Cap's not-so-nostalgic top 10 favorite animated shows of the 2010's

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#1  Edited By cpt_nice

Cartoons these days, they are not like they used to be. Or are they?

Sure, just like many of you I grew up with a healthy dose of truly great shows from the 90's and early 2000's. But I would go as far to say that the past few years we have seen a true renaissance when it comes to amazing cartoons, and some of my all time favorites actually started only a couple of years ago. To celebrate these more recent diamonds, I will give you my top 10 favorite animated shows of the 2010 era.

Why no top 11 this time? Because 10 goes with 2010's.

To be eligible for this list, a series' first episode must have aired in January 2010 or later. It can be western animation or Japanese anime, ongoing or finished. As always, feel free to comment and discuss.

Honorable mentions

* One Punch Man

* We Bare Bears

* Adventure Time

* Phineas and Ferb

* No game, No Life

* Attack on Titan

* Panty and Stocking Featuring Garterbelt

10: Over the Garden Wall

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While only lasting 10 episodes of about 11 minutes (thus putting it at the length of an average movie), Over the Garden Wall seriously impressed me. The animation is gorgeous, the music beautiful, the atmosphere some of the most haunting you will ever see in a cartoon and its villain one of my all time favorites despite his limited screen time. However, its short length, somewhat lackluster finale and very annoying deuteragonist do cost it some points.

9: Avatar the Legend of Korra

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When the Avatar: The Legend of Korra first premiered, my expectations were higher than the walls of Ba Sing Se. And this follow-up to The Last Airbender lived up to the hype. In a lot of ways it surpasses the original series, with more adult themes, a lot of creative bending and meeting great new characters as well as old favorites. In other ways it does not quite pull it off, as some of the main cast are unsufferably boring (looking at you, Mako), the humor is really hit-or-miss and it lacks some of the heart of the original. Still, being in the same league as the Nickelodeon classic makes it an easy pick for this top 10.

8: Kill La Kill

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As the the only anime to make the top 10, Kill la Kill has to be quite awesome. It surely does manage to impress, with stylised animation which translates to energetic and brutal fight scenes which can be jaw-dropping at times. The soundtrack is one of my all time favorites, composed by Hiroyuki Sawano who was also involved with Attack on Titan. Definitely not the deepest show on the list, in fact it is a prime example of style over substance and some of the oversexualising of the characters made me roll my eyes. But the over the top nature of the show, from the fight scenes to the flamboyant personas themselves, made me view it in one go and I will definitely keep coming back to it.

7: Gravity Falls

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I know some people who are reading this will have a fit over this. "WHAAAT??? NUMBER 7??? HOW DARE YOU!". Well fear not, angered reader, I do like this show. A lot actually, or it would not even make it on my top ten. Solid animation, great side characters (Gruncle Stan is the man), not one but two really memorable villains, genius hidden easter eggs and the major twist in season 2 earn it a lot of points. But the main characters are not very interesting and because the show is aimed at children more than I'd like it is all played a bit too safe, especially considering where they could have taken Gravity Falls if it had gone balls to the walls. Still, it borrows a lot from Twin Peaks and you can never go wrong with that. 7th place and well deserved.

6: Archer

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A show with brilliant dialogue, some of the cleverest humor ever to grace the television screen, edgy themes and flawed but likeable characters? Do you want to get on my top 10?! Because that's how you get on my top 10!

Danger zone

5: Steven Universe

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I will admit, I am a tad biased towards Steven Universe because of its themes about inclusiveness, learning to accept one's identity and progressive nature for a cartoon show. With portrayals of non-traditional romantic relationships and gender role reversals, this show is a true gem (huehue) for LGBT people and people in general who have felt out of place at some point. It has plenty of other merrits, such as catchy music numbers, stellar animation, strong world building, a few exciting action scenes and touching character interactions. It is a shame some of the filler can get a bit tedious. Still, number 5 spot.

4: Bojack Horseman

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Bojack Horseman reminds me a lot of Californication, one of my all time favorite series. They are both extremely well written and while often laugh-out-loud funny, they are almost more dramatic than comedic. We follow a sex-crazed, extraverted, successful but ultimately very troubled and problematic artist as he experiences a lot of significant ups and downs in his personal life and career. We often see things that make us quiet, and maybe even take a look at our own regrets and mistakes? It is confrontational and controversial, but it also knows when to just be about three kids wearing a trenchcoat. Recommended for animals and adults of all ages... over 18.

3: Rick and Morty

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I honestly don't know much I can say about this series which hasn't been said already. People have called it one of the greatest cartoon shows to come out in years, and I agree it is. If nothing else, it surely is the most creative one, by far. With a detailed universe full of weird scifi devices, aliens and plots where Doctor Who and Hitchhiker's Guide meets The Thing and Ren and Stimpy, some of the side plots are so ingenious they could very well be their own movies (Jerry's holo-experiences, Morty's life as Roy). Just like Archer, it walks a fine line with characters who are very flawed and should be unlikeable to the viewer, but end up growing on you regardless because of their quirks. The writing is near-perfect and while not as laugh out loud funny as some other shows on this list, the humor is versatile and manages to get laughs even when it is very cynical. Or because of it. Rick and Morty also doesn't shy away from shocking its viewers, but it is never gratuite. It knows what it's doing and it manages to make you think. And Rick might actually be one of my top 10 favorite characters in fiction. Watch it if you haven't already.

