The Most Unforgettable '80s Cartoons
- 1September 17, 1984
Inspired by Japanese toyline Microman, Hasbro's second attempt at a product-based television show (after G.I. Joe) was even more successful. Alien robots fighting each other was a no-brainer and the popularity of the Autobots and Decepticons was immense upon release. To this day, the franchise remains in the mainstream.
- 2December 28, 1987
One of the most popular animated series in television history, the series launched the merch boom of the Ninja Turtles in the late 80s. The show follows Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Rafael as they battle Shredder, Krang, and other bad guys. Interestingly, though the show started off lively with inept villains, the last three seasons of the cartoon were notably darker and more mature and the action was turned up several notches.
- 3September 5, 1983
Prince Adam, through the Sword of Power, transforms into He-Man and is endowed with magical powers. Along with his closest ally Battle Cat, He-Man must defend Eternia from the evil Skeletor. The wildly successful show spawned the spin-off She-Ra: Princess of Power.
- 4January 23, 1985
After the ThunderCats flee their dying home planet, they reach Third Earth and establish a lair. When the Mutants follow them there, they must fight them off to ensure their survival as well as the safety of Third Earth. Several comic series and video games were made based on the show, contributing to its lasting popularity.
- 5September 18, 1987
Scrooge McDuck and his grandnephews go treasure hunting (after Donald enlists in the Navy) in this classic Disney show. The popularity of DuckTales can be attributed partially to its homages to classic stories and popular culture, as they parodied Shakespeare, Indiana Jones, Sherlock Holmes, and more.
- 6September 12, 1983
In the early 1980s, Marvel Productions was commissioned to produce commercials for the G.I. Joe Marvel Comics series. The subsequent popularity of those commercials led to the "The M.A.S.S. Device" special and later G.I. Joe was promoted to a full television series.
- 7October 11, 1960
Essentially just a compilation of classic shorts, The Bugs Bunny Show was still insanely popular in the 1980s. The rights for these old cartoons was shuffled around between stations as well as merged with other popular characters to make blocks like The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show and The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show.
- 8September 10, 1983
Cyborg police inspector Inspector Gadget tries his best to foil the schemes of M.A.D., a crime organization whose acronym stands for “Mean And Dirty.” Though he's equipped with dozens of gadgets, the poor inspector is generally incompetent.
- 9September 12, 1981
The Smurfs became one of NBC's most successful and long-running animated series, even winning an Emmy in 1983. The cartoon observes the community of Smurf Village as they fight against the evil Gargamel.
- 10March 4, 1989
Detectives Chip and Dale investigate crimes through their detective agency named Rescue Rangers. These crimes were often deemed too small for the regular police and involved animal clients.
- 11December 17, 1989
Premiering in the very last month of the decade, The Simpsons is now a staple in animation and the longest running American sitcom of all time. Following the mishaps of the Simpson family, the show serves as a time capsule of mainstream American pop culture.
- 12September 13, 1986
Due to a title dispute, “The Real” was added to the original title of just Ghostbusters. A spin-off of the popular movie, the show continued the adventures of the foursome as well as secretary Janine and Slimer.
- 13September 17, 1988
This animated adaptation of the iconic comic strip featured Garfield, Jon, and Odie along with Sheldon, Orson, Wade, and Booker. Each episode was a new storyline independent of the source material.
- 14September 17, 1983
Already being a popular entity, The Chipmunks were enlisted for their own show. Running eight seasons, the series is a follow-up to The Alvin Show and introduced the world to The Chipettes.
- 15September 14, 1985
When Cavin the human stumbles upon the Gummi Bear race, a series of events is thrown into motion. Following the exploits of six Gummi Bears including Zummi, Gruffi, Grammi, Tummi, Sunni, and Cubbi, the magical medieval series spearheaded the iconic style of Disney animation that followed.
- 16September 10, 1984
The premise of Voltron summed up is that five robot lions controlled by individual pilots can come together to form Voltron. Some might not know that this series is actually an adaptation of Japanese series Beast King Go-Lion, which was edited and dubbed over.
- 17September 12, 1981
Comic book legend Stan Lee had a huge hand in the creative direction of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, which saw Spider-Man, Iceman, and Firestar team up to fight bad guys. New character Firestar, who stood in for the Human Torch due to copyright issues, became so popular that she is now a part of the mainstream Marvel Universe.
