Top 18 80s Kids’ Cartoons
Then buzz it up
June 9th, 2008 at 13:00 by David Schwartz
Remember when your parents used to tell that your childhood are the best days of your life?
First of all, why did they do that? Were they just jealous? What did they think you would do with that information? What are you supposed to say to that?
Secondly, as much as it hurts to admit it, they were right.
Sure, being an adult has its advantages, right? You couldn’t drive a car, get drunk (legally) or have sex (again legally) when you were a kid.
In fact, you had put up with quite a lot of crap as a youngster, like the whole ‘no you are too young to go the pub’ thing and those tortuous Saturday afternoons spent being dragged around the shops by your mum looking for new fucking shoes for school. (OK, there are a lot worse things about growing up, but these are the only two that are springing to mind at the moment).
The point is, despite all the growing pains, we all cherish our childhoods. Why? Because the world seemed a more exciting place, we guess.
Now, we’ve seen it all before; got the T-shirt. Then, you just couldn’t wait for the next non-school day. You only need to look at the fun we have had compiling these cartoons to tell how important they are to us.We all remember the days spent waiting for the next instalment of He-Man or Transformers.
We chose the eighties (i.e. cartoons which mainly ran during that decade), mainly because most of us grew up then, but also because it seems to be a golden era of cartoons. Or maybe we are getting too excited again. Bloody kids! Anyway, enjoy!
18. Bananaman
Ok, he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box, but luckily he had the strength of 20 men and a slew of banana-based super powers at his disposal. Great theme tune too.
17. Visionaries
Was it just us, or did the bad knights come off worse in the animals they transform into? What chance does a snail or beetle have against a bear or a lion?
16. Dungeons and Dragons
Did they ever manage to get home?
15. Jem and The Holograms
The girls in the office convinced us to put this in.
14. The Mysterious Cities of Gold
Are these the ugliest cartoon characters ever?
13. Ulysees 31
Question: How do you make Greek mythology even more interesting? Set it in space. Dodgy beard though.
12. MASK
That’s Mobile Armored Strike Kommand to you. Really cool show in which the characters would gain special powers by putting on masks. Cue more merchandising opportunities.
11. Voltron: Defender of the Universe
The best thing about this cartoon series were the toys. Connecting a bunch of cool lion robots together to form a super robot (with questionable resemblance to Transformers) - how good is that? Parents liked it too, as they could stretch out the presents over many occasions. There was actually a couple of series of this show, when they decided to replace the five lions with a ridiculous army of cars, trucks, planes and helicopters.
10. Thundercats
Admit it, you are singing the theme tune right now. It’s surprising how many of the words you remember.
9. He-man and the Masters of the Universe
OK, so it’s just a little camp, but Skeletor has to be one of the most entertaining cartoon baddies. Can’t say the same about He-man, though. Was his voice always that odd? I guess too many steroids.
8. Dangermouse
We’re guessing there are a lot of British readers screaming for this to be number one. It was a sensational show, but we had to make some tough choices.
7. Inspector Gadget
Makes you wonder what other gadgets he has up his sleeves. We’ll let you think of the jokes.
6. GI Joe
Cartoon was almost has cool as the toys. Almost!
5. Spiderman and his Amazing Friends; and Spiderman (1981 animated series)
Who doesn’t love Spiderman?
4. Battle of the Planets
G-Force!! All we have to say is thank God for that R2D2 robot, otherwise we would not have had a clue what was going on. Mind you, with loads of action and cool spaceships, who cares? Didn’t the small one have tourettes?
3. The Smurfs
Quick question: Was Smurfette the only lady smurf? You know where we are going with this.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Whoever came up with the idea to have four mutant turtles being taught how to be ninjas by a giant rat was either on something very good or a certified genius. They just don’t make shows like that anymore.
1. Transformers
OK, so the whole idea was essentially to sell toys, but who cares?
Honorable mention: Astro Boy
Some of you may be screaming ‘WHERE IS ASTRO BOY’. We didn’t forget - this is an 80s cartoons countdown, and Astro Boy was broadcast first in 1963!
