The older I get, the more convinced I am that the 90s were a great time for kids' television. In addition to containing some of the best animated shows of all time, there were quite a few gems that faded into obscurity as the years went on, either due to a lack of being on streaming or people just forgetting. I'm here today to talk about some of the awesome cartoons of my youth that, unfortunately, don't get a lot of love today.
Readers will undoubtedly be reminded of some of these cartoon classics as they read, but there are probably a few obscure ones they didn't know existed. Thankfully, there are some out there that managed to keep proof of their existence up on YouTube so that I can remind the world of their existence and hopefully get them to a streaming platform in the future.
Cow And Chicken
Siblings Cow and Chicken got into some adventures as bizarre as the fact their human parents somehow conceived them, and I loved every second of it. Whether it was watching Super Cow protect her big brother, or them gobbling down their favorite meal of "pork butts and taters," there was never a dull moment when they were on screen.
Life With Louie
In a time after comedian Louie Anderson's death, his animated series about growing up is an even greater watch now. Each story was essentially about growing up in a working-class family, and while the story was for kids, Anderson always peppered in his learned perspective as an adult. Totally worth seeking out.
Recess
Who didn't fantasize about having a school recess as thrilling as the ones T.J. and his friends had? I was always envious of the twins that could bring shovels to the playground and dig, as if that was something any adult would allow to go down at school.
Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series
The Mighty Ducks weren't just the focus of one of the best 90s sports movies for kids, they also had an awesome animated series. Granted, the animated show was about anthropomorphic ducks that were basically the X-Men, but I like that more than a series that was similar to the movies and would take it any day.
Taz-Mania
If you weren't born in the 90s, you don't have any idea of just how popular Taz was. Despite not really being able to speak, he was one of the top Looney Tunes and even received his own series Taz-Mania. The show explored Taz's adventures with his family, and kind of felt like a similar series to Animaniacs but with a different lineup of characters.
Monster Rancher
When the Pokémon craze really took off, it seemed a lot of Japanese animation was adapted to English to try and get a piece of the pie. Monster Rancher followed a boy who was transported via video game to its universe, where he had to use monsters to fight various evils. It never blew up quite as much as the other show, but maintained a steady cult following in the gaming world.
Beetlejuice
While the character has remained relevant through the upcoming sequel movie with a phenomenal trailer that makes the wait for it even harder, no one seems to talk about the Beetlejuice animated series. It's pretty wild for a series that had ninety-four episodes, though it was pretty different. I remember being shocked as a kid finally watching the original and thinking Beetlejuice wasn't nearly as friendly.
KaBlam!
KaBlam! made the top 10 of CinemaBlend's top Nicktoons of the 90s and 2000s, but still doesn't get a lot of love in the mainstream for how solid it was. So many iconic cartoons were jam-packed in this series it was always a highlight of my day when it came on.
Bobby’s World
Bobby's World was comedian Howie Mandel developing his comedy into a family cartoon that was suitable for children. It might be funny in hindsight considering his current gig on America's Got Talent makes him seem like the most family-friendly guy imaginable. Seeing Bobby's hijinks with his family was always great fun on Fox Kids, and the intro is forever stuck in my head.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
The world was shocked when the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes movie became a success, but I'm not sure anyone was shocked an animated series about the same premise would also do well. Seeing a bunch of people try to stop giant tomatoes from world domination is a premise I would've never thought of in a million years, but it's absolutely perfect and needs to make a comeback.
Men In Black: The Animated Series
I'm still shocked that Men In Black: The Animated Series hasn't been revived in the same way the films have over the years. There was no shortage of exciting adventures to watch Agent K and J get into, and with the current appetite for sci-fi on streaming, isn't this one a no-brainer?
Pepper Ann
Kids today need more animated shows about middle school, because it's a brutal experience. Pepper Ann was great because it tackled just about every humiliating thing that can happen, and yet she always seemed to come out on the other side of it alright. A reminder, I'm sure, that all kids could use from time to time.
I Am Weasel
The show was called I Am Weasel, but those who remember it know the real star of the show was I.R. Baboon. His brash nature and overall idiocy made for true comedy, while Weasel played the straight man in trying to fix his misdeeds.
Mega Babies
I'll admit, Mega Babies grossed me out as a kid. Watching super-powered babies who loaded up diapers a mile high will do that to anyone, but the show had some funny moments with the premise of super-powered babies.
Street Sharks
There are a lot of shows we'd love to see get remade, like X-Men 97, and this is one of them. While the Street Sharks felt like a blatant rip-off of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it'd be great to see someone take a stab at giving them more to stand out on their own and make the whole premise even more fun.
