Top 10 Tuesday: Animated TV Shows
Welcome back for another Top 10 list! This month, I'm taking a look at my favorite animated TV shows (including a few anime). (I am only including shows that I've seen all the way through at least once, though I do have some honorable mentions that don't meet that requirement.) Without further ado, to the list!
One of the newest shows on my list, Gravity Falls is the story of Dipper and Mabel Pines -- twin tweens who are sent to spend the summer with their great-uncle Stan in the middle of nowhere. As the summer progresses, they encounter all kinds of strange creatures lurking in the woods around Gravity Falls, and eventually wind up taking part in a battle to save the universe. The series puts some clever and touching spins on preteen/tween growing pains tropes and features some gripping storylines. I highly recommend checking it out if you're unfamiliar with it (though some of the later episodes have some very weird/disturbing moments that younger viewers should avoid). It can be streamed on Hulu.
A more famous show, Avatar: The Last Airbender is the story of Aang, the legendary Avatar who is capable of mastering all four elemental "bending" techniques. It's a story that is both small in its focus on Aang and his relationships with those around him and expansive in the overarching story of saving the world from the tyranny of Fire Lord Ozai. With a mythology and myriad cultures that borrow heavily from East Asian culture, Avatar is both humorous and touching. It also features one of my favorite redemption arcs ever. So there's that. The series is due out on Blu-ray later this year, but the DVD sets are readily available.
A pair of anime adaptations of the same manga story, these shows follow Alphonse and Edward Elric, two boys who have taken up the science of alchemy. When an attempt to resurrect their mother costs Ed two of his limbs and Al his entire body, they set out to find the legendary Philosopher's Stone so they can restore their bodies and move on with their lives. The first anime adapts the manga until about its halfway mark, at which point it deviates into its own (still solid) storyline (that is tied up in the film Conqueror of Shamballa). The second series (Brotherhood) adapts the manga much more closely. Both are worth watching and both are available on Netflix. (Be warned that there is some vulgarity and violent content that younger viewers should avoid.)
A recently revived series, Young Justice is a take on the sidekicks of the Justice League as they form their own team of superheroes and attempt to grow into maturity and selfhood outside the shadow of their adult mentors. There are growing pains, relationships forged and broken (both romantic and friendships), and plenty of solid storytelling to be had in the two available seasons of this show (streaming on Netflix last I checked). I'm beyond thrilled that DC is reviving it, even if it is for their own streaming service.
Created by the same man behind Young Justice, Gargoyles is an urban fantasy show from the '90s that focuses on a clan of gargoyles who come to life at night for the first time in 1000 years in the middle of Manhattan. They take up the city as their new home and defend it from enemies both mortal and magical, aided in their task by human detective Elisa Maza. This show covers mythologies from all over the world and digs deep into its themes over the course of its 65 episodes. The whole series is (finally) available on DVD.
The shortest show on this list, Over the Garden Wall is a miniseries that first aired on Cartoon Network in 2014. It follows brothers Greg and Wert as they attempt to return home from a mysterious forest that seems home to all kinds of fairy tale and folklore characters, some with a darker twist than others. Despite its brevity, the show manages to pack in some excellent worldbuilding and character growth, especially for the brothers and their companion Beatrice, a talking bluebird. The soundtrack is also delightful, with a mixture of turn-of-the-century Americana style and modern sensibility. The series can be viewed on Hulu.
Created by Guillermo del Toro (of Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth fame), Trollhunters is the first of a trilogy of shows set to explore different aspects of the same story world. It follows Jim Lake as he discovers his role as the Trollhunter, a defender of humanity and good trollkind from the darker trolls that seek to destroy goodness and light. He's joined on his journey by Blinky and AAARRRGH!!!, two trolls who accept Jim's role as the first human trollhunter more readily than most; his best friend Toby, who thinks Jim's new job is cooler than Jim does; and a handful of other allies gathered over the course of the show. The show does a good job of weaving in character development for its secondary characters and villains as well as Jim and his closest friends, and the hints of a larger mythology at work leave viewers excited for the future of the franchise. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix, with season 3 and the second show in the trilogy (3Below) set to premiere this year.
A short series at only 12 episodes, Erased is part time-travel story, part murder mystery, and all character development. It follows Satoru Fujinuma, a young man who can travel back in time, but only far enough to prevent some tragedy specific to the time he is sent back. Most often, this is something small like pulling someone out of the street, saving their life and making Satoru's more complicated. One day, he is sent back all the way to his youth, when several of his classmates went missing, the victims of a child murderer. Back then, the police suspected a local mentally disabled man for the crimes, but Satoru knows this suspicion is false. Faced with fitting into a time that he barely remembers, he now has to track down the murderer without giving himself away or letting anyone else die. The series is tightly plotted and has plenty of strong character moments. It can be streamed on Hulu.
