Top 10 Most Influential Cartoons

Animation is an art form that has endured for hundreds of years, and many cartoons have come and gone. However, there are a select few that have stood the test of time and profoundly impacted the industry.

This list highlights cartoons that revolutionized the art of animation through their innovative ideas and bold risks.

The Top Ten

Looney Tunes

Looney Tunes is an American animated series of comedy short films produced by Warner Bros. from 1930 to 1969. It was released during what is often referred to as the Golden Age of American animation. The series was created alongside its sister series, Merrie Melodies, and introduced iconic characters... read more

Think of a cartoon gag - just think of any physical joke that you usually see in a cartoon. It's more than likely that the Looney Tunes invented it. The animation landscape was forever changed when Warner Brothers' group of tricksters burst onto the scene in the 1940s. If Disney was the classical music of cartoons, then Warner Bros was jazz.
The Looney Tunes took chances with violent and intelligent humor that offended many people back in the day but made just as many people laugh. Here's a tough task: find someone in the entire world who doesn't recognize at least one Looney Tunes character. You just can't do it. The Looney Tunes paved the way for every toon that came after them with their groundbreaking use of physical humor and their pure comedic genius.
The Flintstones

The Flintstones was the first animated television series to hold a prime-time slot on American television. It was broadcast on ABC from September 30, 1960, to April 1, 1966. The show was set in the prehistoric town of Bedrock and followed the lives of the Flintstone and Rubble families.

These days, the majority of adult-focused cartoons revolve around the actions of a family. The Flintstones is what started it all. Before the invention of the television, cartoons were only shown in cinemas. The Flintstones was one of the first primetime animated series to air on a major network and established animation's credibility on the small screen.
The plots and family dynamic of the show went on to influence many animated sitcoms, such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob's Burgers, just to name a few.
Tom and Jerry

Tom and Jerry is an American animated series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. It is best known for its 161 theatrical shorts produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which feature the comedic rivalry between Tom, a cat, and Jerry, a mouse.... read more

While the Looney Tunes are mainly responsible for inventing many physical cartoon gags, Tom and Jerry is the cartoon that perfected them. With little to no dialogue, Tom and Jerry has entertained people of all ages with their brilliant use of cartoon violence. Everybody has seen at least one short from this cat and mouse pairing. If there is any cartoon that is pretty much impossible to hate, it's most likely Tom and Jerry.

It inspired Disney's Snow White, and sexy paper clips!
The Simpsons

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening. It originally aired as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show starting April 19, 1987, and debuted as a standalone series on December 17, 1989.
As of 2026, it remains the longest-running animated sitcom. The show follows Homer Simpson... read more

The Simpsons set the standard for adult cartoons that I highly doubt any will ever surpass. A brilliant sitcom with relatable characters and magnificent writing, The Simpsons has not only influenced other cartoons but has influenced comedy as a whole. The show broke new ground in terms of what was deemed "acceptable" to show on primetime television.
Many former writers, like Conan O'Brien and Brad Bird, have gone on to do incredible things. The Simpsons is most likely the greatest animated series of all time and has left a significant impact on both animation and television.
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

The most recent cartoon on this list, Adventure Time, is responsible for beginning a Cartoon Renaissance in the 2010s. Pretty much every animated series that came after Adventure Time was influenced by it in some way. The creators of Regular Show, Gravity Falls, Rick and Morty, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Star vs. The Forces of Evil have all cited Pen Ward's series as an influence.
Former writers such as Rebecca Sugar and Pat McHale have even gone on to create their own successful cartoons after working on the show. Adventure Time's willingness to take risks has inspired tons of up-and-coming cartoonists across the world, and its legacy will live on long after it finally finishes its run.
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.
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

SpongeBob set the standard for children's cartoons with its brilliant humor, visual gags, and brand of storytelling. It was one of the first children's animated series to appeal just as much to adults as to kids. SpongeBob has become so beloved that many of us can quote older episodes line-for-line. Everyone is familiar with at least one memorable line from the show.
While the series has been in a rough patch for a while, SpongeBob changed an entire network and the entire genre of children's programming.
South Park

South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. The show centers on four boys: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick, and their adventures in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado. It's known... read more

