dalmatianlover's cartoon batch

For the uninitiated, I was inspired by TreyVore's "My Favorite Cartoons" article to write this article. Just to let you know, I am not trying to rip him off, this is just something I felt inspired to do because I have a lot of favorite cartoons, and TreyVore's article inspired me to make it. Now, I'm sure that there are some on this list that you will disagree with, and there may be some favorites of yours that won't make the list. Everybody has different opinions; we don't all like the same things. Well, here's my list of favorite cartoons from the 80's, 90's and 2000's; since I love them all to pieces, they're listed in chronological order.

1980's


Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983)
After being banished from the world for many years, Alvin and the Chipmunks make this big comeback with a much more entertaining cartoon series. This series came out about 10 years after Ross Bagdasarian's death, and it turned out to be a pleasing show for a new generation of kids. It's really hard to pick a favorite or least favorite of these chipmunks because all three of them are very likable characters. Even their female counterparts, the Chipettes, have some likable traits. This series was one of my most influential series' because it was the Chipmunks who got me into rock & roll! The new 2007 movie proved that the Chipmunks are still rocking to this very day (Spoiler: I was a little disappointed that the Chipettes didn't appear in the movie).


Care Bears (1985)
Before SpongeBob, before Rugrats, before...those weird little Furby guys, there were the Care Bears. Cute fuzzy little bears with symbols on their tummies who cared about everyone and made sure everyone cared just as much (very religious-related if you ask me). Even though I didn't care too much for this cartoon series, it still holds a lot of memories, and the movies are far more superior. The Care Bears were a really important part of my childhood, since this was the very first franchise I ever fell in love with. Today, the Care Bears are still around, but their updates are just not pleasing; the 80's were hands down the glory days for these characters.


The Wuzzles (1985)
A very short-lived series based on a toy line. I don't know why, but looking back at this show, I seem to remember it being very captivating. It's a show about these creatures called Wuzzles who are two animals combined into one. Why the show was cancelled so soon is beyond me, but I think it might have been due to the fact that the actor who voiced Moosle had passed away (That really pissed me off too, because Moosle was my favorite Wuzzle!). I just hope that someday Disney will come to their senses and bring shows like this onto DVD.


The Real Ghostbusters (1986)
Being born in 1985, this is the source of "Ghostbusters" media that introduced me to the franchise. The "Ghostbusters" cartoon series is slightly different from the movie, but it's still awesome. For those of you who've seen the Angry Video Game Nerd's video where he does that intro on the Ghostbusters craze, I actually remember having a lot of that stuff he mentioned. I had Ghostbusters action figures, the firehouse, the ghost traps, and I think also proton packs. Yeah, being a kid in the 80's sure was fun. I highly recommend this show to Ghostbuster fans, and even if you think the movie was better, you'll still enjoy the show a lot.


Duck Tales (1987)
When people think of the Disney Afternoon, this is always the first show that pops into their heads. If you read my "Top 25 80's Cartoon Intros" article, you'll know exactly what the most awesome part of this cartoon was. Thinking back to this show, it was really a fun show, and thanks to Wikipedia, I got to know a little more about the background story. Believe it or not, I still have my VHS copy of "Duck Tales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp"! I don't think I know a single person who hated this show; it's so memorable and definitely should come back to and remain on Toon Disney!


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
I don't think this show needs any introduction. All of us kids of the 80's remember these guys! I never read any of the comics, but I had tons of action figures, I watched the cartoon, I saw the live-action movies, and I even remember eating the pizza-flavored snack crackers! Yeah, these heroes in a half-shell were some of the coolest characters ever made. It kinda sucks that those days are gone now.


The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989)
Since I've only been around in the last half of the 80's, this show is what introduced me to Mario. Of course, this show is awesome, because...it's Mario! Even back then, I thought the show was cool, because watching this show always made me feel good. The live-action segments that play before and after each episode are corny, but they're still memorable, and if it weren't for them, the episodes would probably be too short. I happen to be a proud owner of a DVD boxed set of this entire series, so that should be of some proof that I'm hooked on the brothers!

