In the animation industry, outmatching the remarkable feats of the ‘60s was not going to be an easy task. The ‘60s were the breakout years for cartoons and animation series. The succeeding decades, however, did not disappoint in producing blockbusting animation TV series.
Even at the height of the cold war, these series proved to be a comic relief and welcome distraction. The ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s then produced some of the best all-time cartoons ever produced, if not most.
So, to get the best ten cartoons from these three wonderful decades, we have examined the most popular, the most memorable, and the most awarded television shows of these eras.
Here are the top ten cartoons from the ‘70s to the ‘90s.
10. Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983)
Ross Bagdasarian created Alvin and the Chipmunks, an animated adventure, comedy, family sitcom that centers on the animated musical band. Ross’s son and Janice Karman created the television series. Alvin and the Chipmunks debuted on the 17th of September 1983 then lasted till late 1990.
The series depicts the adventures of three Chipmunk brothers. Alvin, the oldest and the notoriously mischievous and troublesome one. Then there is Simon, the middle brother and the bespectacled and most intelligent of the group. Finally, there is Theodore, the youngest brother, the sensitive, chubby-looking, and shy one. A human named Dave adopted the trio then acted as their father and manager. He also looks out for them whenever they get into their habitual troubles.
9. Dexter’s Laboratory (1996)
Dexter’s Lab is an adventure, comedy, family, and sci-fi animation TV series that Genndy Tartakovsky created in 1996. Cartoon Network held the exclusive rights to air the series, and it premiered on the 27th of April 1996.
Dexter’s Laboratory depicts the adventure of a young bespectacled boy genius named Dexter, who possesses a secret ultramodern science laboratory behind the bookshelf in his bedroom. The series also features Dexter’s dim-witted sister, Dee, who knows about his secret. So, she makes it her playground to Dexter’s frustration and anger. Dexter also must deal with the rivalry of his classmate, Mandark. While Mandark is also a boy genius with a sophisticated laboratory too, he later became Dexter’s archenemy. The series also put in some superhero genre by depicting Dexter’s pet monkey, Monkey, as a crime-fighting superhero who fights crime with other super-powered individuals.
8. Inspector Gadget (1983)
The action, adventure, comedy, crime, family, mystery, and sci-fi animation television series, Inspector Gadget, was the creation of Andy Heyward, Bruno Bianchi, and Jean Chalopin for DIC Audiovisuel and Lexington Broadcast Services Company. The series premiered on the 12th of September 1983.
The series depicts a clumsy bionic police inspector, Gadget, whose sole mission is to stop the activities of a villainous group of terrorists, MAD (Mean and Dirty), led by Dr. Claw. Inspector Gadget always has several assorted items equipped that he carries on his person, like an extensible arm, a helicopter hat, and even pop-up roller-skates, amongst other things. Although Gadget’s niece, Penny, and the family dog, Brian, perform the real investigations since Inspector Gadget is clumsy and incompetent, he is always present in the spotlight to receive the credits.
7. Super Friends (1973)
Super Friends is an action, fiction, superhero animated television series that Hanna- Barbera and DC Comics produced in 1973. The series premiered on ABC on the 8th of September 1973. Super Friends is based on the Justice League of America, and its characters are based on DC Comics characteristics. The Super Friends television series illustrates the adventures of a group of superheroes originally formed by Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman, and Robin. Eventually, the group added other heroes like The Flash, Cyborg, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and the likes. Meanwhile, the main antagonist of the Super Friends was Legion of Doom which consists of supervillains like Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Brainiac, Bizarro, Captain Cold, Scarecrow, and others.
6. Pinky and the Brain (1995)
Pinky and the Brain is a comedy, family, and Sci-Fi animated television series. Tom Ruegger created it while Steven Spielberg was the producer. Pinky and the Brain initially debuted in 1993 on Animaniacs, another animated series, as a series of short skits, but the duo gained a lot of popularity, and they had their show.
