Awhile ago a close friend and I complied the most subjective list as we possibly could about over 60 different cartoons that we’ve watched and enjoyed. The criteria for a cartoon to be included and rated on this list was that we had to have seen at least one season, it had to have aired on television, and it had to be made for younger audiences. While this may seem cruel to rate these shows, we feel that just because something is made “for kids” doesn’t mean it can’t be quality. We based our decisions on creativity, writing, plot, completeness, and “rewatchability” among other less definable traits like animation and style. Using Avatar the Last Air Bender and Over the Garden Wall as prime examples of good cartoons and He-man Masters of the Universe and Thundercats as “scraping the bottom of the barrel” of standards and quality our list follows as such:
- Avatar the Last Airbender
- Over the Garden Wall
- DCAU – Any show in the DC animated universe found here
- Gravity Falls
- Spielberg cartoons – Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, Freakazoid!, Pinky and the Brain
- Adventure Time
- Darkwing Duck
- Gargoyles
- Samurai Jack (old and reboot)
- The Amazing World of Gumball
- Courage the Cowardly Dog
- Reboot
- The Wild Thornberrys
- Chowder
- Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers
- Tale Spin
- DuckTales
- Star Wars: Rebels (Disney XD)
- Star Wars: Clone Wars (Disney XD)
- Hey Arnold!
- Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated
- Dragon Ball
- Dragon Ball Z
- Sailor Moon
- Ultimate Spiderman
- The Batman
- Teen Titans
- Jackie Chan Adventures
- Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends
- Powerpuff Girls (pre-reboot)
- Legend of Korra
- Dexter’s Laboratory
- Rugrats
- Recess
- The Adventures of Tarzan
- Aladdin
- Hamtaro
- Star Wars: the Clone Wars (Cartoon Network)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003
- Steven Universe
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012
- Danny Phantom
- My Life as a Teenage Robot
- Miraculous: The Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir
- Green Lantern: the Animated Series
- Young Justice
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
- Voltron Legendary Defender (Netflix)
- The Weekenders
- Pokemon
- Kim Possible
- Lilo and Stitch
- The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
- Dave the Barbarian
- Powerpuff Girls (reboot)
- Teen Titans Go!
- Codename Kids Next Door
- Johnny Bravo
- Mighty Ducks
- X-Men: Evolution
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- The Little Mermaid
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987
- Fairly Odd Parents
- Rocket Power
- Teen Titans Go!
- Spongebob Squarepants
- He-man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-85)
- Thundercats (1985-89)
I hope to only expand and diversify this list as time goes on. So keep checking back for updates!
Animation Station 