History WesternAnimation / StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries

However, the franchise creator, GeneRoddenberry, later insisted that the animated show be kept out of continuity since he never anticipated that ''Star Trek'' would later be revived in live action on such a scale as would happen. Still, many fans insisted that at least the best episode, "Yesteryear," be counted, considering that it gives a valuable look into Spock's youth and character, as well as the planet Vulcan. Because of the information about Vulcan presented in the show, the introducing of the Holodeck and giving Kirk his middle name, many of the Star Trek writers and actors involvement in the show, many fans consider it a part of their personal Star Trek {{canon}}. In addition, the producers of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' have used numerous references from this series. The ExpandedUniverse, already having less of a need to adhere to strict canon, even went so far as to revive the series' SixthRanger alien crew members, CatGirl M'Ress and [[MultiArmedAndDangerous tri-symmetrical Lt. Arex]].

However, the franchise creator, GeneRoddenberry, later insisted that the animated show be kept out of continuity since he never anticipated that ''Star Trek'' would later be revived in live action on such a scale as would happen. Still, many fans insisted that at least the best episode, "Yesteryear," be counted, considering that it gives a valuable look into Spock's youth and character, as well as the planet Vulcan. Because of the information about Vulcan presented in the show, the introducing of the Holodeck and giving Kirk his middle name, many of the Star Trek writers and actors involvement in the show, many fans consider it a part of their personal Star Trek {{canon}}. In addition, the producers of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' have used numerous references from this series. The ExpandedUniverse, already having less of a need to adhere to strict canon, even went so far as to revive the series' SixthRanger crew members, CatGirl M'Ress and [[MultiArmedAndDangerous tri-symmetrical Lt. Arex]].

However, the franchise creator, GeneRoddenberry, later insisted that the animated show be kept out of continuity since he never anticipated that ''Star Trek'' would later be revived in live action on such a scale as would happen. Still, many fans insisted that at least the best episode, "Yesteryear," be counted, considering that it gives a valuable look into Spock's youth and character, as well as the planet Vulcan. Because of the information about Vulcan presented in the show, the introducing of the Holodeck and giving Kirk his middle name, many of the Star Trek writers and actors involvement in the show, many fans consider it a part of their personal Star Trek {{canon}}. In addition, the producers of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' have used numerous references from this series. The ExpandedUniverse, already having less of a need to adhere to strict canon, even went so far as to revive M'Ress and [[MultiArmedAndDangerous tri-symmetrical Lt. Arex]].

CBS recently declared this series full canon around the time they released it on DVD.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Than most other cartoon on television at the time. ''Star Trek: The Animated Series'' tended to work with the same style of cerebral stories that the previous live-action series did, and references to death were not glossed over at all. In fact, the episode "Yesteryear" deals with [[spoiler: a child version of Spock losing his beloved pet]], and the "death words" were not glossed over or replaced with LighterAndSofter equivalents. This has helped the series gain a strong following within the ''StarTrek'' fan community, as well as with the creative staffs involved with the franchise.

* CanonImmigrant: LarryNiven's Kzinti and Slavers in "The Soft Weapon".

Given the reality that it was produced by Creator/{{Filmation}}, the animation is typically the studio's ultra-cheap style. However, they more than made up for that with most of the original cast and the writers as well (although LarryNiven was a tad lazy in squeezing ''The Soft Weapon'' from his ''KnownSpace'' universe into that of ''Star Trek''). The result is a show that might be badly animated, but it still boasted spectacular imagery and believably non-human aliens that the original show could never depict, while still reasonably keeping to its artistic spirit. For instance, this series took home the franchise's first Emmy Award.

* StarfishAliens: Edosians, Vendorians, Phylosians, Lactrans and M/3/Green.
* StealTheSurroundings: In "The Terratin Incident", an entire miniaturized city is beamed aboard the Enterprise in order quickly to save the inhabitants from impending doom. The production team was clearly thrilled to not have to worry about budget constraints when designing the aliens, to the point that they probably went overboard with it.

* StealTheSurroundings: In "The Terratin Incident", an entire miniaturized city is beamed aboard the Enterprise in order quickly to save the inhabitants from impending doom.