Related and recent:
- Tom And Jerry Slapped With Smoking Ban
- Watch Madonna And Gorillaz Get It On At The Grammy Awards
- Joseph Barbera - Mr Scooby-Doo - Dies At 95
- Madonna And Gorillaz Have A Knees-Up At The Grammys
- Uma Thurman’s Stalker Won’t Be Stalking Where He’s Going
- New Kids On The Block Reunion: Now There’s A Bloody Song
- VIDEO: New Kids On The Block On Today, Together & Zimmer-Free
- SLACKERJACK - Line Runner
June 9th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
What? How can you talk about the 80s “golden era” and not mention Dogtanian?
It was better than practically all of these cartoons…
Don’t know what I would’ve done without it without it.
Here’s a youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELbhKL0Qm2E
June 9th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
WHAT ABOUT TOWSER? YOU BASTARDS!
June 9th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
80s cartoons were terrible.
I have the Thundercats logo on my car and name “Starscream” whenever friends/relatives ask if I’m dating anyone.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Man, I loved Jem, and the Smurfs, too. But no Jetson’s? wtf?
June 10th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Jetsons is not 80s, as for Towser?!!! No way
June 10th, 2008 at 2:06 am
[...] See the List… [...]
June 10th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Dangermouse ruled. Penfold ruled. This entire list should have been Dangermouse episodes.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
how about…
GhostBusters
SilverHawks
TigerSharks
CareBears
RainbowBrite
MyLittlePony
GoBots
GummiBears
etc…
June 10th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Hey John, You really are plumbing the depths there.
They are all rubbish.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Where the fuck is The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers in this list?!?
June 10th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
We in America didn’t get Danger Mouse, or Banaman. I’m 33, and when I was a kid, it was all about GIJoe and Transformers. Like when the new set of GIJoe toys came out, we’d all wait impatiently for the new season or the show to see the characters of the toys we just bought. I like your list, good job!
June 10th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Does anyone else remember Bravestarr, a cartoon about a space Texas Ranger with a talking horse deputy? I loved that cartoon.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Superted was much better than all of these bar TMNT.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
How about Turbo Teen? And you can’t forget C.O.P.S.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Need to add immediately for this to be valid:
Great Space Coaster
Fraggle Rock
Mogilla Gorilla
Captain Caveman
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Banannaman, Visionairies, Gem and the Holograms, Dungeons and Dragons?!?? How many times did you get beat up as a kid?!?? Apparently not as much as commenter John who listed every girls cartoon ever made!!!!
June 10th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Yes, BraveStarr ruled. But where are some of the other classics, like My Pet Monster? That show was awesome.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Missing Star Blazers..
June 10th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Sorry, Star Blazers was in the 70’s. My mistake…
Still rocked though!
June 10th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
some of the people complaining about ommissions dont seem to get this is an 80’s list. check your dates. fraggle rock wasnt a cartoon but it was an awesome show. we in america did have dangermouse and it was awesome. i dont remember shows like ulyesses 13 though and it looks like something i would have watched. i do recall really liking the real ghostbusters (not that other ghostbusters cartoon what was going on there?) and silverhawks. shows someone else mentioned. also batman the animated series came around the end of the 80’s didnt it? that show was great.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
What about Robotech. That show kicked butt over half of these shows, some of which I never heard of.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
OK how do these lists always forget Dino Riders? That show was badass, seriously what could possibly be more awesome than a T. Rex with freakin laser beams attached to his freakin head.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
One word: Robotech.
Can’t believe it’s missing from the list.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
WHAT ABOUT MILTON FROM OFFICE SPACE ARGH I CANT BELIEVE YOU LEFT MILTON OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 10th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
No Real Ghostbusters?
FAIL.
June 10th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Dino Riders was awesome.
Robotech was great too… I watched The Sentinels until my eyeballs bled.
Glad to see Ulyesses 31 there too. It’s the sort of thing we’d get broadcast on UK television in the early hours of the morning; I’d just watch it for the sake of being something to watch and got sort of drawn in.
The Greek Mythology hook was the best thing about it. I was really interested in that sort of thing at the time.
June 10th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Svenner! Damnit I thought I would be the first Dino Riders post. Some dude (I’m presuming it was a dude cause girls aren’t as stupid as us) made a DVD containing all of the DR episodes. Check out eBay! Amazing.