2: Wander over Yonder

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If any show on this list is a hard sell, it is definitely Wander over Yonder with its somewhat childish animation and relatively simple plot and themes. And by putting it at number two I am not making it easy for myself to defend my choices. However, it is one of those shows that grows on you and in which the absurd silliness draws you in and the touching character interactions, colourful animation, superb dialogue and hilarious humor keeps you coming back for more. Some episodes have lessons even adults can identify with and I dare even say, this goofy show managed to get a tear out me once or twice. But above all, it is just a load of fun, fun fun fun. It really is one of those series you have to watch to get why people are passionate about it. If you still need convincing, this show has a scene where a guy named Emperor Awesome, a shark with white boots, a crown and an army of minions who look like walking fists, fights a lightning-out-of-his-fingers-shooting, army-of-eyeballs-commanding skeleton named Lord Hater, while riding atop a t-rex. In the second episode.

1: Bob's Burgers

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Again, it all comes down to the 'slice of life' series for the number one spot. What can I say, I absolutely shows which can take a mundane setting and turn it into something extraordinary. While the premise is simple (a family of five running a hamburger joint), the crazy situations the colorful Belcher family end up in are anything but. Every single character in Bob's Burgers is perfectly fleshed out and engaging in their own way, from the loud and deliciously joyful Linda to the painfully awkward and boy-crazy Tina. The dialogue is great, rivaling Archer for how well-written it is, and more than any other show on this list, one can find ways to identify with the protagonists and their struggles. It is open-minded, positive, happy and sad when it needs to be. A perfect bland of animation meets sitcom meets Monty Python sketch. One of my favorites from this decades, and of all time.

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#3  Edited By cpt_nice
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jumpstart55

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#4  Edited By jumpstart55

Good list..But i honestly never could get into Steve Universe and Wonder over Yonder.

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#5  Edited By cpt_nice

@jumpstart55: That's fair. It's not for everyone. I think a lot of people will find it weird I did not include the Regular Show. That is apparently a huge hit, for some weird reason unbeknownst to me.

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#6  Edited By jumpstart55

@cpt_nice said:

@jumpstart55: That's fair. It's not for everyone. I think a lot of people will find it weird I did not include the Regular Show. That is apparently a huge hit, for some weird reason unbeknownst to me.

Yea Steve Universe is too heavy handed with its messages and way too corny for me and Wonder over Yonder looks like a Sugar Rush Personified as a cartoon show.. And Regular Show along with Adventure Time i actually dig..Regualr Show is a cool laid back show that always goes 0-100 in the most fun spectacular ways..And being a giant fan of High Fantasy, Adventure Time is a nice addition of the genre that subverts it and puts the genre on its head in a sense in a hilariously weird way..And i cant get enough of Jake the dog..lmao

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#7  Edited By cpt_nice

@jumpstart55:

Yea Steve Universe is too heavy handed and corny

I definitely agree with this, haha. Like I said, I am biased and willing to forgive it for a lot of flaws.

Wonder over Yonder looks like a Sugar Rush Personified as a cartoon show.

It is really colorful and hard on the eyes, but then again so is Adventure Time on many occasions.

And Regular Show along with Adventure Time i actually dig..Regualr Show is a cool laid back show that always goes 0-100 in the most fun spectacular ways.

My complaint with that show, apart from Mordecai and Rigby being quite annoying, is that is tries too hard to be contemporary and otherworldly at the same time. Like, it wants to be edgy and weird (you have a guy with a gumball machine for a head) but then you also have pop culture references which will be outdated soon, selfies, them saying "dude" the entire time etc. It gets on my nerves. It's the same reason I don't like We Bare Bears as much as other people, you have a trio of talking bears, why do they need to obsess over social media? Lol. I guess that is just me.

Also, @sc , I ended up doing 2010's instead! 90's and 2000's will probably follow, I am going back in time as it were.

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@cpt_nice: Yea i think We Bare Bear is ok..Their infatuation with social Media does sort of put the show in a time lock and runs the risk of looking tacky in the future..And i definitely dont think it will down as a classic..Like Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Archer or the Venture Brothers.

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#9  Edited By deactivated-5c901e667a76c  Moderator

Good list, even if I haven't seen everything on it.

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#12  Edited By cpt_nice

@queen_marceline: I'll be @#$! if I get a warning because of foul language, especially in a gif.

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@cpt_nice: Warning: Intense, graphic use of language. You are warned.

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Good list. If you include all of the honorable mentions, you've hit everything notable of the last few years, so good on you.

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Good list. If you include all of the honorable mentions, you've hit everything notable of the last few years, so good on you.

Thanks. I spent a lot of time watching cartoons so I like to think not much passes me by.

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#17  Edited By black_wreath

Awesome list! ^_^

You even listed one that I watch! ^_^

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@cpt_nice: I'm curious, have you seen Star vs. the Forces of Evil?

And if so, what did you think of it?

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@gunmetalgrey: I watched the first 3 episodes and I felt kinda meh about it. It isn't bad, but nothing I haven't seen before. Cooky main character who is the fish-out-of-water, incompetent and boring main villain, angry teacher, absent parents, it is like doing cartoon cliche bingo. I do like the voice acting.

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#20  Edited By gunmetalgrey

@cpt_nice: I think it suffers from having a similar formula to the other Adventure Time-esque shows; hook people in with wild visuals and wacky antics, then get on with the real story further into the series.

I'm not a huge fan of the villain either, but I do like their approach in how his incompetence is addressed toward the end of the first season. There's even an entire episode dedicated to how fighting the monsters seems too easy, which changes the main protagonists' perspectives on the conflict. And about the parents, Star's father, at least, gets a good share of development in the latter half of the season. Even the angry teacher goes through some significant changes later on.

My one big critique is that it goes through all the tired high school tropes, but I think they're just trying to get it all out of their systems so it'll probably get better on that front by the next season.

I'm not sure if I'd put it in my personal Top 10 (which will probably be dominated by anime), but I'd say it's definitely among the better shows to come out in recent years.

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@gunmetalgrey:

Well if that is the case, I will definitely watch the first season all the way through. Maybe I will warm up to it.