Hmmm, I got home after work yesterday...dead tired. Before I even took my tie and shoes off I plopped down on the couch (upside down of course, like we all used to do). Then I got to thinking..."man, I haven't watched toons in a while!" So on went the comcast but I couldn't find anything really interesting. They sure don't make cartoons like they used too, that's for sure.
So, without further delay I present to you my top 5 cartoons of all time!
--
"Yes, the stuff that dreams are made of."
#1. - Batman the Animated Series -
I don't think too many will argue that this was one of the best toons ever made. From the stylish art to the intrigue of the writing, BTAS showed that although fighting for justice...Batman is one sick puppy. Still, without super powers or a giant robot of any kind, Batman got results (uh, most of the time). But more importantly, you saw that Bruce is human and has flaws just like anyone else.
Favorite Episode: Gah! really hard to choose! Either "His Silicon Soul", "Perchance to Dream", or "Robin's Reckoning" (I never took Robin seriously till I saw this). Holy crap! Without a doubt, the best cartoon series I've ever seen in my life.
--
"My mentor is an oversized chicken?"
#2. - Mighty Max -
Ah, shame on you if you don't remember the cap-bearer. In a t-shirt and baggy jeans, Might Max was your typical kid thrust into an incredible situation. If you just look at the plot on the surface...it seems pretty lame, but watch a few episodes and you'll be hooked. Fantastic writing and character interaction coupled with the talented voice acting of Rob Paulsen & Tim Curry made this one always fun to watch.
Side note: The last episode had the best way to loop a cartoon series ever!!
--
"Going Hot!"
#3. - The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest -
The original JQ was good enough on it's own, but this was one of the rare cases where an update actually did a classic series justice. Some of the best use of early 3D graphics in a cartoon, the adventures these guys would get into were always action-packed and intense. Also, Dr. Quest and the gang didn't always come out on top and that was a major part of the shows charm. Couple great art (2D & 3D) with good writing (just enough mystery to keep things interesting till the end) and you've got a winner!
I don't care what anyone says...Johnny is Race Bannon's kid.
--
"Quake with FEAR!!"
#4. - Ronin Warriors -
Action figures are to dolls, what Ronin Warriors were to Sailor Moon. Essentially, It gave us a way to enjoy the same concept without getting beat up. But really, this was a good show. Waaay more into action than story telling, but it was a welcome change of pace from the other stuff I used to watch. The final episodes are fantastic, and it's impossible to not find a character you could relate too in the pack. While the animation looks worse than I remember it, it's not any worse than your standard anime. Quality stuff and highly recommended.
--
"Blue streak, speeds by..."
#5. - Sonic the Hedgehog -
Long after the Legend of Zelda and the god-awful Super Mario Brothers Super Show...there was a Sonic cartoon. Uh, actually there were 2 of them, both out at the same time. One was aimed more towards little kids with some pretty bad artwork and slapstick writing (did have some funny moments though). But the other one was my favorite. It featured Sonic and a bunch of other freedom fighters against Dr. Robuttnick (heh) in a way about as serious as you could possibly do it. Man, you never truly appreciated how fast Sonic was till you saw this. And the main theme Rocked!!
I must've been the only kid that ever liked Antoine as a character.
--
Other honorable mentions:
Cowboy Bebop:
Awesome cartoon, and the movie has the most amazing animated fight scene your eyes will ever see. It's like the cartoon equivalent of the rooftop fight in Jackie Chan's "Who Am I".
Big O:
For the life of me, I honestly couldn't tell you why I enjoy this anime so much.
Voltron
Cause in the future, we'll all wear bell bottoms...
Mask
Damn you to hell if you don't know what this is!
Detective Conan
Nice idea and really interesting episodes, it's just that I can't stomach most of the characters.
Go-bots (damn cheap ass parents never got me a real transformer...)
The poorer cousin of the Transformers...these guys were still pretty entertaining. Hell, if I drank, I'd pour some out for Leader One right now.
Gundam W
Could've been sooo much cooler than it was. The pilots spend a little too much time wondering "Are the Gundams only made for brining war?" while at the same time they're making some lady out there a widow. No you moron, they just carry around all those weapons cause they look scary and deadly. Come to think of it, my real only reason for watching this is because no matter how you slice it, Duo Maxwell is one cool character.
Batman Beyond:
A good try and probably the second best series ever to have the Batman title. Just a little too much action instead of mystery...and the art style was just like 2 or 3 other cartoons at the time, which felt sorta like a ripp-off.
