Animationisn’t just for children, and these 10 great animated TV shows that are all available to stream prove that. Though a large portion of animation is aimed at children and younger audiences, there’s quite a bit more to the genre. Some of thebest animated movies of 2024, for example, tackle incredibly mature topics and stories that only adults would be able to relate to. Animation, as a medium, can be incredibly well-suited to adult viewers, and there are plenty of shows that are worth streaming right now.
There are dozens of adult animated shows out there, and all of them offer something unique. From hilariously dark humor to gripping dramas and visuals that wouldn’t be possible in live-action, adult animation is incredibly varied and diverse. Picking just a few to represent the entire genre is no easy feat, but these 10 offer a glimpse at what the genre has to offer. On top of that, all 10 of these shows are available to stream on various streaming services, meaning viewers can dive right in and find out why animation isn’t just for kids.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
Arcaneis based on the video gameLeague of Legends, but it doesn’t require any knowledge of the game’s lore or gameplay to understand.That’s a good thing, too, as the storyArcaneoffers is truly tremendous. Thecast ofArcaneincludes sisters on opposing sides of a revolution, inventors trying to balance scientific advancement with their friendship, and a mother and daughter from a distant nation, all fighting for control of the city of Piltover. It’s a fascinatingly complex and interconnected story that takes twists no one could see coming, and it’s well worth watching for the plot alone.
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ButArcanedoesn’t just offer a suspenseful story filled with likable characters, it also features some stellar animation and music.Arcaneoften feels like a mix between a 3D video game and an oil painting, and its style is undeniable. Many of its episodes also include visually stunning music videos featuring tracks from artists like Imagine Dragons and twenty one pilots. Even if the plot ofArcanesomehow doesn’t grab viewers' attention, its animation style and soundtrack certainly will.
The Legend of Vox Machina
The Legend of Vox Machina is an animated series that follows a group of rowdy misfits turned mercenaries. As they prioritize easy money and leisure over duty, they find themselves as the unlikely heroes tasked with defending the kingdom from impending evil and restoring justice.
The roleplaying tabletop gameDungeons & Dragonsis a worldwide phenomenon for a reason. It’s capable of telling amazing stories that feel personal and real in a way few other games are able to, andThe Legend of Vox Machinacaptures that exact magic in television format.That’s mostly due to who’s playing, as the show is an animated adaptation of the popular webseriesCritical Role, butThe Legend of Vox Machinaalso takes full advantage of its animated format. Fantastical creatures and monsters come to life in the show, and each of the players' characters look just as intricate and interesting as they came across in the webseries.
The Legend of Vox Machina is a great time for any fantasy fan, even if they’ve never had a Dungeons & Dragons campaign of their own.
Aside from itsCritical Roleroots,The Legend of Vox Machinaalso shines in its own ways. It features some of the best fantasy action and adventure in any television show out there, and its impressive animation style only makes those fight sequences more compelling. There’s also plenty of great character development, emotionally moving storylines, and fun and humor sprinkled into the show. In short,The Legend of Vox Machinais a great time for any fantasy fan, even if they’ve never had aDungeons & Dragonscampaign of their own.
Primal
Primal is an animated television series by Genndy Tartakovsky that premiered in 2019. It follows the bond between a caveman and a dinosaur as they struggle to survive in a brutal prehistoric world filled with danger and predators. This dialogue-free show combines striking visuals with a raw and emotional narrative, exploring themes of survival, friendship, and the primal instincts of both its human and dinosaur protagonists.
There’s probably no other show quite like Genndy Tartakovsky’sPrimal, and it’s not just because of its stellar animation.Primalwas created and directed by Tartakovsky, the same man who created the 2003Star WarsshowClone Wars, and it features the same unique and striking 2D animation style. Unlike the futurism ofClone Wars, however,Primaltakes place in prehistoric times and follows Spear, a caveman whose family was devoured by Tyrannosaurs, and Fang, a different Tyrannosaur. Spear and Fang fight their way through ancient times in intense action sequences and beautifully designed moving works of art.
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What truly makesPrimalso unique, however, is the fact that there is almost no dialogue at all. Spear and Fang communicate almost entirely through grunts and gestures, and it isn’t until the ending ofPrimalseason 1 that they encounter a human advanced enough to speak.Primal’s lack of dialogue puts a huge amount of responsibility on its visual language and storytelling, and Tartakovsky’s animation more than stepped up to the task. It’s a truly beautiful series, and many viewers will find it just as engaging and heart-wrenching as any other conversation-heavy drama.
