Home Gaming Here’s to the cartoon shows that defined my childhood

Here’s to the cartoon shows that defined my childhood

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Megas

Even though I got to see many of the shows from the 1990s thanks to the SABC being about as broken as our justice system, I’m a child of the 2000s. That was my era, a decade that saw the animated landscape embrace the work of other nations and expand. There were some ridiculously great cartoons made, shows that will live on in my heart and as a cellphone ringtone. And I feel like sharing some of that love today.

Medabots

To this day, I’m still massively thankful to Pokémon. Primarily because it opened the floodgates for a ton of other Japanese cartoons to hit the market in an attempt for toy manufacturers to bleed parents die. Medabots is undoubtedly my favourite. Even for a cartoon, the premise of sentient robots engaged in cockfights that could determine the fate of the world, was ridiculous. Then you added in bizarre characters, an ancient Mayan prophecy and a gang of villains dressed like rubber fetish fans, and you had a pure winner. And that intro. It never gets old. Never.

Invader Zim

If there’s any cartoon series that was way, way too ahead of its time, it was Invader Zim. It was a cartoon that was also horribly ahead of the curve with its target audience, thanks to episodes that involved a kid having his eyeballs ripped out and replaced with robotic replacements, a Christmas episode that turned Santa into a monster straight out of your nightmares and a class hamster that was evolved into something out of Neon Genesis Evangelion. It’s a cult classic, and required viewing for everybody. Especially if you want to learn the Doom song.

Justice League

The Super Friends can kiss my hairy ass, as the real Justice League got the cartoon series that they deserved in the 2000s. A core roster that included Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, The Flash and Hawkgirl, the series quickly expanded into Justice League Unlimited. Bigger threats required a bigger team to respond to them, and this show delivered on that idea, and then some.

Knights Of The Zodiac

Sure, it may have been dubbed into English twenty years too late, more heavily edited than the State Of The Nation Address last week and made about as much sense as dolphin slippers, but it still had a bitching intro!

Danny Phantom

I’ve got a massive love for any cartoon series that Butch Hartman is involved in. He brings a manic intensity to all of his work, that is combined with ace editing and music. But coupling that style with a dedicated action adventure series? Pure genius. Pure fun genius that is.

The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

Sweet Grim, but this cartoon was stupidly fun, and incredibly dark in the later seasons. And so, so much better once it freed itself of its horrid partner, Evil Concarne. Fun fact: Billy is voiced by Invader Zim himself, Richard Horvitz.

The Marvellous Misadventures of Flapjack

It always surprises me with the amount of NSFL content that some animators get away with. Take The Marvellous Misadventures Of Flapjack for example, which is pure nightmare fuel in 21 minute segments. I’m not saying that you’re a bad parent if you allow your kids to watch this show unattended, but ma oh man, this may have been Twin Peaks for kids.

Action League Now!

I’m cheating a little bit here, as this show wasn’t exactly animated. But it was crazy, cheap and just plain awesome.

Megas XLR

If you don’t like giant robots, then I don’t think we can be friends.

Chowder

Man, Cartoon Network had some experimentally crazy cartoons back in the day. Chowder was the animated result of a cooking show on the grooviest of drugs, left to its own devices. It was pure insanity, and somehow, it all made sense whenever a plot wrapped up.

Batman Beyond

As much as I dug Batman, seeing a far older and determined Bruce Wayne mentor a protégé Tomorrow Knight to save a Gotham City that had fallen into darker times was in many ways a superior Batman cartoon. Everything felt fresh and new again. And if you were a fan of this show, do yourself a favour and track down the director’s cut of Batman Beyond: The Return Of The Joker. It’s the show at its very finest, as it comes full circle back to the original 1990s series.

Jackie Chan Adventures

It was impossible to grow up and not turn a corner to find a Jackie Chan movie just waiting to be watched. At one point, the man outnumbered people by three sequels and four broken bones to every person living on the planet. So placing Chan in his very own cartoon series, was an idea that took way too long to come to fruition. But it was freakin’ worth it! And hey, one more thing….

