Last year I published a list of my top ten Western animated series. I am doing the same this year. Some are holdovers from last year, like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, My Adventures with Superman, and Hailey’s On It!. Others are new additions, such as God’s School, Static Shock, Hazbin Hotel, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Iwájú, and Ark: The Animated Series. I expanded this list to twenty series rather than limiting myself to only ten, adding Superman: The Animated Series, Batman: The Animated Series, Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Batman Beyond, The Batman, and Arcane (season 2).
There are many shows worth putting on this list. I struggled with only choosing twenty shows. There will be spoilers for each of these series. I’m content with those which made it onto the list, reflective of my (sometimes) eclectic and animation-heavy tastes. As a warning, this list will discuss death, blood, murder, human experimentation, and other mature themes.
20. Iwájú – Streaming on Disney+
This series is an Africanfuturist drama animated series directed by Olufikayo Ziki Adeola. He served as screenwriter with Halima Hudson; both worked on the story and screenplay. Toluwalakin “Tolu” Olowofoyeku, chief technology officer of Kigali, served as a consulting producer and creative consultant. Ziki Nelson was story writer. The series is produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Kugali Media, a Pan-African entertainment company. It’s the first collaboration between the two companies. It is also the first original animated long-form series produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios in its history.
I was intrigued by this series and enjoyed funny moments, like the failed attempts by the lizard Otin to transform to Ija mode, along with the character focus within a futuristic version of Lagos, Nigeria. Before the series release, it was announced that innocence, class, and challenging “the status quo” would be themes. In the series itself, this was undoubtedly reflected in the characters and plotline. Tola Martins (voiced by Simisola Gbadamosi) is a wealthy kid, and her father Tunde Martins (voiced by Dayo Okeniyi) develops technology for a company located on “the island.” Tola’s friend, Kole Adesola (voiced by Siji Soetan) and the villain, Bode Desosa (voiced by Femi Branch), who wants to get back at the rich (and give money back to the poor), live on the mainland.
Everything goes haywire after Tola is kidnapped. She disobeys her father’s command that she not travel to the mainland. She’s annoyed with how he is ignoring her and absorbed in his work, which uses A.I. and Blockchain to eradicate crime. The 3D animation and music flows well. This series is very African, unlike anything else, with each character having unique characteristics, unlike many other animated series, including a Black woman named Happiness, and Tola’s uncle named Godspower. Unfortunately, this series suffers from scrunched plot due to its short length of six episodes. Furthermore, it falls too easily into the good/evil dichotomy and does not question the retributive justice system. Hopefully, Disney executives see the series potential and give it a chance to further broaden its wings.
19. Gods’ School – Streaming on YouTube
Since January 2019, this indie animation series, by French animator Gaylord Cuvillier Philippe Libessart, has aired on YouTube. Although the series previously received support from the French National Center for Cinema and Animation, this series primarily relies on crowdfunding. The fantasy, mythology, and romance elements of this series connect with the focus on teenage versions of the Olympian gods. This is accompanied by smooth animation, a talented voice cast, and careful focus on music and drama. It’s easy to sympathize with some characters, due to interpersonal conflicts. Setting boundaries is a clear theme. Some characters push against romantic advances by other gods.
Sure, some characters fulfill tropes, but the series depicts Mount Olympus as a place filled with discord. Other themes include self-acceptance, the murky division between good and evil, and the idea that gods can be physically disabled (like everyone else), and aren’t superhuman. I like that not all the episodes are sequential, allowing for them to expand the story by focusing on specific characters. Like I said in my review back in June 2023, I hope that, in the future, there are characters which are LGBTQ+ and more voice actors of color. I remain hopeful it will get better, with new characters, plotlines, and episodes, going forward.
18. “Hailey’s On It! – Streaming on Disney+ Prime Video
This series focuses on a resourceful teenage girl, Hailey Banks (voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho), on a mission to complete every item on a long list of challenging, and sometimes impractical, tasks so she can save the world. She tries to deal with her fears, which include facing her romantic feelings toward her best friend, Scott (voiced by Manny Jacinto). Hailey is helped by a futuristic A.I. named Beta (voiced by Gary Anthony Williams) to complete every item on her list. On an unfortunate note, even though Cravalho is bisexual, this is not reflected in her character. Only supporting characters in the series are LGBTQ+ but none in the main cast.
Without a doubt, Hailey’s On It! has a lot of energy, effective animation, and exciting storytelling. However, it got a bit repetitive at times, and didn’t hold my interest as much as I had hoped. This has been an issue with other recent Disney animations I’ve watched in recent years, such as Hamster & Gretel and Kiff, to give two examples. This series only hints at the terrible consequence for Hailey for non-list completion. She made it worse when in the season one finale, she demands to control her own life, not have Beta or the list dictate it.
This ending is problematic because it ends the series weirdly. However, if the series does continue for a second season, this ending could make sense. Otherwise it is a big gamble, just as High Guardian Spice ended on a cliffhanger. The news, in late September, that the series was removed from Disney+ was heartbreaking, while it remained purchasable on Prime Video. Hopefully Disney executives realize the value of the series and continue it for a season two.
17. Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld – Streaming on Netflix
This series, by artist Echo Wu, began airing in this winter, with comedian Ali Wong (of Vietnamese and Chinese descent) voicing titular protagonist Jentry Chau. Wong is one of the show’s executive producers, along with Wu and comic book writer Aron Eli Coleite. This animated series which mixes supernatural and action genres. It’s produced by Titmouse and Netflix Animation. The former is known for Avatar: The Last Airbender, Cleopatra in Space, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Scavengers Reign, while the latter is known for City of Ghosts, Centaurworld, Kid Cosmic, Karma’s World, Inside Job, and Dead End: Paranormal Park. The series is targeted at kids and families, and premiered on December 5, but was leaked earlier.
Jentry Chau centers on a Chinese-American teenager named Jentry Chau, who lives in Riverwork, a small Texas town. She fights monsters from the underworld while balancing her trauma and horrors embodied in high school itself. Other voice actors include out gay comedian Bowen Yang (who voiced characters in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and Duncanville) as a hench demon/jiangshi named Ed, Black male voice actor A.J. Beckles (voiced characters in High Guardian Spice and dubbed characters in Delicious in Dungeon, Dandadan, and Kakegurui Twin) as Michael, and Korean-American musician Kim Woosung as painted skin deamon Kit. The series features many actors descended from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Taiwan, such as comedian Lori Tan Chinn as Gugu, actress Lucy Liu as Moonie (Jentry’s late mom), stand-up comedian Jimmy O. Yang as Peng (Jentry’s late dad), and comedian Sheng Wang.
The series premiered with a thirteen-episode drop rather than across several months, a faulty decision by Netflix. The animation’s colors, music, and voice acting makes it stand out, as does Jentry’s female friendships with Tokki and Stella, Jentry being a firebender, and the role of Jentry’s grandmother, Gugu. Jentry deals with weight of the past (causing a fire which destroyed half of Riverwork) and a love triangle with her childhood friend Michael and a transplant named Kit. This relatable series is obviously influenced by Sailor Moon, Over the Garden Wall, and Chinese mythology. I like how it all fits together more than other series with supernatural elements, like Wednesday, with the up and downs of Jentry getting rid of her powers, regaining her powers, getting angry at Gogu, and having her mom back. I hope this gets a second season.
16. Invincible Fight Girl – Streaming on Max
Justin Gordon-Montgomery, director for DC Super Hero Girls, story editor of My Dad the Bounty Hunter, storyboarder of Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, and writer for Young Justice, produced this action-comedy series. It premiered on November 2nd, debuting on Adult Swim with two episodes. Bryan Newton served as supervising producer and Sam Register as executive producer (with Gordon-Montgomery), and David DePasquale as art director. Cartoon Network Studios animated it. Titmouse animators assisted them. This series centers around Andy, voiced by Sydney Mikayla, who lives in Wrestling World. She wants to become the best wrestler ever and aimed to make a name for herself. She ultimately begins training with Quesa Poblana, voiced by Rolonda Watts, a cynical wrestling champion, rejecting what her parents want: for her to be an accountant.
This series features known voice actors like Sydney Mikayla, known for voicing Wolf in the sadly short-lived Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, along with other roles in The Loud House, The Barbarian and the Troll, We Bare Bears, Craig of the Creek (Maya), and Hailey’s On It! (Lucy). Watts voiced Reshanda Watson in The Proud Family, along with other characters in Cannon Busters, among other series. Additional voice actors included, as one early report noted, Raphael Alejandro, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Ben Giroux, Tony Baker, Kaitlyn Robrock, Andia Winslow, and Calvin C. Winbush. Mikayla’s voice is part of what makes Andy so relatable, as do the other characters, all of which are voiced by talented voice actors.
This series blew me out of the water, starting with the first episode (available on Adult Swim’s website), not because it might create “a space for action adventure cartoons to thrive,” or that it is a love-letter to shonen anime in the 1990s and 2000s. Rather, I liked that Andy rebels against her parents, who want her to remain an accountant. She wants to pursue becoming a wrestler instead. In the process, she trains, stops being an accountant, and does what she always dreamed, with the help of a sleazy promoter Craig and sports journalist, Mikey. She breaks societal impositions of what an “accountant” and “wrestler” are, while struggling and fighting along the way! Although I’m not a wrestling fan myself, I liked how the first two episodes were constructed and put together, which made me interested to continue watching. I hope it gets a second season.
15. Star Wars: Visions – Streaming on Disney+
Originally I had put Batman Beyond in this spot, but I decided to bump watching that series to next year. I enjoyed this animated anthology more than I thought. Each episode is much better connected than the episodes/short films comprising Kizazi Moto. The only thing tying those episodes/films together was that Africans created them. That didn’t, personally, didn’t seem like enough. This year I’ve watched many Star Wars series, from Ahsoka to The Acolyte, Obi-Wan Kenobi to Andor. As for this, I liked it since different animation studios produce each episode/short film, and they focus on distinct narratives within the Star Wars universe.
I especially liked those with lightsaber battles, inter-family disputes, discovering one’s self, fighting oppression, and saving what you feel is important. While I liked some more than others, I enjoyed watching this series. I’m interested to see what else the animation studios producing these shorts have done. I know some of the Japanese studios worked on films like Penguin Highway (2018), series such as Little Witch Academia, Delicious in Dungeon, Is the Order a Rabbit??, Revue Starlight, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Atom: The Beginning, Space Dandy, and U.S. series like Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and OK K.O.!: Let’s Be Heroes. Other non-Japanese studios worked on films like The Breadwinner (2017), various franchises (Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, and Shaun the Sheep), and animated series (The Legend of Korra, The Boondocks, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Harley Quinn, and Supa Team 4).