The Dino Riders toys were right up there with the TMNT figures. Dinosaurs with lasers and guns strapped…sold!
June 10th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Actually, this list is pretty decent. There are plenty of 80’s Cartoons that could have made the list, but then again, it’s this guys opinion. I would have mentioned shows like Dinoriders, Silverhawks, M.A.S.K., Cops, and some others, but then again, it’s this guys opinion, and a pretty solid list. And to say the 80’s cartoons sucked, that’s almost a criminal offense. Someone like that should get sucker punched. Look at todays cartoons and how fucking sucky they are. Luckily I’ve burned and bought plenty of seasons of 80’s cartoons for my children when I have them.
June 10th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Johnny Rapeface is planning for his children.
The problem with Surrealism is that it understates reality.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I think there are a few omissions that deserve mentioning:
Galaxy High
Inhumanoids
Centurions
I don’t know about the rest of you jerks but I really loved Galaxy High
I love it, I love it <— (you would appriciate this comment if you acctualy watched the show.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I just remembered. What about:
The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse (from the creator of Ren and Stimpy before Ren and Stimpy)
Count Duckulka (Dangermouse spinoff)
June 10th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
No Thundarr the Barbarian? Demon dogs! Unacceptable.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Jetsons forever 1985-1987.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Robotech
Robotech
Robotech
EAsily destroys all those shows, any kid who wasnt born with FAS will agree with me
June 10th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
YOU SON OF A BITCH !!!
Where is the Plastic Man Comedy Adventure Show ?!?
June 10th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Was Reboot an 80’s show?
That was a fxcking amazing show, when i was a kid, and i hardly remember it.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Some good shows in there.
There were some other rippers that are glaring ommissions though:
Dinosaucers - dinosaurs from space, come on people.
Biker Mice From Mars - this may have been a 90’s show (that period of my life is a blur of sugar highs and scraped knees).
Darkwing Duck - See BMFM
Count Duckula - In heart of Transylvania, in the vampire hall of fame yeah. A vegetarian vampire duck! Who comes up with this sh*t?
It really saddens me to see what has been done to shows like Transformers. I was a huge fan as a kid, and own all the DVD’s now, and I cringe every time I see a rehash come out.
Oh, does anyone remember Samurai Pizza Cats?
June 10th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
what about MY PET MONSTER!!!
And Care Bears definitely should have been on this list, as should Scooby Doo, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Berenstein Bears, FLINTSTONES (hellloo!!), and Tom and Jerry.
This list is totally biased.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Now then, what about cockleshell bay? everyone always forgets that one!!
June 10th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Samurai Pizza Cats? The McDonalds of anime? I do. I’m sure I was too old to be watching it at the time though.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Thundar the Barbarian!
June 11th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Robotech has got to be on there. That cartoon still has a cult following considering they are making CG movies that follow the story after the new generation (season 3)
June 11th, 2008 at 1:06 am
How about Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, it ended in 1990 but still started the show in 1989
June 11th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Where the hell is Count Duckula? I loved that show!!! But loving that Bananaman and Dangermouse are on the list! Woooo UK cartoons! MCOG and Thundercats should have been higher TMNT should be number one and why no ghostbusters??? Dont think we ever got GI JOE over the pond but The Smurfs sucked balls… it was completely pointless!
June 11th, 2008 at 2:23 am
What about the Bionic Six? How about Muppet Babies???
June 11th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Most glaring omissions:
Dino Riders,
DinoSaucers (i thought i was the only one who remembered)
Inhumanoids (again i thought)
and Beetlejuice.
Born 1980 - my childhood was 2 things
Dinosaurs and TMNT
June 11th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Oh my god! How is Jayce and the wheeled warriors not on that list!
June 11th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
What about the classics like
The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Rainbow Brite, Jabber Jaw… Um… Carebears…. etc.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Where the hell are the Centurions “power extreme bitches”
June 12th, 2008 at 4:50 am
i love jem and the holograms… they were the spice girls and pussycat dolls of the ’80s!!!!!
June 12th, 2008 at 8:40 am
What a load of crap comments…
If you don’t LIVE “Rocko’s Modern Life” you’re some sort of pathetic, sub-species of human being.
