The Best Cartoons Of The 2010s, Ranked

The 2010s didn’t just give us streaming, group chats, and the sudden urge to put avocado on everything. It also delivered a golden era of cartoonsshows that
got weirder, smarter, kinder, and (occasionally) more emotionally devastating than anyone expected from something that used to sell cereal.

This decade blurred the old lines: “kids’ cartoons” started tackling grief, identity, friendship, and big-life-change chaos with surprising honesty, while “adult
animation” proved it could be more than snark and fart jokes (though, to be fair, the snark was strong).

How This Ranking Works (So You Can Argue With Me Properly)

To rank the best cartoons of the 2010s, I looked at a blend of factors: cultural impact, storytelling ambition, animation style, rewatch value, critical love,
and whether the show could make you laugh and then immediately hit you with an existential crisis. (Bonus points for doing it in 11 minutes.)

Ground rules: these shows premiered between 2010 and 2019. Some are serialized, some are episodic, and some are “episodic until you suddenly realize you’re
mapping lore on a whiteboard like a detective in a movie.”

The Best Cartoons Of The 2010s, Ranked

1. Adventure Time (2010–2018)

   The decade’s defining cartoon is a candy-colored fantasy that sneaks up on you like a goofy joke… and then reveals a world with history, heartbreak, and
   astonishing imagination. It redefined what a “kids’ show” could do: surreal comedy, emotional coming-of-age, and lore that grows richer the longer you
   stay in Ooo. It’s silly, sincere, and unexpectedly wiselike a philosopher who also owns a collection of ridiculous hats.

   Best first taste: Start with early fun, then jump to later classics when you’re ready for feelings.

2. Gravity Falls (2012–2016)

   A spooky summer mystery with twin leads, fast jokes, and a conspiratorial heart. Gravity Falls nails the balance between kid-friendly adventure and legit
   creepiness, all while building a puzzle-box story that rewards obsessive fans (and casual viewers who just like weird forest monsters). It’s tightly told,
   beautifully paced, and packed with memorable villains, emotional growth, and enough codes to make your middle school notebook feel important again.

   Best first taste: A couple early episodes, then the bigger mystery hooks start biting.

3. Steven Universe (2013–2019)

   Soft at first glance, radical underneath. Steven Universe blends heartfelt musical moments, sci-fi mythology, and character-driven storytelling into a show
   that became a cultural touchstoneespecially for viewers who wanted gentler heroes, deeper empathy, and broader representation. It’s about family (chosen
   and complicated), healing, and learning that “being the nice one” is still hard work.

   Best first taste: Sample a few early gems, then watch the story and emotional depth expand.

4. BoJack Horseman (2014–2020; 2010s run)

   Yes, it’s a talking-horse show. No, it’s not “just” a comedy. BoJack is one of the sharpest, most emotionally honest animated series of the era, blending
   absurd Hollywood satire with sincere explorations of depression, addiction, self-sabotage, and accountability. It can be hilarious, brutal, and
   surprisingly compassionateall while slipping in visual gags that reward eagle-eyed rewatches.

   Best first taste: Give it a few episodes to find its deeper voicethen buckle up.

5. The Legend of Korra (2012–2014)

   Korra had the impossible job: follow a beloved classic and still be its own thing. It pulled it off by leaning into political conflict, moral ambiguity,
   and a protagonist who’s strong, stubborn, and deeply human. The animation and action are gorgeous, but the real win is how it lets Korra grow through
   mistakes, trauma, and changewithout pretending that growth is a clean, neat montage.

   Best first taste: The early season setup shows the stakes fast; later arcs deepen the payoff.

6. Regular Show (2010–2017)

   Two slackers. One job. Infinite chaos. Regular Show is a masterclass in escalating nonsense: a simple task becomes a cosmic battle, and somehow it still
   feels relatable. Beneath the absurdity is a funny, strangely tender look at growing up, friendship, and the awkward transition from “we have all day” to
   “wait, why is everyone getting their life together?”

   Best first taste: Pick almost any episode and enjoy the escalation.