1990's


Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)
They're tiny, they're toony, they're all a little loony. Steven Spielberg's first attempt at making a cartoon series was actually quite successful. Everybody in my family loved this show, which is odd because not all of us lived in the same generation. The characters were obviously inspired by the Looney Tunes, and they're basically teenage renditions of the characters going to school at Acme Looneversity to learn how to be real cartoon characters. Characters like Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, Dizzy Devil and Furball are lovable characters with great personalities and say a lot of memorable quotes. I recommend this cartoon to all ages.


Darkwing Duck (1991)
Suck gas, evil-doers! In my opinion, Darkwing Duck is one of the coolest cartoon characters of all time. Of all the Disney Afternoon shows, this one, to me, ranks up as one of the best. It's a dark, action-packed show with a variety of awesome villains and enough slapstick comedy to even out the show's darkness. Let's get dangerous!


Mighty Max (1993)
This is a series based off of quite a bizarre toy line, a toy line of action figure play sets that fit in the palm of your hand. Basically, it's about this 11-year old kid named Max (voiced by Rob Paulsen) who has been chosen to be a bearer of a mighty cap. He is being guided by his mentor, Virgil (a fowl whom he often mistakes for a chicken), and his guardian, Norman (a large strong fighter). This series follows a story that's actually quite interesting to get into. It's slightly funny at times too.


2 Stupid Dogs (1993)
This is a show that just killed me. It's a show about these two stray nameless dogs who are extremely stupid (hence the name of the show). The only real bad thing about the show is the amount of toilet humor used on it. Regardless, the jokes on this show offer plenty of guaranteed laughs.
Also featured on this show is a segment of a more modern-day version of "Secret Squirrel". If you thought the old Hanna-Barbara Secret Squirrel was boring, this Secret Squirrel has a lot more humor and will change the way you feel about it. It's sort of a James Bond rip-off, but it's still got plenty of laughs.


Animaniacs (1993)
"Tiny Toon Adventures" was a big hit for Steven Spielberg, and his follow-up series, "Animaniacs", does justice just as well. The main stars of this show are Yakko, Wakko and Dot Warner, three siblings who were supposedly created in the 1930's but were rejected and locked away, but now, they've escaped and are causing chaos all over the Warner Bros. studio as well as other places. I gotta say, the Warner kids are hilarious characters, and they never fail to make me laugh. There are other characters, but none of them are quite as interesting or funny except for maybe Pinky and the Brain. With all that said, I am pleased to say that "Animaniacs" will always be one of my favorite cartoons of all time.


Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)
Okay, so there were a lot of Sonic cartoon series', but the one in particular that I want to talk about is debatably the best one. This series is just called "Sonic the Hedgehog", but some refer to it as "Sonic SatAm", being that it was a Saturday morning cartoon that aired on ABC. While "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" was corny, it was still forgivable; that series was based off of the video game, "Sonic 2". This series, however, is based more loosely on the Sonic comic book series. Sonic is a member of a team known as the Freedom Fighters. It's dark, adventurous, and it also has a lot of heart. If you'd like to know more about my thoughts on this series (as well as the other Sonic cartoons), then stay tuned; I said in an earlier article that I was thinking of doing an article about the Sonic series', and I am going to do it in some future time.


Mega Man (1994)
Based off of Capcom's awesome video game franchise, the powerful and popular super-fighting robot, Mega Man, fights to save the world from the evil forces of Dr. Wily and his army of Robot Masters. While the show was extremely corny, it was still pretty cool. The coolest part was getting to see the cameo appearances of Robot Masters from the classic games that I remember. It was, however, quite annoying that some Robot Masters (like Guts Man and Cut Man) were overused while most didn't play important roles in the episodes let alone have any spoken lines. The only real disappointment about this series was its extremely short run airing a mere 28 episodes. I hope someday the old-school Mega Man will make some kind of revival to us old-school fans.