Reviewers were right to praise the series as one of the best titles to come out of Disney’s ownership of the Star Wars franchise. It surely is creative, innovative, compelling, and ambitious. These shorts don’t shy away from social and political commentary, with an emphasis on motherhood, Indigenous resistance, labor exploitation, and the hero’s journey, while blending different styles and genres. I hope some are spun-off into their own series, more than just novels and comic books. For instance, the film “The Duel” later spun off into Emma Mieko Candon’s Ronin: A Visions Novel, and Marvel published a comic about Ronin. Disney needs to release the first two seasons on a DVD at minimum, or even better, a Blu-ray.
14. Arcane [season 2] – Streaming on Netflix
This series, based on the League of Legends multiplayer game, picks up where the first season left off. In the first season, two sisters, Vi (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx/Powder (voiced by Ella Purnell) end up on different sides of a war between the poor undercity, known as Zaun, and the wealth uppercity (Piltover). This connects with rise of Jayce Talis (voiced by Kevin Alejandro), who tries to control magic with the help of Viktor (voiced by Harry Lloyd). All the while, Jinx begins working with Silco (voiced by Jason Spisak) and officer Caitlyn Kiramman (voiced by Katie Leung), who is tasked by Jayce, with help from undercity fighter Ekko (voiced by Reed Shannon), with tracking down Vi. In the process, Jayce’s control over the council grows. Vi and Caitlyn are drawn romantically closer to one another. Vi and Jinx remain at odds.
This series continues with a beautiful bend of hand-drawn and computer-generated animation. This fits with the uppercity’s steampunk feel and well-known voice actors. Imagine Dragons comes back with the same opening theme. Luckily, this is balanced out with the harrowing aftermath of Jinx’s attack on the Piltover council which ended season one. There’s tension between Vi and Caitlyn. Viktor is trapped inside a living substance. Vi and Caitlyn agree to be “Piltover’s Finest” together. All the while, Jinx is left alone, as the strike force of Enforcers goes into the undercity. The series features the on-and-off relationship between Vi and Cait, including their break-up and Cait shacking it up with another woman (Maddie Nolen). Vi and Cait get back together, have sex within a prison cell, and Jinx and Ekko try to reconnect after Ekko’s trans-dimensional journey.
A largely-circulated spreadsheet in which people anonymously described their conditions in animation studios, does not mention the French studio Fortiche, which did the work on the series, under supervision of Riot Games. On Glassdoor, some praised the comfortable work culture, no work crunch but noted the challenges at getting raises, and complicated communication after the studio took on the project of animating Arcane. The studio also got high marks for diversity and inclusion. On the other hand, Riot Games has previously been accused of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment. Apart from that, the series had a high price tag: over $150-200 million according to one report. After watching the second, and final season, it is completely worth it. Few series, these days, center lesbian characters, and Black women, like Arcane.
13. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft – Streaming on Netflix
This series is a late entry. I added it in early September. In my newsletter, which I released around the time, I welcomed the series, produced by Powerhouse Studios, because I was reminded of the recent Carmen Sandiego series. I noted that it “may feature Lara Croft in a lesbian relationship,” which the series teaser hinted. The series released on the streaming service on October 10th with a bang. Netflix Animation produced it, along with Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld (entry #17) and Twilight of the Gods. Before September, I’d only heard about Lara Croft very tangentially. Television writer Tasha Huo developed this action-adventure series. Hayley Atwell, who previously voiced Zadra in 3Below: Tales of Arcadia and voiced Agent Carter in What If…? (she also played the character in her live action version, too), voices the protagonist.
The first episode begins with Lara Croft’s backstory and connection to her mentor-of-sorts, Conrad Roth (voiced by Nolan North). They try to retrieve an artifact back that her father, Richard, had attempted to acquire. She almost dies in the process. Despite the warnings, in the form of cave markings, communicating the bad effects of taking it, she takes it anyway. Three years later, she is still processing Roth’s death and has traumatic flashbacks to his death. A Black woman named Joslin Reyes (voiced by Mara Juot) blames her for Roth’s death, while Sam Nishimura (voiced by Karen Fukuhara) stays by her side. A mysterious man, named Charles Devereaux (voiced by Richard Armitage) steals the aforementioned artifact. He conducts his theft during an auction when Lara tries to sell all her father’s possessions.
Lara goes on a quest to track him down, bringing her to China. She’s helped by her Black male friends Jonah (voiced by Earl Baylon), and Zip, a tech expert, voiced by Allen Maldonado. Jonah later assists her when she tries to find missing children. Both face a fox spirit. She also is crushed on by a Chinese woman named Biyu (voiced by Stephanie Sheh) in the second episode. In the fourth episode she breaks into the apartment of her childhood friend, Camilla Roth (voiced by Zoe Boyle). Previously, she’d broken into the compound of Turkish mobster Elvan Kaya. While Camila and Lara only go on an adventure together for one episode, they have a deep connection. Lara ultimately restores balance to the world and turns artifacts within her family’s mansion over to a local museum. Other well-known voice actors lent their voices to this series, like Vanessa Marshall.