Batman: The Brave And The Bold

If Batman Beyond is the dark knight at his very best, then then Batman: Brave and the bold is the caped crusader restored to his more fun silver age roots. It was a weekly tag team event where Batman would solve cases alongside a guest star. Everybody from Superman to B’wana Beast made it in the show. Hell, it even made Aquaman a likeable character again. OUTRAGEOUS!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

There has rarely been an animated series as ambitious as Avatar: The Last Airbender. Most series were content to offer self-contained episodes with an easy resolution every week, but Avatar was more ambitious than that. It set up an entire mythology, of a chosen protector who bridged the gap between the spirits and mankind, manipulating elements to help restore balance in a world where such special skills were hardly unique. It’s a magnificent epic, that was followed up a few years later by a sequel series, The Legend Of Korra. But your first time experiencing bending, will always be special.

Samurai Jack

I don’t think I know of anyone who didn’t see Samurai Jack. Cool, beautifully paced and epic in even the tiniest of moments, the show is a classic that will outlive us all. And maybe one day, Gendy Tartakovsky will get to finish the legendary series.

Last Updated: January 4, 2017

76 Comments

  1. Much love for Megas, Grim Adventures and Jack! I thought about linking the final fight of my favorite episode “Jack and the Bounty Hunters” but decided not to. What makes that fight is the meticulous planning of the bounty hunters leading up to it. What I like most about Samurai Jack though, apart from the awesome fight scenes, is its incredibly well done and intense atmosphere. Would make an awesome setting for a game.

    Does highschool count as childhood? In that case I would add the CN greats to such a list: Dexter’s lab, Ed, Edd and Eddy, Cow&Chicken, Powerpuff Girls and Johnny Bravo. If not then it would be the Disney classics for me: Ducktales, Gummi Bears, Talespin, Darkwing Duck and Gooftroop; as well as Bravestar and The Adventures of Prince Valiant.

    Shoutout to Hoss Delgado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXlgYsTcZXU

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      February 18, 2015 at 22:40

      Wise. That fight and episode was awesome, so well done.

      Reply

  2. Blood Emperor Trevor

    February 18, 2015 at 20:54

    But Darryn, did any of your cartoons have their base in the greatest city in the world?

    Reply

    • Matewis Jubilai

      February 18, 2015 at 21:50

      Interster? That was stupidly awesome! Always reminds me of the time I fell off the couch laughing at Casper when he spoofed it on one of his shows. Best that I can find is a blooper clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN0_5PmJBXM&feature=player_detailpage#t=623

      Reply

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        February 18, 2015 at 21:57

        😀

        I saw the series for sale the other day & was seriously tempted to buy it. Maybe that should be my birthday present to myself.

        Reply

        • Matewis Jubilai

          February 18, 2015 at 22:07

          Do it! These things might be hard to get hold of in the future 😛
          Apart from Interster I also want to find all afrikaans Lucky Luke’s, Orkney snork nie and Vetkoek Paleis episodes. Only some are on youtube, and all are poor quality 🙁

          Reply

      • Matewis Jubilai

        February 18, 2015 at 22:23

        Damn 12:20 is a blast from the past. Hotel 224! Anyone remember that annoying radio ad? Verdwaal : “Verkoon my meneer maar kan jy asb vir my sê waar die Unie geboue is?”
        Vertraag : “Ja sekerlik, daar naby die 224?”
        Verdwaal : “En Loftus Versveld?”
        Vertraag : “Ook naby die 224.”
        Verdwaal : “Nou wat is die 224?” (<– in a supremely stupid voice)
        Vertraag : "'n Bekostigbare Hotel met 224 gerieflike slaapkamers."
        Verdwaal : "Waar is die 224?"
        Vertraag : "Sentraal gelee, naby winkel sentrums, nog iets en nog iets"
        and so forth…
        Seriously, if I'm lost and ask someone where something is, and they proceed to tell me about something that's roughly in the same vicinity (within 1 to 2 kilometers), and then tell me that that place is somewhere 'centrally located' close to a bunch of other generic city locations, then they'll get a slap across the face…

        2nd most annoying ad was carfind.co.za…carfind.co.za…carfind.co.za…carfind.co.za… carfind.co.za accentuating different parts of the site's name each time.

