FunKay's Top 25 Children's Animated Shows of the 90's

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Welcome to the countdown of what in my opinion is the top 25 children’s animated shows from the 1990's. Before I begin I just want to explain how this works:

• First, only shows that debuted from January 1st 1990 to December 31st 1999 are eligible.
  
• Secondly, these shows were chosen by me and me alone. You may not agree with my choices and that's perfectly fine, in fact I'm very open to people posting their opinions on my choices and of course on the shows on the list.
  
• Finally, one show will be posted every other day. This allows people to talk about a show before I move onto another one.

Okay, now onto the first show:

#25: Biker Mice from Mars

[YOUTUBE]NJPYmd8_Qdw[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Rick Ungar
Starring: Rob Paulsen, Dorian Harewood, Ian Ziering, W. Morgan Sheppard, Leeza Miller McGee
Original Run Date: September 18, 1993–February 24, 1996
Episode #: 65
Season #: 3
​

A science fiction show, Biker Mice from Mars is a show that did exactly what it said on the tin; three mice from Mars travel to Earth...on bikes! They are fleeing the destruction there race by the Plutarkians, fish like creatures. During their escape, the three mice are gunned down by a war ship and crash in Chicago, where they befriend a female mechanic and cross paths with a Plutarkian disguising himself as a human.

Biker Mice from Mars is a very unique series. It's a rather wacky adventure that is very different to a lot of what was being produced at the time. While a lot of shows were focusing on already established characters like Spider-Man and Sonic, Biker Mice from Mars created three solid heroes in Throttle, Modo and Vinnie as well as formidable foes in the form of the Plutarkians. The series had a wonderful cross genre appeal, with science fiction, but also gangster thanks to the main villain, Lawrence Limburger, and also action, adventure, comedy and at times romance.

The series was popular enough to produce a spin-off video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), which features a lot of product placement for Snickers. In 2006, the show was revived and continued with the voice actors of the three mice and the central antagonist all returning to their roles as the series continued from where its predecessor left off. A cult following has developed for Biker Mice from Mars and it shows as the first season releases of the Biker Mice DVD's are out of print in both the USA and the UK, the shows two biggest markets. A petition with signatures from around the world is out, demanding a full release of the show.

That was my thoughts on the show, but what about you? Is the show worthy of a spot on the list? Do you have fond memories of it? Is it ranked too low? Voice your opinions here.

 

[ThUnDeRpHoEnIx]

I watched it once but I think that was a different series under the same name.Got me hooked though.And so has this thread.

Cant really say anything really about this show however,only watched the intro and maybe a different series.Seems pretty cool though.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

All right, had some issues over the last week and the last few days I've been pretty lazy. That's why we haven't had this thread continuing in the manner I originally intended. I hope this post begins to do what I hoped for in the first place. So let's get on with #24;

#24: The Incredible Hulk

[YOUTUBE]nKfOnCqgDXA[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Stan Lee
Starring: Neal McDonough, Lou Ferrigno, Cree Summer, Philece Sampler, John Vernon, Matt Frewer, Kevin Schon, Michael Donovan
Original Run Date: September 8 1996–November 23 1997
Episode #: 21
Season #: 2​

The Incredible Hulk is a very popular character, whether it's in his comic book(s), on the big screen or the small screen. Many have related with Bruce Banner's problems, well, except for that whole getting hit with a Gamma bomb thing. Not sure if anyone relates to that, at least anyone who's alive. People also felt for the Hulk character too though. He was a monster, hunted to the ends of the Earth. But deep down he was a gentle giant, who simply wanted a peaceful existence. And in 1996, following the successes of the X-Men and Spider-Man animated series (we may see them later), Hulk was given a shot at a role in this animated universe.

The animation was better than the previous, 80's, series. The cast of characters were well known faces. The foes were dangerous. But the most important element in this show was the storytelling; it was incredibly DARK! Much like Stan Lee had originally intended, and Peter David (amongst others) had brought back to the titles, the stories of the Hulk were dark and moody. He was treated as a piece of scum in General Thunderbolt Ross' world. He was a loner, retaining some of the charm left behind by the 70's television show, but also expressing deep pain and sorrow like a modern day issue of The Incredible Hulk. It was a quality balance.