- 18September 15, 1984
Similar in concept to Baby Looney Tunes, Muppet Babies follows everyone's favorite muppets but in nursery form. The creative series incorporates hand-drawn and live-action backgrounds to bring to life the imaginary escapades of the group.
- 19February 14, 1985
Living in the clouds in the Kingdom of Caring, The Care Bears spread their message of joy and caring around the world. They also seek to avoid the evil Professor Coldheart.
- 20September 17, 1983
After taking a magical ride on an amusement park roller coaster, six friends are transported to the world of Dungeons & Dragons. The group is primarily trying to find their way home, but of course side quests mean detours and more adventures as they battle against powerful evil wizard Venger.
- 21September 8, 1973In the realm of classic animated television, one show stands out as a nostalgic tribute to the superhero genre. Super Friends, an iconic series that ran from the 1970s to the 1980s, brought together a team of DC Comics' most beloved heroes, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. With its distinctive animation style and engaging storylines, the series garnered a dedicated fan base and earned a place in pop culture history. The show's memorable characters, such as Batman (voiced by Olan Soule) and Robin (Casey Kasem), tackled various challenges, often with the help of their trusty sidekicks. Notably recognized for its impact on the superhero genre, Super Friends remains a cherished piece of entertainment history.
- 22September 9, 1985She-Ra: Princess of Power is an animated series that premiered on September 9, 1985, and became a pop culture icon of the era. The show follows the adventures of Princess Adora, twin sister to Prince Adam/He-Man, as she transforms into the eponymous heroine She-Ra and leads a group of rebels in the fight to free the planet Etheria from the tyrannical rule of Hordak and his Evil Horde. The primary themes include empowerment, friendship, and the battle between good and evil. The series was notable for being one of the first action-oriented animated shows aimed at a young female audience, offering a strong female protagonist in a genre typically dominated by male characters.
- 23September 16, 1985The group M.A.S.K. consists of many secret agents and is tasked with protecting the earth from evil.
- 24October 4, 1980Heathcliff is an animated TV series that debuted on October 4, 1980. It was the first series based on the Heathcliff comic strip and was produced by Ruby-Spears Productions. It ran until September 18, 1982 with a total of 26 episodes, under two different names.
- 25September 15, 1984Snorks is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera which ran on NBC from September 15, 1984, to May 13, 1989. Although not as popular as the animated series The Smurfs, the program continued to be available in syndication from 1986 to 1989 as part of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera 's 3rd season, on USA Network in the late 1980s and early 1990s, on the BBC in the late 1990s, and from 2009 to 2011 and again from time to time on Cartoon Network's sister channel Boomerang.
- 26
Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats
September 5, 1984The adventures of the cartoon cat Heathcliff and his friends. - The Scooby & Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour is a 60-minute package show co-produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Ruby-Spears in 1982. The show premiered September 25, 1982 and ran on ABC as part of its Saturday morning schedule for the 1982-1983 season. It contained the following segments: Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo: Scooby-Doo, Scrappy-Doo and Shaggy Rogers travel across the country as the "Fearless Detective Agency" and get involved in typical spy or criminal cases. Scrappy and Yabba-Doo: Scrappy-Doo's adventures with his uncle Yabba-Doo and Deputy Dusty in the wild west. The Puppy's New Adventures: Featuring the adventures of Petey the Puppy and his friends Dash, Dolly, Duke, and Lucky. The first half-hour consisted of three 7-minute shorts of Scooby and Scrappy-Doo and Scrappy and Yabba-Doo, with a 30-minute episode of The Puppy's New Adventures in the second half-hour. The Scooby/Scrappy-related shorts were written and voiced at Hanna-Barbera Productions, but animated and edited by Ruby-Spears Enterprises.
- 28September 10, 1988Embark on a whimsical journey to the Hundred Acre Wood with The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, an animated series that captures the hearts of young and old. This delightful continuation of A.A. Milne's classic tales follows beloved characters Pooh Bear, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, Eeyore, Christopher Robin, and more as they embark on endearing adventures. The classic characters learn valuable life lessons about friendship, honesty, and bravery. The series threads together themes of camaraderie and problem-solving.
- 29September 28, 1981The greatest secret agent and his clumsy sidekick continue their fight against Baron Greenback.
- 30September 8, 1986Bionic policemen fight an escaped alien mob boss and his gang in space.