Back To The Future
Believe it or not, there was a Back to the Future animated series. What's even wilder is that Dan Castellaneta voiced Doc Brown. Those not shocked by that may be when they realize he's the same voice as The Simpsons' Homer Simpson and many other characters on the show. It's worth a watch for those who can find it, especially if they liked the movies.
TaleSpin
Don't ask me why we needed a series where Baloo from The Jungle Book was a pilot. Turn off your brain and watch Baloo and some new characters navigate the skies in some thrilling adventures.
ReBoot
ReBoot may not look like much now, but in a time when CGI was still in its infancy, seeing Bob defend the mainframe was next-level amazing. These days it's fun to look back on for nostalgic purposes, just to see how far animation has come since. It's also a solid show as well.
The Real Adventures Of Jonny Quest
I don't know if the title of the show meant we were supposed to assume all Jonny Quest adventures that came before were fictional, but this updated take on the character was one of my favorites growing up. It had the action of the average superhero show, with some Indiana Jones-esque vibes that don't really exist in animated shows today. I'd love to see this show return.
Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck was about the silliest superhero show you could watch back in the day, and honestly, it might still be the silliest. It was a great gateway show that prepped a generation for the greatest era of superhero movies they'd go on to see, and who knows what our appetite would've been without it.
Dumb and Dumber
Yes, a short-lived Dumb and Dumber series existed, and it was awesome. It was more of the usual Harry and Lloyd hijinks and idiocy, toned down a bit for kids. As a fun bit of trivia, Tom Kenny, the eventual voice of SpongeBob SquarePants was a voice actor on this series.
Earthworm Jim
Based on the popular video game franchise, Earthworm Jim was a truly bizarre show about a worm who gained powers after falling into an alien supersuit. That said, as a kid who loved the games, I liked watching because it gave more background on the character than the video games ever provided.
Mighty Max
For those that don't remember, Mighty Max was a toy line that was an offshoot of Polly Pocket presumably to better market the micro doll playsets to boys. There's no better way to market toys than with cartoons, and thus the Mighty Max series was born. It worked because I bought the toys, and loved watching Max take on villains that, in hindsight, he seemed vastly outmatched by.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
I would say that out of all the characters mentioned so far Captain Planet is probably the most mainstream, so then why is it not currently available on any of the major streaming services? Perhaps the failed attempt at a Captain Planet movie is a factor, but you'd think in a world where people are more environmentally conscious than ever, we'd see more of him.
2 Stupid Dogs
When we think of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, I don't think most people think of this one, but it indeed is. As one of the final cartoons solely produced by the studio, 2 Stupid Dogs is definitely different from the cartoons of the past. It tried to modernize with the gross-out humor of the 90s, and while it wasn't as wild as Ren & Stimpy, I'd say it was pretty good.
Duckman
Duckman was definitely a little too mature for me when I was younger, but I enjoyed watching it all the same. Seinfeld fans will love a chance to see Jason Alexander in another role, and it's legitimately funny to watch. Surprisingly, it holds up very well when stacked up against others on the list.
The Angry Beavers
They were always called The Angry Beavers, but I feel like Daggett was only the one who was consistently irritated. His brother Norbert was typically pretty cool, though he also had his moments throughout the show. It was always a great show for siblings to watch, because they could relate to the stupid arguments the two got into.
Rocket Power
Rocket Power was a gateway to extreme sports for a lot of '90s kids, assuming they weren't playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Seeing the kids skate, shred, and bike through any sort of weather gave me the confidence to buy a skateboard, but it took more than wanting to be good to be like Otto Rocket, unfortunately. Suffice it to say, I would've been the new Squid if they saw me in action.
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
As a child, voluntarily watching a show about monsters felt like a risky gamble. I definitely had some nightmares about Ickis, Krumm, and Oblina, but I also had quite a few laughs watching the three try to make it through their scare school.
CatDog
Did you even grow up in the '90s if you didn't have at least one conversation about how CatDog went to the bathroom? Of course, there was more to love about this show than the deep questions one would ask while watching, and I was particularly fond of their blue roommate, Winslow.
Mission Hill
It's wild to think that an animated show written by two former showrunners of The Simpsons would be anything less than a raging success. Unfortunately, we were only gifted thirteen episodes of this wonderful series. It's an underrated gem worth seeking out, for those who never had the chance to see it.
Space Ghost: Coast To Coast
Imagine waking up late at night, sneaking on the television, and watching a cartoon in which a superhero talks to celebrities about their lives. You don't have to actually imagine it because Space Ghost: Coast To Coast wasn't some fever dream but an iconic series that ultimately was part of the core programming that became Adult Swim. Without it, who knows if we ever would've gotten the now-iconic programming block?
The 90s were a great time for cartoons, but fortunately, a lot of other great cartoons are still being made right now. Stick with CinemaBlend to hear about some of the best, and of course, take a look at all the other great entertainment news we have as well.
