It’s been a good year for gaming overall. But it has been an even better year for cartoons. After years of seeing only a few handful of shows really take the animated medium to new heights, 2015 arrived with an entire army of fresh cartoons and returning favourites. Hell, 2015 might be the greatest year for cartoons ever and hopefully the start of a new golden age that hasn’t been seen since the peak of the Cartoon network and Nickleodeon era.
There could only be one winner for the best cartoon of 2015 however, and that award that we got from the ACME warehouse goes to…
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
There’s a reason why Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the best show on TV right now, and that’s consistency. Heroes in a half-shell that engage in weekly adventures, with each and every single episode being standalone brilliance. Forget the Turtles that you grew up with in the 1980s or the early 2000’s. Because the current generation of mutated ninjas are going to go down as the definitive version of the franchise that you grew up with.
There’s so much that TMNT gets right, from the dynamic between Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello, to a superb supporting cast of allies and enemies. It’s a show that also has some dynamic action sequences, call-outs to the past that never feel forces and references to other films and series that are spot-on inspired.
It’s also already in its fourth season, and shows no signs of slowing down yet. So if you haven’t tuned into a cartoon series that easily schools the recent film on how to make the Turtles a blockbuster franchise, you’ve got plenty of episodes to catch up on. Booyakasha.
Here’s a look at some of the other runner-ups, who almost snagged the top spot from those amphibious ninjas.
Star Vs. The Forces of Evil
If I had to describe Star Vs. The Forces of Evil in just two words, I’d use these: Infectiously fun. The idea of a magically-supercharged teen attending a high school isn’t exactly new, but Star Vs. The Forces of Evil breaks the trope by having a lead character who fully embraces her craziness, and usually drags others into her adventures as well. Toss in a dash of some Scott Pilgrim influences, solid animation and a highly addictive soundtrack and you’ve got another fine example of 2015 being a great year for cartoons.
Major Lazer
All the rocking tracks of one of the best electronic music groups around, linked to a far-off future where Jamaica is protected by the people’s hero known as Major Lazer who fights back against the the threats of President Whitewall and General Rubbish. It’s crazier than it sounds, and even better than you’d realise thanks to episodes which feature call-outs from Tremors, Bob Marley and a war with Vampire Vampires.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force forever? Maybe not, as Adult Swim’s longest running original series finally met its end this year when Master Shake, Frylock and Meatwad faced their greatest foe: Network cancellation. With just one season left to wrap up any loose threads and resolve any lingering plots, Aqua Teen Hunger Force did what it does best: Ignore any and all continuity to instead focus on episodes that included an evil robot Jesus, sinister body-swapping pets and the wrath of the Brain Fairy.
Sanjay and Craig
Some cartoons push the medium to tremendous highs in an effort to become true art. Sanjay and Craig isn’t that kind of cartoon. Instead, it’s a fantastic example of wonderfully stupid humour done right when Sanjay and his pet snake Craig get involved in all kinds of weird scenarios.
One-Punch Man
Can an anime that focuses on a amateur superhero who has the ungodly power to defeat any foe with a single punch actually be riveting enough to watch for a full 21 minutes every week? Yes, yes it can and then some.
Steven Universe
Forget about Adventure Time: Cartoon Network’s very best show right now is easily Steven Universe. From voice-acting through to animation, lore and plots that have a massive pay-off, Steven Universe is exactly the kind of series that we need more of right now. A show that proves that cartoons can be complex and endearing, Steven Universe is magical to the extreme.
Rick and Morty
While the majority of the shows above may be geared towards kids first, there’s nothing about Rick and Morty that should ever be allowed near your young ones. Darkly comedic and equipped with the morality of an alcoholic nihilist, Rick and Morty is the anti-cartoon and a fantastic alternative to anyone who needs to get some sugar out of their system.
Teen Titans Go
In comic books, the Teen Titans are seen as the next great generation of heroes. Up and coming sidekicks who are ready to save the world and establish their own legacy as the next great hope for humanity. Teen Titans Go is none of that. Instead, we’ve got heroes who find themselves engaged in twisted adventures where humanity comes second to off-the-clock shenanigans.
And it’s not just some fantastic deconstructing of popular tropes here either! Teen Titans Go is funny enough on its own, but its the artistic influence of Dan Hipp that really makes the show shine, giving it an artistic flair that no other series on this list can match. TITANS, GO!
Regular Show
Seven seasons in, and there’s still only one way to properly describe a cartoon series about a racoon and bluebird who look for ways to slack off from doing actual work in a public park: OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Transformers: Prime is easily the best Transformers cartoon ever made, a series so damn monumental that it set an impossibly high bar for any successor series that would follow it. So what does Robots in Disguise do? It follows its own path, setting fan-favourite Autobot Bumblebee up as the leader of his own squad of rookies and rebels who find themselves hunting down rogue Decepticons on Earth.
It maybe a tad bit formulaic with a monster of the week setup, but Transformers: Robots in Disguise does a wonderful job of creating a group dynamic with unique personalities between the various Autobots, forging its own path along the way.
