Dust off those Saturday morning memories! Join us as we revisit the animated gems of the 90s that deserve another chance to shine. From caped crusaders to computer-generated heroes, these forgotten classics packed more punch than your lunchbox fruit drink. Which of these nostalgic treasures had you glued to your TV set?
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00:00There's only 25 cents credit on it! You can't spend more than 25 cents! That means you can't afford to buy all these Wheaties!
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the coolest 90s cartoons that might have slipped under your radar.
00:17Look what I got!
00:18Bobby, shh, shh, I'm on the phone here, I'm trying to get a job.
00:23Number 10, Darkwing Duck.
00:25Darkwing Duck, a mystery, check me out of right.
00:29This quasi-spinoff of DuckTales takes the IP in an action-packed direction,
00:38chronicling the heroic adventures of Drake Mallard, who fights crime as the titular Darkwing.
00:43He's like a cross between Batman, The Shadow, Donald, and Daffy Duck.
00:47Shh, shh, shh, shh, it's a fly!
00:54Get him!
00:55Hey, I'm stuck!
00:56Hey!
00:57Yeah!
00:59Hey, I'm stuck!
01:04Ouch!
01:05Ah!
01:07Singed!
01:07The show was one of the first to toy around with the standard conventions of the superhero
01:11genre.
01:12It parody famous heroes and concepts without ever tearing down those ideas.
01:17The writers weren't afraid to dip their beak into the wacky world of comic book media.
01:21If you look at everything in the DuckTales and Looney Tunes pantheon, this show might get lost
01:26in the shuffle.
01:27Unless I miss my guess, I'd say a robbery has taken place here.
01:31Now then, who did this dastardly deed?
01:35Regardless, Darkwing Duck was the first cartoon to make putting capes on anthropomorphic ducks
01:40cool.
01:41After all, if there's one thing a fire is good for, it's toasting Crazy Kevin's classic cocktail
01:48weenies.
01:49Number 9.
01:50Bobby's World
01:51If there's one thing this cartoon does best, it's showcase the awesome power of imagination.
02:02A four-year-old boy named Bobby Generic dreams up all kinds of unique situations and ends up
02:07learning a thing or two along the way.
02:09It's definitely a show that's geared towards a very young audience, but that doesn't mean
02:19it didn't tackle some serious things.
02:20They managed to address something as heavy as death and do it in a kid-friendly and entertaining
02:34way.
02:35Considering that the show ran for seven seasons, you know it did something right.
02:41This wasn't a cartoon that was trying to radically redesign what children's animation
02:45could be, but it didn't have to be.
02:47It was a fun cartoon about a boy and his wonderful mind.
02:50You know, it's okay for things to change, because sometimes when they change, they turn out better
02:57than you think they will.
03:00Number 8.
03:01Reboot
03:02They say the user lives outside the net and inputs games for pleasure.
03:07No one knows for sure, but I intend to find out.
03:13Reboot!
03:14Cyberspace adventures are all the rage in this sci-fi spectacle.
03:18Reboot centers around Bob, a protector of a special technological city called Mainframe,
03:22who battles sentient tech viruses.
03:24This isn't just a cartoon about fighting monstrous malware, though.
03:28It's a look at the rapid rise of technology and its impact on our larger society.
03:33Megabyte wants some little favor.
03:35He didn't say what.
03:36Just a little favor, huh?
03:38Maybe you should do it if it means we can stay online.
03:42It's surprisingly deep when you think about it.
03:44You could argue that this show's 3D style of animation can look odd.
03:47Oh my Bob, how nice of you to drop by.
03:51I see now that you're the big circuit in town.
03:55I'll throw my chips in with you.
03:57Please, do come in.
03:59But the story more than makes up for it.
04:01That distinct art choice they went with is kind of a big deal, too.
04:04It was one of the first shows to be completely animated by computers.
04:08Stay frosty.
04:09Simply put, its impact on animation shouldn't be ignored.
04:13What are they?
04:15You'll see, or maybe you won't.
04:17Adios.
04:18Number 7, The Tick.
04:27Another superhero satire.
04:30The Tick is about a larger-than-life superhero who defends his city from danger
04:33with the aid of his accountant sidekick Arthur and other equally eccentric heroes.
04:38What's this? Happy birthday to me.
04:40You are cordially invited to a birthday party for the world's greatest criminal mastermind.
04:45Gift required.
04:46Come see me commit the most daring spectacular crime of this or any other century.
04:50Cool, the crime of the century.
04:52It's a laugh-out-loud premise that takes the concept of costume do-gooders and drastically
04:56over-exaggerates it.
04:58See you later, sewer urchin.
05:00Yeah, right.