Aaahh! Real Monsters (1994)
This was one of Nickelodeon's better shows. To me, this show was a big deal when it first came out. As far as the Nicktoons went, "Doug" and "Rugrats" were perfectly okay, while "Ren and Stimpy" and "Rocko's Modern Life" had an overabundance of toilet humor. "Aaahh! Real Monsters", on the other hand, was a really entertaining show to watch. It has some good characters, and it's packed with great jokes. The show is about these monsters who are being taught by their teacher, the Gromble, how to be scary monsters. The three main monsters on this show are Ickis, Oblina and Krumm. If you happen to see this series on DVD, then I say you should buy it.


Cartoon Planet (1995)
This variety show is a spin-off on the popular talk show, "Space Ghost Coast to Coast". This show features Space Ghost and Zorak (from SGCTC) as well as a new-comer, Brak. Brak is hilarious, because everything he says is totally random, and even though he annoys Space Ghost and Zorak a lot, the people who watch this show will just laugh at him continuously (more like laughing with him). According to sources I read, Brak had been brain-damaged after a battle he had with Space Ghost, so that's why he's so funny. The show is loaded with great sketches and songs that you'd want to get together with your friends and act out. They used to play cartoon shorts on this show (like Daffy Duck cartoons), but I guess they got out of that habit since the sketches were getting so popular. After this show's cancelation, Brak got his own spin-off, "The Brak Show", which is sadly not as funny. This show's worthy of coming out on DVD. If "SGCTC" made a DVD release, then "Cartoon Planet" should too! If you crave random comedy, then this is a show for you!


Timon & Pumbaa (1995)
When I saw "The Lion King" in theaters in 1994, I was blown away; it was such an incredible movie, and I will remember that theatrical experience as long as I live! With that said, "The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa", while it didn't have as much heart as the movie, it's still plenty entertaining. This series focuses on the comical life of Timon and Pumbaa, the two most lovable characters from the movie. With all the humor and probable impossibilities that happen on this show, you would often forget that it's based on "The Lion King". At times, it seems more like a toony cartoon rather than a movie-based cartoon. I mean the fact that Timon and Pumbaa are able to talk to humans and using things that they don't even know how to use really goes beyond the limits. Beside the fact, it's still a great show.


Earthworm Jim (1995)
If I could pick one word to describe Earthworm Jim, it would be "weird". That's pretty much what this whole franchise is full of is all this weird stuff. "Earthworm Jim" is based off of a bizarre video game released on the Sega Genesis and Super NES. This cartoon series premiered right in between the release of that game and the much-anticipated sequel. Basically, Jim is an earthworm who controls a life-sized super suit, and his purpose in life is to save the Universe along with his trusty sidekicks, Peter Puppy and Snot, and keep safe the love of his life, Princess What's-Her-Name. The show has a lot of jokes and catchphrases, some memorable and some forgettable. Of course, there are also the wild villains that he faces like Psycrow, Professor Monkey for a Head, Evil the Cat, Evil Jim, and the Evil Queen Pulsating Bloated Festering Sweaty Puss-filled Malformed Slug for a Butt. I'm pretty sure that Animaniacs fans will enjoy a show like this.


Dexter's Laboratory (1996)
Cartoon Network has made tons of original series, but this one is their masterpiece. This is really a brilliant show as every episode contains an original idea (I don't know if it ripped off other cartoons, but they never used the same idea twice), and there's a variety of comedy to amuse people of any age: Slapstick comedy for little kids, inside jokes for older kids and teens, and even cultural references to amuse adults. A lot of the episodes are just pure classic and memorable throughout the ages. It's a shame that Cartoon Network had to cancel this show.


Kablam! (1996)
In this Nickelodeon series, two kids named Henry and June bring a comic book to life by hosting it as a series. This is a really interesting show because it has numerous series' with a variety of different kinds of animation. You're guaranteed to love this show's classics like "Sniz and Fondue", "Action League Now", "Life with Loopy" and "Prometheus and Bob". If you're an animation fan and are considering a career in animation or at least thinking of taking animation classes, I recommend watching this show. You may lose interest in it after watching it for a while, but looking back at it will bring back some good memories.


South Park (1997)
The first adult cartoon I ever truly got into. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, when "South Park" debuted, nobody had ever seen anything like it. It has a very odd type of animation, and it seems like Parker and Stone did everything they could to give this show a TV-MA rating. Profanity, violence, toilet humor; "South Park"'s got it all! There's plenty of slapstick comedy in here as well, which happens when you least expect it. It's currently still in production, and sure, it may not be as funny as it was back in the late 90's, but I still think that "South Park" is one of the best adult cartoons ever made.


