Animation isn't a genre — it's a medium — and we can see that in the wide range of stories that it's been used to tell for decades. That diversity is showcased by the best-animated series on Hulu, which include very adult comedies, futuristic space Westerns, semi-modern takes on classic characters, and brain-bending drug trips. The list below spotlights the wild array of programs Hulu is currently streaming, both Hulu originals, as well as shows that originated on networks, including Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and FX/FXX. There's some truly brilliant storytelling below — as well as some delightfully silly fun.
For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows on Hulu, the best-animated shows on Netflix, or the best cartoons for adults.
Adventure Time (2010-2018)
- Creator: Pendleton Ward
- Cast: Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Hynden Walch, Tom Kenny
By far the best-animated series to come out of the 2010s, Adventure Time is a strange, surrealist, fun, and sometimes melancholic show about a boy and his dog fighting evil monsters in a post-apocalyptic planet ruled by magic and candy people. With a premise that is, at the same time, simple and extremely intricate, the show manages to find the perfect balance between seriousness and child-like wonder to tell beautiful stories with complex, genuine characters that are sure to win over even the most cynical of hearts. Come for the wizards and monster butt-kicking, stay for the beautiful portrayals of long-lasting love, old age, and mental illness. – Elisa Guimarães
Duncanville (2020-2022)
- Created By: Amy Poehler, Mike Scully, Julie-Thacker Scully
- Cast: Amy Poehler, Ty Burrell, Riki Lindhome
Running for three successful seasons, Duncanville follows the wild imagination of Duncan, who, outside of his exceptional dreams, lives a very unexceptional life. Sometimes whimsical and always innovative, Duncanville pairs a fun animation style with a great voice cast, including the likes of Amy Poehler, Ty Burrell, and even guest stars like Wiz Khalifa. Unlike other shows of this nature, Duncanville excels at finding true depth in its characters but never fails to put them in the sort of unexpected scenarios fans of adult animation have come to expect. Hilarious with a heart of gold, Duncanville is an easy watch with plenty of content to dig into. - Jake Hodges
Praise Petey (2023-present)
- Creator: Anna Drezen
- Cast: Annie Murphy, John Cho, Kiersey Clemons, Stephen Root
A truly bizarre premise for an adult animated comedy, Praise Petey, from Anna Drezen (Saturday Night Live), centers around a Manhattan socialite named Petey, voiced by Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek), who inherits a cult from her father. When Petey leaves the big city for a small town that worships her, she’s forced to lead her new followers in hopes of saving their lives and town — without sacrificing herself in the process. In addition to the ridiculous plot, Praise Petey also features an incredible cast lending their voices to the shenanigans, including John Cho and Kiersey Clemons, as well as icons Stephen Root and Christine Baranski. – Yael Tygiel
The Amazing World of Gumball (2011-2019)
- Creator: Ben Bocquelet
- Cast: Nicolas Cantu, Kyla Rae Kowalewski, Teresa Gallagher
The Amazing World of Gumball, or just Gumball if you’re cool, is a hilarious animated series that takes the tropes and archetypes of traditional family and school life television shows and flips them on their heads with a unique sense of humor and a fantastic cast of characters. The series follows a blue cat named Gumball (Jacob Hopkins) and his adopted goldfish brother Darwin (Terrell Ransom Jr.) as they get into hijinks around the town of Elmore, California, in an amazing world that slowly becomes more fantastical and fleshed out with lore and recurring nemeses. A standout aspect of Gumball is the show's willingness to embrace different forms of visual styles like stop-motion, live-action, and even puppetry. – Tauri Miller
Mother Up (2013)
- Creators: Marnie Nir, Katherine Torpey
- Cast: Eva Longoria, Jesse Camacho, Gabrielle Miller, Rebecca Husain
A simple premise incited by a ridiculous foundation, Mother Up is an animated comedy series that features the voice of Eva Longoria (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) as Rudi, a former music executive-turned-suburban single mother. While only lasting a single season of 13 episodes, Mother Up played with expectations as it chronicled Rudi’s transition from a Manhattanite to the subdued ‘burbs of Canada. Co-created by Marnie Nir and Katherine Torpey (The Perfect Man), Mother Up also utilizes the voices of Jesse Camacho (Locke and Key), Gabrielle Miller, and Rebecca Husain. – Yael Tygiel
Regular Show (2010-2017)
- Creator: J. G. Quintel
- Cast: J. G. Quintel, William Salyers, Sam Marin, Mark Hamill
Created by J. G. Quintel, Regular Show features his voice, along with the talents of William Salyers, Sam Marin, and Mark Hamill. An animated series, Regular Show follows a couple of best friends, a blue jay and a raccoon, who work together as groundskeepers. Regular Show introduces a handful of unique identities, including a yeti named Skip and a ghost named Hi-Five Ghost. With over 250 episodes, Regular Show is easily comparable to shows like Beavis and Butt-Head and Rocko's Modern Life but focuses on originality and humor, allowing it to stand out. – Yael Tygiel
