40+ Iconic 80s Cartoons That Defined Saturday Mornings

Danger Mouse was the world’s greatest secret agent—or so he claimed. Airing from 1981 to 1992, this British series was a staple for me. It followed the eyepatch-wearing rodent and his terrified hamster sidekick, Penfold.

What I loved was the dry humor. It wasn’t just slapstick; it was clever. Danger Mouse embodied fearlessness, even when the budget was so low they had to reuse the same backgrounds for five minutes straight.

Rainbow Brite radiated joy. Alongside her sidekick Twink and the Color Kids, she protected Rainbow Land from the gloomiest villains ever named: Murky Dismal and Lurky.

While it was definitely designed to sell dolls, the world-building was surprisingly deep. I remember being genuinely stressed when the King of Shadows tried to remove all color from the universe.

She-Ra was the counterpart to He-Man, but let’s be honest: she was often cooler. Princess Adora, He-Man’s twin sister, led the Great Rebellion against the Evil Horde.

It captured my imagination because Adora wasn’t a damsel in distress; she was the one doing the saving. Plus, her horse, Swift Wind, could talk, which instantly made him better than He-Man’s Battle Cat.

My Little Pony galloped into our lives in 1986. Before the “Brony” movement of the 2010s, this was a simple show about colorful horses fighting surprisingly dark monsters with the power of friendship. It’s no wonder the franchise is still going strong today.

Pound Puppies was the show that tugged at your heartstrings. Led by the cool-headed Cooler, these dogs operated a secret underground facility to find homes for puppies before the evil Katrina Stoneheart could catch them.

Moon Dreamers was a whimsical trip to the world of Starry Up. The characters were responsible for manufacturing dreams for the children of Earth. It had a very distinct, almost psychedelic aesthetic that feels like a fever dream when I look back on it now.

Disney took a popular candy and turned it into a high-fantasy epic. The Gummi Bears were a lost civilization possessing the secret of “Gummi Berry Juice,” which allowed them to bounce incredibly high. It was surprisingly well-written, with lore that rivaled some adult fantasy shows.

This show reinvented the classic Disney chipmunks as private investigators. Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers saw the duo taking on cases too small for the police to handle. Alongside Gadget (the engineer) and Monterey Jack (the muscle addicted to cheese), they were the A-Team of the rodent world.

Richie Rich was the “poor little rich boy” who had everything money could buy, but just wanted friends. I loved watching this for the gadgets and the mansion—who didn’t want a rollercoaster in their backyard?

This series was shockingly good. Produced by Marvel and animated by Toei (a Japanese studio), it followed a group of friends sucked into a rollercoaster ride that transported them to a fantasy realm. It was darker than most 80s cartoons; the kids just wanted to go home, and they never quite made it.

Muppet Babies was a masterclass in imagination. It showcased the beloved Muppets as toddlers living in a nursery. The show was unique because it mixed animation with live-action clips to show what the babies were imagining.

The Wuzzles delighted children with a strange premise: every character was a mash-up of two animals. You had Bumblelion (bumblebee/lion) and Eleroo (elephant/kangaroo). It was short-lived, but if you had a Wuzzles plush toy, you were the coolest kid in school.

Jerrica Benton used a holographic computer named Synergy (built by her father) to transform into the rock star Jem. It was a battle of the bands every episode against the Misfits. It was equal parts music video and superhero show.

Often called “The Smurfs underwater,” Snorks had its own charm. These small, colorful creatures lived in Snorkland and used the snorkels on their heads to propel themselves and communicate. It was a staple of the Hanna-Barbera lineup.

A staple among Saturday morning cartoons, Fat Albert seamlessly blended entertainment with education. The gang would gather in their North Philadelphia junkyard, playing instruments made out of trash, and usually learning a lesson about life, honesty, or friendship.

This French-Japanese collaboration transported Greek mythology into the 31st century. Ulysses commands a giant spaceship, the Odyssey, and after killing a Cyclops to save children, the Gods of Olympus curse him to wander the universe. It was incredibly stylish and a bit scary.

SuperTed was a defective teddy bear who was thrown away, brought to life by a Spotty man from space, and given superpowers by Mother Nature. If that sounds weird, it was. But ripping off his teddy bear skin to reveal the superhero suit underneath was one of the coolest transformation sequences of the 80s.

Denver, The Last Dinosaur was the epitome of late 80s cool. A group of California teens release a dinosaur from an egg, and instead of eating them, he learns to skateboard and wear sunglasses.

