History SpiritualAdaptation / WesternAnimation

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!!Shows with their own pages:

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* ''SpiritualAdaptation/{{Pibby}}''
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!!Individual examples:

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* ''WesternAnimation/MadJackThePirate'' is more or less an animated ''Series/{{Blackadder}}''.
* Ever wanted to see a French ComicBook/SpiderMan? ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' is a pretty good approximation, albeit with a [[GenderFlip female]] Peter Parker in Marinette Dupain-Cheng and more MagicalGirl trappings. Not only is Marinette[=/=]Ladybug a very direct SpiderManSendUp (a teenage superhero with a bug theme and a form-fitting red-and-black costume whose powers include the ability to [[BuildingSwing swing from buildings]], all while maintaining a SecretIdentity as an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent who has to [[WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld juggle schoolwork, a social life, and superheroics]]), she regularly teams up with and has a [[WillTheyOrWontThey romantic interest]] in a fellow superhero with a cat theme, a form-fitting black costume, and a name that directly translates to "ComicBook/BlackCat". The parallels extend to the supporting cast, too; Gabriel Agreste is Norman Osborn (the father of one of the hero's best friends [[spoiler:who turns out to be her {{supervillain}} ArchEnemy]]), Chloe Bourgeois is a female Flash Thompson (the [[AlphaBitch mean, popular classmate]] who hates the hero but loves her superhero identity), and starting in season 3, Lila Rossi is a female Eddie Brock (TheRival to the hero who becomes a major recurring villain). ShowRunner Thomas Astruc has never been shy about the comparisons; some of the original concept art for the show, in fact, consisted of parodies of various ''Spider-Man'' covers.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is an animated adaptation of ''Toys/MilkyWayAndTheGalaxyGirls'' featuring [[CivilizedAnimal anthropomorphic]] ponies instead of {{anthropomorphic|Personification}} planets. The Mane Six are [[{{expy}} strikingly similar]] to the Girlaxy. The similarities are due to the fact they share a creator. Creator/LaurenFaust was trying to pitch an adaptation of ''Milky Way'' but Hasbro got her to make ''Friendship Is Magic'' instead. Unused pitches for ''Milky Way'' shorts show an adventurous theme similar to non-SliceOfLife ''[=FIM=]'' episodes.
** Later, Lauren Faust would go on to create ''WesternAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'', which is both considered to be this for ''Friendship Is Magic'' and her initial attempt at making a girl-tailored DC series, ''WesternAnimation/SuperBestFriendsForever''.
* ''WesternAnimation/OverTheGardenWall'' is very much a dark, kid-friendly adaptation of Creator/DanteAlighieri's ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' based on its characters, plot, and themes. Even 9 of the 10 episodes and locations are taken from the Circles of Hell in the poem.
* ''WesternAnimation/PJMasks'' would be the best, {{Kodomomuke}}-esque thing you'll get to an animated adaption of ''Series/JuukouBFighter'', right down to the color schemes and the female heroine being red like her live-action counterpart (Owlette to Reddle), and the battles being less life threatening.
* The pilot for ''WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies1980s'' had the dogs run a secret adoption network from the pound, a la ''Series/HogansHeroes''. Naturally, comparing the pound to a Nazi stalag didn't suit the networks, so for the series proper it became a benevolent animal shelter. The evil Katrina Stoneheart wants nothing more than to see all canines rounded up, but Holly knows better, and helps the resident canines see every lost dog given to a better home.
* The animated franchise ''Animation/{{Pucca}}'' is just as similar to ''ComicBook/MonicasGang'', except the show takes place in a fictional South Korean town instead of a fictional Brazilian neighborhood. Both Pucca and Monica are young girls who wear red and have SuperStrength and a HairTriggerTemper, and they both have male acquaintances who are in [[ImpliedLoveInterest complicated relationships with them]]. In Pucca’s case, she has a crush on Garu, but he ([[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend usually]]) doesn’t return her affection and does not like her chasing him, while Jimmy Five is one of Monica’s best friends, but he frequently teases Monica to purposefully piss her off.
* The holiday special ''WesternAnimation/RankinBassJackFrost'' reads very much like a GenderFlip of ''Literature/TheLittleMermaid'' (the original story, not [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 the Disney film]]). In both, an elemental being unseen by humans falls in love with a human after saving him/her from drowning. She/he chooses to become human, but according to the magic's rules, can only remain human if the beloved one marries her/him. As a human, she/he and the beloved one become [[LikeBrotherAndSister good friends]], but sadly, [[AllLoveIsUnrequited the beloved one falls in love with and marries someone else]]. In a BittersweetEnding, the elemental leaves the human world (although Jack doesn't die, he just goes back to being a winter sprite) and invisibly kisses her/his beloved in the air at the end.
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' is pretty much a cartoon version of ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'', but with more positivity and educational elements.
* ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' is this to ''Film/{{Tron}}'', but limits the User to PlayerCharacter in Games and DeusExMachina, focusing on the lives of the programs instead. Also increased the premise's scope beyond a single system by factoring in the internet.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' is essentially ''Series/HogansHeroes: The Animated Series''. Just replace the POW camp with an elementary school and you get the idea.
** The episode "Dodgeball City" is both a [[TheWestern Western]] parody and a playground version of the AchillesInHisTent plot line in ''Literature/TheIliad.'' In both the Greek epic and the episode, the main characters are engaged in a war (in this case a dodgeball war with the fifth graders), but the greatest fighter/player of them all (Achilles/Gus) refuses to join them (Achilles out of anger at Agamemnon, Gus out of guilt that he hurt someone the last time he played). But when someone the hero [[ItsPersonal personally cares about]] is hurt (Achilles' best friend Patroclus is killed/Gus's kindergarten friend Hector is hit by a ball), the hero charges back into the fray and scores a victory. Ironically, the cartoon uses the name "Hector" for the equivalent of Patroclus, while the role of the mythical Hector, Patroclus's killer, is taken by [[TheBully Lawson.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' was inspired by a short film that Creator/DanHarmon made spoofing ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', and while the show removes the direct references, it still makes for a great unofficial AnimatedAdaptation, albeit with far more R-rated humor and sensibilities.
* ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'':