101 Dalmatians (1997)
I've always loved Disney's original "101 Dalmatians" movie. I'm sure most do; it's one of the most cherished Disney movies of all time. The 1996 live-action remake was a lame disappointment. But did you know that there was also a cartoon series? I think the "101 Dalmatians" series outdoes the movies. The show focuses on three main pups: Lucky, Rolly and Cadpig, along with their chicken friend, Spot. Now, don't get me wrong; I still love the movie, but this is my preferred media when it comes to the franchise. The characters are depicted more like the way Dodie Smith envisioned them. The show has a lot of great humor and warmth. I'm sure a lot of you already know that I loved this series so much; heck, I wrote a whole article about it two years ago! If you love puppies, then you'll love this show. "101 Dalmatians", in my opinion, is Disney's best movie-based series. This show is a very underrated series that deserves some more exposure, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I've noticed a lot of Retrojunkies who actually hate this show. How can you hate it? This show is 150,000,000 times better than SpongeBob!


Pokemon (1998)
Believe it or not, I was one of the kids who got suckered into the Pokemon craze. Originally, I wasn't very big on Japanese cartoons, but this show changed the way I felt about them, and now I love anime! Back in the day, the video games, card games, and all that other stuff were pretty addicting. The cartoon series was just as addicting as it followed a nice story, and we get to see how the characters change throughout time. Most of the human characters aren't very likable characters, but it's all the Pokemon action that gets the blood pumping! I'm not sure which kinds of Pokemon are better: The cute ones we'd want to adopt as pets, or the powerful ones we'd want to train so they can battle. I stopped watching "Pokemon" when the Johto journeys began; yeah, the show does suck now, but it's the early episodes that remain the most memorable. I have friends who still sing the original theme song! Yes, this fad is definitely retro.


CatDog (1998)
"CatDog", I'd have to say, is one of my all-time favorite Nicktoons. A lot say that this show was the start of Nickelodeon's downfall, but it all depends on how old you are (the later you're born, the better you'll appreciate newer cartoons). Unlike most of the other Nicktoons, this one has a lot of good humor and a lot of heart. "CatDog" also has plenty of classic lines and characters you'll learn to love. I think most of the people who hated this show and bragged about the whole "Nickelodeon's downfall" thing just didn't give this show a fair shake. If you're one of those, then I recommend you check it out, because it's a pretty good show.


The Powerpuff Girls (1998)
Three of my most beloved heroines. Most think that this show is aimed more towards girls, but it's actually not. As I stated in an earlier article of mine, some of the comedic geniuses of "Dexter's Lab" worked on this show, so it offers some of the same type of humor. I don't think I need to explain this show, because I'm sure everybody knows what it's about: 3 Kindergarten girls who save the world. All three of them are great: Blossom's a good leader, Buttercup's cool, and Bubbles is just adorable. Like "Ninja Turtles" and "Darkwing Duck", this show has a wide variety of villains who will always be memorable to fans of the series. It's not just the action that I love about this show, but there was also some special touch that the series had that always left a happy feeling in my heart. Those are the kinds of cartoons I love the most. "The Powerpuff Girls" will live in my heart forever.


Ed, Edd n Eddy (1999)
"Ed, Edd n Eddy", I gotta say, is another one of my favorite cartoons, but not because it touched my heart, because it's funny. The show's only problem is while most shows are very well-detailed with very in-depth characters, "Ed, Edd n Eddy" is basically the same thing over and over again with very predictable characters. This show is very shallow and would probably be quite boring if it weren't for one character: Ed. Every time I crack up when watching this show is because of Ed. Ed brings a very unique blend of comedy into the show making him a mega fan favorite to a lot of fans of the show. If you love "2 Stupid Dogs", you'll love "Ed, Edd n Eddy" as it offers the same kind of comedy. Even though the show is very shallow and poorly-animated, it's still undeniably entertaining. If I were an animation critic, I would not have put this show on my list since it's honestly not a very well-developed show, but since I watch cartoons for the sake of entertainment, it belongs on my list of my favorite cartoons of all time. If you haven't seen the show before and want to get a good impression on it, then I recommend watching an episode from the second or third season, because by then, Ed's character had been fully developed into the big lug we all know and love; in the first season, however, his voice sounded a lot cooler.