June 12th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
My friend HATES and has some odd fear of Spiderman to answer THAT questain…
June 13th, 2008 at 3:47 am
Tranzor ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!
June 14th, 2008 at 3:07 am
How can Pole Position not be on this list!?!?! What about Saturday Supercade? What about WWF Superstars!?!?!
Dangermouse and Inspector Gadget were awful and should be off the list.
And if you are going to include The Smurfs, you might as well throw Muppet Babies on there too!
July 7th, 2008 at 12:23 am
what was DI X can anyone remember
July 9th, 2008 at 8:09 am
[...] Gadget, Battle of the Planets, en zelfs smurfen. Je kunt ze allemaal gaan bekijken als je op Top 18 80’s Kids Cartoons klikt. Nummer 18 op de lijst is Bananaman. Misschien ken jij hem, ik in ieder geval [...]
July 9th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
the list is missing technoman, that was so frickin awesome!!!!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
@CrazyDiamond
I am an American and I very much remember Dangermouse and Bananaman. You could watch them on Nickelodeon.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Makes me wonder if Transformers would still be number one on the list if it wasn’t just a big hit movie too hmm.. Not that I am saying it was a bad cartoon. Just a thought.
I pretty much watched smurfs, my brother loved he-man. never cared for inspector gadget.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
JASON AND WHEELED WARRIORS FFS.
July 11th, 2008 at 2:50 am
This list is COMPLETELY male-biased. hardly any female targeted cartoons were listed. the three biggest being rainbow brite, strawberry shortcake, and lady lovelylocks. come on now
July 11th, 2008 at 6:07 am
one word…
CENTURIONS!!!
July 11th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Did anyone notice that that narrator on Voltron was Peter Cullen the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers?
July 12th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Okay by some of complaints I’ve read I assume you should just list every 80’s cartoon you can think of to keep everyone happy. By the way Robotech is the greatest cartoon to come out of the 80’s. However transformers still deserves #1 since they have tried over and over again to recreate it only to fail each time.
here are some more 80’s cartoon most of which DON’T belong on any best list. pound puppies, cabbage patch kids, pacman, sports stars, super friends (aka justice league), new kids on the block( yes they had a cartoon), hammertime( more trash), I think captain marvel had a cartoon but I can’t be sure, and I think there was a cartoon called blackstar.
July 12th, 2008 at 2:10 am
I made a mistake the cartoon was called Shazaam not captain marvel.
July 12th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
All of those cartoons you guys have listed from Samurai Pizza Cats to Transformers are classics they are what made the 80s and early 90s so good. Today’s cartoons are embrassing to watch and most kids dont even bother with them. I recently got my kids and his mates to watch modern day stuff power gayjers and then got them to watch Thunder Cats they were gluded to thunder cats(camp i know) they stayed. The only thing that comes close is the modern day Spiderman, Batman and Justice league cartoons.
August 13th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
…There was an 80’s Astro Boy series, though. So, you forgot that.
You fail.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Some one please help me.. i am trying to find the name of this cartoon. It was kinda like sailor moon but they rode on poneys, lived in there own lil world……. i have looked everywhere for this please someone help me write me back on my e mail gailnessiscool@aol.com
August 31st, 2008 at 8:16 pm
what about the Chip and Dale Rescue Ranger lol. Duck Tales. I think I seen the Thunder Cats
September 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Although i was born in 1989 i still love these shows. As of right now i own every TMNT, Transformers, Thundercats, and G.I. Joe episodes. about to start on He-Man… i have only seen every TMNT episode(working on the others). The Cartoons of the 80s are, in my opinion, the greatest ever made. Personally I think that TMNT was a better show than Transformers.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Gail-
I think you’re thinking of Moondreamers.
November 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I’ve been trying to find out the name of a cartoon I used to watch when I was a kid, but nobody seems to know what it is or remember anything about it. I think I saw it around 1986-7.
The main charactor was a dog and there was often a wizard that lived in a shed. In one the wizard made a ladder that could reach the moon. Would love to know what the name of this cartoon is called. Anyone know??
November 28th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I have been trying to find a show i watched in the late 80’s - early 90’s. I remember a kid and a robot? I want to say it took place in a garage or a basement? I think bud bundy did a guest appereance in one episode. Maybe someone can help me out.