Top 18 80s Kids’ Cartoons
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!
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
WHAT ABOUT TOWSER? YOU BASTARDS!
80s cartoons were terrible.
I have the Thundercats logo on my car and name “Starscream” whenever friends/relatives ask if I’m dating anyone.
Man, I loved Jem, and the Smurfs, too. But no Jetson’s? wtf?
Jetsons is not 80s, as for Towser?!!! No way
[...] See the List… [...]
Dangermouse ruled. Penfold ruled. This entire list should have been Dangermouse episodes.
how about…
GhostBusters
SilverHawks
TigerSharks
CareBears
RainbowBrite
MyLittlePony
GoBots
GummiBears
etc…
Hey John, You really are plumbing the depths there.
They are all rubbish.
Where the fuck is The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers in this list?!?
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!
Does anyone else remember Bravestarr, a cartoon about a space Texas Ranger with a talking horse deputy? I loved that cartoon.
Superted was much better than all of these bar TMNT.
How about Turbo Teen? And you can’t forget C.O.P.S.
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!!!!
Yes, BraveStarr ruled. But where are some of the other classics, like My Pet Monster? That show was awesome.
Missing Star Blazers..
Sorry, Star Blazers was in the 70’s. My mistake…
Still rocked though!
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.
What about Robotech. That show kicked butt over half of these shows, some of which I never heard of.
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.
One word: Robotech.
Can’t believe it’s missing from the list.
WHAT ABOUT MILTON FROM OFFICE SPACE ARGH I CANT BELIEVE YOU LEFT MILTON OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No Real Ghostbusters?
FAIL.
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.
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!
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.
Johnny Rapeface is planning for his children.
The problem with Surrealism is that it understates reality.
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.
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)
No Thundarr the Barbarian? Demon dogs! Unacceptable.
Jetsons forever 1985-1987.
Robotech
Robotech
Robotech
EAsily destroys all those shows, any kid who wasnt born with FAS will agree with me
YOU SON OF A BITCH !!!
Where is the Plastic Man Comedy Adventure Show ?!?
Was Reboot an 80’s show?
That was a fxcking amazing show, when i was a kid, and i hardly remember it.
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?
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.
Now then, what about cockleshell bay? everyone always forgets that one!!
Samurai Pizza Cats? The McDonalds of anime? I do. I’m sure I was too old to be watching it at the time though.
Thundar the Barbarian!
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)
How about Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, it ended in 1990 but still started the show in 1989
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!
What about the Bionic Six? How about Muppet Babies???
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
Oh my god! How is Jayce and the wheeled warriors not on that list!
What about the classics like
The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Rainbow Brite, Jabber Jaw… Um… Carebears…. etc.
Where the hell are the Centurions “power extreme bitches”
i love jem and the holograms… they were the spice girls and pussycat dolls of the ’80s!!!!!
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.