Family Guy (1999)
Even though I have watched most of the episodes tons of times, this is a show that I can't seem to get enough of. Most cartoon series' that exceed in popularity annoy me a lot, but "Family Guy" is different. "Family Guy" is one of the funniest shows I've ever watched. A lot of people may say that "The Simpsons" is better than "Family Guy", but "Family Guy" is made more for a new generation of fans for this genre. What makes this show so great is the fact that it's loaded with random humor; it's like you don't know what to expect, because something random is always bound to come up on this show. Sure, "Family Guy" did rip off some jokes that were already done on "The Simpsons", but most of the time, it's hard to tell (unless you happen to be a hard core Simpsons fan). Along with the random humor, each episode of "Family Guy" is packed with a lot of pop culture references, which can also give a good laugh at times. Everybody has an adult cartoon that they will live on and cherish for a long time, and mine will always be "Family Guy".


Digimon (1999)
"Digimon" is a show that I absolutely fell in love with. A show about this group of kids who go to summer camp and wind up in this weird place known as the Digital World, and they meet these creatures known as Digimon. The Digimon are lovable characters, and they "digivolve" into awesome fighting monsters. All the Digimon had potential to be cute, but it's a shame that they didn't do much of that in the series. If you want to get initiated into "Digimon", I strongly recommend you watch the first season from beginning to end; it's the most classic season of the series. The second season is not quite as memorable as the first, but it's forgivable. Don't go any further than the second season, though, because from that point on, it gets boring. It may be in some ways a forgettable series, but "Digimon" will always have a place in my heart.

2000's


Sheep in the Big City (2000)
So what is there to say about "Sheep in the Big City"? Well, I already said a lot about it in my Cartoon Cartoons article, so that should give you an idea of what it's like. This show has a unique type of humor, as its overflowing with terrible puns; in fact, puns are used way too much in this show making it somewhat boring. I still loved it, though. I mean, a sheep living in the big city hiding from a secret military organization sounds like a good show for me. Sheep is a very lovable character, even though he only communicates by bleating. Sure, the show does have some boring parts, but it has some heart to it. I gotta say that I absolutely adore Sheep and his relationship with his soulmate, Swanky the poodle.


Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2000)
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is one of those lay back comedies. Its fun to watch at times, especially if it gives you laughs. I'm sure everybody loves Meatwad, and Master Shake gives some good laughs too; Frylock isn't as lovable since he's the member of the team with the most common sense. One guy on this show I never liked was Carl, their next door neighbor. Overall, if you like animated comedies aimed at adults, then you'll love "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". The only real disappointing thing about it is the fact that it's only a 15-minute long show.


Hamtaro (2002)
While this show debuted in Japan in the early 90's, we Americans didn't get it until 2002. Do you think I'd love this show? Well, it's a cartoon with talking animals, so of course I'd like it. Hamtaro is a little hamster owned by a girl named Laura Haruna, who has other friends who have hamsters of their own. Every day, these hamsters (known as the Ham-Hams) get together and have fun. Mostly, their days consist of learning about something humans do and trying their own way of doing it, or helping out Laura in some way. I gotta say, watching this show almost made me talk like the Ham-Hams. If you think hamsters are cute, then I think you're sure to love this show. This show also has a lot of heart and laughs as well. Unless you prefer action cartoons or adult cartoons, I recommend checking out this show.


Kirby: Right Back At Ya! (2002)
One of my favorite video game franchises of all time. I've been waiting for a Kirby cartoon series since "Kirby's Super Star"! I remember reading an article in Electronic Gaming Monthly about a Kirby cartoon coming out, and I think I wet myself. "Kirby: Right Back At Ya", is not the Kirby series I had been hoping for, but it was still a rather enjoyable series. There were a few recognizable characters from the games as well as new characters who played important roles in the series. We also find out in this series that Meta Knight is more of a friend rather than a foe. The only real problem with this show is the voice acting; giving Meta Knight a Spanish accent and King Dedede a cowboy accent was a little far-fetched. If you're a hardcore Kirby fan, then there are plenty of characters, powers and references from the games that will please you enough to enjoy the series. Sure, it may be a poorly-executed show, but for people like me, it's forgivable.