05:01There are supervillains in here that are literally called Breadmaster and Chairface Chippendale.
05:06How can you not be entertained?
05:08Evacuate the building!
05:10This bread's gonna blow!
05:12You heard him.
05:13He must be running now.
05:15The Tick isn't the only 90s cartoon to parody superheroes, but it's definitely one of the
05:19most iconic.
05:20It won multiple awards and even spawned a few live-action shows later on.
05:24That is the biggest darn whirlybird I have ever seen.
05:28If you've got an itch for some unconventional, self-aware superheroes, this is the show for
05:33you.
05:33Listen, I want you to double, no, triple the explosive charge you usually use.
05:39Number six, The Critic.
05:43Hello?
05:45Hi, this is Gene Shalit.
05:46I'm having a bad hair day.
05:48If you don't believe me, look out the window.
05:51The glory days of Sisko and Ebert might be long gone, but film discourse lives on in
06:02Jay Sherman, this cartoon's titular movie critic.
06:05It stinks.
06:07The show riffs on cinema and also gives us glimpses of Jay's personal life.
06:11Come on, Dad.
06:12We're gonna be late for career day.
06:13I had a career once, but I threw it away for you.
06:16It enjoys success in its two-season run, but could arguably resonate even more with today's
06:22generation.
06:23Nowadays, people host their own review columns and write 10-page movie dissertations on their
06:28letterbox.
06:29I helped write this picture, but believe me when I say this is the worst movie ever made!
06:35Point is, we live in a world run by social media where everyone is hyper-aware of the
06:40media they consume.
06:41So, a show that playfully mocks the Hollywood machine sounds like a welcome addition.
06:45The Critic is a cartoon you simply have to watch.
06:49Mr. Sherman, I'm from the New York Post.
06:51Do you mind if we take a few liberties with your story?
06:54Uh, no.
06:55In an age where everyone wants to be one.
06:58Number 5, Street Sharks
07:00Street Sharks
07:01There's something seriously fishy with scientists Robert Bolton and Luther Paradigm.
07:09The duo attempts to turn sea life into human-like creatures through a special device called a
07:13gene slammer.
07:14This is outrageous.
07:16You're not going to use my findings this way.
07:19When they clash over how to use it, Paradigm turns Bolton's four sons into aforementioned
07:24Street Sharks as revenge.
07:26The series shares similar DNA with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with both franchises featuring
07:30genetically modified crime-fighting humanoids.
07:33In fact, the Sharks are constantly battling other miscreations to save their city.
07:45They even team up with an awesome group of alien dinosaur heroes called the Dinovengers.
07:50While Street Sharks never rose to the level of fame of its heroic half-shell counterpart,
07:55there's clearly still lots to love.
07:59Good.
08:00I have your attention.
08:01Now listen to me.
08:02You're not going to survive out here.
08:04Your only choice is to come with me.
08:07If you want to find your father.
08:09What have you done with him?
08:10Let's get him.
08:12Number four.
08:15Pepper Ann.
08:16It's your break, you never rule.
08:17It's your anybody's fool.
08:19Pepper Ann.
08:20Pepper Ann.
08:21Pepper Ann.
08:22Marching in our own parade.
08:24Pepper Ann.
08:25She's like one in a million.
08:27Middle school can be a challenging time in people's lives.
08:30Because whenever the class pictures came out, everyone would point to me and laugh.
08:35Just because all my last pictures either look like this, or this, or this.
08:42Pepper Ann knew that pretty well.
08:44What am I going to do?
08:47Her cartoon followed her various experiences while trying to navigate being a teenager.
08:52While it may sound like your standard coming-of-age story, Pepper Ann was a trailblazer.
08:57Goodbye, my pustular foe.
09:00Prepare to drive.
09:05Uh, better put some more on.
09:10It's gone.
09:12Nah, nothing can stop me from taking a great yearbook picture.
09:16Characters didn't necessarily act the way audiences were used to, and the show covered serious topics too.
09:22It wasn't afraid to be bold.
09:23It was also Disney's first animated series made by a woman.
09:26As such, it provided an extra level of representation for young girls and redefined how female characters could be portrayed in animation.
09:34Hey, girl.
09:35You look like a million bucks.
09:38You are a pretty one.
09:41A sassy witchy one.
09:43With your red hair ablaze, you capture every game.
09:48Because of that, you could argue that Pepper Ann paved the way for many other successful cartoons.
09:53My life is back.
09:55Number three.
09:56Ah, real monsters.
10:04Lots of spooky times are had in this world where monsters run rampant.
10:09Real Monsters follows various oddballs who attend a special school dedicated to the art of scaring humans.
10:15They're training to be masters of fear, which is pretty terrifying when you think about it.