Pinky and the Brain premiered on the Kids’ WB network on the 9th of September 1995. The show depicts the attempts of an anthropomorphized, genetically altered mouse, Brain, to take over the world with the help of his dim-witted and insane sidekick, Pinky. Both Pinky and Brain used to be lab mice at Acme Labs, where they had their gene-spliced as part of a scientific project which gives them anthropomorphism and superintelligence. Every episode then shows Brain devising a new plan to take over the world and the plan’s fated failure, all with the help of Pinky.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an action, adventure, comedy, crime, family, mystery, Sci-Fi, superhero, thriller animation television series. The series is based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laired. Murakami – Wolf – Swenson, and IDDH produced it. Then, the series premiered on the 14th of December 1987.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles depicts the heroic adventures of four humanoids turtles, Leonardo, the blue masked and leader of the group; Donatello, the purple masked and science genius of the group; Raphael, the red masked and the funniest one of the groups, and Michelangelo, the red masked and youngest of the group. The origin tale of the turtles shows that they used to be ordinary turtles before the archenemy of the human that adopted them mistakenly transformed them. Their adopted father, Hamato Yoshi, a disgraced martial art sensei who also transformed into a humanoid rat, trained them. He taught them the art of Ninjitsu. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fight against the evil Shredder who wants to rule the world and the extraterrestrial Krang.
4. The Tom and Jerry Show (1975)
The Tom and Jerry show is a comedy, family animated television series produced by Hanna – Barbera Productions in collaboration with MGM Television. The television series is based on the Tom and Jerry characters created by the founders of Hanna – Barbera Productions, William Hanna, and Joseph Barbera. The television series premiered on the 6th of September 1975, on the ABC Network.
The Tom and Jerry Show depicts the adventures of the dynamic duo of a cat, Tom, and a mouse, Jerry. Unlike the original series, this television series portrayed Tom and Jerry as friends, and there was total avoidance of the chasing and violence that is associated with these two. In this series, both Tom and Jerry compete in sports, solve mysteries, defeat villains, and help others.
3. The Scooby-Doo Show (1976)
The Scooby-Doo Show is an adventure, comedy, family, mystery animated television series that Hanna – Barbera Productions produced. This cartoon series runs for thirty minutes on Scooby-Doo / Dynomutt Hour. Meanwhile, the other half-hour was shared with the superhero team of Blue Falcon and his mechanical dog, Dynomutt. The show premiered on the 11th of September 1976, on the ABC Network.
The television series depicts the adventures of a Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, and his team of mystery-solving ghost hunters, Mystery Inc. This group includes Shaggy Rogers, the long-haired foodie, Velma Dinkley, the bespectacled intellect, Fred Jones, the blond, handsome go-getter, and Daphne Blake, the pretty redhead.
2. Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
Batman: The Animated Series is an action, adventure, crime, family, Sci-Fi, superhero, thriller animated television series. Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski created the series heavily based on the DC Comics’ Batman. Batman: The Animated Series first premiered on the 5th of September 1992, on Fox Kids network. The television series depicts the life and trials of an eight-year-old Bruce Wayne, who witnessed the gruesome murder of both his father and mother on the street of Gotham City. To avenge his parents, he vowed to dedicate his life to fighting crime. With the help of the family butler Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne became Batman, wearing a countenance that strikes fear into the minds of his antagonists.
1. The Transformers (1984)
The Transformers is an action, adventure, family, Sci-Fi animated television series that Marvel production, Sunbow Production, and Toei Animation produced. Sunbow Productions produced the series based on the Transformers Toy line by Hasbro and Takara Tomy. The Transformers premiered on the 17th of September 1984. The television series depicts the constant conflicts between the two warring factions of the Transformers. The Transformers are extraterrestrials with the ability to transform themselves to and from a vehicle or any other machines. The forces of good among the Transformers, Autobots, and their evil counterparts, Decepticons, while trying to destroy each other, crash-landed on earth and continued their conflicts while humanity hangs in the balance.
Do you agree with our choices? What are your favorite cartoons from the 80s to the 90s?
About the author
Author: Chris Ingledue
Contact: email
Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!