Gravity Falls
Two seasons, and that’s all she wrote. Disney’s wonderfully weird animated series had a game-plan in mind, that ended this year for the Pines family. Mysteries were solved, scams were pulled and the Pines twins had a summer vacation that they’ll never forget in one of the very best original shows that Disney has ever made.
Last Updated: January 4, 2017
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:32
You have some good taste D…some
Teen Titans Go gets you reduced points xD
And calling One Punch man a cartoon… will make some people’s eyes twitch 😛
The D
December 18, 2015 at 12:52
I am history’s greatest monster.
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:52
Indeed you are 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 18, 2015 at 12:57
Tali would agree. If she could.
RinceThis
December 18, 2015 at 12:59
Ohhhh http://new1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Hfw+he+was+actually+trying+to+make+her+fall+_3920f2b4cf964ebb2885e37326d354ba.gif
The D
December 18, 2015 at 13:15
Low blow, bro. Low blow.
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:34
I need more Star vs the forces of evil! 13 episodes is not enough!
Captain JJ 4x
December 18, 2015 at 12:35
I know some of those words
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:36
*GASP
Captain JJ 4x
December 18, 2015 at 12:37
I’m still riding on the old “cartoons”. I’m on my third re-watch of Batman TAS, Spider-Man TAS and starting Beyond on it’s third now too.
Then there’s also Adventure time to rewatch, AND I still haven’t watched Axe Cop season 2
TOO MANY SERIES!
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:38
Cartoons are coming back better than ever, the last few years have been dull and stupid to say the least.
Captain JJ 4x
December 18, 2015 at 12:39
Bob’s Burgers too!
And Archer!
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:39
I also need to catch up on the new Adventure Time season.
Captain JJ 4x
December 18, 2015 at 12:40
I’m convinced that the “knife rain” is an Easter egg for Elder Scrolls Daggerfall.
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:40
Probably, that show has some deep moments when you look and listen closely 😀
Captain JJ 4x
December 18, 2015 at 12:41
Yea man. My wife and I are both huge fans.
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:43
The only Dates I get are Updates… so I enjoy it alone 😛
Captain JJ 4x
December 18, 2015 at 12:43
If you have Origin then at least you have LOTS of dates. 😉
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:44
Deleted that shyt long ago xD
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 18, 2015 at 12:46
Me too. Do they normally appear in this order?
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:48
http://i.imgur.com/J948UCj.gif
Sageville
December 18, 2015 at 13:03
My kids do this, then they watch me as I fkkn blow my lid that they are watching me instead of picking up the damn can that is slowing pouring out….
Original Heretic
December 18, 2015 at 12:36
Rick and Morty!!! Hells yeah! Best cartoon series ever!
But I’m only saying that until the next season of Venture Bros is released.
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:45
https://49.media.tumblr.com/3f1b48c25b796c0a956b20f532443f4a/tumblr_mn66klcJZz1r6toezo1_500.gif
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 12:45
https://45.media.tumblr.com/ecf3f6e959b5153db70e12bd655ed74e/tumblr_nx7bt8ocWa1tj06n3o1_500.gif
Hammersteyn
December 18, 2015 at 14:39
https://49.media.tumblr.com/77da5fee6ad0d1e6419159cf843656d7/tumblr_mwro7zSToJ1sy07j3o1_500.gif
Hammersteyn
December 18, 2015 at 14:40
Loved how the snake gets loose and the baby ducks karate chops the shit out of it
RinceThis
December 18, 2015 at 12:57
Just got One Punch Man, need to watch it!
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 18, 2015 at 13:03
You should’ve told me you wanted one punch, man.
RinceThis
December 18, 2015 at 13:07
You shut up!
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 18, 2015 at 13:10
🙁 I was only trying to be helpful.
RinceThis
December 18, 2015 at 13:11
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcs5z4gyRH1r4ekn1o9_250.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 18, 2015 at 13:12
I never said I was trying to help you.
RinceThis
December 18, 2015 at 13:17
You are a bad, bad person!
Sageville
December 18, 2015 at 13:01
No Adventure Time?
Ottokie
December 18, 2015 at 13:01
I think this is for 2015 new releases 🙂
Otherwise I have my pitch fork and torch ready.
The D
December 18, 2015 at 13:16
Look, I loved Adventure Time. LOVED IT. But lately, I feel like the show has lost a lot of what made it so great originally.
ZA Ludomusicologist
December 18, 2015 at 13:15
Sanjay for sure!
Spy Master Tokashi
December 18, 2015 at 13:47
I enjoy watching that cartoon story where they have dragons and balls and they just zzzeee around stuff.
Awesome cartoon
Or those ladies with the big eyes talking in funny a language
elysium
December 18, 2015 at 13:54
No love from anyone anywhere for BoJack Horseman? Guess I’m one of the only people here watching it… which is a pity, cuz it really is one of the best shows on TV right now; this year’s season especially.
Hammersteyn
December 18, 2015 at 14:38
Regular Show!
HvR
December 18, 2015 at 14:46
NO BREADWINNER MENTION
SOMEBODY GONNA GET BOOTY KICK IN DA FACE