Spy x Family (2021-present)
- Creator: Tatsuya Endo
- Cast: Takuya Eguchi, Saori Hayami, Atsumi Tanezaki, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Yûko Kaida
Based on the manga created by Tatsuya Endo, Spy x Family follows an elite secret agent who is determined to cozy up to a high-profile politician by infiltrating an elite school, and must go deep undercover as a family man named Loid (Takuya Eguchi). Upon building his family, Loid learns that his wife is a deadly trained assassin and his newly adopted daughter is telepathic. Spy x Family is a delightfully comedic series merged with a bunch of action and a hint of sci-fi, told through gorgeous animated artwork and clever storytelling. – Yael Tygiel
The Powerpuff Girls (2016)
- Creator: Craig McCracken
- Cast: Amanda Leighton, Natalie Palamides, Kristen Li, Tom Kenny
Rebooting the beloved children's series, The Powerpuff Girls reintroduces the lab-made crime-fighting little girls: Blossom (Amanda Leighton), Bubbles (Kristen Li), and Buttercup (Natalie Palamides). A cute animated show with a playful approach to evil and ick, The Powerpuff Girls blends action and adventure with pretty imagery and pastels. The reboot of the series maintains the girls’ origin story of being built by their father figure, Professor Utonium (Tom Kane), from a mixture of sugar, spice, and everything nice, with his extra dash of Chemical X. The Powerpuff Girls continues their story of sweet-as-pie superheroes using their magically enhanced abilities, along with their undeniable adorableness, to protect the citizens of their home, Townsville. – Yael Tygiel
Brickleberry (2012-2015)
- Created by: Roger Black, Waco O'Guin
- Cast: Daniel Tosh, Kaitlin Olson, Roger Black, David Herman
Brickleberry follows a group of park rangers as they work at a fictional national park – and all the shenanigans that ensue. The cast is large and eclectic, including Steve (David Herman), who takes his work way too seriously and doesn’t seem to be particularly good at his job despite always winning Ranger of the Month; Woody (Tom Kenny), a harsh man with a military background; and Ethel (Kaitlin Olson, Natasha Leggero), a kind and humble woman who was assigned to get the park back on track. If you’re looking for something irreverent and hilarious, make Brickleberry your next watch. – Taylor Gates
Crossing Swords (2020-2021)
- Created by: John Harvatine IV, Tom Root
- Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Luke Evans, Alanna Ubach
Crossing Swords combines fantasy and adventure with black comedy to highly entertaining effect. The show follows Patrick (The Great’s Nicholas Hoult), a peasant who gets his dream job as a squire in the royal castle. However, life turns out to be anything but luxurious, as the castle is filled with thieves and frauds. To complicate things even further, Patrick’s criminal siblings also come back to make his life difficult. The animation is unique, as medieval children’s toys portray all the characters – a hilarious juxtaposition considering how raunchy and decidedly NSFW it all is. – Taylor Gates
Hit-Monkey (2021-present)
- Creator: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
- Cast: Fred Tatasciore, Jason Sudeikis, Olivia Munn
Outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, lesser-known Marvel properties are finding their footing, including Hulu’s adult animated action series, Hit-Monkey. Created for television by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, Hit-Monkey is a trippy series about a Japanese snow monkey who is tethered to the ghost of an American assassin, voiced by Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), who mentors him in the art of vengeance in hopes to take down the underworld of Tokyo. Graphicly violent, Hit-Monkey takes advantage of being animated to defy the laws of physics and taste in an attempt to stand beside other vicious adult animated series, like Invincible and Harley Quinn. – Yael Tygiel
Archer (2009-present)
- Created by: Adam Reed
- Cast: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Adam Reed, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Lucky Yates
Archer began life as an extremely sharp and funny satire of the James Bond universe, with a crackerjack voice cast led by the always brilliant H. Jon Benjamin. And for its four seasons, it was already a top-tier adult animated series. Then, came Season 5, and the reveal that when creator Adam Reed gets restless, he's not above completely changing the premise of his show — a move he'd pull several more times, rewriting reality for his established characters by transporting them from the real world to golden era Hollywood to space to Danger Island. Those wild creative choices, along with the beautifully rendered animation and, again, that amazing voice cast (Aisha Tyler should be in everything), make Archer a show worth revisiting over and over. - Liz Shannon Miller
The Awesomes (2013-2015)
- Created by: Seth Meyers, Mike Shoemaker
- Cast: Seth Meyers, Ike Barinholtz, Emily Spivey, Taran Killam, Kenan Thompson, Bobby Lee, Paula Pell, Rashida Jones, Bill Hader, Josh Meyers, Rachel Dratch
Did you know that Seth Meyers co-created an original animated superhero series that ran for three seasons on Hulu? That’s okay, not many people did either. But The Awesomes is well worth your time and attention if you’re looking for an escape from the ordinary and a break from the same-old superhero story.
