“Since it is so likely that (children) will meet cruel enemies, let them
at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are
making their destiny not brighter but darker.” – C.S. Lewis
- Batman: The Animated Series: The definitive take on Batman for our generation, BTAS is a cornerstone of the cartoon world. It’s a sign of just how strong BTAS is, that 20+ years later the current DCU is still struggling under the expectations created by a kids’ TV show. Not only did BTAS feature the best Batman and the best Joker (especially impressive for a cartoon) but they also saved a number of villains (here’s to you Mr. Freeze) and they even created Harley Quinn just for the show and she is now a crucial part of DC’s comic, TV, and movie universes. It's an absolute classic- so much so that Batman's voice to me will always be Kevin Conroy.
- Phineas and Ferb: This is the reigning Champion for best children’s TV show that is also funny for adults. The key to such a high ranking is that it doesn’t stoop to the levels of most shows that also try to attract an adult audience. Unlike late 90’s and early 00’s Nickelodeon they didn’t think they were edgy for including jokes about sex and drugs that are designed to go over kids heads. They didn’t go negative, or “dark.” Phineas and Ferb was overwhelmingly positive, overwhelmingly clean, and absolutely hilarious. They did this by creating simplistic running jokes and then twisting and playing with them throughout the series which kept it from getting stale. It doesn’t have the bingeability of some other shows, but if you’ve only got 20 mins, this is a go-to.
- Naruto (Shippuden): At its peak it never reached the highs of even some of the shows below it on this list, but it ran FOREVER- over 600 episodes and counting- and it’s still bringing plotlines and battles that keep you watching “just one more” 7 or 8 times in a row. The number one gutsy ninja brings it every episode as it establishes a HUGE world of characters that you really care for.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender: Capitalizing on the success of Pokémon in the west and the growing popularity of anime, Avatar: The Last Air Bender is a show made in California in the style of Japanese animation. The beauty of Air Bender is how tight the writing is. Unlike the anime that spawned it, Air Bender knows exactly where it is going and tells a complete story in three 20 episode “books.” Avatar completely develops all of its main characters and is very self aware of the tropes it relies on.
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: While Clone Wars may not reach the highs of some other shows on this list, the fact that it was the first successful TV foray into the world of Star Wars carries a ton of weight. Clone Wars does more to develop the prequel characters than any of the movies. And perhaps most impressively, it makes Anakin Skywalker likeable while showing his slow progression to the dark side. In particular The Clone Wars shows the fall of the Jedi and shows how Darth Sidious used the War to corrupt and undermine the Jedi council. Before The Clone Wars, Anakin’s “From my point of view the Jedi are evil!” in Revenge of the Sith makes absolutely no sense coming from a man that just killed 200 children, but with the Clone Wars you can see how he came to that point. And it does it all while being a kids show that tells a good, unique story each episode and doesn’t require you to have watch the whole series in order.
- Yu Yu Hakesho: It’s fast moving, and the characters set it apart. Yuske, Hiei, Kurama, Kurabara- are all awesome. As Yuske takes on incrementally stronger spirits/demons, it just sucks you in. The tournament sequences were always a favorite, and the Toguro arc- wow! What it lacks in originality of plotlines, it more than makes up for in heart, awesome training montages, and lovable characters.
- Sword Art Online: Season 1 of this show might be top to bottom the best show ever. This is the Sandy Koufax of the list. In its prime, it’s untouchable- perfect. The fastest moving of all the anime on here, this show gets to the point, as it explores one of the coolest of all premises. Still, it went out in a blaze of glory- subsequent seasons weren’t nearly as good, and it just didn’t have the longevity that the other shows had.
- Dragon Ball (Z): Dragon Ball is AMAZING! Watching Goku grow up into the most recognizable anime character of all time was so much fun. Once again the highlights are really the world martial arts tournaments, but it’s the investment in Goku as Earth’s champion fighting any who would threaten it that gets you to buy in. The only downside to Dragon Ball and it’s slightly worse, but more famous Dragon Ball Z counterpart is how slow moving it is. With attacks taking whole episodes to “charge”, it has to take a back seat to others, but it’s still season upon season of highly entertaining fighting action.
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Massively underrated. Although it only had a short run, the writers made me truly care about the characters in a show that was designed solely to sell muscle-y action figures. And it did this while still delivering the spectacle you expect with a name like He-Man and a show all about how a normal dude gets a cool sword which gives him muscles and lets him ride a Tiger to fight an evil Skeleton King. While He-Man will never win any awards it was a very fun show to watch.
- Pokemon: The Indigo League: The west’s gateway to anime. This past year's love of Pokémon Go is only a taste of Pokémon’s power. The fact that Pikachu is still the most beloved monster in the Pokémon universe through its hundreds of iterations (26 main games, card games, Pokémon Snap, Pokémon Go, ect…) is a testament to how pervasive the Pokémon Anime is. Despite the fact that Ash and Pikachu are still going strong in the anime, every other series is just trying to capture the magic of that first run-when we were learning about the beauty and power of Pokémon right alongside Ash.
Honorable Mentions: Spider-Man, My Little Pony: The Magic of Friendship, Bleach, The Fairly Oddparents, X-Men, X-Men Evolution, One-Piece, The Simpsons
