks super interesting!
No Phineas and Ferb???
Added!
Late to this party but I fear your list will never be complete without Wallace and Grommit and Spongebob Square Pants. You could add Shaun the Sheep too.
I think he might have already seen all of W&G, but it's been a while. I've avoided Spongebob for a long time because it was popular with shitty kids when I was a shitty teenager, but maybe it's time to let Tom Kenny into my heart.
First handful of seasons are really good, first movie is basically top tier for that kind of humor. Quotable line after quotable line after quotable line, and yet it flows really well. Like you, I had an uphill climb to see it for what it was, my knucklehead younger brother LOVED it. And I mean, for all the dumb stuff I've done, that guy ate his boogers, no chance I was taking his taste seriously at the time.
He was right 😌
Isn't it annoying how hard it is to stay a hater and have good taste?
Dino-Riders
It's on the list! Looks crazy lmao
Everyone here has triggered great memories of series for me.
I didn't see any mentions of GRAVITY Falls I may have missed it. Also one of my old favorites was BRAVE STAR
Gravity Falls is one of the greatest of all time! We finished it last year, but he still likes to watch reruns now and again. It should be on the list, but it's organised by late date watched, so hard to read.
I remember Bravestarr, was it actually good? I just vaguely remember cowboys in space.
I enjoyed braveatar, I guess that is different than being good!
It's all good, sometimes I mix in something deliberately shitty just so he knows how good he's got it! Kids these days with their Adventure Time and their anime. Sometimes I put on the D&D cartoon so he can really appreciate Gravity Falls.
Not certain what age level you're looking for, but here are some I don't see on your list. A few of these have been mentioned by others, and I second their opinion.
*Chowder
*Kick Buttowski
*Over the Garden Wall (some spookiness)
*Thundercats
*Home Movies (occasional light swearing)
*The Amazing World of Gumball
*Regular Show (some light adult themes)
*Inspector Gadget
*G.I. Joe
*Super Friends (1970s-80s)
We've got some of those! Sorry my list isn't alphabetical, adding these.
Johnny test & phineas and ferb were both peak. Detectove conan is good.
whipcrack.mp3
I like Detective Conan, but I would love it if I could just grab the 20 best episodes. Aren't there over a thousand? Adding all to my list, haven't seen the other two yet.
Ozzy & Drix. Although I must admit the last time I watched that was when it was airing on Cartoon Network. But I remembered loving it as a kid.
Oh shit! I guess that means I'll have to show him Osmosis Jones too. Haha, I wonder if it holds up.
You’ve got a lot of good recommendations already. But it seems like you enjoy some weird stuff so I’ll recommend Family Dog, and Pirates of Dark Water. Two Stupid Dogs, and Cow n Chicken might work for you too.
Came here to mention Pirates of Dark Water. So much better than it had any right to be for the era it came out, and with the amazing talent of Judy Benson and Tim Curry too. It's a real shame it never got finished.
Pirates of Dark Water and Family Dog look right up my street, thanks! How could I forget about Two Stupid Dogs?! We do already have Cow and Chicken, by my wife hates it lmao
I don't see "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" mentioned yet - it's weird, has lovable characters, and excellent animation and voice acting. Actually I just can't say enough good things about it, it's delightfully odd and entertaining. The surgeon is also a barber, just like the good old days! Can I interest you in some surgery?
If you liked Underdog 1964, which I loved, then you might also like 1959 Mr. Peabody and Sherman as fun with history, and also 1959 Rocky & Bullwinkle
They were all Jay Ward productions, and are all classics!
We watch the classic Rocky and Bullwinkle! Mr. Peabody is a very easy thing to say yes to, I'm adding that to my list.
80's Masters of the Universe since there is a movie coming soon.
The Powerpuff Girls is fantastic for both kids & adults.
BraveStarr was one of my favorites as a kid, but haven't seen it in decades, don't know how well it holds up
Lots of people are suggesting Bravestarr, I'm thinking it might be a bit tired/toyetic, but it seems like people saw something in it! We have PPG already, it's great!