12. Static Shock – Streaming on Max
Choosing the twelfth entry on this list was a challenge. Originally I had Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, a series which holds up even though it aired over ten years ago, in this spot. However, I decided to choose Static Shock instead. It’s one of the only animated series centering on Black superheroes. Other examples include Vixen, Black Panther, The Brown Hornet (spinoff), Superstretch and Microwoman (segment), Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (see entry #4). Although the series ended about twenty years ago, it remains relevant today, with episodes focusing on racism, homelessness, bullying, and self-worth.
Static Shock‘s popularity was a boon for series creator Dwayne G. McDuffie. He would write for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Some credited McDuffie with diversifying the Justice League, in the DC Animated Universe, by including female and Black characters. Undoubtedly Static Shock set the groundwork for diversity in superhero series like Young Justice and Harley Quinn. One co-creator, Denys Cowan, would later produce The Boondocks.
Phil LaMarr voiced titular superhero, Static Shock, also known as Virgil Hawkins (when not a superhero). In later years, he’d be known for many other voice roles. This included John Stewart/Green Lantern in Justice League, Michael in The Proud Family, Samurai Jack in Samurai Jack, Aquaman in Young Justice, Bail Organa throughout Star Wars animated series, and Sky Gunderson in Disenchantment. These are only some of his many voice roles since he began voice acting in 1983.
11. The Batman – Streaming on Max
This classic series pulled me in because of its feel, falling into the superhero and detective genres. Perhaps I also stayed with it because one co-developer is Duane Capizzi. I am very familiar with his recent work showrunning Carmen Sandiego! The Batman features well-known talented voice actors, like Rino Romano (voicing Batman/Bruce Wayne), Alastair Duncan (voicing Wayne manor butler Alfred Pennyworth), Ming-Na Wen (voicing police detective Ellen Yin), Dan Castellaneta (voicing Scarface), and Kevin Michael Richardson (voicing the Joker). This makes the series stronger, even though its filled with copaganda.
Romano prominently voiced Tuxedo Mask in the 1990s dub of Sailor Moon. Duncan played DS Peter Livingstone in the Scottish program Taggart. Wen voiced Dr. Hirano in Phineas and Ferb, Fennec Shand in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and Carroll in Velma. Castellaneta is best known for voicing Homer Simpson and many other characters in The Simpsons, along with the Robot Devil in Futurama. Richardson voiced many characters in The Proud Family (Doctor Payne), Young Justice, and Futurama (officer URL). Other voice actors make this series shine, like Tom Kenny, who voices Penguin, Clancy Brown, who voices Mr. Freeze, and Patrick Warburton, who voices Cash Tankenson.
This series is unique, with use of shadows, fitting with characters like Penguin. The Riddler (voiced by Robert Englund), Firefly (voiced by Jason Marsden), Mr. Freeze, anti-masked figures (including Batman) police chief Angel Rojas (voiced by Jesse Corti), Cash Tankenson, and Commissioner Gordon (voiced by Mitch Pileggi) also appear. The first two seasons focus on tension between Batman and the police, unlike other adaptations, and feature detective Ellen Yin and a Black male detective, Bennett (voiced by Steven Harris). The latter becomes Clayface after Joker exposes him to a certain chemical. The third and fourth seasons introduce Batgirl/Barbara Gordon, Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley, Robin, an evil A.I., deranged psychologist Doctor Hugo Strange, and Martian Manhunter. While the series became more kid-centric, with Yin never appearing after season two, it remained engaging through seasons three and four. The series grew on me more as it continued.
10. Superman: The Animated Series – Streaming on Max
This classic series, part of the Timmverse, like Static Shock, is a different take on Superman in comparison with My Adventures with Superman (entry #5 on this list). In this series, Brainiac is evil and power-hungry. He did not destroy Krypton, but something else within the planet caused its destruction. Instead of saving the planet’s doomed residents, Brainiac only cared about himself. He left everyone to die, infuriating Superman’s birth father. Superman, like in other media, survives in a rocket launched from Krypton, which lands on Earth.
While Lois still gives Superman his name, based on her knowledge of Friedrich Nietzsche’s concept, Übermensch, he is not all-powerful. He only has a certain amount of strength and can be weakened through various means. Even though has more strength and abilities than an average human, he is not invincible by any means. Unlike My Adventures with Superman, when the first season ends, the only one who deduces that Clark Kent and Superman (also called Kal-El) are the same is his ex-girlfriend Lana Lang. She becomes romantically engaged to Lex Luthor. Lois Lane doesn’t realize it despite the obvious hints!
I can see lots of parallels between this series and My Adventures with Superman. Lois is a fearless reporter, but is constantly saved by Superman. One underutilized character I enjoyed is Livewire. She has a punk and rock nature, due to her previous job as a loudmouth shock jock named Leslie Willis. She establishes her boundaries toward Parasite in the 10th episode of the second season, which he continually violates. This differs from depictions of Livewire in My Adventures with Superman, Young Justice, DC Super Hero Girls, and Harley Quinn. In this series Lori Petty voices her. Petty also voices her in The New Batman Adventures crossover episode “Girls’ Night Out.” Petty is known, most recently, for voicing various characters in Danger & Eggs and portraying Sarah (The Conductor) in Station Eleven.