Given the reality that it was produced by {{Filmation}}, the animation is typically the studio's ultra-cheap style. However, they more than made up for that with most of the original cast and the writers as well (although LarryNiven was a tad lazy in squeezing ''The Soft Weapon'' from his ''KnownSpace'' universe into that of ''Star Trek''). The result is a show that might be badly animated, but it still boasted spectacular imagery and believably non-human aliens that the original show could never depict, while still reasonably keeping to its artistic spirit. For instance, this series took home the franchise's first Emmy Award.

However, the franchise creator, Gene Roddenberry, later insisted that the animated show be kept out of continuity since he never anticipated that ''Star Trek'' would later be revived in live action on such a scale as would happen. However, many fans insisted that at least the best episode, "Yesteryear," be counted, considering that it gives a valuable look into Spock's youth and character, as well as the planet Vulcan. Because of the information about Vulcan presented in the show, the introducing of the Holodeck and giving Kirk his middle name, many of the Star Trek writers and actors involvement in the show, many fans consider it a part of their personal Star Trek {{canon}}. In addition, the producers of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' have used numerous references from this series. The ExpandedUniverse, already having less of a need to adhere to strict canon, even went so far as to revive M'Ress and [[MultiArmedAndDangerous tri-symmetrical Lt. Arex]].

However, the franchise creator, Gene Roddenberry, later insisted that the animated show be kept out of continuity since he never anticipated that ''Star Trek'' would later be revived in live action on such a scale as would happen. However, many fans insisted that at least the best episode, "Yesteryear," be counted, considering that it gives a valuable look into Spock's youth and character, as well as the planet Vulcan. Because of the information about Vulcan presented in the show, the introducing of the Holodeck and giving Kirk his middle name, many of the Star Trek writers and actors involvement in the show, many fans consider it a part of their personal Star Trek {{canon}}. In addition, the producers of ''StarTrekEnterprise'' have used numerous references from this series. The ExpandedUniverse, already having less of a need to adhere to strict canon, even went so far as to revive M'Ress and [[MultiArmedAndDangerous tri-symmetrical Lt. Arex]].

* BroadStrokes: The timeframe this series depicts is an accepted part of StarTrek lore, but the actual details have been rearranged since.

* OpeningNarration: An animated version of the one in ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''.

* SequelEpisode: "Mudd's Passion", "More Tribbles, More Troubles" and "Yesteryear", to ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episodes.

* SpiritualSuccessor: "One Of Our Planets Is Missing" to [[StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]] episode "The Immunity Syndrome".

* AssInAmbassador: The title character in "Bem". He is a truly astonishing example of this trope. First, he spends weeks of his ambassadorial "tour" of the Enterprise locked in his quarters. Then out of the blue he demands to be on an away mission they go on despite many warnings against it. When they beam down, he steals everyone's phasers and replaces them with duds--why? Pacifism? Doesn't he know they have a stun setting? Anyway, he continues to harass the natives of the planet and gets himself caught at spearpoint. [[GeniusLoci The planet itself]] needs to tell him to grow up before he starts acting tolerably.

* StealTheSurroundings: In ''The Terratin Incident'', an entire miniaturized city is beamed aboard the Enterprise in order quickly to save the inhabitants from impending doom.

* SequelEpisode: "Mudd's Passion" (to the [[StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]] episodes "Mudd's Women" and "I, Mudd") and "More Tribbles, More Troubles" (to "The Trouble With Tribbles"). As "Yesteryear" involves the portal in "The City On The Edge Of Forever," this could also count.

* GodGuise: Keniclius 5 with the Phylosians in "The Infinite Vulcan".

* NaughtyTentacles: "Carter Winston" in "The Survivor".

* AssInAmbassador: The title character in "Bem".

* HeroicallyAlignedReptile: Sord, TheBigGuy from the heroic team assembled for "The Jihad".

* WorldOfChaos: The planet in "The Magicks of Megas-Tu" and the so-called "Mad Planet" in "The Jihad".

* YouAreInCommandNow: Lt. Uhura in "The Lorelei Signal"

* The series theme was a JimmyHartVersion of the original series theme.