Some shows I haven't seen since I was a kid, but I remember being high quality, and haven't seen mentioned yet:
PLEASE DON'T WATCH WATERSH8P DOWN 1972 AS SUNDAY MORNING CARTOONS
That is to say, don't do it if you don't have adult kids and aren't particularly keen on some well-animated animal violence.
Crazy how different those two products are
I had no idea there was a Watership Down TV series. Adding all these, thanks!
You've got great taste! Already ticked all my favourites.
"We bare bears" isn't bad and I think the only one I can't see.
Love to see Owl House, Amphibia and Hilda on there. My favourites shows on that list for sure
We Bare Bears looks so cute, I'm adding that one. Especially since you seem to have the same taste in toons as us, that's a strong rec!
Life with Louie
I think this one must have been over my head when it came out, it didn't make enough of an impression on me. It's time I went back to that well!
I remember liking it quite a bit when I was a kid 🙂
These were way off my radar, awesome! Simsala Grimm looks especially good!
Sam & Max : Freelance Police
Dexters Lab
Johnny Bravo
Couldn't see them on the list but it is loooooong and not alphabetical.
Sorry about that! I wanted to give a sense of what our rotation is like, hence the date descending sort.
Sam and Max is amazing, and we finished it earlier this year. It's one of his top faves. He will even put up with DOS emulation to play old Sam and Max games. Dexter's in our rota as well.
Johnny Bravo is on my to-do list as of today. Great recs!
gargoylesdarkwing duckmighty maxcaptain NI have a few of these, but I'm surprised not to have more. Marsupilami looks really good! Which Sonic cartoon is the best one in your opinion?
personally I was always a fan of the silly ren and stimpy-like animation and writing style of "The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" that was voiced by Jaleel White (famous for playing Urkel on Family Matters).
as a parent, I can appreciate the "Sonic Sez" skits at the ends of the episodes that cover important topics for young children. things like; don't talk to strangers, tell a trusted adult if someone touches you, don't touch guns, etc.
another good cartoon would be CBS Storybreak. they animate stories or chapters from popular children's books from the 80s and early 90s.
Perfect! I hope I can find CBS Storybreak, it sounds cool.
I know it's on YouTube but the quality is hit or miss.
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack was a fun little CN show that didn't really get a chance to shine. But it did up launching a lot of careers for some of the more popular creators of shows on the list you've already got.
And a fun syndicated cartoon from the 80s was The Adventures of the Galactic Rangers. Its about psychic space cowboys.
Flapjack was my addition too :) great weird little show, hugely underrated.
Edit to add: even the theme song fuckin rips!! My head exploded after I'd watched all of Flapjack like twice, theme song over and over, and then I one day hear - the original. Way older and not even very different. My brain broke.
I've got both on my shopping list, thanks!
Cartoon Planet
Hare + Guu (Jungle Wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu)
Oh my god, Cartoon Planet was in such a deep memory hole for me. Thank you! Hadn't heard of H+G, looking forward to seeing it!
I would suggest :
The Mysterious Cities of Gold .
The Three Musketeers
These both look really interesting, great finds! Adding them.
Holy shit, this list is getting long. At our pace, we're going to be set for years.
Don't forget Ulysses 31 from this era too
That looks super interesting, I love the concept. Writing that one down for sure!
Another I don't think I saw mentioned - Pinky Malinky! If you're looking for a slightly deranged but entirely sweet, over the top and extremely fast paced modern one, Pinky Malinky will not disappoint. This show was made with real love lol. And several other weird things I don't think I have.
Just note, if you're old, you'll be laughing at jokes about 3-jokes-back, the entire time. It's quick, and I usually hate that cuz it usually just hides poor craft. Not here.
Oh don't think I saw Courage the Cowardly Dog on your list. Haven't returned to it in a real long time but it was a classic of oddity in its era of course.
We've got Courage! Pinky Malinky sounds delightful, adding that. Thanks!