Codename: Kids Next Door (2002)
The last good show to air on Cartoon Network before its downfall. "Codename: Kids Next Door" focuses on this organization of kids from around the world who fight the evil forces of adults who try to boss kids around. The main focus members of the Kids Next Door are operatives # 1 through 5. Each kid has his/her own personality and way of fighting. I love this show because it's really action-packed, and it offers some good laughs too. If you're a child of the 80's, I don't think you'll appreciate this show very much (you might think it's a Ninja Turtles rip-off or something), but younger audiences would definitely enjoy it. To me, "Codename: Kids Next Door" ranks as one of the best shows on Cartoon Network.


Lilo & Stitch (2003)
Another movie-based series from Disney. When I first heard about the movie, I wanted to see it so bad, but I never got a chance to. When I heard that a series was being made, I thought maybe I'd watch some of it. I eventually saw the movie, which is very good, I must say. As for the series, it's actually pretty good too. Fans of the franchise all know Stitch as Experiment #626, and in this series, Lilo is introduced to Jumba's other 625 experiments scattered throughout Hawaii. Like "101 Dalmatians", this show has a lot of heart and laughs; by looking at the credits, I happened to point out some of the writers who worked on "101 Dalmatians" as well as other Disney cartoon series'. I'm sure a lot of us love Stitch, and I think he and Lilo make a great duo; I mean, I'm sure there are some who don't like Stitch, but at least Disney is going easy on him (unlike what they did for Winnie the Pooh). "Lilo & Stitch" is overall a fun series, and I wouldn't mind owning a season or two on DVD if it were available.


Robot Chicken (2005)
This stop-motion animated show is a completely random show that just keeps cutting from scene to scene. Like "Family Guy", "Robot Chicken" is full of random humor. A lot of the skits that play on this show are parodies on pop culture, which are always really funny to watch. If you don't mind the profanity, violence and toilet humor so much, then I'm sure you'll like this show. The only thing that disappoints me about the show is like "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", it's only 15 minutes long, and it seems to go by real fast every time I watch it, but if it were a half hour long, there would have to be a commercial break in the middle, which is not something anyone would want for a show like this. If you're not a big fan of random humor, then I suggest you avoid this show at all costs; if you are, however, a fan of random humor, then by all means, watch this show!

---

Important Disclaimer! Please read this BEFORE commenting:
There you go. Those were all my favorite cartoons from the 80's, 90's and 2000's. That was like...35 that I talked about in all. I know it was long, but I hope it was still worth reading. Thinking back to other articles I've done and read like this, I'm going to be expecting to see a lot of "Hey! Where's...?" comments. I'm sure there will be quite a few of you who will be disappointed that I didn't include shows like "The Simpsons", "Beavis and Butthead", "King of the Hill", "Futurama", and most importantly, "Batman: The Animated Series". I've said this a million times already, but nobody ever seems to learn: This is my list of my favorite cartoons. Not everyone's list will be the same because everybody has different interests. If a favorite show of yours didn't make my list, it doesn't necessarily mean that I don't like it; it could mean that I totally forgot about it or haven't watched enough of to get a good impression on it. Just be thankful I didn't make this a Top 35 list. I did my best to list all the cartoons from the past 28 years that I got a lot of enjoyment out of. As I said before, TreyVore wrote a similar article like this, and I felt inspired to do one of my own just so that you guys could get to know a little more about me. Oh, by the way, I apologize if any of the pictures are blurry or overexposed. Well, in conclusion, I encourage you to respect my opinions, I hope you didn't take it too seriously, and most importantly, I hope you enjoyed reading it.




Be sure to look forward for my next article! I will reveal the list of Top 100 80's Movies that you helped me put together! Stay tuned...