** It's this to ''VideoGame/SamAndMax'', only set in California rather than New York - Sam and Mordecai being the taller , laidback straight men to the short and easily annoyed Max and Rigby especially. In both shows, the characters have been inseparable friends since childhood, find themselves in extremely strange situations, and solve mysteries, and are basically the only people who can put up with each other. The main difference is obviously that Sam & Max are freelance detectives, whereas Mordecai and Rigby are park workers under contract to Mr Maillard (albeit with Benson supervising them).
** It also makes for a good cartoon adaptation of ''WebComic/{{Nedroid}}'', a web comic about the surreal adventures of a tall blue bird and his short brown animal friend, with a cast of other weird anthropomorphic animals and objects.
* ''WesternAnimation/RoswellConspiraciesAliensMythsAndLegends'' makes for a pretty good animated adaptation of ''Series/TheXFiles''. The episode "Target: Hero" even makes for a more entertaining ComicBook/{{Superman}} story than anything ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' had to offer much like ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' and Disney's ''Hercules''.
* Some consider ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' (and [[WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower the '80s original]] for that matter) to be the ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' cartoon we've strangely never gotten. Both star "warrior princess" type characters who find themselves learning to be heroes while adapting to a new way of life, Adora with life outside the Evil Horde and Diana with life off Paradise Island. This is especially noted in Adora's relationship with Catra in the 2010s series, which mirrors Wonder Woman's relationship with one of her most famous enemies Cheetah. In several incarnations, Cheetah is Wonder Woman's EvilFormerFriend, just like Catra with Adora, and they're both cat-themed.
* The ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' episode [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E1KampKrusty "Kamp Krusty"]], in which the kid protagonists take over a [[SummerCampy terrible summer camp]] and establish their own ''Literature/LordOfTheFlies''-esque regime, is about as close as you can get to showing an adaptation of William Butler's ''Literature/TheButterflyRevolution'' on prime-time television. (''The Butterfly Revolution'' did receive an official live-action film adaptation, titled ''Film/SummerCampNightmare''.)
* From the island setting, mutated animal cast (with a orange protagonist leading the fray), science fiction overtones, and emphasis on slapstick comedy, ''WesternAnimation/{{Spliced}}'' is probably the closest thing we'll ever get to a ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' animated series.
* The post-sequel episodes of ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', primarily the ones starting from Season 10 onwards, can easily be seen as a modern revival of ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', having much more DerangedAnimation that utilizes squash-and-stretch and grotesque imagery more often, as well as amplifying the sense of SurrealHumor found within the writing. The fact that Bob Camp, who became the showrunner for ''Ren & Stimpy'' following Creator/JohnKricfalusi's departure, became a head storyboard artist for the show starting with ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' only adds to the adaptiveness.
* What would happen if ''Anime/UruseiYatsura'' was an American cartoon instead of a Japanese anime? You'd get ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil''. This becomes ever more apparent from Season 2 onward, when the romantic relationships between characters get more prominence, in addition to being a better LighterAndSofter ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' animated show than the [[WesternAnimation/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm actual one]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' bears many similarities to an animated version of ''{{Series/Firefly}}''...[[RecycledInSpace only set in the]] ''Franchise/StarWars'' universe.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' is in many ways a great western take on ''Franchise/DragonBall''. Steven’s “artist born to warriors” role is pretty much identical to Gohan’s “intellectual born to warriors” and their sensitive nature in contrast to being obscenely powerful due to their hybrid nature leads to similar conflicts. The race he comes from is also a bunch of violent conquerers. Multiple people take on aspects of Vegeta’s personality, both pre and post-redemption, Garnet is basically Piccolo (complete with permafusion), Pearl is Chi-Chi and Amethyst is Krillin, older yet basically the same age in personality (and a dwarf). One could see Steven as a reconstruction of Gohan, since the biggest difference being that Gohan’s peaceful nature is shown to have actually made things worse (even being directly responsible for Goku’s death) and Steven’s peaceful nature is actually what tends to save the day.
* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' is just Sherman & Peabody, if Peabody was a gay robot and Sherman had Peabody's genius mind and were accompanied by a CowboyCop.
* Much like the ''Flintstones''/''Honeymooners'' example above, ''WesternAnimation/TopCat'' was basically Creator/HannaBarbera's animated version of ''Series/ThePhilSilversShow'', only with a cast of [[FunnyAnimal talking cats]]. They even got Maurice Gosfield, who played Private Duane Doberman on ''The Phil Silvers Show'', as the voice for Benny the Ball, while Arnold Stang's voice work for the title character was an impression of Silvers' voice as Sgt. Bilko.
* ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012'' is not so much a ComicBook/SpiderMan show as it is a ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} show. The man himself pokes fun at this in the episode he appears, dismissing Spider-Man's costume as a knockoff of his and staging a HostileShowTakeover.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' is this to ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' as it shares not only the same premise, but the same continuity as well. (Race dies at the beginning of a season 1 episode, and adult Jonny becomes a reoccurring character.)
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