Western Animation Recommendations

I think you would really dig Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. It's very different from any of the other incarnations of the franchise. It's filled with tongue-in-cheek humor, makes hilarious horror references (The Shining, Hellraiser, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and it even lampoons Twilight a little) not to mention there is actual (shock!) character development and drama.

To sweeten the pot, there's enough violence and suspense to warrant controversy; having been singled-out by various moral guardians telling parents to watch the episodes before letting young kids see it. And yes, this is Scooby-Doo we're talking about...

I say Code Lyoko counts even if it's Anime-esque. It was made in France, I think.

Yes it was. The factory was even inspired by an old Renault factory near Paris that has been demolished since.

I second that. Mystery Incorporated is the only Scooby Doo series I not only tolerate, but actually watch with interest. There is an overaching plot, character development, lots of references ranging from HP Lovecraft to Star Trek, and a few other things that would be spoilerish to mention. Definitely worth a shot.

Mystery Incorporated is a show I should have treated with more respect. Far more respect...

Does anyone have any recommendations for animated movies/TV shows like Coraline? I really love Coraline and could watch it over and over; something about the film is so enchanting I just *tries not to get lost in fanboying*.

Being a fan of Western Animation, i have an ENTIRE list of movies and TV shows that fit in that category, and some of the many shows/films include The Simpsons, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the Toy Story trilogy, Futurama, Adventure Time, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Teen Titans, Family Guy, Regular Show, the Shrek franchise (EXCEPT Shrek the Third, which was horrible), and The Incredibles.

edited 31st Jan '15 1:32:52 PM by MrScout101

Just saw "Ernest and Celestine." It was quite excellent, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Just saw "Nocturna" too, and while it's inventive and interesting, and definitely has it's charm, some of the character designs are downright unpleasant to look at. To the point where it can be a bit distracting.

Can anyone recommend a cartoon that has the absurdist humor of 30 Rock and the happiness of Parks And Recreation?

@Miscellaneous Soup

I've never seen 30 Rock but if you're looking for something with absurdist humor and a happy feeling then I would recommend Freakazoid or the Plastic Man pilot (sadly only the pilot exists.) There's also something like Goof Troop which has a very feel good atmosphere to it.

So I've been watching Gravity Falls and Steven Universe for a while now, but both of them tend to have long breaks between episodes. I'm looking for something with season or even series long plot arcs if possible that I can fill these gaps with. I'd also like to avoid Status Quo Is God. Any suggestions?

edited 14th Jul '15 7:16:49 PM by Mirgle

You may enjoy Adventure Time, but you've likely heard that already.

On that note, is there any other good fantasy cartoons except for Avatar or Legend of Korra?

I've been watching Amazon Prime's animated pilots, and I really enjoyed Lost in Oz. It's a very different, creative take on the Wizard of Oz story, and it looks to be setting up an ongoing plot. The CG animation looks better than most all-CG TV shows we've gotten in the last few years.

Megas XLR was mentioned way back on page one, but I don't think anyone's mentioned Motorcity, by the same creators. As much as I love Megas, I think Motorcity is the stronger show. It's still funny, but it's more of a straight action series than Megas. I think it was the stronger show, with actual character development and little bits of heartwarming and tragedy, and the art style is gorgeous- all sharp angles and deep colors. Even the toxic waste dumps are pretty to look at.

Wakfu. It's a fantasy cartoon from France. Definitely worth looking at.

Are there any animated series aimed at late teens and young adults that focus on coming of age without being too idealistic or too cynical?

What's a cartoon with real emphasis on good characters and character development? (If it's from the 2010s, chances are that I've already watched it; and yes, I'm totally addicted to Steven Universe.)

Syrika, can you be more specific? I really like the characters on Friendship Is Magic but that might not be your thing. I'm not familiar with Steven Universe.

Khantalas, I can't think of any animated series where the characters age at all.

"Ivan the Unbearable" is probably one of the best Animated Pilots I've seen in recent memory.

There doesn't have to be actual aging to adult - something like As Told By Ginger would suffice.

Just good characters that stay away from cliches, and have developed backstories, and are sympathetic, etc. I have indeed seen a few seasons of Friendship is Magic, and I might finish it. Eventually.

Only one I know of is Adventure Time - I think the main character goes from 12 to around 17.

edited 18th Aug '15 2:19:12 PM by Syrika

To be honest, I was hoping for something less speculative fiction and more realistic.

So I've seen both seasons of Bojack Horseman, and I can honestly say it's one of the best shows I've ever seen. It really needs more love. I can't recommend it enough. Not only as a comedy, but also as a drama and a character study.

Fehérlófia (Son of the White Mare) needs more love. I think it’s a masterpiece.

So...Gravity Falls ended a while back as most of you might know. For anyone needing a cartoon to fill in that empty Gravity Falls-shaped hole, try Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Wander over Yonder. The former's on break at the time of writing, but it Grew the Beard very quickly with strong implications of incoming Cerebus Syndrome while the latter is in its second season right now and has dabbled in Cerebus Syndrome a little, though the non-serious episodes are still very entertaining in their own right. They're both on Disney XD too!

As for me, I'm currently rather fond of (read: obsessed with) the kaiju right now. I finished seven Ultraman shows a while back, and have been craving more Kaiju of the Week TV since. Any cartoons or anime with that kind of stuff?

edited 22nd Feb '16 9:49:08 PM by MagnusForce

The animation style of this German-language music video reminds me of Schoolhouse Rock.