        Reply

    • HvR

      February 19, 2015 at 00:21

      Wat is beter as ons berg?

      Ons berg met ‘n f*kk*n spaceship!!!

      Reply

    • The D

      February 19, 2015 at 06:27

      You Capetononians and your damn mountain, always thinking that you’re hot shit.

      Reply

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        February 19, 2015 at 07:38

        So that’s a NO? CHECKMATE!

        Reply

      • Rock789

        February 19, 2015 at 08:07

        It’s not boasting if it’s true… :p

        Reply

        • Brady miaau

          February 19, 2015 at 11:00

          from a certain point of view……

          Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        February 19, 2015 at 09:32

        PE could be cool too, if it wasnt a black hole that sucked the joy out of everything in life.

        Reply

    • HvR

      February 19, 2015 at 16:01

      Interster episode 1 with Cpt Buks de la Rey battling the head evil alien Crown Prince Helen Zille.

      Reply

  3. Brady miaau

    February 18, 2015 at 21:15

    Wow. Samurai Jack. How cool was that? Awesome.

    Avatar: The Last Airbender How cool was that?

    Also, Megas. By purest co-incidence watching Justice League Unlimited,

    Reply

  4. HvR

    February 19, 2015 at 00:33

    Younger years, mostly Disney:
    Goof Troop
    Talespin
    Ducktales
    Rescue Rangers
    Those horribly translated Afrikaans cartoons (Brakkenjan etc)
    Interster on Saturday mornings on TV1

    Few years later I was introduced to Sci-Fi through cartoons:
    RoboTech
    BattleTech
    Johhny Quest (90’s version)
    Reboot

    And then early in 1997 100x80pixel artifact riddled 30MB real player video of an 18 foot satellite dish sticking out of Cartman’s ass.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      February 19, 2015 at 07:45

      The top three were mostly on Sundays. As well as Darkwing Duck

      Reply

    • Guild

      February 19, 2015 at 09:45

      Now that’s a list I relate to. Plus:
      Dino Riders
      Samurai Pizza Cats
      Thundercats
      Gummi Bears
      Gargoyles
      Tiny Toons
      Bravestar
      Galaxy Rangers
      Bionic 6

      Reply

      • Sageville

        February 19, 2015 at 10:05

        Raboobi
        Robotech
        He-Man
        Gummi Bears
        Thundercats
        Brakenjan
        Stingray
        Thunderbirds

        Reply

        • Hendrik

          February 19, 2015 at 11:07

          Bravestarr
          Biker Mice from Mars
          Mina Moo
          Moomin

          Reply

          • Brady miaau

            February 19, 2015 at 12:21

            Bike MICE from Mars!

        • Hammersteyn

          February 19, 2015 at 11:11

          hehe Raboobi

          Reply

  5. Dean

    February 19, 2015 at 06:59

    I remember Chowder taught me that to make Depressed Roast Beef you had to give it a lot of wine.

    Get it? No? ……. damn

    Reply

  6. Lothy

    February 19, 2015 at 07:03

    Wow do I feel old… When I think of cartoons that defined my childhood. Im thinking of bionic 6, Galaxy rangers, braveheart, conan the adventurer and robotech.

    Here’s a trip down memory lane for the slightly older constituants out there:

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      February 19, 2015 at 07:11

      Yeah, you and me both. I don;t know what this stuff is.

      Reply

    • Her Highness the Hipster

      February 19, 2015 at 07:16

      same here – I was almost done with my masters when some of these cartoons were released. but Darryn is obviously just a giant man child.

