The best animated shows of the 21st century? Am I even qualified to write this list? Who am I to truly determine the merit of the greatest animated works of the modern era? What gives me the right, nay, the privilege to curate the creme de la creme of moving pictures? While I can’t necessarily convince you n(or myself for that matter) that I’m qualified to weigh in on such heavy matters – I will say this: I am a pretty big nerd. Surely, that has to give me some credibility? And if it doesn’t, may it at least grant me some leniency from your wrath if I don’t pick your favorite show on this list of (drumroll, please) the 10 best animated shows of the 21st century.
Adventure Time
Adventure Time is the story of a boy and his dog, the stuff that fantasy greatness is made of. It’s also the story of a post apocalyptic future shaped by genetic mutation, warring feudalist kingdoms, trans-human evolution, nuclear armageddon, and the whims of cosmic horror gods – but that only becomes clear as the seasons go on. Despite its weighty themes, Adventure Time is buoyed up by its childlike sense of, well, adventure. What makes the show so satisfying? It’s essentially watching a lovable duo live the dream – who wouldn’t want to wake up in a sick treehouse and then delve into dungeons for sweet loot all day? The far-more-complex-than-we-thought-a-kids’-show-could-ever-be narrative, the heartstring tugging soundtrack, landmark LGBTQ+ representation – all delicious icing on a rock solid cake.
Over The Garden Wall
Over The Garden Wall is a ten-episode animated miniseries about two boys and their frog that hits with the weight of a five season Prestige TV epic. It’s the story of Wirt and Greg, two brothers lost in a strange forest called The Unknown trying to make it home – though neither are quite clear of what “home” actually is anymore. The show unfolds with the whimsy of the greatest of fairytales – all the horrible bits included. These woods are haunted by nefarious witches, undead villages, and one very dangerous being known as “The Beast” that steals souls and sings opera with equal aplomb. Featuring a star studded voice cast that includes Elijah Wood, Christopher Lloyd, and John Cleese, Over The Garden Wall is a stunning dark fantasy coming of age tale – plus there’s a frog that sings piano ballads with the wizened grace of late career Leonard Cohen, big bonus points there.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Nickelodeon’s magnum opus, Avatar: The Last Airbender became the stuff of animated legend the moment Aang asked Katara to go penguin sledding in the first episode. Where do I even begin with this series? The world-building, the characters, the action, the drama, the emotional stakes, it’s all AAA. Three perfect seasons unfold into one of the greatest coming of age stories ever told – not just for Aang, the boy who saves the world and becomes the hero he was always destined to be, but the characters around him as well. The show features some of the finest character arcs in modern media, with Prince Zuko’s transformation from bitter and banished villain to dyed in the wool good guy being one of the greatest redemption stories ever told. For those not interested in the deep and mature emotional and spiritual themes, I think we can all agree that watching people chuck rocks at each other with telekinetic martial arts is wildly entertaining on its own.
Samurai Jack
In the interest of fairness towards the competition, I limited myself to picking only one Genndy Tartakovsky series for this list – Primal and Star Wars: Clone Wars (genius as they are) didn’t make the cut. When it comes to making cuts, Samurai Jack stands head and shoulders above the competition. A dark fantasy sci-fi about a warrior from the distant past fighting through the horrors of a distant future, Samurai Jack is peak Tartakovsky – combining emotional complexity with heart pounding terror. After four flawless seasons in the early 00’s, the series was elevated to new, adult heights with its stunning 2017 return. The show’s tone aged with its viewer base, featuring a grittier and more violent narrative that culminated in a surprise tragic romance arc. We expected Jack to go for the jugular, but not the emotional jugular – I’m still processing the finale.