The Awesomes follows the title team of comic book-inspired superheroes led by the son of the greatest superhero of them all, Mr. Awesome, as they attempt to fill the sizable shoes of the heroes they’re replacing. The voice cast alone is worth watching for, including Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, Kenan Thompson, Taran Killam, Bobby Moynihan, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, Will Forte, Amy Poehler, Kate McKinnon, Colin Quinn, Fred Armisen, Tina Fey, Andy Samberg, Chris Kattan, Cecily Strong, Vanessa Bayer, Noël Wells, Nasim Pedrad, and Aidy Bryant as well as SNL writers Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Paula Pell, Tim Robinson, Alex Baze, and John Lutz.
The Awesomes also fills that niche between the squeaky-clean Disney-fied superhero stories of the Marvel Comics universe and the very adult stop-motion animated adventures of SuperMansion, so while it’s not exactly family-friendly, it’s perfectly suited for teens and above. Check it out today if you missed out on the off-kilter adventures back in the halcyon days of the mid-2010s! – Dave Trumbore
Bless the Harts (2019-2021)
- Created by: Emily Spivey
- Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell, Ike Barinholtz, Kumail Nanjiani
A lot of animated series, especially shows that originated on Fox, have what might be best described as "big dude energy," which is why Bless the Harts stands out as a wonderful contrast to those shows. It's still damn hilarious though, thanks to creator Emily Spivey, who brings her Saturday Night Live-trained comedic sensibilities to this show about a struggling Southern family. The stellar voice cast includes a dream trio of Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Jillian Bell, and the show's wry edge gives the show a fresh voice. The title of the show is based on a classic expression popularized by genteel ladies below the Mason-Dixon line — if someone tells you "bless your heart," it's... not a good thing. - Liz Shannon Miller
Bob's Burgers (2011-present)
- Creators: Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive
- Cast: H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, John Roberts, Larry Murphy, David Herman
Few series are as consistently delightful as Bob’s Burgers, which has nine seasons currently available to stream on Hulu, each one just as full of laughs and feel-good family comedy as the last. Centered around a hamburger chef and his freak flag-flying family of oddballs, Bob’s Burgers is a treasure trove of running gags, from the catchy-as-hell ditties to the fantastic hamburger recipes in every episode (which, can be confirmed from the tie-in cookbook, are delicious,) and it’s packed to the brim with #relatable characters. – Haleigh Foutch
Cowboy Bebop (2021)
- Created by: Hajime Yatate (AKA Shinichirō Watanabe and the Sunrise creative team)
Cowboy Bebop. Often cited as the gateway anime to end all gateway animes, this classic 1998 Sunrise series didn’t even have the benefit of a strong manga following on to base its success. Instead, the show’s mature themes, noir sensibilities, and complex characters drove it from cult icon to international classic in just 26 episodes. (Yoko Kanno‘s incredible and inseparable music was undoubtedly a big part of this success and it’s worth watching the series just for it.)