      Reply

      • Brady miaau

        February 19, 2015 at 10:59

        Well, I watched a lot of these a few years ago, when I was into my 30’s. nothing wrong with being a big man-child!

        Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      February 19, 2015 at 07:45

      Ditto

      Reply

    • Reidroc

      February 19, 2015 at 09:54

      Galaxy Rangers! That theme song is still awesome.

      Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      February 19, 2015 at 10:04

      i feel like you should be talking about He man and flash gordon, but the lack of those names in your list is of great concern to me.

      Reply

  7. Craig "Crios" Boonzaier

    February 19, 2015 at 07:24

    Bad Day! Bad Day! Bad Day! Bad Day!

    Reply

  8. Derrich Schleich

    February 19, 2015 at 07:36

    Reboot was awesome – along with DBZ, Pokemon and Medabots. the rest of them I did not really watch.

    Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      February 19, 2015 at 09:27

      rofl ermagurd, reboot was the best

      do you remember that battle moon programme aswell, for the life of me, i cant remember a thing about it and am hoping someone other than myself remembers it?

      the last time i remember watching it was it was interuppted by the twin tower attack on september 11th, was cancelled after that.

      Reply

      • Reidroc

        February 19, 2015 at 10:38

        Are you talking about War Planets? That show was awesome, but too short lived.
        http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169510/

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          February 19, 2015 at 11:02

          yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!

          Reply

    • Charl van der Merwe

      February 19, 2015 at 13:45

      REBOOT! Man that was the best!

      Reply

  9. Ghost In The Rift

    February 19, 2015 at 07:36

    1. DIGIMON
    2. DBZ
    3.Metabots
    4.Megas XLR
    5.Pokemon
    6.Ed Edd & Eddy
    7.Samurai Jack

    Reply

  10. Hammersteyn

    February 19, 2015 at 07:44

    Never new Darryn was so young

    Reply

    • Sageville

      February 19, 2015 at 10:06

      Practically a foetus

      Reply

  11. DJSkippy

    February 19, 2015 at 07:48

    Ah come on now, you forgot the speed of the puma….BraveStar..lol

    Reply

  12. Hammersteyn

    February 19, 2015 at 07:51

    Robotech, He-Man, Bravestar, Thundercats, Bionic SIx, Dino-Riders, GI-Joe,Ninja Turtles (Including toys for most of them) Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes and a shot load of Disney animation. Made me the weirdo I am today.

    Reply

    • Draco Lusus

      February 19, 2015 at 09:51

      You forgot the Pirates of Dark Water, you filthy pirate

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        February 19, 2015 at 10:08

        Gaaaaah yes!

        Reply

  13. Admiral Chief

    February 19, 2015 at 08:00

    One million upvotes to you Darryn!

    Reply

  14. Axon1988

    February 19, 2015 at 08:02

    Megas, Invader Zim and Samurai Jack. Good times! Zim will always be one of my favorites.

    Reply

  15. Axon1988

    February 19, 2015 at 08:03

    What about REBOOT?

    Reply

    • Anon A Mouse

      February 19, 2015 at 09:31

      Upvotes over 9000 for this. Was looking it the whole time, along with Bravestar.

      Reply

  16. Rock789

    February 19, 2015 at 08:12

    Man, takes me back…

    I remember my cartoon shows I used to watch as a kid. Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop, Gummi Bears. Then of course there were He-Man, Thundercats (the original!), Dino Riders, Biker Mice From Mars, King Arthur and the Knights of Justice, Bravestarr, Batman: The Animated Series (Mark Hamill is and always will be the voice of the Joker in my books!), Robotech, Macron-1, Voltron, Bionic Six, G.I.Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Amazing Spider-Man… Man, so many awesome shows back then!

    Reply

  17. Kensei Seraph

    February 19, 2015 at 08:16

    The memories.

