The 1980s were a halcyon period for cartoon television—loud, brash, and full of imagination. If you grew up in the decade’s neon glow, chances are your weekends centered around the holy ritual of Saturday morning cartoons. These were not simply programs—they were over-the-top odysseys, pop culture touchstones, and marketing behemoths that spawned dynasties of toys, cereals, and lunchboxes.
Whether they included sword-fighting heroes, wise-cracking cats, or space robots, these cartoons were more than mere background distraction—these cartoons were the pulse of an entire generation’s entertainment. So sit back on the carpet with a bowl of cereal, and let’s explore the 10 best 1980s cartoons, listed in glorious reverse order.
10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Leading off the list with a pie of pizza and a whole lot of attitude, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made their debut in 1987 and within no time were a worldwide phenomenon. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo weren’t only ninjas—they were rockstars of Saturday morning. The mix of martial arts, mutant chaos, and quick-witted one-liners made this show unstoppable. It made a cult comic into a franchise powerhouse, partly through its hugely popular toy line by Playmates. Turtlemania was indeed real, and it all began here.
9. DuckTales
Adventure was the game in DuckTales, which took flight in 1987. With Scrooge McDuck guiding his troublesome nephews—Huey, Dewey, and Louie—on treasure hunts around the world, the series blended laughter, sentiment, and heroics in classic Disney style. And that theme song? It’s been embedded in our brains since day one. With good storytelling and characters that were impossible to forget, DuckTales showed cartoons could be smart, sentimental, and completely madcap all at once.
8. The Transformers
In 1984, The Transformers revolutionized everything—literally. These robots in disguise ignited a fandom that still rolls to this day. What was initially a toy line grew into an epic battle of Autobots and Decepticons, with Optimus Prime and Megatron becoming the voice acting and action-packed storytelling icons they are today. The show defined the toy-commercial-cartoon hybrid of the ’80s and became the foundation for a franchise that’s still transforming media today.
7. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Long before fantasy was hip, He-Man existed. Which first premiered in 1983, this sword-swinging epic introduced us to Prince Adam, who became the powerful He-Man with the decade’s most oft-quoted battle cry: “By the power of Grayskull!” With his team of crazed villains, headed up by the sublime Skeletor, and a toy franchise that populated toy boxes across the nation, He-Man was the definitive fantasy of power for children. The combination of action, morality stories, and all-out muscle-bound spectacle made it unforgettable.
6. The Real Ghostbusters
According to the blockbuster movie, The Real Ghostbusters brought paranormal pest control to Saturday mornings and sang. From 1986 to 1991, the series brought back the Ghostbusters team—Venkman, Egon, Ray, and Winston—for ghost-busting escapades every week full of humor, monsters, and unexpectedly crisp writing. Slimer was the surprise star, and the series’ spooky-meets-humorous feel placed it among the cartoon legends.
5. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
Grit, gadgets, and good guys versus bad guys—G.I. Joe was straight-up action. Revamped in the early ’80s along with a fresh toy line, the animated show brought dynamite showdowns between the Joe team and Cobra’s nefarious plans. Every show was like a mini war film, crammed full of fresh characters and equipment meant to illuminate every boy’s imagination. It wasn’t simply laser blasts and vehicles—it was an entire universe of action.
4. ThunderCats
If you grew up in the ’80s, when someone screamed “ThunderCats, HO!” you dashed to the TV. This action-packed show blended science fiction and fantasy with some of the most visually impressive animation of the era. Lion-O and his crew of panther warriors defended Third Earth against villains such as the eerie Mumm-Ra. With its decadent world-building, stylized battles, and that iconic opening, ThunderCats wasn’t just a cartoon—it was an event.
3. Garfield and Friends
Lasagna enthusiasts, rejoice. Garfield and Friends brought Jim Davis’s perpetually lazy feline to the air with voice acting that was pitch-perfect and humor that hit all the right spots. Garfield’s snarky deadpan, combined with the chaotic capers of the U.S. Acres gang, formed one of the most appealing shows of the decade. It was witty without condescending to its audience and was able to woo both children and adults with its clever jokes and its lovable characters.
2. Inspector Gadget
Blundering, oblivious, and equipped with wacky gadgets, Inspector Gadget was an ideal combination of James Bond spoof and cartoon physical comedy. With Don Adams (of Get Smart) providing the voice of the titular detective, the show was unadulterated fun—particularly when Penny and Brain inevitably rescued the day while Gadget stumbled about. From its iconic villains to its theme song, this show was a charming jumble of gadgetry, guffaws, and sentimentality.
1. Dungeons & Dragons
Coming in number one is a series that took fantasy storytelling seriously and won over the imaginations of young explorers the world over. Dungeons & Dragons was not simply about hyping up a game—it was about taking people into a realm of dragons, demons, and perilous quests. With well-defined characters and unexpectedly dark plotlines, it blew all expectations out of the water. Even lacking a proper conclusion, it gained cult status—and spawned a generation of fantasy readers to roll their dice.
The ’80s provided us with more than simply entertaining cartoons—they provided us with legends. These animated icons didn’t simply pass the time—they influenced our creativity, our imagination, and our passion for action-packed storytelling. Whether you were ghost-hunting or dominating the universe, you could be sure of one thing: Saturday mornings were magic.