In a surprising turn of events, I'm including a show that does NOT fall into the science fiction and fantasy grouping. What's more, it's technically a romance. Ouran High School Host Club is a satire of romantic anime (particularly the kind called reverse harem -- which isn't necessarily about an actual harem), poking fun at the tropes of the genre while still creating a heartfelt and compelling story within the genre. It centers on Haruhi, a girl who is new to the prestigious Ouran High School. On her first day, she accidentally incurs a debt to the school's "host club" -- essentially a place where the attractive and fashionable boys of the school rent themselves out for dates with the girls of the school. In order to work off the debt, Haruhi is enlisted as part of the club, despite the fact that she's female (a fact that the male characters are slow to pick up on at first . . . somehow?). What follows is a sweet, humorous journey for Haruhi and the boys of the club as they grow to truly care for one another. This series does deal with some gender issues that may be unsuitable for young viewers, but older teens and adults should find it enjoyable. It is available to stream on Netflix.
Yes, another superhero show. But this was my first superhero show. It was also the show that taught me a series can be both funny (see anything with Control Freak) and serious (see any episode focused on Raven -- especially season 4's arc -- or Robin's rivalry with Slade). It's one of the first shows I can remember scheduling into my regular life (along with Justice League, mentioned below). It follows Robin and his fellow teenage heroes (none of them sidekicks in this version of things) as they battle villains who seek to conquer their city (or at least mess it up a bit). It balances humor with serious storytelling and introduces Raven, a conflicted character if ever there was one, to the world of DC comics adaptations. The series isn't available to stream with any subscription I'm aware of, but the DVDs are readily available and the series can be purchased on Amazon Video.
Madoka Magica
Justice League/Justice League Unlimited
Darkwing Duck
DuckTales (both series)
The Legend of Korra
TaleSpin
Disney's Aladdin
Scooby-Doo, Where are You?/Mystery, Inc.
What are your favorite animated shows? Did any of them make the list? Let me know in the comments!
Gravity Falls
One of the newest shows on my list, Gravity Falls is the story of Dipper and Mabel Pines -- twin tweens who are sent to spend the summer with their great-uncle Stan in the middle of nowhere. As the summer progresses, they encounter all kinds of strange creatures lurking in the woods around Gravity Falls, and eventually wind up taking part in a battle to save the universe. The series puts some clever and touching spins on preteen/tween growing pains tropes and features some gripping storylines. I highly recommend checking it out if you're unfamiliar with it (though some of the later episodes have some very weird/disturbing moments that younger viewers should avoid). It can be streamed on Hulu.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
A more famous show, Avatar: The Last Airbender is the story of Aang, the legendary Avatar who is capable of mastering all four elemental "bending" techniques. It's a story that is both small in its focus on Aang and his relationships with those around him and expansive in the overarching story of saving the world from the tyranny of Fire Lord Ozai. With a mythology and myriad cultures that borrow heavily from East Asian culture, Avatar is both humorous and touching. It also features one of my favorite redemption arcs ever. So there's that. The series is due out on Blu-ray later this year, but the DVD sets are readily available.
Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
A pair of anime adaptations of the same manga story, these shows follow Alphonse and Edward Elric, two boys who have taken up the science of alchemy. When an attempt to resurrect their mother costs Ed two of his limbs and Al his entire body, they set out to find the legendary Philosopher's Stone so they can restore their bodies and move on with their lives. The first anime adapts the manga until about its halfway mark, at which point it deviates into its own (still solid) storyline (that is tied up in the film Conqueror of Shamballa). The second series (Brotherhood) adapts the manga much more closely. Both are worth watching and both are available on Netflix. (Be warned that there is some vulgarity and violent content that younger viewers should avoid.)
Young Justice
A recently revived series, Young Justice is a take on the sidekicks of the Justice League as they form their own team of superheroes and attempt to grow into maturity and selfhood outside the shadow of their adult mentors. There are growing pains, relationships forged and broken (both romantic and friendships), and plenty of solid storytelling to be had in the two available seasons of this show (streaming on Netflix last I checked). I'm beyond thrilled that DC is reviving it, even if it is for their own streaming service.
Gargoyles
Created by the same man behind Young Justice, Gargoyles is an urban fantasy show from the '90s that focuses on a clan of gargoyles who come to life at night for the first time in 1000 years in the middle of Manhattan. They take up the city as their new home and defend it from enemies both mortal and magical, aided in their task by human detective Elisa Maza. This show covers mythologies from all over the world and digs deep into its themes over the course of its 65 episodes. The whole series is (finally) available on DVD.