And of course...Ducktales.
Ha! So that's my list. What're yours?
So, without further delay I present to you my top 5 cartoons of all time!
--
"Yes, the stuff that dreams are made of."
#1. - Batman the Animated Series -
I don't think too many will argue that this was one of the best toons ever made. From the stylish art to the intrigue of the writing, BTAS showed that although fighting for justice...Batman is one sick puppy. Still, without super powers or a giant robot of any kind, Batman got results (uh, most of the time). But more importantly, you saw that Bruce is human and has flaws just like anyone else.
Favorite Episode: Gah! really hard to choose! Either "His Silicon Soul", "Perchance to Dream", or "Robin's Reckoning" (I never took Robin seriously till I saw this). Holy crap! Without a doubt, the best cartoon series I've ever seen in my life.
--
"My mentor is an oversized chicken?"
#2. - Mighty Max -
Ah, shame on you if you don't remember the cap-bearer. In a t-shirt and baggy jeans, Might Max was your typical kid thrust into an incredible situation. If you just look at the plot on the surface...it seems pretty lame, but watch a few episodes and you'll be hooked. Fantastic writing and character interaction coupled with the talented voice acting of Rob Paulsen & Tim Curry made this one always fun to watch.
Side note: The last episode had the best way to loop a cartoon series ever!!
--
"Going Hot!"
#3. - The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest -
The original JQ was good enough on it's own, but this was one of the rare cases where an update actually did a classic series justice. Some of the best use of early 3D graphics in a cartoon, the adventures these guys would get into were always action-packed and intense. Also, Dr. Quest and the gang didn't always come out on top and that was a major part of the shows charm. Couple great art (2D & 3D) with good writing (just enough mystery to keep things interesting till the end) and you've got a winner!
I don't care what anyone says...Johnny is Race Bannon's kid.
--
"Quake with FEAR!!"
#4. - Ronin Warriors -
Action figures are to dolls, what Ronin Warriors were to Sailor Moon. Essentially, It gave us a way to enjoy the same concept without getting beat up. But really, this was a good show. Waaay more into action than story telling, but it was a welcome change of pace from the other stuff I used to watch. The final episodes are fantastic, and it's impossible to not find a character you could relate too in the pack. While the animation looks worse than I remember it, it's not any worse than your standard anime. Quality stuff and highly recommended.
--
"Blue streak, speeds by..."
#5. - Sonic the Hedgehog -
Long after the Legend of Zelda and the god-awful Super Mario Brothers Super Show...there was a Sonic cartoon. Uh, actually there were 2 of them, both out at the same time. One was aimed more towards little kids with some pretty bad artwork and slapstick writing (did have some funny moments though). But the other one was my favorite. It featured Sonic and a bunch of other freedom fighters against Dr. Robuttnick (heh) in a way about as serious as you could possibly do it. Man, you never truly appreciated how fast Sonic was till you saw this. And the main theme Rocked!!
I must've been the only kid that ever liked Antoine as a character.
--
Other honorable mentions:
Cowboy Bebop:
Awesome cartoon, and the movie has the most amazing animated fight scene your eyes will ever see. It's like the cartoon equivalent of the rooftop fight in Jackie Chan's "Who Am I".
Big O:
For the life of me, I honestly couldn't tell you why I enjoy this anime so much.
Voltron
Cause in the future, we'll all wear bell bottoms...
Mask
Damn you to hell if you don't know what this is!
Detective Conan
Nice idea and really interesting episodes, it's just that I can't stomach most of the characters.
Go-bots (damn cheap ass parents never got me a real transformer...)
The poorer cousin of the Transformers...these guys were still pretty entertaining. Hell, if I drank, I'd pour some out for Leader One right now.
Gundam W
Could've been sooo much cooler than it was. The pilots spend a little too much time wondering "Are the Gundams only made for brining war?" while at the same time they're making some lady out there a widow. No you moron, they just carry around all those weapons cause they look scary and deadly. Come to think of it, my real only reason for watching this is because no matter how you slice it, Duo Maxwell is one cool character.
Batman Beyond:
A good try and probably the second best series ever to have the Batman title. Just a little too much action instead of mystery...and the art style was just like 2 or 3 other cartoons at the time, which felt sorta like a ripp-off.
And of course...Ducktales.
Ha! So that's my list. What're yours?