The second season of the show toned down the darkness to a degree, adding in She-Hulk as a co-star, and generally bringing in more laughs. At the same time, the show began to decrease in quality slightly as characters were phased out. Thunderbolt Ross and his Hulkbusters were just about the only major player still allowed to roam in this second series. It was a shame to be frank. The stories were still good, but not good enough as the series was cancelled. It would not quite be the end of the road as the Hulk crossed over into other shows; The Fantastic Four and Iron Man to be exact. But it was not the same as we had known it. The Hulk series ended.

Personally, for me, this series was a really interesting change of pace to the usual comic book adoptions. It changed things up and took risks, producing a dark series that dealed with adult issues, but also allowed the kids who watched the show to enjoy it and get a good old slugfest. Shows would often end on a bittersweet note for Bruce Banner. It was also a nice touch to bring in Lou Ferrigno to voice the Hulk, something that has been done multiple times now. This show may not always be the brightest and have the best outlook, but it told the Hulk's story, and did a great job of it.

But those are my opinions. I'd love to here yours as we begin to go down the list.

 

[justinsayne]

I never knew they made a Hulk cartoon in the 90's until it showed up on Netflix instant a few months back, I've only watched a few episodes and it's not bad, not as good as the other Marvel cartoons of the 90's. X-Men & Spidey were un-fucking-believable, & I remember loving the Iron Man, & Fantastic Four cartoons as well, and would put all those above this one. This cartoon focuses around the typical Hulk storyline of General Ross hunting down & trying to capture the Hulk, with Banner trying to find a way to cure himself, of course everytime he gets close Leader and his team of Hulk villains interferes and stops him, so far the show's not bad, though I've only watched like 2 or 3 episodes. I absolutely love the open theme though.

 

[ThUnDeRpHoEnIx]

Open Theme of The Incredible Hulk=Legendary.

I've watched about 10 or 15 episodes.This was back when I watched X-Men a whole lot more.They better be on this list btw(i know you said we might but they have to be).But this show kept me intrested.Unfortuneately when I started watching it I had no clue what was going on because it was near the season end and then it ended and I never watched it again until a few months ago.I enjoyed when I rewatched it that it was darker then most of the other shows at that time.That was something unique about it.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

#25: Biker Mice from Mars

[YOUTUBE]NJPYmd8_Qdw[/YOUTUBE]
​

FUCK YES!!!!

I absolutely LOVED Biker Mice. I was really into all those action cartoons from back in the day, and this one had everything....plus they rode motorbikes! Perfect!

This was one of my favourite shows as a kid, I had all the action figures and motorbikes, I still think they are in the attic at my parents house, I gotta dig those out!

Great theme music and introduction video, a bumbling but evil villian in Lawrence Limburger with his assistant Dr Karbunkel, and I loved everything about the show. I actually was bought a Biker Mice dvd several years ago by a friend, which was really nice.

Great show! For me it would be a lot higher, but that would be jsut because I was such a big fan of it. It is definitely one of the best TV shows from my childhood


LETS ROCK....AND RIDE!​

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

#23: Moomin

[YOUTUBE]oiZ0eBFTH6k[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Tove Jansson
Starring: Susan Sheridan, Toni Barry, Pat Starr, Peter Whitman, John Chancer, David Graham, Garrick Hagon, Jeff Harding, Stacey Jefferson
Original Run Date: 1990-1991
Episode #: 78
Season #: 1​

Okay, this is one of the weirder ones on this list. The Moomins are vastly popular both in their home country of Finland and across the world. From Russia to Japan to Germany, the Moomins have experienced incredible popularity all over the globe. In the 1990's, the Moomin's really began to gain immense popularity and it's this particular show that did it. The Moomin's were originally comic strip characters created by Tove Jansson and have been adaptedf into television and film on numerous occasions. This version is arguably the best known, and is without a doubt the best known to the Moomin's western audience.

The Moomin's are trolls who live in a fantasy world where they get up to fun and adventure with their friends. The stories are very, very strange at times but are a lot of fun. The art is bright and powerful, but at the same time very odd. Everything about the Moomin's is pretty freaking weird actually. Mainly they look more like hippos than trolls. Anyway, the show was very well received the world over and the UK and USA have had the series re-released on DVD in recent years (I actually own a copy, purchased in Helsinki airport's Moomin shop). The Moomin's have found their ways onto coins, airplane's, and even have a theme park in Finland dedicated to them. They are HUGE in Japan and are the official mascots of one of Japan's main supermarket chains. The Jansonn family remains in control of the Moomin franchise with offers from Disney being turned down on numerous occasions.

