Great Adventure Cartoons
by grendelkhan | created - 13 Dec 2011 | updated - 24 May 2013 | PublicCartoon series with stirring adventure.
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1. Jonny Quest (1964–1965)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Quest family and their bodyguard investigate strange phenomena and battle villains around the world.
Stars: Mike Road, Tim Matheson, Don Messick, Danny Bravo
Votes: 5,300
Probably the single greatest adventure cartoon. Full of imagination, thrills, and quite a bit of scary stuff. Great theme song, too!
2. Space Ghost (1966–1968)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of a space superhero who can become invisible and his sidekicks.
Stars: Don Messick, Ginny Tyler, Gary Owens, Tim Matheson
Votes: 2,108
Wonderful designs by Alex Toth and a great mix of villains. The earlier episodes are the best, but the multi-part Council of Doom epic is a nice closure.
3. Justice League (2001–2004)
TV-PG | 22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Seven of the most formidable heroes form arguably the most powerful team ever.
Stars: Carl Lumbly, Phil LaMarr, Michael Rosenbaum, George Newbern
Votes: 51,504
Epic series, captures the scope of the Justice League from the comics.
4. Superman: The Mad Scientist (1941)
G | 10 min | Animation, Short, Action
The Man of Steel fights a mad scientist who is destroying Metropolis with an energy cannon.
Directors: Dave Fleischer, Steve Muffati | Stars: Bud Collyer, Joan Alexander, Jackson Beck, Jack Mercer
Votes: 3,490
Outstanding series of cartoons from the Fleischer Brothers. Lavishly animated and featuring some great stories. A very believable Superman.
5. Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
TV-PG | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight battles crime in Gotham City with occasional help from Robin and Batgirl.
Stars: Kevin Conroy, Loren Lester, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings
Votes: 116,269
The series that really captured the Dark Knight Detective and set the tone for every series that followed. A nice mix of original stories and adaptations of classic tales.
6. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997)
TV-Y7 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A team of mutant superheroes fight for justice and human acceptance in the Marvel Comics universe.
Stars: Cedric Smith, Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, George Buza
Votes: 47,905
A little stiff in the animation, and some dodgy voicework, but the stories are great and capture the flavor of the comics.
7. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008–2011)
TV-Y7-FV | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An updated animated series centering on the Caped Crusader himself as he partners and deals with his fellow superheroes in the DC Comics universe.
Stars: Diedrich Bader, John DiMaggio, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker
Votes: 10,158
Nice homage to the Silver Age Batman tales, with a cast of guest stars. Fun for the kids and good stories for the older crowd.
8. Battle of the Planets (1978–1980)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A five-member superhero team called G-Force fights to defend Earth and its space colonies from the threat of the planet Spectra.
Stars: Alan Young, Keye Luke, Ronnie Schell, Janet Waldo
Votes: 2,221
Translated version of Gatchaman. Features excellent voicework and a great theme song. Many people's introduction to anime.
9. Gatchaman (1972–1980)
TV-PG | 26 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A team of bird-themed superhero ninjas battle the menace of Galactor, a technologically advanced international terrorist organization determined to conquer the world.
Stars: Katsuji Mori, Isao Sasaki, Kazuko Sugiyama, Yoku Shioya
Votes: 857
The finest Japanese adventure series. It would spawn two sequel series, 3 American translations, and the live action sentai (Power Ranger) shows.
10. Flash Gordon (1979–1982)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of the comic strip space hero and his friends as they battle the tyranny of Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo.
Stars: Robert Ridgely, Alan Oppenheimer, Diane Pershing, Allan Melvin
Votes: 1,063
Excellent adaptation of the classic comic strip. The first season is a serial adapting the original stories, minus violence against humans (more or less). The second season hurt by a cute dragon and weak stories. You have to forgive the stock footage.
11. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1975)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The further adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise, as they explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei
Votes: 8,126
Animated version of the classic tv show. The original cast (minus Walter Koenig) provide the voices and the stories are on par with the live action series. Somewhat static, in terms of the animation.
12. Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (1976–1978)
30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
This series is based on the adventures of Tarzan who seeks to champion the less fortunate, to right wrongs and to protect both the animals in his jungle as well as the human visitors.
Stars: Robert Ridgely, Ted Cassidy, Alan Oppenheimer, Jack Bannon
Votes: 313
Decent adaptation of the classic jungle hero. Lots of lost civilizations and the like. Filmation used rotoscoping (animation over live footage) to give a bit more motion to the character.
13. The New Adventures of Zorro (1981)
22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The further adventures of the masked hero of Spanish California.
Stars: Henry Darrow, Julio Medina, Don Diamond, Ernesto Macias
Votes: 303
Filmation's Zorro followed Tarzan. A decent version, if somehwat repetitive. The swordplay looks good, even if it is the same sequence of moves. There is a Spanish lesson with each episode.
14. Space Sentinels (1977)
23 min | Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi
A trio of teenage superheroes, representing three different racial groups, use their powers to fight against evil forces.