Attack On Titan
Attack On Titan was anime the way many had never seen it before. The familiar tropes of prestige shonen titles like Naruto and One Piece were chucked out the window and into the waiting mouths of towering humanoid terrosr. Featuring nightmare-fuel naked giants that rival the creature-feature horror of Alien and The Thing, Attack On Titan’s flesh eating antagonists quickly ascended to Scariest Monster Hall of Fame from the first bite. Aside from being a landmark horror narrative, the series doubled as a political thriller and eventually blossomed into a tale of cosmic sci-fi. When it comes to genre, Attack On Titan is as hard to pin down as any one of its high flying soldiers – battling cannibal colossi with cable-slinging gadgets like a steampunk Spiderman. The series also packs a deep emotional punch, never shying away from the human cost of war – as viewers learn, that cost is VERY high.
Infinity Train
One of the most underrated animated series ever made, Infinity Train‘s success was stalled by the very thing that makes the series so great – it’s just so hard to pin down. Despite airing on Cartoon Network, a channel primarily marketed towards kids and teens, the tone of this series is unflinchingly adult. It takes place on a seemingly infinite locomotive traveling through a post-apocalyptic wasteland – each train car designed to trigger the traumas of its emotionally unresolved passengers. As the characters advance through the train, they work through the darkest aspects of their own psyches. Sure there are whimsical aspects, like the kingdom of talking corgis one of the characters hails from, but the series also features some seriously screwed up stuff: the soul sucking insectoid Ghoms that haunt the wasteland being one of them.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the definition of prestige anime – five perfectly paced seasons culminating in unforgettable climax, it’s Breaking Bad levels of good. After suffering from a magical accident that stole their limbs, two brothers travel a fantasy kingdom to get their bodies back – and uncover a deadly political conspiracy in the process. While the nightmarish villains, the one of a kind magic system, and the beautifully fleshed out world all contribute towards the series’s success, the show’s core glory comes from the relationship at the heart of it all. Brotherhood is about just that – a pair of siblings that are prepared to do anything to protect each other. It’s a story about the lengths we go for family – even when those families are made up of walking suits of armor and temperamental teens with the power to control the periodic table of elements.
Bojack Horseman
Arguably the greatest piece of adult animation ever made, Bojack Horseman is a cartoon for people who don’t like cartoons. In a parallel universe where half the world’s population is an anthropomorphic animal, Bojack Horseman is a washed up sitcom star sinking into depression in sunny Los Angeles. In a twin exploration of the darkness of showbiz and the human spirit, Bojack unfolds like a car accident in slow motion. Its star character is the portrait of tragedy, a broken human being (well, horse being) that unintentionally breaks the spirits of those around him. It’s a story about how unchecked despair can become a vortex, dragging down the sufferer and their loved ones with them. This is not a whimsical and lighthearted cartoon, this is a heavy examination of the ugliest parts of the psyche – with talking dogs.
Arcane
Arcane came out of nowhere to become one of the greatest animated TV series ever – well, not nowhere, its League of Legends characters were well known within the online gaming community. However, like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and the live action The Last of Us adaption, Arcane exposed a slew of new fans to an already popular media franchise. It’s the story of the brewing war between the upper class of Piltover and the subterranean denizens of Zaun – touching on the real life social struggles of the modern era. At the heart of its sweeping story is a sisterhood – two broken young women battling traumas that their guardians hoped they wouldn’t inherit. Featuring one of the most charismatic villains in recent memory and absolutely mind-blowing animation sequences, Arcane became the stuff of animated legend after the first season alone.
Death Note
Death Note continues to have a stranglehold on pop culture consciousness, despite being released decades ago. The Hot Topic of anime, this gothic horror masterpiece has aged as well as My Chemical Romance – which is to say extremely. It’s the story of brilliant and bored high schooler Light Yagami, who stumbles across a notebook owned by a spirit of death. Anyone whose name is written in the notebook will die, and Light intends to use this little quirk to become the god of a new world – unless an adolescent detective named L can stop him. Cerebral to its core, Death Note is the ultimate dark academia thriller – a chess match between two brilliant rival minds, and the mortal fallout that comes from their game.
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