7. Rick and Morty (2013– )

   Part sci-fi sketch comedy, part philosophical gut-punch, Rick and Morty helped define 2010s adult animation. At its best, it’s wildly inventive, genuinely
   clever, and brave enough to twist a concept until it breaksthen rebuild it into something oddly moving. It can also be chaotic and cynical, but when it
   hits, it’s the kind of “wow” that makes you immediately text someone: “You watched this one yet?”

   Best first taste: A standout concept episode that shows its best blend of brain and bite.

8. Over the Garden Wall (2014)

   A short, autumnal fairy tale that feels like it crawled out of an old storybook and decided to haunt you gently. Over the Garden Wall is a miniseries with
   atmosphere for days: odd humor, eerie beauty, folk-music vibes, and a surprisingly heartfelt core. It’s proof that animation doesn’t need long seasons to
   leave a lasting marksometimes ten episodes is plenty to create a classic.

   Best first taste: Episode one. If the mood grabs you, it won’t let go.

9. Bob’s Burgers (2011– )

   Warm, weird, and quietly one of the most comforting comedies on TV. Bob’s Burgers turns everyday strugglesmoney, parenting, awkwardnessinto stories that
   feel human without getting cynical. The Belchers genuinely like each other, which is shockingly refreshing in a genre that often treats family as a war
   zone. It’s funny, musical when it wants to be, and basically a hug with a side of fries.

   Best first taste: Any fan-favorite early episode will show the tone immediately.

10. The Amazing World of Gumball (2011–2019)

    Gumball looks like someone spilled an art program onto the screenin the best way. Its mixed-media style is wildly creative, and its humor fires on all
    cylinders: slapstick, meta jokes, visual gags, and surprisingly sharp satire about school, family, and the logic of modern life. It’s the rare show that
    can be chaotic and smart at the same time, like a cartoon that secretly read your group chat.

    Best first taste: A mid-series episode shows how fearless the comedy gets.

11. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020; 2010s debut)

    A vibrant reboot that earns its place through character-driven storytelling and emotional honesty. She-Ra is about friendship, identity, trauma, loyalty,
    and the complicated ways people hurt each otherthen try (or refuse) to heal. It’s funny and colorful, sure, but it’s also deeply invested in what makes
    heroes and villains tick. And yes, it absolutely sticks the landing.

    Best first taste: Start at the beginning; the relationships are the engine.

12. DuckTales (2017–2021; 2010s debut)

    The reboot that had no right to be this goodand then just kept being good anyway. DuckTales updates the classic adventure format with sharper character
    writing, genuinely funny dialogue, and arcs that make the world feel connected. It’s joyful, energetic, and surprisingly heartfelt about family, ambition,
    and the weird pressure of living up to a legacy (even if your legacy is mostly… treasure).

    Best first taste: The pilot sets the tone: fast, funny, and big-hearted.

13. Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016–2018)

    A slick sci-fi adventure that helped prove streaming-era animation could deliver big arcs, cinematic action, and fandom-fueling characters. Voltron has
    scalespace battles, galactic stakesbut what really drew people in were the team dynamics and the bingeable pacing. It’s not perfect (few space operas
    are), but it’s a major part of the 2010s animation boom.

    Best first taste: The early episodes quickly establish the team and momentum.

14. We Bare Bears (2015–2019)

    Three bear brothers trying to live their best life in the modern world sounds like a memeuntil it becomes one of the sweetest, funniest shows of the
    decade. We Bare Bears is gentle without being boring, charming without being sticky-sweet, and consistently creative in how it explores friendship, social
    anxiety, belonging, and the little joys of food, movies, and not knowing what you’re doing (same).

    Best first taste: Pick a random episode and let the cozy vibe do its work.

15. Hilda (2018– )

    Hilda is quiet magic: a curious kid, a Scandinavian-inspired world of trolls and strange creatures, and a tone that feels like a warm blanket with a dash
    of mystery. It’s visually beautiful and emotionally grounded, exploring bravery, kindness, and growing up without forcing “lessons.” If your idea of a
    perfect cartoon includes wonder, comfort, and occasional mythical danger, welcome home.

    Best first taste: Episode oneits vibe is the whole point.

Honorable Mentions (Because the 2010s Were Showing Off)

The decade is stacked, so a few more deserve a shout: Star vs. the Forces of Evil (wild energy and heartfelt arcs), Amphibia (2019 debut and a
strong start), Infinity Train (2019 debut, bold anthology storytelling), and Teen Titans Go! (whether you love it or side-eye it, it became a
phenomenon).