Stars: George DiCenzo, Evan C. Kim, Dee Timberlake, Lou Scheimer
Votes: 201
The series swipes heavily from Star Wars and the Green Lantern comics, but is mostly good. Three heroes, pulled from different eras of history and given super power. Some of the villains are weak, but Morpheus, a villainous Sentinel, makes up for them.
15. Tarzan and the Super 7 (1978–1980)
90 min | Animation, Action, Fantasy
An anthology series featuring various fantasy action heroes.
Stars: Michael Bell, Bob Holt, Bob Denison, Howard Morris
Votes: 120
A new series, mixing new episodes of Tarzan with other cartoons and the live action Jason of Star Command. Freedom Force is the best of the cartoons, featuring legendary heroes, such as Sinbad, Merlin, Hercules, Isis, and Super Samurai. other cartoons were Web Woman, Manta & Moray, and Super Stretch & Microwoman.
16. The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! (1981–1982)
25 min | Animation, Fantasy
The adventures of a high school for superheroes while the Marvel Family fights evil with the power given to them by the wizard, Shazam.
Stars: Maylo McCaslin, Barry Gordon, Dawn Jeffory, Burr Middleton
Votes: 190
A mix of 2 cartoons, Hero High and Shazam. Hero High was meant to be an Archie show, but Filmation couldn't secure the rights, so they altered the characters. These are played for laughs. Shazam was an excellent adaptation of Captain Marvel, with the classic villains and the whole Marvel Family (even Freckles).
17. Super Friends (1973–1985)
TV-G | 60 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The greatest of the DC Comics superheroes work together to uphold the good with the help of some young proteges.
Stars: Danny Dark, Casey Kasem, Olan Soule, Shannon Farnon
Votes: 4,547
The first of the Superfriends shows, with designs by Alex Toth. It lacks real villains, but makes up for it with intriguing stories, most with moral and ecological themes. Introduces Green Arrow and Plastic Man to animation.
The best of the Superfriends cartoons, featuring the Legion of Doom, collecting the world's worst villains.
This one is a bit up and down, but makes good use of Darkseid and features an episode which tells Batman's origin quite effectively. Cyborg, from the Teen Titans, was added for diversity and seems a bit out of place. Nice episode with the Royal Flush Gang.
18. The Adventures of Batman (1968–1969)
60 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The animated debut of Batman & Robin brings the Dynamic Duo to animated life in Filmation's cult classic take on The Dark Knight and The Boy Wonder, defending Gotham City from The Caped Crusader's Rogues Gallery, one crook at a time.
Stars: Bud Collyer, Bob Hastings, Jackson Beck, Jack Grimes
Votes: 1,586
Filmation's pairing of their Superman cartoon with Batman. The Batman cartoons are livelier than Superman and feature actual fights, which raised ire with watchdog groups. This is why adventure cartoons became much blander in the 70s.
19. Space Angel (1962– )
Not Rated | 30 min | Animation, Family, Sci-Fi
Scott McCloud is the Space Angel, a secret agent for EBI (Earth Bureau of Investigation) on board the spaceship Starduster fighting hard to protect the solar system.
Stars: Ned Le Fevre, Margaret Kerry, Hal Smith, Johnny Coons
Votes: 130
Sci-fi series from Cambria, makers of Clutch Cargo. Very imaginative, if mostly devoid of real motion. Alex Toth did much of the design work, along with Doug Wildey (Jonny Quest). The stories are serialized and quite good, but the synchro-vox technique of superimposing human mouths onto the cartoons is distracting.
20. Star Blazers (1979–1984)
22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
In the year 2199, a starship must make a dangerous voyage to the distant planet Iscandar and back to save Earth from an alien invasion.
Stars: Eddie Allen, Michael Bertolini, Amy Howard Wilson, Lydia Leeds
Votes: 1,565
English version of Space Battleship Yamato. An epic tale of a journey through space to save the Earth from radiation poisoning.
21. Robotech (1985)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An alien spaceship crash lands on Earth and the technology and secrets she bears lead Earth into three destructive interplanetary wars.
Stars: Steve Kramer, Tom Wyner, Robert Axelrod, Bill Capizzi
Votes: 4,018
Unites 3 different Japanese series into one great epic. Plenty of action and a bit of romance. One of the key components of the anime boom.
22. Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984–1985)
TV-Y7 | 24 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
This series focuses on five lion robots and their pilots as they fight the evil forces of King Zarkon and Prince Lotor.
Stars: Peter Cullen, Michael Bell, Lennie Weinrib, Jack Angel
Votes: 5,165
Another adaptation of a Japanese show and the other key component of the anime boom. Paved the way for the live action Power Rangers in America.
23. Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994–1998)
TV-Y7 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A young man with spider-like abilities fights crime as a superhero in New York City while trying to have a normal personal life.
Stars: Christopher Daniel Barnes, Sara Ballantine, Edward Asner, Roscoe Lee Browne
Votes: 35,180
Finally, a decent adaptation of Spider-Man, with a real budget. Makes excellent use of the villains from the comics, while updating things a bit.
