Animation productions played a key role in the history of cinema itself, and today, animated series have titles that have become true classics of the genre.
We selected some of the best and most revered cartoons ever made. From old series like The Flintstones to more recent productions like Adventure Time and Steven Universe.
Batman: The Animated Series (1992 - 1995)
Winner of 4 Emmys, considered the Oscar of North American television, Batman: The Animated Series was the first story to take place in the DC Animated Universe, which today has several other productions. Both the stories and the images were revolutionary for the time and the production became one of the most critically acclaimed.
Adventure Time (2010 - 2018)
Created by Pendleton Ward, Adventure Time is one of the most surreal cartoons ever made. It features the story of Finn, a human, and Jake, a dog who is his best friend and foster brother. They live in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world where they interact with various hybrid creatures, animals and other fantastic beings. Adventure Time became a huge phenomenon around the world for sensitively addressing some issues that are still taboo in cartoons aimed at children.
Samurai Jack (2001 - 2004)
Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, Samurai Jack was a Cartoon Network cartoon that told the story of a feudal samurai trapped in a dystopian future. Jack tries in every episode to defeat the great villain Abu and return to his time, but he always misses the opportunity. The series ended without conclusion, however, it was marked as one of the highest ranked animated stories in the United States ever made.
Avatar: A Legend of Aang (2005 - 2008)
In the dystopian universe of Avatar, hybrid humans and animals inhabit a world divided by four nations and, in parallel, a spiritual world. This critically acclaimed animated series received rave reviews upon release and has become one of the most recent classics in animation history. In 2012, the story received a continuation series, called The Legend of Korra, which was also very well received by the public.
Tom and Jerry (1940 - 1967)
Tom and Jerry has an important place in the history of world animation and the characters are still present in new stories and films to this day. This classic cartoon marked the generation of the 1980s and 1990s by telling the story of a rival cat and mouse who come up with devious plans to annoy each other.
Justice League (2001 - 2004)
From the animators of Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League was a huge success around the world in adapting the Justice League of America comics for television. In the series, we follow stories of DC Comics' most celebrated characters, such as Batman, Superman, Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman.
Os Flintstones (1960 - 1966)
The story of the Flintstones takes place in the year 1.040.000 BC, where we follow two prehistoric families who have routines similar to those of a modern life. The contrast presented in this premise resulted in one of the most successful series ever made. The Flintstones featured numerous spin-off series, television specials and a classic live-action film, making it one of the most classic cartoons of all time.
South Park (1997 - present)
The animated series South Park is aimed at adults and has been running since 1997. It presents stories full of socio-cultural criticism in an acidic and sometimes controversial way. Touching on subjects such as politics, economics and social issues, the series has won 5 Emmy Awards, in addition to the prestigious Peabody Award, designed to recognize media excellence.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? (1969 - 1971)
Scooby Doo tells the story of a group of friends and a dog named Scooby who investigates supernatural cases in each episode. The franchise originally produced by the Hanna-Barbera studio is the second cartoon with the highest number of seasons ever made in the United States. The characters Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, Velma and Daphne have appeared in numerous media, including games, movies, live-action productions and more.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 - 1996)
The characters Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello and Leonardo from the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise were created by artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Initially, comic books were more violent and mature. However, with the success of the animated series, new editions were released for a younger audience. In the late 80s and early 90s, the cartoon was one of the most celebrated around the world and today has a highly successful revival still on the air.
Daria (1997 - 2002)
This original MTV cartoon left a mark on the 2000s generation for its satirical themes, acidic humor and original script. The series features the protagonist Daria, usually stressed, dealing with worries that occur in the suburban town where she lives. With a lot of sarcasm, Daria became one of the best-built female characters in cartoons and is now considered a strong feminist symbol of the 2000s.
The Simpsons (1989 - present)
The Simpsons is without a doubt the most classic and cult animated series in history that is still being broadcast. It features the story of a middle-class family in the United States dealing with various everyday situations in the city of Springfield. Since its launch, The Simpsons has become a huge pop culture phenomenon and has hosted the biggest names in the entertainment industry as guests.
Steven Universe (2013 - 2019)
Steven Universe was one of the most revolutionary cartoons ever created in recent times. The series tells the story of Steven, a boy who has a precious stone in his navel that gives him superhuman abilities. He lives with other fantastic characters, the Cristal Gems, who fight against evil forces that plague the city of Beach City. The series addressed issues such as consent, identity and sexual orientation in a light and creative way, being highly awarded throughout its exhibition.
Naruto (2002 - 2007)
Based on the manga of the same name, Naruto tells the story of a fearless boy and his journey to become a great ninja. Without a doubt, one of the most popular anime of all time that was a huge success around the planet and could not be left out of this list. With over 200 episodes, the anime also has a highly successful sequel, Naruto Shippuden, and several series based on the same universe.
Rick and Morty (2013 - present)
Inspired by the Back to the Future movie franchise, Rick and Morty is an adult cartoon that premiered on Cartoon Network's nightly session in 2013. It follows the crazy adventures of a scientist and his grandson through interdimensional travel, as well as exploring their relationships. family and other topics. Since its launch, the series has become a huge cultural phenomenon and has fans all over the world.
Sailor Moon (1992 - 1993)
Sailor Moon follows the story of Usagi Tsukino, a romantic girl who discovers that she is the reincarnation of a warrior who fights for justice and love. It is considered the most influential anime of the Shoujo subgenre and had a great worldwide impact when released in the early 90s.
Animaniacs (1993 - 1995)
Animaniacs features the three Warner brothers as they interact with characters from Hollywood past and present. They live in a water tower at Warner Bros Studios and the stories make several references to the popular culture of the time, in addition to presenting educational sketches that marked a generation.
Dexter's Laboratory (1996 - 2003)
Dexter's Laboratory had great success in Brazil when shown on Cartoon Network, especially between the late 90's and early 2000's. The series tells the story of a young genius scientist who has a huge laboratory inside his home. In addition to his archenemy, Mandark, Dexter also has to deal with his sister Dee Dee's troubles.
Pokémon (1997 - 2002)
The Pokémon franchise remains a huge commercial success in its most varied mediums, but when the anime was first released in the late 1990s, it became a real rage around the world. The story of Ash Ketchum and his journey to become a great Pokémon master had movies related to the story, in addition to several seasons with new characters.
The Fairly OddParents (2001 - 2017)
The Fairly Odd Parents tells the story of Timmy, a 10-year-old boy who receives the help of two magical characters who grant him the most varied wishes. When released, it was one of the most successful cartoons ever produced by Nickelodeon and remains in the minds of the 2000s generation of kids.
Teen Titans (2003 - 2006)
Based on the teenage stories of classic characters from the DC Comics universe, Teen Titans has become one of the most celebrated children's cartoons in recent years. In Brazil, the series was broadcast by SBT and Cartoon Network, also becoming a great worldwide phenomenon.
Gravity Falls: A Summer of Mysteries (2012 - 2016)
Gravity Falls tells a story full of mysteries and paranormal activities in a very entertaining way. It follows the journey of twin brothers Dipper Pines and Mabel, who begin running The Mystery Shack with their great-uncle Stanford when they visit the town that bears the name of the series.
Dragon Ball Z (1989 - 1996)
Dragon Ball Z was one of the most successful anime in the West, receiving great popularity in Brazil. In the story, the protagonist Son Goku, who had already been introduced in the Dragon Ball series, is now grown up and must fight to protect the planet from alien beings.