What Made 2010s Cartoons So Good?

1) The “11-Minute Masterpiece” Era

The 2010s proved that short episodes could still carry weight. Shows used tight runtimes to deliver joke density, surprising emotion, and mini-stories that
didn’t waste your time. Some series stayed mostly episodic, others built huge lore, and many did bothbecause why choose one when you can have comedy today
and deep mythology tomorrow?

2) Bigger Feelings, Realer Characters

The best cartoons of the decade treated kids (and adults) like people who could handle complexity. Characters grew, made mistakes, changed their minds, and
dealt with consequences. Even the funniest shows often had an emotional spine: friendship dynamics, family messiness, identity questions, and “what am I doing
with my life?” panicsometimes in a single scene.

3) Animation Got Bolder

Visually, the decade was fearless: mixed media, sharper action choreography, painterly backgrounds, and stylistic risks that would’ve been “too weird” in an
earlier era. The result: shows that don’t just tell storiesthey create worlds you can recognize in a single frame.

The 2010s Cartoon Experience ( of “Yep, That Happened”)

Watching cartoons in the 2010s felt different from any decade before itpartly because the shows changed, and partly because we changed. For a lot of
people, the decade started with “I’ll just put this on in the background,” and ended with “I have a spreadsheet of lore, a folder of fan art, and a strong
opinion about which season emotionally destroyed me the most.”

The 2010s were the era of the watch partyfirst in living rooms, then in group chats, then in frantic live-tweet threads where everyone screamed at the same
plot twist in real time. Some episodes became shared cultural events. You didn’t just watch; you reacted, posted, memed, and immediately tried to convince a
friend to catch up so you could talk about it without using fifteen spoiler warnings and interpretive dance.

Streaming also changed the relationship between fans and shows. Bingeing meant you could fall into a world fast: one episode becomes “just one more,” and
suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re staring at the credits like, “Well, that was emotionally illegal.” At the same time, week-to-week airing created its own kind
of magicespecially for mysteries like Gravity Falls, where theories weren’t just fun; they were practically a sport. People decoded ciphers, compared
screenshots, and treated background props like they were evidence in a courtroom drama. The show gave you puzzles, and the internet showed up with a magnifying
glass.

Fandom in the 2010s was also intensely creative. If you loved a show, you could make something: fan comics, remixes, cosplay, animation edits, deep-dive
essays, and “here’s my 47-tweet thread on why this character arc matters.” The barrier between viewer and participant got thinner. You weren’t just consuming a
cartoonyou were part of a community that turned a series into a shared language. Catchphrases became inside jokes. Songs became comfort playlists. Characters
became references you dropped into conversations like emotional shorthand.

And then there were the feelings. The decade normalized the idea that a cartoon could be a safe place to process big stuff: loneliness, change, identity,
anxiety, growing up, and the strange grief of realizing childhood doesn’t end in one dramatic momentit ends in a bunch of small goodbyes. A show like
Adventure Time could start as playful nonsense and slowly become a story about time passing and people changing. Steven Universe could teach empathy
without sounding like a lecture. BoJack could be a comedy that still made you sit quietly afterward and rethink how you talk to yourself. Even the
lighter showsBob’s Burgers or We Bare Bearsoffered comfort that felt earned, not cheesy.

If the 2010s had a signature cartoon “experience,” it was this: you showed up for laughs and cool animation, and you stayed because the stories respected you.
The decade didn’t just upgrade cartoons. It upgraded what a lot of viewers expected from storytellingperiod.

Final Thoughts

Ranking the best cartoons of the 2010s is like ranking the best snacks at a party where everything is good: you can do it, but someone will be mad. Still, the
bigger truth standsthis decade was a high point for animation. It gave us ambitious worlds, bolder styles, kinder heroes, sharper comedy, and stories that
trusted viewers of all ages to feel deeply.

If you’re building a watchlist, start with the top threethen follow your taste. Want mystery? Go to the woods. Want feelings? Go to space. Want chaos? Go to a
park job with two irresponsible best friends. The 2010s made room for all of it.