You have Batman Beyond and Batman Caped Crusader, but no Batman: TAS? The show that redefined Batman away from goofy Adam West style comedy and into deep character drama… some of those episodes still give me the chills to this day. That show elevated camp into something deep and truly moving.
The list is just a muddle, sorry. It's on there!
are from the same era and are also amazing!
They're on the list!
David the Gnome
I do like David, I showed it to him a few times when he was very young, before I was curating our media in this way. I think it's time for a comeback.
I see Samurai Jack and Bluey. I don't see 90s Spider-Man (others have said X-Men, they got hand-in-hand).
Also, my kids are currently obsessed with the 101 Dalmatians cartoon, FWIW.
I hadn't heard about 101 Dalmatians: The Series, thanks!!
Most of the shows I'd normally recommend are already on this list, good on you mate.
A few more things I'd add, Spectacular Spiderman, and The Mask. Also, if anime are welcome, Speed Racer and Initial D.
Added those - is Initial D okay for a reasonably media-savvy 8 year old? I haven't seen that one
I would say yes, I haven't watched the whole thing but I've seen more than half and I think it'd be a great addition.
Nothing overly adult-oriented; a few things are implied here and there, probably the worst thing I remember seeing is a few characters smoking.
But as far as the show's premise goes, yeah, they're all criminals, street racing is inherently illegal. But they're all in it purely for the love of the game, nothing more than pride and bragging rights are ever on the line. Nobody ever even throws a punch over any of the driving.
Damn, you've got a huge list, still I need to recommend Gatchaman, Deadly and if you are into Powerpuff Girls, you need to watch Powerpuff Girls Z.
Most should be easy to find but Deadly I could only find on youtube with terrible quality. Still worth it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PScRdFhd6m4&list=PL4jOVhCe6AUy1N4cY7Fv9pnzMv3SGrHc1&index=2
Also, Dragon Hunters
I hadn't heard of Deadly or Gatchaman, thanks! I did sleep on PPG Z, glad to hear it's good! I'll add them all to my list.
While the voice acting can be hit or miss, you may enjoy The Adventures of The Galaxy Rangers. It has a particularly awesome 80's soundtrack and great visuals, and the plots are a bit more mature than the usual fare of that time.
Silverhawks is in a similar vain style wise, but it has more in common with Thundercats writing wise from what I recall of it (more juvenile), so adults may not get as much from it.
Megas XLR was a pretty good humorous take on the Mech genre from Toonami, and the whole series is on YouTube..
We watch Megas XLR, it's a lot of fun! Adding Galaxy Rangers and Silverhawks to my list, thanks!!
No prob! Also, I found that Archive.org has the whole Galaxy Ranger series in much higher DVD quality compared to what's on youtube.
Top tip!
Apple and Onion
It’s hilarious for adults and kids.
Oh shiiiiii Ayoade in a kids cartoon?! I'm so there.
French studio Wakfu is amazing
It's super impressive what they do. Their early work almost feels like old-school flash animation, but really effective - and their technical skills really expand while keeping the aesthetic. Their concept artist used to post saucy pinups, too. 😊
Here's my suggestions:
Western Animation:
Anime (since you had some). Tried to pick accessible ones that don't have 100s of episodes:
Adultish Cartoons. All of these should be fine for most ages and seem to fit in with your other shows:
Definitely have some more recommendations though if you like any of these.
We've got Fairly OddParents and I know he'll appreciate Bob's Burgers more when he's a little less innocent, but the rest are really great recommendations. Just noticed I've lost my copy of Burgers too, what's up with that? Anyway, hell yeah. I didn't know about most of your adult toons. I totally forgot about Strange Planet, didn't Harmon write some of that? I can't believe I slept on that. Central Park is exciting too!
Ah, I must have missed Fairly Odd Parents on the list.
And yes, Dan Harmon was involved in Strange Planet. I'm sad that as a second season is unlikely, but I think the show does a good job about talking about everyday life. Somewhat similar in vibes to Bob's burgers, but I think more approachable and able to do more as the show only occasionally focuses on the reocurring characters.