9. “Batman: The Animated Series – Streaming on Max and Prime Video”
This classic series is part of the Timmverse, like Static Shock, Superman: The Animated Series, and Batman Beyond. It has a feel which seems reminiscent of the 1940s or 1950s. While it falls into the good/evil dichotomy, and portrays the cops as “good guys,” it covers issues like human experimentation, worker exploitation by greedy executives, too-good-to-be-true miracle products, false advertising, and organized crime. In fact, sometimes Batman does not even free those affected. He wants them to be remorseful. He does this to a CEO, in one episode. At other times, he saves despicable people and kidnaps others. He even tests dangerous chemicals on animals without a second thought.
The series, which originally aired from 1992 to 1995, differs from other depictions of Batman/Bruce Wayne, whether in Batman: Caped Crusader, Justice League x RWBY crossover films, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, or Harley Quinn. It shares some characters and features the romance between Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy) and Selina Kyle/Catwoman (voiced by Adrienne Barbeau). The series introduces characters like Clayface (voiced by Ron Perlman) in a two-part episode. Batman engages in some morally grey actions, including almost drowning a suspect to get information. Commissioner Gordon, Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy, Joker, officer Renee Montoya, Two Face/Harvey Dent, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Penguin, Killer Croc, Jervis Tetch/”Mad Hater”, Wormwood/The Interrogator, and the Clock King are also featured. Through it all, Alfred acts like a father to Bruce.
Social commentary continues in the twenty-episode second season. It builds upon the sixty-five-episode first season (strangely divided by Prime Video), with a focus on gentrification, police corruption, corporate crimes, environmental destruction, poverty, homelessness, dreams, mind control, repressed memories, cults, film preservation, virtual reality, copyright, artificial intelligence, and sexism. The season features Barbara Gordon again as Batgirl, along with Killer Croc, Harvey Bullock, prison breakouts, roughing up/terrorizing witnesses (Batman does this), trial of Batman by villains, prison abuse, references to Indiana Jones, Harley Quinn, Rupert Thorne, Two-Face, and Bane. Funny enough, Batman: Caped Crusader reverses this, with Bullock as a dirty cop. In this series, he’s a “clean” cop.
8. Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated – Streaming on Max
If you are tired of Velma’s antics and feel it is mediocre, but don’t want to watch the live-action movies or older animated series, and like to laugh, then this show is for you! In fact, instead of watching Velma season two, I decided to watch this series instead. There’s Fred Jones, the trap-obsessed man, the very intelligent Velma Dinkley, the danger prone (but enthusiastic) Daphne Blake, the slackish Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, and the animal companion of Shaggy: Scooby-Doo. While Frank Welker voices Fred and Scooby-Doo, Mindy Cohn voices Velma, Grey DeLisle voices Daphne, and Matthew Lillard voices Shaggy.
While there are squabbles between group members during the show’s first season, partially due to Velma and Shaggy’s breakup, since he choose his dog (Shaggy) over her, it doesn’t compare to the messiness in Velma. Additionally, the series isn’t as “adult” as Velma. It appeals to young adults through characters and topics depicted (even as it is rated TV-Y7). People dress up as monsters to get back at companies which stole from them, coworkers who demeaned them, and employees who feel second-best. Other episodes focus on environmental destruction, family tensions, corporate exploitation, and corrupt protesters. The characters attend high school and are, more often than not, a tight-knit friend group. Fred and Daphne have an on-and-off relationship throughout the first season. By the first season’s end, their relationship has significantly strengthened.
The first season ends with a mystery which threatens to take down all of Crystal Cove, coupling with strange supernatural phenomena. It is revealed that Angel Dynamite is named Cassidy Williams. She’s working with Mr. E, an original Mystery Incorporated member. They build up to Velma’s identity as a lesbian woman, with her rivalry with Marcie/”Hot Dog Water” and saying she no longer has feelings for Shaggy. The biggest reveal is that Mayor Jones was the “freak of Crystal Cove”! The second season begins with Mystery Incorporated split apart. New mayor Janet Neddles aims to get them back together. All of them, but Daphne, decide to work together. Later, Daphne rejoins the gang. Marcie is booted from the group since she was only Daphne’s replacement. Throughout the season, the protagonists battle an evil parrot named Pericles trying to steal a treasure hidden by the conquistadors.
7. Batman: Caped Crusader – Streaming on PrimeVideo
This series was a late entry. I watched it while cutting down my streaming service subscriptions. It is a superhero noir re-imagining of Batman’s story, and by Bruce Timm, who has developed many other DC Universe series, like Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. The latter comprise many of this list’s entries. J.J. Abrams and seven others are executive producers. There’s more to the series than that. The first episode begins with Penguin torturing someone. Batman beats up some ner-do-wells before the warehouse he’s near explodes.