Following a ragtag team of space-based bounty hunters attempting to scrape together enough Woolongs for their next meal and to patch their aging spacecraft, Cowboy Bebop features action-packed episodic arcs alongside deeply emotional character stories that will have you invested in just about everyone who pops up onscreen. There’s the tormented, too-cool-for-school, former spy-assassin, Spike Spiegel; the hard-nosed former detective with a heart of gold, Jet Black; the cursed femme fatale with a heartbreaking past, present, and possibly future, Faye Valentine; and the wildcard hacker extraordinaire Ed (along with pooch pal, Ein) who’s hard not to love. Despite some silliness played for levity along the way, this one’s at its best when it’s super serious. If Cowboy Bebop doesn’t at least make you just a bit more interested in this thing called anime, not much else will. - Dave Trumbore
Death Note (2006-2007)
- Created by: Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata (manga)
Adapted from the Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata comes Death Note, a tense cat-and-mouse tail between a serial-killer high school student and the detectives attempting to take him down. It’s an incredible crime story that keeps the supernatural to a minimum, save for its central conceit: The title tome can take the life of anyone whose name is written in it thanks to the power wielded by the shinigami or Death Gods. That’s quite a bit of responsibility placed on the shoulders of a teenager, even one as brilliant as Light Yagami.
And that’s what makes Death Note (the anime, not the recent live-action adaptation) such a joy to watch. It’s a very cerebral series that spends more time walking viewers through the complicated webs woven by both Light and the equally gifted but eccentric detective known only as L. The threads of tension are drawn taut throughout these episodes you find yourself wondering, “How is Light going to get out of this one?” only to be amazed by the answer. Just make sure you have some potato chips and apples handy. - Dave Trumbore
Family Guy (1999-present)
- Created by: Seth MacFarlane
- Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, and Seth Green
It’s become rather uncool to like Family Guy, and the show’s humor has at times crossed the line, but the FOX series has stood the test of time for a reason. Something is endearing about the antics of a dumb-dumb like Peter, childlike yet confident, and the relationship between Stewie and Brian could sustain its own TV show (and often kind of does). The show is at its best when it expands its world-building to tackle unique stories, but most episodes — especially from the run during which Seth MacFarlane was the showrunner — are good for a few big laughs. - Adam Chitwood
Futurama (1999-present)
- Created by: Matt Groening
- Cast: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNellie, Phil LaMarr, and Lauren Tom
The possibilities within the world of Futurama are quite literally boundless. This sci-fi series was a follow-up to The Simpsons in that it hailed from the same creator, and while Futurama is definitely funny and sweet and has a similar animation style, it’s overall a very different show. Following the exploits of the bumbling crew of a delivery space shuttle service, Futurama gets into time travel, far-space travel, universal apocalypses, invasions, cloning... pretty much any sci-fi conceit you can think of, Futurama has done it. And it almost always turns out compelling, endearing, and extremely funny. - Adam Chitwood
The Great North (2021-present)
- Created by: Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, Wendy Molyneux, and Minty Lewis
- Cast: Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, Dulcé Sloan, Paul Rust, Aparna Nancherla, Megan Mullally, Alanis Morissette
From the same creators behind Bob's Burgers comes another story about a family just trying to get by but now it's set in the great Alaskan wilds. The Great North follows the Tobin family, made up of patriarch Beef (yes, Beef) (Nick Offerman), daughter Judy (Jenny Slate), older son Wolf (Will Forte), Wolf's wife Honeybee (Dulcé Sloan), middle son Ham (Paul Rust) and youngest son Moon (Aparna Nancherla). While the mood is certainly in the same vein as Bob's, Offerman's Beef is perhaps even funnier than Bob as the even-keeled outdoorsy dad. Loving and supportive, a character who might seem like a closed-minded father figure is delightfully accepting of his kid's passions and pursuits. Whether it be Judy's art projects or Ham's baking masterpieces, he's there to lend a hand or just support. If you enjoy the Blechers, then you'll love the Tobins. — Therese Lacson
Hey Arnold! (1996-2004)
- Created by: Craig Bartlett
- Cast: Lane Toran, Phillip Van Dyke, Spencer Klein, Alex D. Linz, Jamil Walker Smith, Francesca Marie Smith, Dan Castellaneta, Tress MacNeille, Justin Shenkarow
There aren’t too many things from my youth I’m super precious about, but Hey Arnold! is one of them. It was like an animated version of my own day-to-day childhood adventures, from the kooky grandparents to the quirky neighborhood characters, to the grade school drama and schoolyard games. Twenty-five years after its debut on Nickelodeon, Hey Arnold! has given us over 100 episodes and two feature-length films to close out the story of the football-headed hero and his friends and family.
