Oh, the ’90s! What a glorious age to grow up in, especially if you’re an animation nerd like me! The decade is practically bursting with one great cartoon after another.
Below is a selection of 10+ of the most criminally underrated cartoons that the ’90s has to offer.
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Buckle-in for a heavy helping of nostalgia and prepare to feel like a kid again!
*Hey, Arnold!*.
Who could forget Hey, Arnold! . This lovable short man with a football-shaped head was an absolute delight to watch growing up.
Sure, the kid’s antics were all well and good, but it was Arnold’s grandpa who consistently stole the show.
*Doug*.
Doug was a more ‘grown-up’ cartoon than its contemporaries at the time. Every episode began in the exact same manner: “Dear journal…”
From there, hilarity was always in ample supply. Although it was incredibly popular for a while, Doug quickly (and unjustly) faded from memory.
*Rocko’s Modern Life*.
Rocko’s Modern Life was wild, adult-themed, and above all else – gross (but in the best way).
The show took a lot of influence from Ren and Stimpy , so if you’re a fan of theirs then Rocko is right up your alley.
*King Of The Hill*.
I will put the best seasons of King of the Hill up against the best seasons of The Simpsons any day of the week.
No disrespect to Matt Groening, who is a genius in his own right, but he doesn’t hold a candle to Mike Judge .
*Darkwing Duck*.
Apart from being one of the most undersung shows currently streaming on Disney Plus, Darkwing Duck has one of the most badass theme songs in the long and storied history of cartoons.
Give it a listen and see for yourself!
*X-Men*.
You could make the argument that without the X-Men cartoon, there’d be no MCU as we now know it.
For the time it was released, the cartoon was gritty, violent, and incredibly true to form. It still shines even to this day.
*Biker Mice From Mars*.
I am willing to bet that not many people will know about Biker Mice From Mars . Which is criminal to say because it’s probably one of the coolest shows on this list!
With a battle cry like “Ride free, citizens!”, how could it not be?
*Spider-Man (1994)*.
Speaking of shows that highly influenced their live-action counterparts, Spider-Man (1994) is one of the most important superhero cartoons ever created.
This was one of the first times we truly got to see the inner monologue of Peter Parker on full display, a trait that carries over to comics and film.
* The Animaniacs*.
I will be the first to admit that there are elements of The Animaniacs that have not aged particularly well. For instance, the phrase “Hello nurse!” would probably turn a few heads nowadays.
However, aside from their minor misogynistic indiscretions, it’s genius.
*Pinky And The Brain*.
Well, it certainly wouldn’t be fair to talk about The Animaniacs without giving Pinky and the Brain their due credit!
To this day when someone asks me “What do you want to do tonight?” my reply always is “The same thing we do every night , Pinky: try to take over the world!”
*Batman: The Animated Series*.
Creators Bruce Timm and Paul Dini turned the world upside down by painting light colors on black backgrounds (look it up, it’s a thing).
They also helped advance the Batman mythos, and even created the character of Harley Quinn !
*Tiny Toon Adventures*.
Speaking of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini…
Tiny Toon Adventures followed the hilarious growing pains of second-generation up-and-coming Looney Tunes characters, like Buster Bunny and Plucky Duck.
If you haven’t seen the feature film Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Summer Vacation , add it to your list!
*Futurama*.
For whatever reason, Futurama receives so little of the merit it deserves. I don’t care what anyone says: Bender is a pure comedic genius.
If you’re unfamiliar with the show, imagine The Simpsons in space, only better!
*Gargoyles*.
I had forgotten until recently just how epic this show truly was. You know those TV shows that aren’t really for kids, even though they’re marketed to them? That’s Gargoyles .
It was violent and even frightening at times; worth a re-watch and then some!
*Recess*.
Of the many cartoons that attempted to capture what school life was actually like, none managed to do so more elegantly than Recess .
This incredibly humorous schoolyard satire will remind you what it feels like to be back on the playground.