If you're looking for more Adult cartoons, I've got a slew of them. One that bridges the gap a little bit is Young Justice (more of a teen/young adult superhero show).
I hadn't heard of Young Justice, so hit me with your adult recs! I didn't list the grownup shows here, but I'm always open to suggestions. Lately we've been into Chainsaw Man and Captain Lazerhawk. 😊
Some other good ones:
Ones you're probably familiar with:
Some other Anime:
Edit: Would love to hear what you end up thinking of any of these!
I've got some of these (and you're a mensch for pointing out Big Top Burger, Ian Worthington is god imho). I'm super excited to try Digman and Mashle in particular, and Corner Gas Animated!
Pantheon seems good, but the wife wasn't into it. She's more into stuff like Vox Machina and Captain Lazerhawk. I'm slowly getting her through the last couple seasons of Venture Bros.
NPH as Spider-Man is a must, that's already going. Thanks!!
Glad I could offer up some recommendations.
Also, great to see other Bigtop Burger fans out in the wild!
The Looney Tunes stuff is the absolute top tier in animation. I was also a big fan of Rocky & Bullwinkle (great satire), and Recess.
He's eating good, yeah. I know CGI and GenAI slop are having a big moment in the culture, so I want to make sure and instill an appreciation for the classics.
The Mysterious Golden Cities ! At least the first season, I'm not too sure about the directions it took after that, when it became 3D animated... Then, Ewilan's Quest ! I don't think there's an official translation or a legal way to watch it outside of France for now, but if you put it at the end of your list there might be one by the time you get to it.
French animation gets such short shrift, they have a really strong animation culture in France. I love to mix in shorts from the Gobelins YT channel. Nobody else mentioned Ewilan's Quest, thanks!!
"Over the Garden Wall" is missing from your image list.
Star Blazers
Oh this looks cool as hell! Not enough space stuff in my repertoire.
Bravestar, admittedly the series is kinda meh but the movie is a work of art.
The movie? Thanks for the tip!
Now that I think of it, you might wanna check it out on your own first because it does have some intense and scary scenes iirc.
The kid watched Promare and loved it. How does that stack up? The main thing he likes to feel okay with a film is a happy ending, he can handle some rough stuff along the way.
Looking over the Saturday morning cartoons I grew up with:
The Batman
Xiaolin Showdown (this I remember the most fondly)
Johnny Test (It’s the epitome of Saturday morning cartoons, most engraved in my brain, probably bad actually)
Spider Riders (just for the opening song)
All on my shopping list, thanks!!
I strongly recommend finishing "She-Ra and the Princess of Power" and/or "Amphibia".
I'm a sucker for a Strong, Female Protagonist, and really anything by Lee Ostertag (partner of ND Stevenson) or Brennan Lee Mulligan.
(EDIT: Updated name; didn't know about the name change when I first posted. Added parenthetical connecting second paragraph to the first.)
I did not know Brennan wrote a comic book. Super on-brand for him, excited to give it a go!
We're definitely going to finish those serie, it's just that during the week he mainly chooses Mythbusters and so we tend to get through a series very slowly. Especially with juggling over 100 shows, I try to keep them all 'in the air'!
I don't see Steven Universe mentioned anywhere. That might be my all-time favorite, and slots right in with the likes of Adventure Time and She-Ra.
Sticking to the Adventure Time-related ones, Over the Garden Wall is great and very autumnal. My wife ans I try to watch that every October. Gravity Falls is also great, especially for the summer since it takes place over the course of one summer vacation. Bravest Warriors is okay- not a must-watch, but decent. Bee and Puppycat is pretty solid and chill.
For slightly older crowds (I see yoy have stuff like Gurren Lagan on here), Midnight Gospel is pretty good and also from Adventure Time's showrunner.
For other anime, there is always Fullmetal Alchemist. Saiki K if you can get past the fast editing. Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple is one that's probably just "okay" but I like a lot.