Rick and Morty
Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction series that follows the eccentric scientist Rick Sanchez and his impressionable grandson Morty Smith as they embark on perilous adventures across space and alternate dimensions. The show explores the impact of these exploits on Morty’s tumultuous family life and personal challenges.
Many people have likely already heard ofRick and Mortyin the context of adult animation, but there’s a good reason for that.Rick and Mortyis already one of the longest-running adult animated shows, and sinceRick and Mortyseason 8is in development, it’ll only get longer. The reason it’s been so popular for so long is because it’s hilarious:Rick and Mortyfollows the titular duo of Rick Sanchez, an alcoholic genius who can create any number of impossible inventions, and Morty Smith, his grandson and frequent adventure partner.
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Rick and Morty go on often ridiculous adventures across both space and time, which often leads to some of thebest jokes inRick and Morty. It also means that there’s no telling what will happen next: Rick could take Morty to a planet where snakes are the most intelligent lifeforms, or Morty could accidentally become a time-travelling god to a planet filled with dog-like aliens while trying to impress a girl.Rick and Mortyis lacking in neither variety nor laughs, and it’s easily one of the funniest shows out there in live-action or animation.
Invincible
Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father’s legacy isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as he’s been led to believe.
Some superhero fans may be daunted by the sheer volume of movies and shows available from Marvel or DC, butInvincibleoffers a perfect alternative.Invinciblefollows Mark Grayson as he discovers he has superpowers and also learns that his father, Omni-Man, is not the hero he always thought he was. Since it adapts an independent comic series and starts at the beginning of Mark’s journey to become a hero,Invincibleis a lot easier to get into than other superhero media. It’s also a much more mature superhero story than Marvel or DC usually produces, and it takes full advantage of its animated medium.
Invincible is also a much more mature superhero story than Marvel or DC usually produces, and it takes full advantage of its animated medium.
Despite being animated in 2D,Invinciblefeatures some of the most realistic and brutal instances of violence in the entire superhero genre. From derailed trains to severed limbs and crushed skulls, the show is brimming with intense gore and action.Invincibleis also very different from other superhero movies for one big reason: Mark is not, in fact, invincible. He often gets defeated in spectacular fashion, and though he’s growing stronger, the show has real stakes and tense life-or-death moments.Invinciblealso asks some big questions, from what it means to be human to how to be a hero, which makes it very mature.
Star Trek Lower Decks
The animated comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks follows the support crew on one of Starfleet’s least significant ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Boimler (Jack Quaid), Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), and Tendi (Noël Wells) have to keep up with their duties and their social lives often. At the same time, the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
Star Trekis one of the longest-running and most dauntingly dense science fiction franchises out there, but it also found the perfect way to introduce new audiences to its premise.Star Trek: Lower Decksshifts the franchise’s focus from the soaring adventure and perilous dilemmas captains like Kirk or Picard faced on a daily basis to the everyday struggles and workplace dramas faced by the unseen characters who make the ship fly.As far as workplace comedies go,Lower Decksis just as funny as shows likeParks and RecreationorSuperstore, but it also has a sci-fi setting to set it apart.
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As with shows likeThe Office,Lower Decksis filled with romance, rivalries, and other commonplace interpersonal drama, but it also hasStar Trek’s patented brand of sci-fi to work with.While coworkers on theUSS Cerritosargue about engine specifications, they also have to deal with alien viruses and intergalactic diplomacy. Being set in the world ofStar Trekalso allowsLower Decksto have some fun with the franchise’s history, from showing off Klingon artifacts and weapons to adding humor to what happens behind the scenes of every fight.
Love, Death & Robots
Love, Death & Robots is an anthology series released in 2019, presenting a collection of animated stories curated by Tim Miller and David Fincher. Each episode explores diverse genres, featuring terrifying creatures, unexpected twists, and elements of dark comedy.
There’s no shortage of great anthology shows out there, fromBlack MirrortoThe White Lotus, butLove, Death + Robotsmay be the best example of what animation can add to the format.Love, Death + Robotsfeatures a broad range of stories and adventures that fit into the umbrella of science fiction, and there’s something for everyone in the show. From robot friends going on a field trip through a post-apocalyptic wasteland to sailors facing giant crab monsters and an even more vexing moral dilemma,Love, Death + Robotscovers quite a bit of ground.