On Hulu, you can revisit any or all of the 103 episodes from Hey Arnold!‘s run again and again, either to relive your own childhood or get a glimpse into what being a 90s kid was about. More or less. It is a cartoon, after all. So while the bigger-than-life adventures may be a bit heightened at times, the wacky neighborhood characters and personalities in Arnold’s circle of friends are all spot-on. This is a great nostalgia watch, any time of year. - Dave Trumbore
Major Lazer (2014-2015)
- Created by: Diplo, Ferry Gouw, Kevin Kusatsu
- Cast: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Angela Trimbur, John Boyega, Ashante "Taranchyla" Reid, James Adomian, J.K. Simmons
Some animated series are subtle about the fact that they may be tailored to a stoner audience. Major Lazer says the quiet part loud with its surreal animation and weed-driven narrative about a Jamaican superhero (voiced by Mr. Eko himself, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) who loves Mary Jane as much as he loves fighting President Whitewall. The anime-influenced visuals are accompanied elegantly by the sorts of beats you might imagine from a show co-created by Diplo. With tight 10-minute episodes, Major Lazer goes by quickly but never stops being a fun ride. - Liz Shannon Miller
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995-1996)
- Directed by: Masashi Ikeda
While Gundam doesn’t exactly scream “anime for adults”, the franchise remains one of the best at tackling more mature thematic stories like the use of military might; the sovereignty of nations, people, and worlds; and the many interpretations and viewpoints on what “freedom” really means. On top of that, this long-running mecha sub-genre puts a focus on more “realistic” giant robots, factoring in engineering specs; mechanical failures, repairs, and upgrades; and the importance of a talented pilot in control of a high-tech piece of machinery. (There’s a reason that Gundam model enthusiasts take their hobby so seriously!)
Having been around for more than 40 years at this point, Gundam has enjoyed more than 40 adaptations for both the small and big screens. For yours truly, my Gundam gateway was the mid-90s series, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, a show that combined super-cool/nerdy mecha tech with the incredibly complex and well-developed characters who piloted them. Each pilot carried a chip on his shoulder for a variety of reasons, mostly owing to their various upbringings and place of origin. Gundam isn’t limited to terrestrial battles or storylines; it sprawls across colonies, planets, moons, and the vastness of space, and the narrative asks audiences to keep up with it or get left behind. This franchise might just turn you from anime novice to anime-obsessed, so be careful! - Dave Trumbore
My Hero Academia (2016-present)
- Created by: Kōhei Horikoshi (manga)
My Hero Academia is perfect for those of you who may never have watched anime before but absolutely love anything to do with superheroes. My Hero Academia makes the best of this pairing by hitting both anime and superhero tropes hard, and then elevating them to all-new levels through the use of fantastic narrative arcs, bold storytelling decisions, and characters you actually care about.
My Hero Academia centers on Deku, a very average boy who is powerless in a world where superpowers are actually pretty common. One day, his heroic sacrifice proves to the world’s greatest hero that Deku is worthy of inheriting his own super-powered abilities. What follows is an interesting exploration of Deku coming to grips with his new powers, the drama that comes from training alongside his fellow heroes, and the life-or-death fight for his friends and allies against equally powerful and deadly villains. My Hero Academia is incredibly easy to get into and, with very few exceptions, every episode is a winner. - Dave Trumbore
Naruto (2002-2007)
- Created by: Masashi Kishimoto (manga)
Naruto is a smash-hit anime series that brings the pages of Masashi Kishimoto‘s bestselling manga to life. It focuses on the title character, a bratty ninja-in-training who harbors some incredible power but often runs afoul of his fellow ninjas due to his nature as a prankster. At the heart of things, Uzumaki Naruto just wants to be accepted as a ninja, a rival, and a friend, so if you can get past his impish nature early on, you’ll find yourself along for a wild ride that follows him through his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood.