Not much else can be said about the Moomin's as the show's just that weird. It really needs to be viewed to be believed sometimes. However, we'll be moving on and our next entry will be a very well known one I feel.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

#22: Recess

[YOUTUBE]51hoVQdS9bA[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere
Starring: Ross Malinger, Andrew Lawrence, Ricky D'Shon Collins, Ashley Johnson, Pamela Segall Adlon, Jason Davis, Courtland Mead, April Winchell, Ryan O'Donohue, Dabney Coleman
Original Run Date: September 13, 1997–November 21, 2001
Episode #: 128
Season #: 6​

Set around a group of friends who had to deal with everyday school problems, Recess was a reflection of society. As odd as that sounds, it's true. It dealt with government, love, loss, obsession, freedom, rights, laws, fear and anything else you could think of. It simply showed kids a version of the real world that they could relate to, and for that alone, it's great. However there was more to Recess as it produced unique characters, funny moments and cool concepts. For example, my personal favourite episode is the one where the kids are set to go on a school trip, but the bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere and the bus driver, a nice lady, is destroyed by the loss of her beloved bus, so the kids fix it in secret. It's a sweet, but cool story.

Recess symbolised freedom for many children as they got to break from there dull school work and the show showcased that very well. It was a clever idea really, played up by the Great Escape esc music used at the start of the show. Personally I've always found Recess to be a great concept for a series and one that delivered more often than not, even if a lot of the plots ended up being repeated over the 128 episodes over its 5 year run. It's one of the Disney Channels greatest successes to date, hell it even surpassed the channel's anchor; Doug. It was hugely successful both critically and commercially.

The show was so successful it eventually spawned a film entitled; Recess: School's Out. This film took the characters and through them into a bizarre story involving ice ages and tractor beams. It was tremendously successful at the box office, taking in six times its budget. Fans of the series have given a mixed response to the film, with some thinking of it as a strange and unwelcome addition to the series and others enjoyed it for being a different twist to the series. The series itself was nominated for two Daytime Emmy's in editing for sound and sound mixing.

I enjoyed Recess, but what are your thoughts on the well received series?

 

[Daniel]

I absolutely loved Recess. Seriously one of my favourite shows as a kid. It was up there with Keenan and Kel and Dennis the Menace in terms of 90s kid's shows.

The characters are genius because you are instantly able to relate to them. We all know someone like the athletic Vince, or the tomboy Spinelli. The idea of character familiarity is a simple TV concept, and Recess benefits from it greatly.

What I really love about Recess though, is the entire concept. It's centred around children at a school. That's it. I'm really into sociology, so the way it presents a microcosm of society is really appealing to me. You can look at playgrounds in real life and see a hierarchy, but Recess takes it to the next, cartoon-like level with characters such as "King Bob" with his throne atop the jungle gym. It's a wonderful look at society but it's been given a childish, over-the-top makeover.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

#21: Taz-Mania

[YOUTUBE]2PuKM-oZxLk[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Art Vitello
Starring: Jim Cummings, Maurice LaMarche, Debi Derryberry, Miriam Flynn, John Astin, Kellie Martin, Rosalyn Landor, Dan Castellaneta,
Original Run Date: September 1 1991–May 22 1995
Episode #: 65
Season #: 1​

Taz, the Tasmanian Devil was first created by Robert McKimson in 1954. He was not a runaway star at first. He appeared in a measly 5 cartoon shorts, often paired with Bugs Bunny. His grunts, snarls, rasps and outright bizarre behaviour was downright strange for most Looney Tunes characters. However, when interest in the Warner Brothers Loony Tunes franchise was revived in the late 80's and early 90's, Taz was one of the first to get a total new lease on life. The character became popular and as such, a spin-off was created; Taz-Mania.

Part of a trilogy of shows that debuted around the same time (Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs being the others), Taz-Mania was part of an experiment to see if this Looney Tunes revival would last. In short, it would. Lasting four years and 65 episodes, Taz-Mania was popular amongst many, including small children and adults. The kids enjoyed the madcap adventures of Taz whilst the adults could get a kick out of the continued references to the 4th wall (which was broken on a regular basis not only here, but in the other two shows I mentioned earlier). Taz-Mania had both 90's wit, but also retained the heart of the early shorts.

Taz of course became a break-out star. Appearing all over the place on a variety of merchandise from t-shirts to pencils to bike horns. A bunch of videogames centring around the adventures of Taz were released on Sega consoles, as well as the SNES and Game Boy for Nintendo. Taz of course also holds an unofficial position as a mascot of that actual nation of Tasmania. There is a load of legal issues between Warner Bros and Tasmania concerning the character. And, seeing as this is a wrestling message board, it would be daft of me not to mention Taz the wrestler. He actually has a tattoo of the devil.