Centaur World was surprisingly good.
Sorry my list is hard to parse, I wish I could just ctrl+v a table directly into the text box. We've finished Steven, OTGW, AT, GF, BW, and She-Ra is currently in our rotation! I agree about Bravest, it's pretty decent but not on par with AT.
I do want to add the rest. The tender kiddo needs happy endings though, so FMA and Midnight Gospel are not happening yet. I love me some FMA:B. Centaur World is a strong rec in particular!
It seems like you have a massive list already. So here's a few more!
A few ones I enjoyed (mostly as a kid) which aren't listed or mentioned:
Conan the Barbarian the Animated Series - very 90's. I used to record it on VHS
Visionaries - Knights of the Magical Light. - Commissioned to help sell a toy line with holograms (all the rage in the 80s) Cartoon was pretty good quality for the time.
Pole Position- Ulysses 31 (currently seeding btw)- Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors - which are all French Japanese Cartoons scored by Shuky Levy who really encapsulates the sound of an 80's after school cartoon for me. Even if the plot is a bit meh at times the intro music is absolutely cracking.
Around the World with Willy Fogg - Dogtanian and Three Muskahounds - Spanish Japanese production. Also great theme tunes!
ReBoot - (Ian Gibson who worked on 2000AD developed this. The CG might have aged a bit though! Kids cartoon but had some quite adult reference at the time)
Camp Lazlo - by creator of Rocko's Modern Life
Whatever Happened to Robot Jones? - Short lived Cartoon Network offereing circa 2002.
No 70s Hanna Barbera? Short formats but I enjoyed Roger Ramjet, Batfink (both not Hanna Barbera) and Topcat (which is but was made in the 60's.)
Mine I think, is younger than yours but absolutely adores Hey Duggee and Squirrel Club and they are very good with great music. Check out the Space or Music Video episodes in particular.
I'll throw in Topcat, that was good. I was mostly just being cheeky about that. Great list here, some I do already have. He thinks KOTML sucks, but he likes ReBoot pretty well. Once he got used to the fairly tired aesthetic. I think maybe he's seen enough Minecraft youtuber crap that he doesn't really mind basic visuals.
Awesome. Pretty cool he likes ReBoot. Sounds like such a fun breakfast morning. I've been trying to do something similar but they're like little media limpets at toddler age; sticking to one thing and one thing only and of course atm it's become Mr Tumble (an irritating clown whose schtick is that they dress up and do makaton). So while the weather has been nice I've been shucking mine off the rock, so to speak and getting them in the garden. Hope you have fun. :)
Toddlers are a lot harder, quite a bigger bridge to gap between us and where they're at. You might have better luck with things like Lucas the Spider or Ms. Rachel until they're old enough for, I dunno, Bluey. From there maybe Blue's Clues and Sesame Street?
The Critic Galaxy Rangers The adventures of teddy ruxpin Defenders of the earth Centurions Jem Robotech The Mysterious cities of gold
Excited to be getting so many that I haven't seen yet either, thank you!
Gotta watch Pingu
It's in our rotation, but it's been a while since we watched. Old claymation is really great, feels so genuine. Have you seen Lee Hardcastle's Thingu?
Haha nah is it a spoof?
Yeah basically recreates Clive Barker's The Thing in the style and setting of Pingu. Not for kids! But really well done.
Haha that sounds awesome! Thanks
That's not even the same list, Legend of Kora isn't on the Alphabetical one anymore
The second (alphabetical) one is all the suggestions I've written down, the first one (shows we already watch) does contain Korra. Sorry it's hard to find, that was a major misstep.
No worries! You don't owe me anything :) Just wanted to make sure you saw it and knew there might be issues.
If you haven't watched the original avatar the last airbender, I 110% recommend it as the next show you watch
I watched it with my then-girlfriend now-wife a little over a decade ago, and then again all the way through with my kid, it's one of our all-time faves. We watched the leaked film together last weekend, and if they show it in the local theatre, well hell, I'll see it there too.