Based on the Tim Burton movie, the cartoon took the “Ghost with the Most” and made him Lydia Deetz’s best friend. They went on bizarre adventures in the Netherworld. It was gross, weird, and absolutely perfect for kids who liked the darker side of things.

Although it started in the 70s, Super Friends dominated the 80s. We got Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, but we also got the Wonder Twins and their space monkey, Gleek. It was cheesy, but it introduced us to the DC Universe.

Based on the comic strip, this show was about a well-meaning boy who just couldn’t stop causing chaos. Poor Mr. Wilson never stood a chance. It was simple, slapstick fun that every kid could relate to.

Babar was a change of pace. It was slow, thoughtful, and beautifully animated. Telling the story of an elephant king building his kingdom of Celesteville, it felt like a storybook come to life. It was the show you watched when you wanted to calm down.

Produced by DIC, The Littles were tiny human-like creatures with tails who lived inside the walls of houses. They had to survive in a giant world while keeping their existence a secret. It was like The Borrowers, but with more 80s hairstyles.

A spin-off of Danger Mouse, this show featured a vegetarian vampire duck. Due to a mishap with the resurrection ritual (using ketchup instead of blood), Duckula had no interest in being evil; he just wanted to be a celebrity.

If you didn’t have a Popple, did you even live in the 80s? These creatures could fold into their own pouches to resemble fuzzy balls. The cartoon was standard fare—creatures hiding from adults—but the character designs were undeniably cute.

One of my favorites from Canada, The Raccoons followed Bert Raccoon fighting against the industrialist aardvark Cyril Sneer. It was ahead of its time with its strong environmental message.

This BBC show was very appealing with its witty humor. Narrated by the ghost Willo, it was short, strange, and stuck in the memories of British kids forever.

Rankin/Bass took the ThunderCats formula and applied it to space police with bionic wings. The animation was slick, the opening theme was electrifying, and it had some of the coolest action figures of the decade.

You can’t talk about the 80s without the Smurfs. These tiny blue creatures outwitted Gargamel for 256 episodes. It was a cultural phenomenon that spawned movies, albums, and enough plastic figurines to fill a landfill.

Millions of kids, including myself, were mesmerized by giant robots that transformed into cars. It was the ultimate toy commercial, sure, but the lore was deep and the action was intense.

Released after the hit movie, this show wasn’t just a cheap cash-in; it was actually great. It expanded the lore of the films and introduced some genuinely creepy ghosts (like the Boogieman).

Care Bears enchanted audiences with their belly badges and cloud cars. The concept of “The Care Bear Stare”—shooting love out of your stomach to defeat enemies—is still hilarious and awesome.

This show followed the adventures of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, and their long-suffering father figure, Dave. The best part was watching them perform chipmunk versions of actual hit songs from the radio.

This show took Spidey and teamed him up with Iceman and a new character, Firestar. They lived together in Aunt May’s house with a secret lab. It was classic 80s Marvel fun.

Every episode showcased the G.I. Joe team battling against Cobra. Despite all the lasers fired, no one ever seemed to get hit, and everyone parachuted out of exploding planes safely.

The 1988 animated series brought Jim Davis’ comic to life. I got to see Garfield talk and move for the first time. The show was split between Garfield’s antics and “U.S. Acres,” a farm segment that was surprisingly funny in its own right.

While the cartoons were older, the package show was a staple of the 80s. Watching Bugs, Daffy, and Coyote on Saturday mornings was a ritual.

The 1987 series softened the gritty comic book into a kid-friendly phenomenon. Four mutant turtles, a rat sensei, and a lot of pizza. Their impact on pop culture is undeniable; you couldn’t go five feet in 1989 without seeing a turtle shell.

DuckTales debuted in 1987 and followed Scrooge McDuck and his nephews on Indiana Jones-style adventures. The animation was fluid, the scripts were smart, and the theme song is unforgettable.

Launched in 1983, this series encapsulates the essence of 80s cartoons. Prince Adam raises his sword to become He-Man, fighting the skull-faced Skeletor. It was weird (why was there a cowboy and a bumblebee man?), but it worked perfectly.

Airing from 1983 to 1986, this show was about a clumsy cyborg detective who was actually terrible at his job. His niece Penny and her dog Brain did all the work, but Gadget got the credit. It was hilarious watching him oblivious to the danger around him.

Five pilots command five robot lions to form Voltron, the ultimate robot. It was the coolest thing on TV. Watching them combine to form the giant robot was hypnotic.