Top 10 Darkest Cartoon Shows Ever Created

Cartoons are supposed to be colorful, weird, and fun, right up until one turns a hallway into a nightmare tunnel and makes a smiling character look like they came straight out of sleep paralysis. That is what makes the darkest ones stick so hard.

Some of these series got under your skin because the fear was not loud all the time. It was hiding in the background art, in the empty streets, in the shadows stretching too far, and in the feeling that something bad was waiting just outside the frame. The best of them mixed creepy imagery with humor, sadness, or pure chaos, which somehow made the dread even stronger. You could laugh one minute, then stare at the screen the next like your room suddenly got colder. That is the sweet spot this list is chasing: animated shows that went far past simple spooky fun and left behind scenes people still replay in their heads years later.

1. Amphibia

   

   Amphibia is an American animated television series created by Matt Braly. It originally aired on Disney Channel from June 17, 2019, to May 14, 2022. The show follows a young girl named Anne Boonchuy who is magically transported to a fantastical world inhabited by anthropomorphic amphibians.

2. Invader Zim

   

   Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by Jhonen Vasquez for Nickelodeon. The series centers on an extraterrestrial named Zim from the planet Irk, who is determined to conquer Earth with the help of his malfunctioning robot assistant, GIR.... read more

   This sparked my love for mystery and horror. I am grateful this show ever came to air.

   Great show, just very dark.

   It should be number 1.

3. Courage the Cowardly Dog

   

   Courage the Cowardly Dog is an American animated horror comedy television series created by John R. Dilworth for Cartoon Network as part of the network's Cartoon Cartoons block. The show follows a timid pink dog named Courage who lives with an elderly couple in a farmhouse in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas... read more

   It may be dark, but this cartoon is still awesome!

   Watching it ruined my sleep.

   It was pretty dark, maybe.

4. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy

   

   This is the greatest masterpiece in the pathetic history of mankind, and Mandy is the greatest cartoon character ever written. This should be number 1!

   It's dark, I'll admit. But this show is still a part of my childhood.

   It's pretty dark. It should be higher on the list.

5. Gravity Falls

   

   Gravity Falls is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. It first aired on Disney Channel before moving to Disney XD, running from June 15, 2012, to February 15, 2016. The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel in the fictional... read more

   Pause at the scene where Soos and Wendy think Bipper is Dipper. His eyes disappear and start to glow.

   It had some pretty ominous episodes.

6. The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack

   

   The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack is an American animated television series created by Thurop Van Orman for Cartoon Network. It premiered in North America on June 5, 2008. The show features Van Orman as the voice of Flapjack, a naive young boy raised by a talking whale named Bubbie and mentored... read more

   This show is a bit of a blur to me, but I still remember it. Well, most of the creepy parts about it.

   All I remember is that creepy cat with just a close-up of black eyes. Like, huh.

7. Samurai Jack

   

   Samurai Jack is an American action-adventure chanbara animated series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network. The series premiered on August 10, 2001, with a television movie titled The Premiere Movie, and it originally concluded with its fourth season on September 25, 2004, without completing... read more

   I think it's pretty dark, but still cool! I've even made a video with it!

8. Adventure Time

   

   Adventure Time is an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn, voiced by Jeremy Shada, and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake, voiced by John DiMaggio. Jake is a dog with the magical power to change... read more

   Misadventure Time is so disturbing because Mistakes is so disturbing!

   Princess Cookie, Lemongrab, the list goes on.

9. Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

   

   Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is an American animated mystery, comedy, and drama television series. It is the eleventh television incarnation of the Scooby-Doo media franchise created by Hanna-Barbera. It was the first series in the franchise that did not traditionally air on Saturday mornings, and... read more

   Spoilers: Everyone but the gang technically dies.

10. Salad Fingers

    

    I love rusty spoons.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Invincible

    

    If anything deserves to be #1 it's this show, this show has some of the most brutal scenes in all of cartoon history. And its done in a dark way too.

12. ?

    Tales from the Cryptkeeper

    
The Contenders

13. The Ren & Stimpy Show

    

    The Ren & Stimpy Show, often referred to simply as Ren & Stimpy, is an American animated television series created by John Kricfalusi for Nickelodeon. It originally aired from 1991 to 1995 and is known for its surreal humor and controversial content. The series centers on Ren, an emotionally unstable... read more

    Ren and Stimpy should be number one after the Adult Party Cartoon episode Ren Seeks Help.

    Yep, kind of dark and SuS.

14. Teen Titans

    

    Teen Titans is an American animated television series created by Glen Murakami and based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. It originally aired on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2006, with its first two seasons also airing on Kids' WB. The series follows a team of young superheroes as they... read more

    Yes, and there are the most SuSiest moments ever.

15. Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon

    

    Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" is an American adult animated comedy television series created by John Kricfalusi. It was produced by Spümcø for TNN and Spike TV and premiered on June 26, 2003. The series was removed from the network after only three episodes aired, with the three remaining completed... read more

    I think this deserves to be on the list because it's very dark. It's extremely violent, with scenes of bleeding intestines, bleeding eyeballs, and hearts and kidneys being thrown up into the air.

    The main character, Ren, is a psychopath. Sometimes he says he'll kill Stimpy and actually tries to do it by snapping his neck. There are lots of suicide references and violent threats. There's a whole episode about hanging and another where they go to hell.

    I'm still surprised this show was on Nickelodeon. It's very dark and not for kids.

    No, not the beloved show from Nick. The Spike TV messed-up version.

16. Batman: The Animated Series

    

    Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It originally aired on Fox Kids from 1992 to 1995 and was developed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski. The show is praised for its darker tone, film noir aesthetics, and introduction of original... read more

    Why is this not number one? The show's themes are mature and dark, involving drug dealing, loss, revenge, grief, crime, social classes, death, and guns that fire bullets. There is occasionally blood, and frequently in The New Batman Adventures, along with some inappropriate scenes. I would definitely rate it PG-13 and say it's one of the darkest cartoons of all time.

    One of the darkest cartoons there is.

17. Rick and Morty

    

    Rick and Morty is an American adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon for Adult Swim. The series premiered in 2013 and follows the misadventures of an eccentric scientist, Rick Sanchez, and his good-hearted but easily influenced grandson Morty. The show is known... read more

18. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)

    

    The Utrom Shredder is by far the darkest villain ever.

    The 2012 one is just as terrifying.

19. Rocko's Modern Life

    

    Rocko's Modern Life is an American animated television series created by Joe Murray for Nickelodeon. The series centers on the surreal life of an anthropomorphic Australian-immigrant wallaby named Rocko, along with his friends: the gluttonous steer Heffer, the neurotic turtle Filburt, and Rocko's faithful... read more

20. Regular Show

    

    Regular Show is an American animated television series created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network that premiered on September 6, 2010. The series follows the lives of two friends, Mordecai, a blue jay, and Rigby, a raccoon. They work as groundskeepers at a local park and often find themselves in surreal... read more

21. Happy Tree Friends

    

    Happy Tree Friends (HTF) is an American adult animated flash series created by Aubrey Ankrum, Rhode Montijo, Kenn Navarro, and Warren Graff for Mondo Media. While it is disguised as a children's cartoon, the show follows anthropomorphic forest animals whose adventures often end in unexpectedly graphic... read more

22. Over the Garden Wall

    

    Over the Garden Wall is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. It premiered in November 2014 and consists of ten episodes. The series follows two half-brothers as they journey through a mysterious forest and received critical acclaim for its art style... read more

    This cartoon definitely deserves more love. The whole cartoon practically screams symbolism, from riding a ferry where you need pennies to ride, to the skeleton pumpkins saying that "You'll join us someday."

    The villains kind of creeped me out.

23. Hazbin Hotel

    

    Hazbin Hotel is an American adult animated musical comedy series created by Vivienne "VivziePop" Medrano. The story centers on Charlie Morningstar, the princess of Hell, who hopes to rehabilitate demons and help them gain access to Heaven. She opens a hotel that offers demons a chance at redemption.... read more

24. SpongeBob SquarePants

    

    SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It has become one of Nickelodeon's most popular and longest-running shows, attracting both children and adults.... read more

    In seasons 1-3 and a few post-movie episodes, this got pretty dark.

    This show does get quite dark. The most notable one, in my opinion, is "Squid's Visit."

    Wormy up close.

25. Cow and Chicken

    

    Cow and Chicken was an American animated comedy television series created by David Feiss for Cartoon Network. The show was the third series in the network's Cartoon Cartoons lineup. It featured surreal and humorous adventures centered on the two main characters.

26. Hey Arnold!

    

    Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett. It aired on Nickelodeon from October 7, 1996, to June 8, 2004.

    The show follows a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents in an inner-city boarding house. It became known for its diverse cast of... read more

    Very dark. It got into many dark things. Still my favorite show to this day.

27. Ben 10: Alien Force

    

    Ben 10: Alien Force is an American animated television series created by the team Man of Action. It originally aired from 2008 to 2010 as the direct sequel to Ben 10. The show follows a teenage Ben Tennyson as he resumes his role as a hero while facing new alien threats.