After making the last entry one on a band that only exist via illustrations and animated music videos, it only seems right to go on that same path and find a Top Five from it. So, I have arrived to a spot to give you my
Top Five Animated Shows
Cowboy Bebop – I knew the moment that I was going to start this list, I was going to include one anime series in the list. And every time I think of the pinnacle of what that medium can do, Shinichirō Watanabe‘s masterpiece always comes first to mind. The show made legendary characters out of relatively stock ones, and the artistic style was just so crisp and smooth you couldn’t help but follow the ragtag crew of the Bebop as they went from bounty to bounty. Watanabe’s love for fusion, in this case for jazz and sci-fi (although his samurai/hip-hop one wasn’t so bad either), really set the mood for the show. It also doesn’t help that it was composed by the legendary Yoko Kanno, either.
Looney Tunes – Bugs Bunny. Daffy Duck. Porky Pig. Speedy Gonzales ( I know, he’s not as recognized as Taz, but I’m trying to put up my Latinos here). I could go on and on about the iconic characters that have come out of the cartoons from the Warner Brothers. Screwball antics, high drama, romantic flights of fancy; you name the idea, I’m pretty sure that Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, and Chuck Jones have thought and drawn it up.
Gargoyles – This is going to be a tough sell, but bear with me. Remember first of all that this show was made from Disney, who is not one to really deviate from any norm that isn’t the Mouse or princesses or what have you (I mean, until Pixar and Jack Sparrow). For them to greenlight a cartoon based on grotesque creatures is pretty adventurous. Then add to the fact that the story combines NY procedural drama and Shakespeare along with mythology and high fantasy, and still make a great show, and you have one of the most ambitious show for children, ever. Oh, and for all you geeks, a lot of cast members from Star Trek: The Next Generation were voices of characters on it.
The Simpsons – This is still the standard, ladies and gentlemen. Despite its constant criticism of losing it’s touch and luster over the years, Matt Groening‘s show about a yellow-colored family from Springfield opened up the possibilities of what can be done on TV and made itself into an institution. All of its characters have become iconic to the point of worldwide acclaim and overwhelming cultural domination. Ask yourself, how many times in your life have you said “D’oh!”?
Batman: The Animated Series – With a mix of gothic Art Deco style developed by Bruce Timm with excellent storytelling by Paul Dini, along with new characters that fit the mythos so well they actually get added into the comics, and you have the premiere action animated show of all time.
Honorable Mentions
South Park
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Dexter’s Laboratory
Neon Genesis Evangelion
FLCL
Dragon Ball
ReBoot
Animaniacs
Monkey Dust
Clone High
Beavis and Butthead
Ren And Stimpy
The Flintstones
The Tick
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Tom And Jerry
Astro Boy
Mobile Suit Gundam
Samurai Jack
Transformers
Pinky And The Brain
Jonny Quest
X-Men
Jesus Garay 
Leave a comment