South Park appalled millions of angry parents when it first premiered in 1997. The animated series about four foul-mouthed grade-schoolers was the first television program to receive a TV-MA rating. It's safe to say that South Park broke new ground in terms of what could be shown and said on television.
But profanity is not the only reason why South Park has lasted for so long. Trey Parker and Matt Stone's cartoon is one of the smartest television programs in terms of its comedy. Nothing is off-limits for satire - race, religion, sexuality, disabilities, celebrities, politics, you name it. South Park has put a darkly comedic spin on pretty much everything, and as long as something crazy or stupid is going on in the world, Parker and Stone will be there to satirize it.
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 & Stimpy was one of the first cartoons to air on Nickelodeon, and it brought with it a style that few had ever seen before. No one had really seen a cartoon as bizarre, crude, and psychedelic as Ren & Stimpy, especially not one meant for younger audiences.
The show carried on Tom and Jerry's tradition and brought in a whole new batch of cartoon gags that are still being used today. While it spawned many disgusting and unpleasing gross-out rip-offs and a terrible adult-themed remake, Ren & Stimpy is responsible for bringing Nickelodeon into the mainstream and inspiring many strange cartoons that came after it.
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

Batman: The Animated Series was one of the first "kid's" cartoons that brought a real sense of darkness and intensity to the screen. Prior children's cartoons were usually brightly colored and upbeat, with a clear villain and a happy ending at the end of each episode. Batman TAS changed all of that with its grit, intimidating atmosphere, and wide variety of unstable characters.
It did not talk down to its audience and gave them the respect they deserved. Batman TAS changed the landscape of superhero cartoon shows and allowed more kid's cartoons in the future to address increasingly adult themes.

The Newcomers

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Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Scooby-Doo is an American animated franchise that originated with a television series created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, first airing in 1969. The show features a group of teenagers and their Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, who solve mysteries involving supposedly supernatural creatures. Over the years, the... read more
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The Transformers

The original Transformers from 1984, to be exact. Much more influential and memorable than its numerous spinoffs and imitators.

The Contenders

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

Fantastic show. Should have gone for a longer run!
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

Flapjack is a show that many people love and many people hate. Whether you're a fan of the show or absolutely hate it, you have to admit that it left a mark on the cartoon industry. Need proof? Pendleton Ward of Adventure Time, J.G. Quintel of Regular Show, and Alex Hirsch of Gravity Falls all worked on Flapjack before going on to create their own cartoons. Is that enough proof for you?
Phineas and Ferb

Phineas and Ferb is an American animated comedy-musical television series. It was initially previewed on August 17 and September 28, 2007, before officially premiering on February 1, 2008. The series ended on June 12, 2015, after a successful run on Disney Channel... read more
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

Very deep show, even though it is very regular at face value, it goes into these wild, irregular adventures that each teach a lesson. The ending is also incredibly touching and one of my favorites to a show!
Family Guy

Family Guy is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a family consisting of Peter, Lois, their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their anthropomorphic dog, Brian. The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog,... read more
Dexter's Laboratory

Dexter's Laboratory is an American comic science fiction animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network. It was the first series to be branded as one of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. The show follows Dexter, a boy genius with a secret laboratory.... read more

The first Cartoon Cartoon to ever be made, paving the way for other Cartoon Cartoon shows to be made in Cartoon Network's Powerhouse era. Thank you, Genndy Tartakovsky.
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

This show inspired not only SpongeBob, but also Regular Show and Phineas & Ferb.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is an animated children's television series based on the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony franchise. The show follows a studious unicorn, later transformed into an alicorn, named Twilight Sparkle (voiced by Tara Strong) and her friends Applejack (Ashleigh... read more
Rocket Power

Rocket Power is an American animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon. It premiered on August 16, 1999, and concluded after four seasons on July 30, 2004. The series follows a group of friends who enjoy extreme sports in a Southern California beach town.
Rugrats

Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The show premiered in 1991 and follows a group of toddlers navigating life from their unique perspectives. It became one of Nickelodeon's most successful and longest-running animated... read more
The Fairly OddParents

The Fairly OddParents is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. It originally premiered as a series of shorts on Oh Yeah! Cartoons in 1998 before debuting as a full series in March 2001... read more
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
The Amazing World of Gumball

The Amazing World of Gumball is a British, Irish, American, German, and Australian animated children's television series created by Ben Bocquelet for Cartoon Network. The series was produced by Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe. It features a unique mix of animation styles and follows the misadventures... read more
Steven Universe

Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. The show centers on a young boy named Steven Universe, who is a human-Gem hybrid. He lives with the Crystal Gems Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl.
The Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network. The main characters of the show are Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. The story follows Professor Utonium, who accidentally creates three little superhero girls using a mixture of sugar... read more