    Reply

  18. Mossel

    February 19, 2015 at 08:24

    What? No Time Squad?! No Courage the Cowardly Dog?!

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      February 19, 2015 at 08:34

      DUUUUDE, Time Squad and Courage, love it!

      Reply

      • Mossel

        February 19, 2015 at 08:38

        Courage had some really creepy episodes! Loved it!

        Reply

    • Brady miaau

      February 19, 2015 at 10:58

      Time Squad was pretty clever, sure. Was fun

      Courage? Not so much, for me at least

      Reply

  19. Victor "Vicky" Moolman

    February 19, 2015 at 08:24

    This is, by far, the best list I have ever seen. GO DARRYN!!! I love all of them, coincidentally I have most of them, I am currently looking for Megas XLR

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      February 19, 2015 at 08:34

      I have all the episodes

      Reply

      • Victor "Vicky" Moolman

        February 19, 2015 at 13:00

        I must have!! GIMMEH THA EPISODES!

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          February 19, 2015 at 14:53

          I actually watch them with my daughter from time to time (kid needs a proper education mos)

          Reply

          • Victor "Vicky" Moolman

            February 19, 2015 at 16:10

            I feel like Admiral Chief is just taunting me now.

          • Admiral Chief

            February 20, 2015 at 07:38

            I’m a flash drive away

          • Victor "Vicky" Moolman

            February 23, 2015 at 15:45

            I do not think that you are a mere 4cm away from me. . .

  20. Mossel

    February 19, 2015 at 08:24

    Ah man Invader Zim! Possibly the best cartoon ever made.

    Reply

  21. Admiral Chief

    February 19, 2015 at 08:51

    DAT KIVA!

    Reply

  22. CrasH

    February 19, 2015 at 08:53

    Not one mention of powerpuff girls, jonny bravo or I am weasel…
    Powerpuff had the best bad guys, Mojo jojo rocks!

    Reply

  23. Hendrik

    February 19, 2015 at 09:24

    You need Bravestar!! Speed of a puuuumA!

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      February 19, 2015 at 10:57

      But that was 80’s?

      Reply

      • Hendrik

        February 19, 2015 at 11:05

        Yea, you’re right. I am old 🙁

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          February 19, 2015 at 11:10

          So am I XD

          Reply

        • Brady miaau

          February 19, 2015 at 12:20

          Well. Me too! I loved that show and judging by all the comments, so did a lot of people.

          Word of advice. Do not watch it now, just keep the memories of you loving it.

          Reply

  24. Matthew Holliday

    February 19, 2015 at 09:29

    medabots, batman, justice league, knights of the zodiac, yes.
    but not Dragon Ball Z? (massive WTF)
    transformers?
    edd ed and eddy?
    recess?

    wtf man.

    your childhood seems to end around the time you were 27, with avatar, jackie chan and danny phantom being on this list.

    Reply

    • Norm

      February 19, 2015 at 14:00

      Hehe… Ed, Edd & Eddie. Loved that show!

      Reply

  25. Matewis Jubilai

    February 19, 2015 at 09:31

    Loved the intros of that bygone era : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq2VT1LAZPo

    Reply

  26. Allykhat

    February 19, 2015 at 09:50

    Darren… I am officially very mad with you… My entertainment time is already limited as helllllll! Now, no thanks to you, I have to go and re-watch not one, not two, but ALL of these shows…
    You already have made me start watching pokemon from season 1 and aspiring to complete my dex in Sapphire…
    So thank you for making life difficult for me.
    You jerk…
    <3

    Reply

  27. Sageville

    February 19, 2015 at 09:54

    Man I’m old.

    Reply

  28. Lardus-Resident Perve

    February 19, 2015 at 10:07

  29. DrKiller

    February 19, 2015 at 11:29

    Megas XLR… BEST SHOW EVER!!!

    Reply

  30. Sageville

    February 19, 2015 at 12:47

    Ag shem….

    Reply

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