Batman tries to uncover who declared war on Rupert Thorne. He starts at police headquarters, believing there’s corruption inside the department. He breaks into a locked cabinet to find the files he’s looking for, and treats witnesses harshly, like in Batman: The Animated Series. The voice actors shine, including Hamish Linklater as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Jason Watkins as Wayne family butler Alfred Pennyworth, Minne Driver as Penguin, Kyrstal Joy Brown as public defender Barbara Gordon, Dietrich Bader as policeman Harvey Dent, Eric Morgan Stuart as Commissioner Gordon, Michelle C. Bonilla as Renee Montoya, John DiMaggio as Detective Bullock, Bumper Robinson as Lucius Fox, Cristina Ricci as Catwoman, Jamie Chung as Harleen Quinzel, Gary Anthony Williams as Detective Flass, and Cedric Yarborugh as Rupert Thorne. Unlike other depictions, Barbara and the Commissioner are brown-skinned characters, along with Renee, Flass, Lucius, Harleen, and Yvonne Francis.
I was familiar with Brown who voiced Netossa in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. DiMaggio voiced Jake the Dog. Williams voiced Beta in Hailey’s On It!. Bader voiced Stan the Guard in Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure. Jung voiced Black Canary in Justice League x RWBY Part 1. Robinson voiced Dwight Conrad in Futurama. [1] This series has explosions, blood, death, kidnapping, alcohol use, arson, and repressed trauma. At one point, Bruce punches a man for insulting his parents. In another episode, Bruce purposely offers Montoya a bribe to make sure she’s incorruptible. There’s also audio surveillance, Batman \/Catwoman romance, police trying to track down Batman, wealthy getting off for crimes, shootouts, carnivals, psychiatrists, and crooked cops. [2] Unlike other series, Renee is romantically involved with Harleen, setting up interesting dynamics, until she “dies” and becomes Harley Quinn. In a second season, Renee and Barbara might get together.
6. Hazbin Hotel – Streaming on Prime Video
Hazbin Hotel premiered on January 19th, with a four-episode drop. It’s a mature animated series by bisexual Salvadoran-American animator Vivienne Medrano. It began as an indie animation pilot in October 2019 and garnered over 110 million views. Spindle Horse worked with A24, Bento Box Entertainment, and Amazon MGM Studios to develop the pilot into a full-fledged animated series. Hazbin Hotel features mature themes such as murder, sex, pornography, and sexual assault. The series received a lot of social media attention, for good (among fans and critics) and for bad (among haters). Through it all, this focus influenced Amazon to give the series a second season.
It’s hard to summarize all eight episodes in one paragraph. The series follows a princess of Hell named Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Erika Henningsen) assisted by her girlfriend Vaggie (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) in running a hotel in hell to rehabilitate/redeem sinners. As Hazbin Hotel goes on, a chosen family of characters, whether pornstars like Angel, evil demons like Alastor, and snake-people like Sir Pentious become the hotel’s guests. They are joined by Charlie, Vaggie, and other staff like bartender Husk, and housekeeper Niffty. This series excels when it comes to animation and music. It falters in some writing choices and being far too short (and compacted).
I hope that the next season will expand on the first season’s themes and is stronger than the first. It may include storylines involving Heaven trying to get revenge for what happens in the season one finale. Otherwise, some fans have also compared the Charlie/Vaggie (shipped as “Chaggie”) ship to more established ships like Bubbline (Marceline the Vampire Queen/Princess Bubblegum) in Adventure Time, and Lumity (Luz Noceda/Amity Blight) in The Owl House, saying it doesn’t have the drawn-out angst, drama, or miscommunication of those ships. This claim, and the fact that they are happy, established, and happy together could be why some called them “boring,” and without drama (generally) drawing them apart. Surely, their relationship had characteristics of fluff, but is that a bad thing? No, it is not.
5. My Adventures with Superman – Streaming on Max
This series came out with a bang on May 26th. I’d been looking forward to this series as much as Arcane‘s second season. The series throws the viewer into the action, with two episodes releasing the same day. The first episode is set on Valentine’s Day. Clark thinks how how he can do something romantic for Lois. They investigate a story about a mysterious asteroid (actually a spaceship). Clark meets his father, again. He learns about the Krypton Empire’s imperialist actions and that he isn’t alone: he has a sister named Kara, also known as Supergirl. At the end of the episode, he and Lois have a romantic moment together. In the second episode, Lois and Clark go to a prison and uncover what’s going on, and work to save Lois’s dad, The General. They foil plans of Task Force X leader Amanda Waller.
This season is stronger than the first, with more emphasis on the romance between Lois and Clark, additional enemies Clark has to fight (like Lex Luthor) as Superman, unethical human experimentation, robots, and continued threat from Waller. Clark’s nightmares about Krypton, and there’s family schisms, anti-superhero sentiment, Kara/Supergirl learning her role in subjugating people on other planet, and Brainiac mind controls Superman. Many of the voice actors were familiar, like Jack Quaid, Kari Wahlgren, Zehra Fazal, Lucas Grabeel, and Debra Wilson. They are known for their work on Star Trek: Lower Decks, Kim Possible, Sym-Bionic Titan, Young Justice, Carmen Sandiego, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, Craig of the Creek, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Glitch Techs, Elena of Avalor, Spirit Riding Free, and The Owl House.
The animation, music, backgrounds, voice acting, and story are strong points of this series. They make you want to watch more. The third season, already ordered, will likely come out next year. I look forward to what that season has to offer, and hope that it isn’t the final season. The only way that is possible is if executives support the crew and cast of the story, allowing them to continue the series. Hopefully that is the case going forward.
4. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur – Streaming on Disney+
The second season started with a bang, on February 3rd, with all fourteen episodes dropping. Like last year, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur vibed with me more than any other series. In my list of favorite animated series last year, I praised the diverse cast, cool fight scenes, superb animation, and centrality of representation, including LGBTQ+ characters. Also, while Lunella Lafayette has no special abilities, her brains are her superpowers. This season takes a darker turn than anything in season one, even without aging up the characters.
In part one of the show’s second season, which aired in February 2024, Lunella (voiced by Diamond White) goes through an interdimensional gateway with the Beyonder, and is almost killed by Molecule Man (voiced by Edward James Olmos). This leads to trauma sticking with her throughout the season. Although it could be said that her trauma is dealt with too quickly, it is also possible that the series writers wanted to avoid the entire season of Lunella dealing with her trauma as Moon Girl and as her regular self. Perhaps they wanted to portray how she was pushing down this trauma, building upon horrifying events in season one.
The first part ends on a cliffhanger putting into question whether she will remain as Moon Girl. As such, I heartily look forward to where the series goes from here. I hope that Disney doesn’t give the series the Hailey’s On It! treatment and renews it for another season. There were reports in October that the series would not be renewed for a third season, with the second season’s second part to be released in 2025. Cancellation of this series would be an utter tragedy.
3. The Legend of Korra – Streaming on Netflix and Paramount+
Some time ago, I watched The Legend of Korra when I subscribed to Paramount+. More recently, I decided to buy a physical copy of this animated sequel to ATLA (see entry #2). Like that series, this animation combines the action, adventure, drama, and fantasy genres. However, it encompasses one more genre: steampunk. ATLA’s creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, also produced this series. Unlike ATLA, a female character is at the center: Korra (voiced by Janet Varney). She faces political and spiritual turmoil as the world continues to modernize, confronting challenges along the way, and incurs personal trauma in the process.
Apart from addressing issues like terrorism and social unrest, Korra also pushed boundaries when it came to issues of sexual orientation, gender, and race. Unlike ATLA, it opened the doors for improvement in LGBTQ+ representation in children’s television programming when it depicted a burgeoning same-sex romance between Asami Sato (voiced by Seychelle Gabriel) and Korra, as hinted in the series finale. The latter relationship began a major part of canon comics like Legend of Korra: Turf Wars. This representation later manifested in Steven Universe, RWBY (especially Volume 9), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Nomad of Nowhere, and many others.
I enjoyed how gutsy Korra is. In the first episode, she disobeys those who want her to stay in the South Pole, and decides to come to Republic City, believing is the right thing to do. In later episodes, she remains anti-authority, impulsive, and emotional, and connects to the spirits (eventually). She clashes with Asami, at first, after she begins dating a boy she likes (Mako). Asami becomes a good friend, even after Asami’s father is exposed as crooked in Season/Book One. Later seasons are about Korra connecting with the spirits (Book Two), positive and negative impacts of harmonic convergence (Book Three), and trauma/fighting her inner demons (Book Four). On the negative side, like ATLA, revolutionaries are often painted negatively. Zaheer and his acolytes fight oppressive governments by killing world leaders in Book Three. Other leaders are shown to be feckless or ineffective.
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Streaming on Netflix and Paramount+
Recently, I purchased the box set of this classic action-adventure, comedy, and fantasy series, also known as ATLA. At the same time, I refused to watch Netflix’s unnecessary live-action adaptation. ATLA begins with Katara and Sokka, voiced by Mae Whitman and Jack DeSena. They find Aang (voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen), a magic-wielder named the “Avatar” who can use all the elements (earth, water, fire, and air). He froze himself in ice for a thousand years (with his flying bison Appa) partly because he felt pressured into a role which he did not choose. As a result, the Fire Nation moved ahead in conquering the entire world, leading to destruction, death, and suffering. The first season involves Katara, Sokka, and Aang on run from Zuko and Iroh, voiced by Dante Basco, Mako (seasons 1-2), and Greg Baldwin (season 3) respectfully.
Camaraderie between Aang, Sokka and Katara drives the first season. It improves when a blind earthbender named Toph (voiced by Michaela Jill Murphy) joins them in the second season. Since the series released, Murphy (whose stage name is Jessie Flower) has not voiced such a prominent protagonist. Her humor mixes with the antics of Aang, Sokka and Katara, who can be bratty sometimes, while Azula (voiced by Grey DeLisle), and her sisters, Mai and Ty, chase them. In the final season, Zuko becomes Aang’s firebending teacher. Aang wrestles with the fact he may have to kill the Fire Lord (Ozai). This series opened the door for other youth entertainment. For instance, Steven Universe and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. also focused on imperialism, indoctrination, free choice, sexism, war, and genocide.
This series undoubtedly influenced others in the years to follow. In fact, there are some similarities with characters like Meiyin in entry #1 (Ark: The Animated Series). Unfortunately, ATLA does not feature any LGBTQ+ characters. Even so, this has not stopped fans from shipping Katara and Toph (Katoph), even though this conflicts with the canonized ship known as Kataang (Aang and Katara). While some ships, such as Katara/Zuko (Zutura) are questionable, others are based upon canon events, such as Rozin (Roku and Sozin), and Zukka (Zuko and Sokka), or would invalidate canon relationships, like between Sokka and Suki.