24. The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010–2012)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
After 74 villains break out of prison, Marvel's most powerful superheroes team up to capture all of them, and also to defend the Earth from widespread threats.
Stars: Eric Loomis, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Brian Bloom, Rick D. Wasserman
Votes: 16,205
Captures the feel of Marvel's Avengers and comes closer to competing with the quality of the Warner produced DC character cartoons.
25. Thundarr the Barbarian (1980–1981)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Thundarr the Barbarian and his companions Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel wander a devastated future Earth and fight evil wherever they find it.
Stars: Henry Corden, Robert Ridgely, Nellie Bellflower, Dick Tufeld
Votes: 1,784
Exciting series featuring a post-apocalyptic world, with wizards and barbarians. Steals a bit from Planet of the Apes but has excellent design work from Jack Kirby and Gil Kane, plus scripts from Steve Gerber.
26. Sealab 2020 (1972)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Cartoon adventure series that focused on a group of Oceanauts in their experimental complex on the ocean floor.
Stars: Ross Martin, John Stephenson, Josh Albee, William Callaway
Votes: 272
Nice series with adventures in science, plus character designs from Alex Toth. It was marred by the crackdown on violence in cartoons, but has a lot of imagination.
27. Birdman (1967–1987)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A winged superhero who gets his powers from the sun battles various evildoers with the help of his eagle sidekick Avenger.
Stars: Keith Andes, Don Messick, John Stephenson, Vic Perrin
Votes: 1,090
Not quite up to Space Ghost standards but better than the later H-B adventure shows. Harvey Birdman made better use of the characters.
28. Speed Racer (1967–1968)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Teenager Gô Mifune aspires to be the world's best race-car champion with the help of his friends, family and his father's high-tech race-car, the Mach 5.
Stars: Katsuji Mori, Peter Fernandez, Corinne Orr, Jack Grimes
Votes: 3,348
The classic series of racing adventure. The English dubbing can be both annoying and hilarious, with a rather fevered delivery. The stories are quite good.
29. Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The last son of the planet Krypton protects his adoptive home of Earth as the greatest of the superheroes.
Stars: Tim Daly, Joseph Bologna, Dana Delany, David Kaufman
Votes: 17,562
Follow up to Batman TAS. Not quite as good, as it struggles to find it's way for a bit, but starts burning on all cylinders after the first third. Makes great use of Jack Kirby's 4th World characters, especially in the 2-part Apokalips Now. The lok of Dan Turpin is based on Kirby.
30. Thundercats (1985–1989)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A team of humanoid cats fight evil in their adopted home world.
Stars: Bob McFadden, Larry Kenney, Earl Hammond, Lynne Lipton
Votes: 18,957
Excellent syndicated cartoon, featuring a band of refugees who find themselves at odds with a group of mutants. Suitably epic, with good moral lessons and stylish animation. A cut above a lot of the 80s cartoons.
31. G.I. Joe (1985–1986)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An elite special missions force fights against the terrorist forces of Cobra.
Stars: Jackson Beck, Christopher Collins, Michael Bell, Neil Ross
Votes: 5,617
I must confess that I am not a fan of this, but it was hugely popular. I always felt it was rather stiff and unrealistic and that the steps to avoid violence did more damage to kids than showing them the consequences of violence, like in Jonny Quest. With that said, it has some pretty good plots and plenty of action and the basic premise is well conceived, even if it was just a retooled SHIELD vs HYDRA (or UNCLE vs THRUSH). Some of the moral lessons at the end were really reaching.
32. The Transformers (1984–1987)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Two opposing factions of transforming alien robots engage in a battle that has the fate of Earth in the balance.
Stars: Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, Corey Burton, Christopher Collins
Votes: 23,456
Again, not a fan, mostly from a technical standpoint, but it was another that was hugely popular. Kids seemed to enjoy it.
33. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983–1985)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The most powerful man in the universe, He-Man, goes against the evil forces of Skeletor to save the planet Eternia and to protect the secrets of Castle Grayskull.
Stars: John Erwin, Alan Oppenheimer, Linda Gary, Lou Scheimer
Votes: 19,968
Decent, if repetitive adventure series, based on the toy line. Filmation always used a lot of stock footage to hold down costs, so one episode tended to look like another. Lou Scheimer's Orko voice was beyond annoying, much like his Bat-Mite.
34. Bionic Six (1987– )
TV-Y7 | 22 min | Animation, Action, Family
A family of cyborg superheroes fights evil around the world.
Stars: Norman Bernard, Carol Bilger, Samantha Paris, Alan Oppenheimer
Votes: 902
I only saw a couple of episodes, but the animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsa and the Alex Toth designs were great.
35. Silverhawks (1986)
TV-Y7 | 23 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Family
A team of cyborgs protects Limbo from Mon Star and his gang.
Stars: Bob McFadden, Earl Hammond, Larry Kenney, Peter Newman
Votes: 3,406
It bore a passing resemblance to Thundercats but it was pretty good.
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