Any thoughts on Taz-Mania at all?

 

[JGlass]

For a long time Recess was the only cartoon worth watching on ABC on Saturday mornings (or was it WB? I don't remember!). I don't think I'm alone when I say that I wished my recesses were a little more like the television show. The King of the playground would make sure there was fair play on the swings or the basketball court. You get anything you needed from the kid that had a pawn shop in his coat. Sure, there were some terrors like the Ashleys and Randall the snitch, but you could overcome all your problems by using a combination of your friends' skills and the other resources the playground had to offer.

Recess was successful because it managed to captivate kids by taking something they all know and love and making it even better. We all wished that our lives were like recess, and I'm sure many of us still do.

 

[Hazardous]

If Pinky and the Brain don't make this list, it's be a bigger screw job than The Bret Hart incident..

Great list so far though. Brings back some wonderful memories. May have to download a few of these show

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

#20: Rocko's Modern Life

[YOUTUBE]W02HCSpQKh8[/YOUTUBE]​

The Facts:
Created by: Joe Murray
Starring: Carlos Alazraqui, Tom Kenny, Doug Lawrence, Linda Wallem, Charlie Adler
Original Run Date: September 18, 1993–November 24, 1996
Episode #: 52
Season #: 4​

******. That is what Rocko's Modern Life came from. It was a comic never to be published. Joe Murray slowly created a rich cast of characters, all of whom would eventually find there way into the show, though first they were mere drawings in sketchbooks. With the early 90's being a good revival period for animation, Nickelodeon showed a lot of interest in cartoons. This was the break Joe Murray needed, however he was sceptical at first, but was persuaded by executive Linda Simensky to include Rocko as part of the original Nicktoons line-up.

Rocko centred on a wallaby named Rocko who had come from Australia to live the American dream, only to suffer, living in mediocrity and live a mundane life. The series chronicled Rocko and his friends various adventures and other antics. It was a sweet and sad reflection on modern social status' and that was best reflected in Rocko's two best friends. Filburt the turtle is a depressed and disurbed creature while Heffer Wolfe was larger than life and full of optimism. It was well received critically and the writing was definitely one of the best examples of that.

Another thing that was critically well received was the art style. Different from other styles of animation like the Japanese style looks of shows like Transformers or a style similar to the Simpsons, Rocko's Modern Life was wacky, rough and out there top say the least. Things weren't necessarily well refined or kept straight and in line. The animators and directors let the art style run free and it was a reason for people to take notice. Combined with another Nicktoons original in Ren & Stimpy, shows like The Angry Beavers were given room to grow. It was an original and smart show.

 

[The Doctor]

Man, I loved this show! It was really funny, really inventive, and I don't think I'll ever forget the Wacky Deli song. I remember being in Italy in High School and turning on AFN, and they played reruns of it. Watching it again I was struck by how interesting and entertaining it really was. Many fond memories, let me tell you.

Cartoons used to be so good...

 

[ThUnDeRpHoEnIx]

I remember Rocko.That show was great.It was worth watching when i turned on the tv

 

[Theo Mays]

Rocko at only 20? I would have thought it would be higher, but there are a lot of great kids shows from the 90s, so I may be overrating its greatness due to my love of it. Recess was another top show and I think it definitely fits right in with its slot. Both Rocko and Recess were vastly entertaining and so fun. To this day if I see one of them on the tube I'll watch it and still enjoy it. That is how you know a show is good. If you can watch it at any age and enjoy it, you know you have something good on your hands. Looking forward to the rest of the list FunKay.

 

[Nate DaMac]

I guess I'm rolling solo here because I was never big on Rocko's Modern Life. I was very picky as a kid and there were a lot of cartoons I hated. Ren & Stimpy, AAAH Real Monsters, CatDog, etc. I just never liked them as a kid(well, I got into CatDog later on in life.) I've always been rather squeamish and these cartoons always seem to feature a bit of gross out humor and I always hated that. Still do, to be honest.

To be honest, I never watched anything on this list thus far so I wouldn't really rank any of these in my top 25. Though I'm not even sure I'd be able to make a list of 25 cartoons I watched as a kid, so I'll just stay tuned and see how I like your list when it's all done.

