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The 90s and 2000s featured some of the most memorable cartoons that are the epicenter of nostalgia for an entire generation. Everyone that grew up during these years has their own memories of avidly watching and being a fan of some kind of cartoon, whether it would be during a certain time of the week, with a certain snack, or at some friend’s house. Some were put on as mere escapes to enjoy on a Friday afternoon after school or on a Saturday morning while others would be committed to and followed with each new episode.
Many cartoons from the 90s and the 2000s not only have that special nostalgic element for an entire generation, but they are also just great shows to watch that were way ahead of their time and still hold up today. They both fulfilled their purpose as after-school escapes and provided entertaining stories that kids, as well as adults, could enjoy. These five animated shows from both decades can easily be labeled as the ones that accomplished all of that better than most.
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‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ (1992-1997)
Back in the 90s, Marvel’s cash cow was not movies, but TV, particularly animation. High-profile characters or groups from the comic book powerhouse such as Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, and even Silver Surfer were all adapted into their own animated shows during this decade. Some saw more success than others, however, none have achieved the level of popularity and everlasting admiration as ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’. The critically acclaimed animated adventure outing of Marvel’s team of mutants which aired on the long-dead Fox Kids Network was the prime Saturday morning cartoon.
Accompanied by a classic intro and theme that is still widely recognized today, the series encapsulated the team dynamic among the various members of the X-Men and incorporated a handful of the most famous storylines throughout the comics into some of the show’s most engaging episodes. It also took the themes heavily featured in its source material and expanded on them further. The political atmosphere and debate surrounding the topic of mutation took a visible toll on many of the main characters and their everyday lives. The show also found other ways to emotionally hook the audience, particularly in one of the final scenes in the series finale where Professor Charles Xavier looks at each of his X-Men with pride in how much they’ve all grown since he took them in. This was followed by him being carried off into space to be healed. Disney Plus has obviously taken advantage of the opportunity to capitalize on the show’s long-standing popularity by greenlighting its upcoming revival, ‘X-Men ‘97’ which follows the events of the original show. Whether hitting the soft spot of nostalgia for those who grew up watching it or being binged for the first time on Disney Plus by new viewers, ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ is the rare 90s cartoon that has barely aged if at all, and can be enjoyed by audiences of any age.
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‘SpongeBob Squarepants’ (1999-Present)
Featuring one of the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time, ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ follows the adventures of a talking sponge that “lives in a pineapple under the sea” as the song goes, works as a fry cook, and gets into all kinds of bizarre situations with his best friend, Patrick Starr. Still airing new episodes after 22 years on Nickelodeon, the show has become a fundamental part of the childhoods of everyone in Gen Z, justifiably so. It’s clever, funny, and features wonderfully well-written characters.
‘Spongebob Squarepants’ doesn’t necessarily have any long-running story arcs that span multiple episodes or a whole season. Rather, each episode is typically its own stand-alone short story that follows Spongebob, his shenanigans, and his interactions with other characters. The charm about the series is that it’s the type of cartoon that one can turn on when coming home from school on a Friday afternoon and enjoy any random episode that plays on Nickelodeon. As far as a mere escapist cartoon that can be turned on and enjoyed at any given episode, ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ checks all those boxes while devoting enough effort to witty and unique writing.
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‘Batman: The Animated Series’ (1992-1995)
Not many cartoons can really nail a darker and more serious tone, especially during these two decades. Most animated shows during this time that tried to incorporate a darker tone came off as cheesy on-the-nose stereotypes of what animated stories actually are. ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ broke this curse with a more grounded saga set in the crime-ridden world of Gotham City. The series managed to incorporate the more intricate elements of a standard crime drama with fantastical and sci-fi-like aspects from certain characters in the comics such as Clayface, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, etc.
Like ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’, this show was the only other comic book-based animated property that is still massively popular and receives widespread admiration decades later. Nostalgia is also a factor here, but like its Marvel counterpart, ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ was way ahead of its time for a 90s cartoon in terms of storytelling, characters, and stellar voice acting from talents such as Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, both of whom have become synonymous with their respective characters of Batman and The Joker, later reprising their roles in various animated films, shows, and the iconic ‘Batman: Arkham’ video game series.
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‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005-2008)
If ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ was a live-action series that had aired on a more “prestigious” network such as ABC or HBO, it would be widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows of all time and likely would have snagged a couple of Emmys in some of the high profile categories. Being an animated show on Nickelodeon, it did not enter the conversation too often in terms of the best TV shows at the time. Despite this, however, the show’s popularity has still endured among an entire generation that grew up enjoying it and it’s easy to see why.
Taking place in a fictional world that is based around a magic system surrounding the four elements, the story follows Aang, a twelve-year-old incarnation of a messiah-type figure called the Avatar who seeks to end a hundred-year-long war with the help of his friends. Brilliant worldbuilding, lovable characters who share special chemistry with each other, powerful story arcs, mature themes, unique humor, and relationships the audience can easily invest in are all reasons why this series has grown in popularity over the years since it first aired.
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‘Justice League’ (2001-2004) / ‘Justice League Unlimited’ (2004-2006)
‘Justice League’ and its sequel series ‘Justice League Unlimited’ are the first major adaptations of DC’s premiere superhero team. Composed of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl, the team goes on a series of missions and encounters various characters and villains from DC lore. Similar to ‘Batman: The Animated Series’, the show and its sequel have few long-running arcs and are more focused on simple standalone stories with their own self-contained adventures, usually made up of two or three episodes.
The team dynamic is always fun to watch as each hero has their own unique traits that make them engaging enough to watch. Both shows feature fun adventure stories, adapt classic DC comic book runs, and utilize invigorating animation. While not necessarily as popular or widely recognized as other animated comic book shows from this time, ‘Justice League’ and ‘Justice League Unlimited’ certainly provided their fair share of memories for those who grew up watching them, placing them in the category of nostalgic cartoons from this era.
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Nader Chamas is an aspiring television writer who seeks to fuse thought provoking progressive ideals into the films, shows, and stories that he loves. Having graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Screenwriting, Nader seeks to use his writing to advance causes that do not get enough attention or input across mainstream media. Like most, Nader has his own share of his favorite franchises and stories across pop culture. However, he seeks to contribute timely and relevant topics into these stories as well as in his own original material. This is why Nader’s analysis of popular films and tv shows matches The Hollywood Insider’s practice of discussing entertainment from a socially cognizant and critical perspective.
Nader Chamas is an aspiring television writer who seeks to fuse thought provoking progressive ideals into the films, shows, and stories that he loves. Having graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Screenwriting, Nader seeks to use his writing to advance causes that do not get enough attention or input across mainstream media. Like most, Nader has his own share of his favorite franchises and stories across pop culture. However, he seeks to contribute timely and relevant topics into these stories as well as in his own original material. This is why Nader’s analysis of popular films and tv shows matches The Hollywood Insider’s practice of discussing entertainment from a socially cognizant and critical perspective.