Sure, there are some filler episodes and arcs throughout Naruto – the same can be said for just about every long-running anime series ever made – but this is one franchise that’s truly worth the commitment and rewards viewers’ devotion with 720 episodes worth of content. (Not to mention the franchise follow-up series Boruto, a.k.a. “Naruto’s Dad.”) - Dave Trumbore
One Piece (1999-present)
- Created by: Eiichiro Oda
More than 20 years ago, Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” began publishing One Piece, writer/illustrator Eiichiro Oda‘s serialized story about a band of powerful pirates sailing the open water of the Grand Line in search of the world’s greatest treasure. That story still continues to this day, as fans of the long-running manga and ongoing anime adaptation know full well. The best-selling manga series of all time has also inspired numerous animated feature films, television specials, and spin-offs like video games and other merchandise.
As is the case with most successful and long-running animated series, of which One Piece is in the elite upper class, the heart of the story is in the characters. Pliable pirate Monkey D. Luffy may start out his epic adventure as a big ol’ goofball (which never really changes, actually) but he proves time and again that he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his friends and family. That’s a lot of protecting to do, like, a lot, because, with nearly 900 anime episodes and counting, adapted from nearly 1,000 chapters (and counting), there’s a whole world full of characters to keep track of. But the end may be in sight for Oda and One Piece, so now’s a great time to come aboard for an all-out adventure! - Dave Trumbore
One Punch Man (2015-2019)
- Created by: ONE
From the original creation of the webcomic writer/artist known simply as ONE comes One Punch Man, an anime adaptation inspired by the titular character. This superhero parody series, also called “Wanpanman”, is a take on the famous Japanese picture book series Anpanman. It centers on Saitama, the uber-powered character who knows no equal and has yet to fight an enemy that could withstand more than one punch from his mighty fist. Rather than rising to the top of the superhero charts with abilities like this, Saitama finds himself bored by the lack of competition. When the cyborg fighter Genos enlists Saitama as his mentor, One Punch Man gets his act together at last... or tries to, anyway.
If you’re tired of superhero series and comic book capers, One Punch Man is the balm for you. This thing rips apart the tropes of such stories with skin-splitting severity. It’s violent, it’s hilarious, and it’s the perfect antidote for superhero fatigue. Plus, you can’t help but scream along with that theme song. “One Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuunch!!!” - Dave Trumbore
Pinky and the Brain (1995-1998)
- Creator: Tom Ruegger
- Cast: Maurice LaMarche and Rob Paulsen
Wanna watch two wild and crazy lab rats try to take over the world? Pinky and the Brain is the kid-friendly but still funny 90s throwback for you. The Animaniacs spinoff never quite kindled that same inventive magic that made the original series such a game-changer, but it’s still a lot of fun if you like a series that commits to its premise and then just goes wild reimagining it episode to episode. In this case, the premise is a mad genius lab rat, The Brain, and his goofy-ass sidekick, Pinky, who designed to take over the world and fail spectacularly with all kinds of hijinks along the way. It’s extremely 90s material, filled with dated jokes that will land on very confused ears if you share it with today’s kids, but the hijinks themselves still hold up. – Haleigh Foutch
Rick and Morty (2013-present)
- Creators: Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland
- Cast: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Sarah Chalke, Spencer Grammer
You’d be hard-pressed to find sci-fi storytelling on TV that’s more innovative, bizarre, or hilarious than Rick and Morty. And I don’t just mean right now, I mean the whole darn history of TV. Created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, the Adult Swim original travels through space, time, and concepts of existence I’m frankly not prepared to get into right now via the twisted, terrifying, and oddly touching adventures of a perpetually wasted genius/lunatic scientist and the (maybe?) beloved nephew he drags along on his perilous adventures. Vibrantly animated with dense scripts that are jammed with plot, concept, character, and joke after joke in equal measure, Rick and Morty isn’t just one of the best animated or sci-fi series, it’s one of the best TV shows full stop. – Haleigh Foutch
Rugrats (1991-2006)
- Creators: Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain
- Cast: E. G. Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Nancy Cartwright, Cheryl Chase, Tara Strong, Kath Soucie, Dionne Quan, Cree Summer, Jack Riley, Melanie Chartoff, David Doyle, Joe Alaskey, Dan Castellaneta
Rugrats is one of the very few animated shows I watched as a kiddo that I can still turn on and enjoy today. Especially the first two seasons, which endure as the strongest batch of the bunch, following lil’ Tommy Pickles, his weary, wired parents, and their friends on their coming-of-age adventures. Whether it’s riffing on Pulp Fiction or making you fall for Angela even though you know she’s just terrible, Rugrats does it with a good sense of humor, timeless sensitivity to some of life’s touchier subjects, and a truly, genuinely weird-as-hell animation style. Depending on the frame, Tommy can look cute as heck or just downright horrific, but their wobbly and weird little faces only add to the show’s weird charm. – Haleigh Foutch Collapse
Rurouni Kenshin (1996-1999)
- Created by: Nobuhiro Watsuki (manga)
Rurouni Kenshin is one of those Japanese manga adaptations that has gone through the wringer since its debut in the mid-1990s. At first, it adapted a portion of the manga before continuing on with original stories. Then, when it came to the States, it was repackaged as Samurai X and heavily edited for content deemed objectionable (mostly language, violence, and tobacco use). Luckily, Hulu has three seasons of the dub available, so you can get some good exposure to it before deciding if you want to pick it up on home video.