10:20Despite the unsettling premise, this is a quirky comedy.
10:23Have you ever seen such things?
10:25Finally, some kids with imagination.
10:29What are you all supposed to be?
10:32Well, that one's a candy cane.
10:33And that one's like a jackrabbit or something.
10:36It was a weirdly entertaining show where monsters not only had schools, but also their own function in society.
10:42The cartoon was basically Monsters, Inc.
10:45Before Monsters, Inc.
10:47I'm telling you, Big Daddy, you're going to be seeing this face on TV a lot more often.
10:50Yeah, like on Monstropolis's Most Wanted.
10:52We're not calling Mike and Sully copycats or anything, but they might have a few similarities to this crew of creatures.
10:58Either way, Real Monsters was scary good.
11:02You shall listen to me.
11:03You have no idea what we have been through.
11:06She's not well.
11:07Don't listen to her.
11:08We are lost.
11:09We are freezing.
11:10We are hungry.
11:11And we are tired.
11:13And that human is ours.
11:15Do you understand?
11:16That is our skill.
11:19Number 2.
11:20Freakazoid.
11:21Freakazoid.
11:22Freakazoid.
11:23That's who's Washington, D.C.
11:24Freakazoid.
11:25Freakazoid.
11:26This maniac became a slapstick superhero like no other.
11:29He was another parody of super-powered costume crime fighters, yes.
11:34But that's hardly a bad thing.
11:36Oh, that's right.
11:38Enemy aircraft are bad.
11:40Got it.
11:40Filed.
11:41Stored.
11:41His over-the-top humor and ability to peel back the curtain by talking to the audience
11:45meant you couldn't look away.
11:47Deadpool might have made Fourth Wall Breaks famous, but Freakazoid was pretty good at it
11:51too.
11:51That's because we make lots of things better than other people.
11:54The show has more than just a lovable oddball going for it too.
11:58It stemmed from Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, with developer Tom Ruger and voice actor Paul
12:02Rugg bringing their signature humor.
12:04Freakazoid was also executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
12:07With a wealth of talent behind the screen and a litany of cool characters on it, this cartoon
12:12is more than worth a watch.
12:13Before we unveil our topic, here are a few honorable mentions.
12:26Earthworm Jim, a worm who also doubles as a hero?
12:30Sounds like a fun watch.
12:32Oh, I should have known superheroes and evil twins go together like peanut butter and evil
12:39peanut butter.
12:40SWAT Cats, the Radical Squadron.
12:42If you want fearless felines doing all kinds of cool action, then this show is for you.
12:47There's big trouble.
12:48It's Dark Cat.
12:49He's broken into the Mecha Cat nuclear plant, and the enforcers are helpless to stop him.
12:54Got it, Miss Briggs.
12:55We're on our way.
12:56Two stupid dogs.
12:58They might not be the sharpest tools in the shed, but they're super entertaining.
13:04Sheesh, this is caca.
13:06Why do people come here?
13:09The Pirates of Dark Water.
13:12An extraterrestrial swashbuckling prince sells the high seas for treasure.
13:16What's not to love?
13:18I'm surprised we came through it safely.
13:19Not all of us.
13:23We were four, and now we're three.
13:27Niddler!
13:28You're alright!
13:30Biker Mice from Mars, with a name like that.
13:32You've got to check this show out.
13:35Moto here gave his arm to the cause.
13:37Vinny got half his face taken off.
13:39That's why he wears the mask.
13:41Yeah, but that's okay, because what's left is definitely grade A mouse material.
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14:01Number 1.
14:02Gargoyles
14:03This animated series is about an ancient clan of sentient gargoyles who are reawakening
14:07in modern times.
14:08The Gargoyles then decide to protect New York City from evil threats, including dastardly
14:31business tycoon David Xanatos.
14:33Gargoyles was rich with compelling storylines that tackled serious issues and never talked
14:38down to its audience.
14:39Kids could enjoy watching this without a problem.
14:42When somebody does something wrong, I find out who and arrest them.
14:46Who says what's wrong?
14:48Well, we have a justice system.
14:50Laws, penalties, assessments that the people decide.
14:54You mean the humans decide?
14:56The great thing is that their parents could get a real kick out of it too.
14:59A common misconception people have with cartoons is that they can only ever be about silly stories
15:04where nothing really happens.
15:06With that being said, Gargoyles basically made it their mission to put respect on the name
15:11of animation.
15:12This world is just as savage as the one I remember.
15:16You're judging it the way humans have judged you.
15:18I mean, sure, the city shows an ugly face sometimes, but there's more to it than that.
15:24Are there any underrated 90s cartoons we forgot?
15:26Let us know in the comments down below.
15:28Did you enjoy this video?
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15:41See you next time.