1. Ark: The Animated Series [Part 1] – Streaming on Paramount+
This oft-ignored mature animated series, by Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, began with a 47-minute episode. It’s based on the video game Ark: Survival Evolved, also by Stieglitz and Rapczak. The show begins with a focus on 21st-century Aboriginal paleontologist Helena Walker (voiced by Madeleine Madden). She’s mentally destroyed when her beloved wife, Victoria (voiced by Elliot Page), dies. In what somewhat resembles an isekai, she washes ashore, after escaping a dinosaur which tries to eat her, to a mysterious island. She meets a man named Bob (voiced by Keith Urban). She’s forced to survive, make new allies, and avoid being killed (she almost dies in the first episode!). All the while she tries to figure out what this land, known as “the ARK,” is really all about. The music score, by Gareth Coker, serves as a driving force for the series.
Queerness is integral. Series writer Marguerite Bennett previously won awards for LGBTQ+ characters and stories in various comics. Victoria is the first character Page has voiced since he came out as a trans man in December 2020, and his first-ever major voice role. Devery Jacobs, who voices an Inuit teen named Alaise, is a queer woman. Otherwise, Helena often clashes with those who aim to oppress others, like Edmund Rockwell, Octavia, and General Nerva. Trauma is forced upon on her through death and spilled blood. She allies with a Chinese woman named Meiyin Li (voiced by Michelle Yaoh) and a Lakota man, Thunder Comes Charging “John” (voiced by Zahn McClarnon). She becomes a revolutionary fighter (like Meiyin) and bonds romantically closer with Meiyin. In a touching moment, they kiss one another in the sixth episode, after she rescues Meiyin.
Fighting for what is right, and sovereignty of Indigenous people, is central. Helena’s voice actor, Madden, delivered a speech in 2010, at age 13, on the future of Aboriginal Australians. She is also Aboriginal, herself. Jacobs is a Mohawk. Deborah Mailman, who voices Helena’s mother, is part Aboriginal and Maori. Zahn McClarnon, who voices John, is a Hunkpapa Lakota man. This series has a star-studded cast, featuring many well-known actors, either voicing Ancient Roman, Inuit, Lakota, Viking, Australian, Chinese, and American (Revolutionary-era) characters. Diversity is key here. This is soured by Monica Bellucci, who voices Cassia Virila, signing a petition supporting the despicable Roman Polanski. Additionally, one woman, Asta Jonasson, accused executive producer Vin Diesel of sexual assault.
Runners-Up
There are some series which are runners-up for this list. This includes a continuation of X-Men: Animated Series entitled X-Men ’97, and a very queer Australian mini-series based on a podcast entitled Starship Q Star, centered around an all-woman and nonbinary crew. The latter is trying to get a pilot and a full series. In contrast, X-Men ’97 has more diversity and harps a 1990s style. It isn’t an unchallenging queer comedy like Starship Q Star. X-Men ’97 reminds me of Justice League Unlimited, Justice League, and Static Shock. The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks is another runner-up. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tendi begins as a space pirate; Boimler, Rutherford, T’Lyn, and Mariner spend time on the USS Cerritos. Through it all, Mariner tried to figure how to be a leader. She’s faced by her own time-rift clone and various challenges.
James Gunn’ Creature Commandos is another runner-up. This series is based on DC Comics, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios, and centers on Amanda Waller’s black ops team of monsters, with Gunn writing all seven episodes. Yves “Balak” Bigerel was supervising director. It features Steve Agee, Maria Bakalova, Anya Chalotra, Zoë Chao, Frank Grillo, Sean Gunn, David Harbour, Alan Tudyk, Indira Varma, and Viola Davis as voice actors. They are known for voicing characters in Twelve Forever, What If…?, Q-Force, Young Justice, Harley Quinn, and Ark: The Animated Series, and The Legend of Vox Machina. One of my favorite characters is G.I. Robot, whose sole duty is to kill Nazis, which got him thrown in prison.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is another runner-up. The first season aired from May to August 2021, the second season from January to March 2023, and third season from February to May of this year. Surely, it did not have animation above none, thanks to animation by Cinesite and Disney animation studios, like Iwájú. Additionally, The Bad Batch wasn’t inspired by animation styles from Africa, Western countries, and East Asia. Nor was advanced technology an important part of the series like in Tron: Uprising. Even so, it remained enjoyable in its own way and opened the door to possibly continuing stories of the characters in another series in the future.
Other runner-ups are the indie animations Monkey Wrench and Helluva Boss, and the pilot Godspeed (by Final Space creator Olan Rogers). I never got around to watching Dream Productions (a spinoff from the Inside Out films) or Asterix. Before this publication, Battu, Lackadaisy (full series) did not release, nor did the pilot of Far-Fetched. Also, Moana 2, originally planned as an animated series, released as a film in November 2024, to much fanfare. Next year will see the premieres of Iyanu: Child of Wonder, Lackadaisy, a new animated TV adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Part 2 of Ark: The Animated Series, and many others.
Notes
[1] Kimberly Brooks, Tom Kenny, Grey DeLisle, and SungWon Cho, and Noshir Dalal were also familiar.
[2] One of the most powerful scenes is in the final episode when Batman picks up a gun, firing it at one of the crooked cops, and likely disgusted with himself, he throws it into the water.