Rurouni Kenshin follows a peculiar former assassin named Himura Kenshin (a.k.a. Hitokiri Battosai) in 11th-century Japan. What makes him so peculiar? Well, in addition to wandering the country to protect the innocent, vowing never to take another life, he fights in the reversed-edge sword style. (Yeah, he hits people with the blunt edge of his blade.) It’s a rare animated series indeed that sets itself squarely in history rather than creating a world from whole cloth, and though viewers certainly shouldn’t treat it like a documentary, Rurouni Kenshin is a fun, unique animated series that stands out from the pack. - Dave Trumbore
Sailor Moon (1992-1997)
- Created by: Naoko Takeuchi (manga)
This iconic long-running Japanese franchise presented a very different type of female superhero for young girls — as opposed to stoic heroines like Wonder Woman, Usagi is a silly, klutzy 14-year-old who just so happens to transform into Sailor Moon, fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight. (Yes, her costume doesn't look much different from her school uniform except the skirt's a lot shorter, but these are just details.) Hulu has five seasons of Sailor Moon available to stream, which means you're in store for a massive binge of adventure romance, and other delights. All I'm saying is, more superheroes should get their powers from a magical talking cat. - Liz Shannon Miller
The Simpsons (1989-present)
- Created by: Matt Groening
- Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer
As one of TV's most beloved families, The Simpsons have been with us through the ups and downs of the last 30+ years. Surprisingly culturally relevant at times (sometimes to a prophetic degree), The Simpsons might not be the first animated family but they are one of the most popular. With over 700 episodes, the family has been through it all from weddings and funerals to local politics and scandals. Setting the standard for a nuclear family, the Simpsons have grown with the times while still keeping the same charm that they had when we first saw them back in 1989. — Therese Lacson
Solar Opposites (2020-present)
- Created by: Justin Roiland, Mike McMahan
- Cast: Justin Roiland, Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, Mary Mack
Solar Opposites, the new animated comedy series (with a family-focused twist) from co-creators Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan, is hard to separate from the ongoing success and legacy of Rick and Morty. The differences are few and far between Solar Opposites focuses on an alien family comes to Earth where their hijinks have far more NSFW room to play in thanks to Hulu’s less-restrictive standards and practices, and gone are the at-times lengthy faux-philosophical rantings, signature of Dan Harmon. However, what remains is a successful retread of Rick and Morty‘s core mechanics, a sci-fi story limited by only the imagination in which Roiland’s two-hander performance as both leads, Korvo and Terry, keeps the manic insanity flowing with hilarious results.
Solar Opposites is more of everything: More sci-fi, more blood, and guts, more sexual content without any real reason for it to exist beyond needing a horned-up release for frustrated characters. It’s way more NSFW than even Adult Swim’s boundary-pushing series, so you have Hulu’s relatively lax censorship to thank for that. And while it may be missing Harmon’s signature oddities and asides, it’s still rife with Roiland’s particular brand of humor, fourth-wall-breaking moments, very strange product placement, and as much pop culture awareness as you can take. It’s not necessarily the next culture-shattering title that Rick and Morty has managed to become, but when the cast, writing, and animation are this good, it doesn’t need to be. - Dave Trumbore
Steven Universe (2013-2020)
- Created by: Rebecca Sugar
- Cast: Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Magno Hall
Steven Universe is easily one of the greatest animated series ever created. Creator Rebecca Sugar and the writing/directing team that includes Ian Jones-Quartey, Joseph D. Johnston, Kat Morris, Matt Burnett, Ben Levin and the fantastic cast deliver mature, complex material that most adult-oriented series wouldn’t dare attempt while wrapping it in a candy-coated shell that’s accessible to kids and adults alike. It’s astounding just how solid Steven Universe has been throughout its run and just how much better it continues to get as the seasons progress to movies, and the present turns to the future.