From robot friends going on a field trip through a post-apocalyptic wasteland to sailors facing giant crab monsters and an even more vexing moral dilemma, Love, Death + Robots covers quite a bit of ground.
Just as its storylines are incredibly varied, the animation inLove, Death + Robotsis incredibly diverse as well. Certain episodes feature a 3D style that seems almost completely lifelike, while others dive into stylized 2D animation.Each episode takes a different tone and style, and there’s no telling what’s in store next on the first watch ofLove, Death + Robots. For anyone looking to add both humor and contemplative questions into their watch lists, it’s a great show to consider.
Blue Eye Samurai
Blue Eye Samurai is a 2023 animated action-adventure series created by Michael Green and Amber Noizumi. Set In 17th-century Japan, Blue Eye Samurai follows a mixed-race Samurai named Mizu who seeks revenge for the man who abandoned her and took her mother. To do so, Mizu will have to disguise herself and assume the guise of a man as she sets forth across a war-torn nation.
Netflix’sBlue Eye Samuraiisn’t exactly an anime, but it does serve as a great introduction to the wonderful genre.Blue Eye Samuraiwas created with a unique 3D animation style and tailored to the English language which fits perfectly with its setting in the Edo period of Japanese history. American viewers will also recognize many of the voices in thecast ofBlue Eye Samurai, and all the actors involved gave vocal performances that were just as good as any of their live-action movies or shows.
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Blue Eye Samuraialso has two massive advantages that work to its benefit.Because it’s animated,Blue Eye Samuraiturns its samurai action and swordplay up to 11, achieving angles and bloodshed that would be impossible in live-action. Each of Mizu’s fights feel intense and heart-pounding, and they simply couldn’t exist in any other medium. On top of that, all the characters inBlue Eye Samuraifeel real and fleshed out, and they have real-world problems to deal with. Mizu deals with things like racism and sexism on a daily basis, while Ringo overcomes ableism and other forms of bigotry all the time.
Smiling Friends
In a colorful yet bizarre world, two employees at a small firm dedicated to its making its customers smile discover that their jobs are rarely as simple as they seem.
Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim has a very distinctive brand of dark and nonsensical humor, and it feels likeSmiling Friendsis the natural evolution of it.Smiling Friendsfollows Charlie and Pim, two workers at a charity aimed at helping people smile. As innocuous as its premise is, the actual show is a roller coaster in comparison. Pim and Charlie have to deal with everything from something as intense as literally being sent to Hell to something as mundane as being stuck at an airport in Brazil. No matter what they’re doing, however, there’s always some surprise in store, and some sort of absurdist joke to be had.
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One of the things that setsSmiling Friendsapart from other adult comedies is its dialogue. As they confront ridiculous situations and characters, Charlie and Pim react how a normal person would in such strange circumstances. It makes for hilarious moments of fear and surprise, and there’s something absolutely hysterical about hearing them call out the stranger moments adult animation is known for.IfRick and MortyorStar Trek: Lower Decksisn’t your cup of tea for adult humor, thenSmiling Friendsdefinitely could be.
The Midnight Gospel
The Midnight Gospel is an animated series created by Pendleton Ward and Duncan Trussell. The show follows Clancy Gilroy, who hosts a spacecast from a colorful, multidimensional universe called the Chromatic Ribbon. Through surreal and philosophical conversations, each episode explores existential themes. The Midnight Gospel combines intricate animation with introspective dialogue, drawing viewers into its unique narrative style.
Aside from perhapsThe Legend of Vox Machina, very few instances of adult animation are able to blend multiple formats together seamlessly.The Midnight Gospel, however, is one of the best to even attempt it.The Midnight Gospelis essentially a podcast that interviews brilliant minds mixed with some of the most mind-bending and stupefying animation out there, and it’s an utterly enthralling watch. One episode may see Clancy talk to a zombie apocalypse survivor about the virtues of psychedelic drugs, while the next sees him somberly ruminate on death and the afterlife with a dog-deer.
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One of the only drawbacks ofThe Midnight Gospelis, paradoxically, an incredible testimonial about its quality. Some of the show’s episodes can get so intense both visually and audibly that it’s hard to focus on one enough for fear of missing out on the other.The Midnight Gospel’s guest speakers are so earnest and thoughtful that it’s hard to divide attention between them and the psychedelic animation the show is presented through. It’s almost hard to convey through words whatThe Midnight Gospelis, and why it’s such a great piece ofanimationaimed at adults.
