# Best Animated Children's Shows - Last 5 Years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171 "2016-11-16T15:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/1 "2016-11-16T15:58:43Z")
I’m collecting recommendations here for my kid, who is nearly 11. He’s a big fan of _Gravity Falls_ and _Star vs. The Forces of Evil_, both Disney shows (albeit not standard Disney fare). I’ve head lots of good things about _Steven Universe_, though I’ve never seen any episodes. Any other good, recent animated shows out there? Let me know! [And no, _Rick and Morty_ isn’t a kids show. :D] ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/2 "2016-11-16T16:14:43Z")
_Adventure Time_ ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/3 "2016-11-16T16:20:56Z")
Aww why does it have to be within the past five years? Honestly I haven’t cared for hardly any of the kids shows this century just because of the preference for, imo, shitty art. I mean, what about the classics like Animaniacs? Gargoyles? The Tick!!! Hell, the only kids series I’ve really enjoyed in the past five years has been Avatar TLAB and Korra. Oh and…maybe…Gumball… . But check out [this list](http://www.imdb.com/list/ls000068049/). It’s got a lot of good shows on it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/4 "2016-11-16T16:21:42Z")
Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Clarence, Star Wars Rebels, Over the Garden Wall (a miniseries, but it’s worth seeking out) ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/5 "2016-11-16T16:38:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Clarence, Star Wars Rebels, Over the Garden Wall (a miniseries, but it’s worth seeking out) I think he’d definitely be into Over the Garden Wall. Star Wars Rebels he disliked the animation style (maybe too “uncanny valley” for him). He likes Adventure Time. I’ve not heard of Clarence. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/6 "2016-11-16T17:20:34Z")
_Bob’s Burgers_ has won a few Teen Choice Awards, so even though it’s a primetime sitcom I think kids would like it. And it’s appropriate for kids. The kids make up more than half of the show! I do agree with \*\*AngelSoft \*\*- “recent classic” cartoons do still hold up. _Animaniacs_, _The Tick_, _Tiny Toons_, the original _TMNT_, _Ghostbusters_, _Scooby Doo_, _Duck Tales_, _Talespin_, _Darkwing Duck_ and _Home Movies_ (by the same guy who does _Bob’s Burgers_) come to mind as ones that I enjoyed and can definitely see kids today enjoying as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/7 "2016-11-16T17:21:25Z")
Seconding pretty much all the suggestions. I enjoyed Uncle Grandpa because I like irreverant and literal humor and that show is chock full of it. If you’re not worried too terribly much about violence you could spring for some anime? Naruto, DBZ and One Piece are action packed without being TOO terribly adult. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/8 "2016-11-16T17:27:48Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Seconding pretty much all the suggestions. I enjoyed Uncle Grandpa because I like irreverant and literal humor and that show is chock full of it. > > If you’re not worried too terribly much about violence you could spring for some anime? Naruto, DBZ and One Piece are action packed without being TOO terribly adult. One Piece? Do you want to kill them?? There’s nearly a thousand episodes! It’s the devil’s show! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/9 "2016-11-16T18:30:40Z")
\*\*Avatar: The Last Airbender \*\*is a favorite of my kids. Also **Samurai Jack** , **Dexter’s Lab** , **The PowerPuff Girls**. My kids are 5-7 years older, so those were the cartoons from just prior to your criteria of “last 5 years.” ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/10 "2016-11-16T19:26:33Z")
My son is 2, so I’m putting in his favorites here for anybody who also needs something for a toddler: _Sarah and Duck_ is a British show that’s pretty delightful, even for us, which is good because otherwise we’d burn the house down; _Trotro_ is a French one that we’re about to light the matches with (nothing wrong with it, it’s just really FOR TODDLERS, where as some of the others can be enjoyed by anybody), _Octonauts_ is super cute and really for kids a little older, _Puffin Rock_ is Irish, beautifully animated, and also very sweet. I’d say everything but Trotro can be enjoyed by kids quite a bit older. And before we’d seen every singly damned episode of Sarah and Duck ten times we used to keep watching that one when Farticus went to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/11 "2016-11-16T19:35:49Z")
I love me some Phineas and Ferb! Fun stories and catchy songs, what’s not to love? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/12 "2016-11-16T19:58:47Z")
The Amazing World of Gumball ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/13 "2016-11-16T21:09:59Z")
I second the votes for Gravity Falls and Amazing World of Gumball, both great shows. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/14 "2016-11-16T21:26:07Z")
Wander! Wander! Over! Over! Yonder! Yonder! Wander! Yonder! Dit dit dit dit dee dee, **Wander Over Yonder**! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/15 "2016-11-16T21:31:25Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I do agree with \*\*AngelSoft \*\*- “recent classic” cartoons do still hold up. _Animaniacs_, _The Tick_, _Tiny Toons_, the original _TMNT_, _Ghostbusters_, _Scooby Doo_, _Duck Tales_, _Talespin_, _Darkwing Duck_ and _Home Movies_ (by the same guy who does _Bob’s Burgers_) come to mind as ones that I enjoyed and can definitely see kids today enjoying as well. SpongeBob, [Courage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courage_the_Cowardly_Dog), [Billy & Mandy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grim_Adventures_of_Billy_%26_Mandy)… ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/16 "2016-11-16T21:45:15Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > The Amazing World of Gumball This. Not typical animation, and one of the show’s main characters is a talking goldfish…with legs…named Darwin. Delightfully subversive. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/17 "2016-11-16T21:49:49Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > This. > Not typical animation, and one of the show’s main characters is a talking goldfish…with legs…named Darwin. Delightfully subversive. Heh, see, this is why I created the thread: I’ve never even heard of this show. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/18 "2016-11-16T22:12:58Z")
Avatar: The Legend of Korra Star Wars: the Clone Wars Star Wars: Rebels ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/19 "2016-11-17T03:19:15Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > I love me some Phineas and Ferb! Fun stories and catchy songs, what’s not to love? Phineas and Ferb is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171/20 "2016-11-17T03:44:45Z")
[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1355642/) Okay, it’s six years old, but come on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-childrens-shows-last-5-years/772171.md?page=2)