It may have taken a while for the mythology of Steven Universe to start to coalesce into something the fans could really start to get ahold of, but that’s exactly what makes the series such a joy. Steven and the Crystal Gems defend the Earth from various threats, but these battles are simply aftershocks of the great rebellion against the Gems’ Homeworld, once ruled by three great and powerful Diamonds. That rebellion, which recruited the likes of Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst, was led by Steven’s own mother, Rose Quartz, who defeated the mighty Pink Diamond to overthrow her dominion over the Earth. But that story is not nearly as neatly cut as it seems. In its telling, Steven, the Crystal Gems, and many others discover truths — sometimes hard, sometimes heart-warming — about themselves, their friends and family, and the many worlds around them. That’s a journey worth taking. - Dave Trumbore
Tiny Toon Adventures (1990-1995)
- Created by: Tom Ruegger
- Cast: Charlie Adler, Tress MacNeille, Joe Alaskey, Don Messick, Kath Soucie, Maurice LaMarche, Frank Welker, Rob Paulsen, Danny Cooksey, Cree Summer, Jeff Bergman, Candi Milo, Noel Blanc, June Foray, Jim Cummings, John Kassir, Stan Freberg, Bob Bergen, Greg Burson
Yes, Looney Tunes was always intended for children, so did they need a spin-off series with a new, younger-skewing cast? Sure, why not, especially because one of the best parts of Tiny Toon Adventures is a more gender-balanced cast and a strong social conscience. That doesn't make it any less fun and silly, a perfect continuation of the original series' love of anarchy and jokes, with arguably one of the very best opening theme songs ever made. How great is this show? It was an inspiration for the second season of Atlanta, that's how great. - Liz Shannon Miller
The Venture Bros. (2003-2018)
- Created by: Jackson Publick
- Cast: Christopher McCulloch, Michael Sinterniklaas, James Urbaniak, Patrick Warburton, Doc Hammer, Steven Rattazzi, Dana Snyder
The Venture Bros. has been entertaining fans and skewing genre fare for more than 15 years now and it’s honestly never been better. From the rich character development that spends equal time on heroes and villains, not to mention sidekicks and henchmen, to the razor-sharp satire and multiple entendre that followers have come to know and love, to the impressive animation quality that’s heads above where the show started, The Venture Bros. is one of the best-animated series going today.
Adult Swim’s series is also the gift that keeps on giving. Originally created by Christopher McCulloch (a.k.a. Jackson Publick), premiering on Cartoon Network’s late-night run in early 2003 and getting its first series’ run in the summer of 2004, the title team just keeps delivering hits. The intervening 15+ years of stops and starts have seen eight total seasons for The Venture Bros. – and four specials – ordered by Adult Swim. The trend of punny, tongue-in-cheek, and self-referentially sarcastic humor that made The Venture Bros. so successful hasn’t changed, but the series’ animation has gotten a big upgrade from the early days of the show as both Titmouse and Williams Street production houses deliver quality content year after (skip a few years) years. - Dave Trumbore
Yu-Gi-Oh (2000-2006)
- Created by: Kazuki Takahashi (manga)
Your move! Yu-Gi-Oh! was a gateway anime for many a kid in the 2000s. If Pokemon didn’t get you in the 90s, there’s a good chance this magical, puzzle-solving adventure series was your first exposure to the art form. It’s a fun one, too, one that you can actually lay your hands on and play alongside friends since the cards in the show were turned into actual playing cards in the real world, available for purchase, of course. The series centers on Yugi Mutou, an unassuming card duelist who solves the impossible Millennium Puzzle and ends up playing host to the ancient spirit of a gambling pharaoh. It’s a zany premise, but that inciting incident unlocks both the show’s vast mythology and a seemingly endless array of cards, monsters, and strategic effects. It’s a lot of fun to play, always entertaining to watch, and even a bit nostalgic to revisit every once in a while. - Dave Trumbore