 

[Principino]

#21: Taz-Mania

[YOUTUBE]2PuKM-oZxLk[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Art Vitello
Starring: Jim Cummings, Maurice LaMarche, Debi Derryberry, Miriam Flynn, John Astin, Kellie Martin, Rosalyn Landor, Dan Castellaneta,
Original Run Date: September 1 1991–May 22 1995
Episode #: 65
Season #: 1​

Taz, the Tasmanian Devil was first created by Robert McKimson in 1954. He was not a runaway star at first. He appeared in a measly 5 cartoon shorts, often paired with Bugs Bunny. His grunts, snarls, rasps and outright bizarre behaviour was downright strange for most Looney Tunes characters. However, when interest in the Warner Brothers Loony Tunes franchise was revived in the late 80's and early 90's, Taz was one of the first to get a total new lease on life. The character became popular and as such, a spin-off was created; Taz-Mania.

Part of a trilogy of shows that debuted around the same time (Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs being the others), Taz-Mania was part of an experiment to see if this Looney Tunes revival would last. In short, it would. Lasting four years and 65 episodes, Taz-Mania was popular amongst many, including small children and adults. The kids enjoyed the madcap adventures of Taz whilst the adults could get a kick out of the continued references to the 4th wall (which was broken on a regular basis not only here, but in the other two shows I mentioned earlier). Taz-Mania had both 90's wit, but also retained the heart of the early shorts.

Taz of course became a break-out star. Appearing all over the place on a variety of merchandise from t-shirts to pencils to bike horns. A bunch of videogames centring around the adventures of Taz were released on Sega consoles, as well as the SNES and Game Boy for Nintendo. Taz of course also holds an unofficial position as a mascot of that actual nation of Tasmania. There is a load of legal issues between Warner Bros and Tasmania concerning the character. And, seeing as this is a wrestling message board, it would be daft of me not to mention Taz the wrestler. He actually has a tattoo of the devil.

Any thoughts on Taz-Mania at all?

YESSS !!

I used to love waking up on the weekend, switching on the TV and watching this shit in bed. Taz is such a legendary character, not as mainstream as Bugs Bunny or Daphy Duck but in my opinion, just as entertaining. I preferred watching this to any Bunny or Duck show.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

#19: Animaniacs

[YOUTUBE]KA0TS9l_nJE[/YOUTUBE]

The Facts:
Created by: Tom Ruegger
Starring: Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, Frank Welker, Maurice LaMarche, Sherri Stoner, Nathan Ruegger
Original Run Date: 1993-1998
Episode #: 99
Season #: 5​

Animaniacs was part of the Warner Brothers reboot of cartoons in the 80's and 90's. Following the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, there was a big push for both old cartoons to return, and a demand for new ones. The most successful series was possibly this one. Breaking the 4th wall, Animaniacs centred around three mad, unpredictable characters who were invented by Warner Bros at the peak of the popularity of the Looney Tunes. The characters were too crazy though and were locked away in the Warner Tower, only to break out later and go on some mad adventures.

The show's central characters were basically insane and their adventures usually featured some psychiatric evaluation, as the psychiatrist Dr. Otto Scratchansniff was driven batty by Yakko, Wakko and Dot. It made for some crazy, fast paced and fun stories. However the Warner Siblings weren't the only stars featured. In addition to them were The Goodfeathers (a parody of Goodfellas with pigeons), Slappy Squirrel (an anti-hippy Squirrel whose stories are set in the 60's) and of course, arguably the breakout stars; Pinky and the Brain.

Pinky & the Brain would eventually get their own show in 1995. Comics and video games would emerge as the years went on. It was all a part of a franchise set up by Steven Spielberg who not only made Warner Bros a lot of cash, but also a ton of Emmy awards came along. Animaniacs was hugely successful in the long run from 1993-1998 (or 2000 if we're talking about Pink & the Brain). Animaniacs is a show that probably will never be duplicated, but it has, at many times, been replicated. The fact that that has occurred is a testament to Animaniacs I feel.

 

[JW'sGirl]

I loved Recess as a kid! Probably one of my favorite shows! I have the Recess: School's Out movie on VHS and I still watch it every once in a while. Aside from that the only two other shows on your list that I've seen (I might be too young for this thread, I was still watching Barney and Blue's Clues in the 90s ) are Rocko's Modern Life and Animaniacs. My brother LOVED Rocko's Modern Life, but I never really got into it. I watched Animaniacs every once in while, it was more of a show that I watched just because it was on, and I thought it was ok, but definitely not a favorite of mine.