Over the Garden Wall
The shortest show on this list, Over the Garden Wall is a miniseries that first aired on Cartoon Network in 2014. It follows brothers Greg and Wert as they attempt to return home from a mysterious forest that seems home to all kinds of fairy tale and folklore characters, some with a darker twist than others. Despite its brevity, the show manages to pack in some excellent worldbuilding and character growth, especially for the brothers and their companion Beatrice, a talking bluebird. The soundtrack is also delightful, with a mixture of turn-of-the-century Americana style and modern sensibility. The series can be viewed on Hulu.
Trollhunters
Created by Guillermo del Toro (of Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth fame), Trollhunters is the first of a trilogy of shows set to explore different aspects of the same story world. It follows Jim Lake as he discovers his role as the Trollhunter, a defender of humanity and good trollkind from the darker trolls that seek to destroy goodness and light. He's joined on his journey by Blinky and AAARRRGH!!!, two trolls who accept Jim's role as the first human trollhunter more readily than most; his best friend Toby, who thinks Jim's new job is cooler than Jim does; and a handful of other allies gathered over the course of the show. The show does a good job of weaving in character development for its secondary characters and villains as well as Jim and his closest friends, and the hints of a larger mythology at work leave viewers excited for the future of the franchise. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix, with season 3 and the second show in the trilogy (3Below) set to premiere this year.
Erased
A short series at only 12 episodes, Erased is part time-travel story, part murder mystery, and all character development. It follows Satoru Fujinuma, a young man who can travel back in time, but only far enough to prevent some tragedy specific to the time he is sent back. Most often, this is something small like pulling someone out of the street, saving their life and making Satoru's more complicated. One day, he is sent back all the way to his youth, when several of his classmates went missing, the victims of a child murderer. Back then, the police suspected a local mentally disabled man for the crimes, but Satoru knows this suspicion is false. Faced with fitting into a time that he barely remembers, he now has to track down the murderer without giving himself away or letting anyone else die. The series is tightly plotted and has plenty of strong character moments. It can be streamed on Hulu.
Ouran High School Host Club
In a surprising turn of events, I'm including a show that does NOT fall into the science fiction and fantasy grouping. What's more, it's technically a romance. Ouran High School Host Club is a satire of romantic anime (particularly the kind called reverse harem -- which isn't necessarily about an actual harem), poking fun at the tropes of the genre while still creating a heartfelt and compelling story within the genre. It centers on Haruhi, a girl who is new to the prestigious Ouran High School. On her first day, she accidentally incurs a debt to the school's "host club" -- essentially a place where the attractive and fashionable boys of the school rent themselves out for dates with the girls of the school. In order to work off the debt, Haruhi is enlisted as part of the club, despite the fact that she's female (a fact that the male characters are slow to pick up on at first . . . somehow?). What follows is a sweet, humorous journey for Haruhi and the boys of the club as they grow to truly care for one another. This series does deal with some gender issues that may be unsuitable for young viewers, but older teens and adults should find it enjoyable. It is available to stream on Netflix.
Teen Titans
Yes, another superhero show. But this was my first superhero show. It was also the show that taught me a series can be both funny (see anything with Control Freak) and serious (see any episode focused on Raven -- especially season 4's arc -- or Robin's rivalry with Slade). It's one of the first shows I can remember scheduling into my regular life (along with Justice League, mentioned below). It follows Robin and his fellow teenage heroes (none of them sidekicks in this version of things) as they battle villains who seek to conquer their city (or at least mess it up a bit). It balances humor with serious storytelling and introduces Raven, a conflicted character if ever there was one, to the world of DC comics adaptations. The series isn't available to stream with any subscription I'm aware of, but the DVDs are readily available and the series can be purchased on Amazon Video.
Honorable Mentions:
Madoka Magica
Justice League/Justice League Unlimited
Darkwing Duck
DuckTales (both series)
The Legend of Korra
TaleSpin
Disney's Aladdin
Scooby-Doo, Where are You?/Mystery, Inc.
What are your favorite animated shows? Did any of them make the list? Let me know in the comments!
We love Avatar: The Last Airbender. And Ouran is one of my favorite stories though the manga is much better. Renge has a significantly smaller role (rather than her constant annoying intrusion in the anime) and the story actually wraps up with some major character development among all the characters, vs the rushed nonending of the anime.
ReplyDeleteTrollhunters looks interesting.
I've been meaning to track down the manga for Ouran just for those reasons. I felt like the ending was just slapped on (albeit *slightly* better than the "ending" to the Trinity Blood anime) and not presented properly at all.
DeleteTrollhunters is definitely worth the watch!