5 Best ’80s Saturday Morning Cartoons (That Everyone Forgot About)

by

Man, I remember the 80s like it was yesterday! Saturday mornings were the absolute best. As a kid, there was nothing better than grabbing a big bowl of sugary cereal, throwing on my comfiest pajamas, and plopping down in front of the TV to watch cartoons. It was such a simple, perfect time, and honestly, I don’t think anything will ever quite feel like that again.

Although there weren’t as many episodes originally, ‘80s Saturday morning cartoons were shown repeatedly in reruns for years. This means many kids who grew up in the ’90s and early 2000s still remember them. Now that Generation X is becoming grandparents, watching those cartoons can be a nostalgic experience, bringing back happy memories.

Dungeons & Dragons Opened the Door to TTRPGs

Dungeons & Dragons has been a popular game since the 1970s. While it’s become even more well-known recently thanks to podcasts, people have been enjoying this type of tabletop role-playing for many years.

The Dungeons & Dragons cartoon, which aired from 1983 to 1985, is a well-remembered show from that time. It’s about six kids who are transported into the world of D&D while riding an enchanted amusement park attraction. A small character called the Dungeon Master leads them on quests, giving each a unique class and a magical item to match.

This animated series is a fun way to learn the basics of tabletop role-playing games, and it also offers a comforting dose of nostalgia. The characters even had a quick appearance in the recent live-action film.

M.A.S.K. Proved Illusion Was the Ultimate Weapon

Even though it only ran for two seasons, M.A.S.K. was a popular Saturday morning cartoon series tied to a line of toys. The show features M.A.S.K. – short for Mobile Armored Strike Kommand – a team of heroes who use special vehicles that transform to battle V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem), a dangerous criminal group.

What really grabbed me about M.A.S.K. was the incredible masks with all their powers! The villains, V.E.N.O.M., weren’t trying to take over the world in the typical way – they were more about taking on mercenary jobs and getting involved in shady dealings to make a buck. It’s a shame the show didn’t last longer, though, because I think a lot of people have forgotten just how cool it was.

Today, the show represents a perfect blend of everything that was good and bad about children’s television in the 1980s. If you asked a computer to create a typical ’80s kids’ show, it would likely resemble M.A.S.K. Its popularity back then continues to fuel interest today.

Jem Stood Out Among the Robots and Superheroes of ’80s TV

A wave of cartoons in the 1980s centered around the world of music, and Jem quickly became a standout hit. Airing from 1985 to 1988, Jem (also known as Jem & The Holograms) told the story of Jerrica Benton, a record executive who led the band Jem and The Holograms, and her alter ego, the pop star Jem.

Jerrica Benton uses Synergy, a holographic computer created by her late father, to transform into the pop star Jem. The series typically follows Jerrica as she tries to balance her normal life with her glamorous alter ego, protect Synergy from those who would misuse its technology, and care for the twelve foster children she lives with, along with Jem and The Holograms.

Jem & The Holograms frequently clashed with a competing band called The Misfits, who were managed by Jem’s old business associate, Eric Raymond. These conflicts often led to arguments and even physical fights. Although the show’s premise was strange and surprisingly ahead of its time, Jem was incredibly popular with children in the 1980s—until a poorly received live-action movie was released in 2014.

Off-screen Squabbles Marred a Great Version of The Real Ghostbusters

The animated series The Real Ghostbusters (later known as Slimer! And The Real Ghostbusters) got its name to distinguish it from an earlier live-action show. The Ghost Busters, which aired in 1975, was also produced for television. The animated Ghostbusters series, later called Filmation’s Ghostbusters, premiered in 1986 and was created by Filmation and distributed by Tribune Entertainment.

In 1984, Columbia Pictures launched the first Ghostbusters movie and quickly followed it with The Real Ghostbusters cartoon, just days after the film’s release. Originally, Filmation owned the rights to the Ghostbusters name and had to allow Columbia to use it in their movie. Seeing Columbia’s success, Filmation decided to bring back their own version of Ghostbusters with a new animated series based on their original TV show characters.

The Real Ghostbusters follows the adventures of the four Ghostbusters—along with their secretary Janine, accountant Louis, and mascot Slimer—as they track down and capture ghosts and other spooky creatures in New York City and around the world.

ThunderCats Became Heroes to an Entire Generation

As a kid of the ’80s, I remember the cartoon landscape was already pretty crowded when ThunderCats roared onto the scene. He-Man and The Transformers had a head start, but ThunderCats quickly clawed its way to the top. What really grabbed me was its unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy, and honestly, who didn’t love a team of heroic, cat-like people fighting against evil? It felt fresh and exciting, even with all the other great cartoons already out there.

Made by the talented team at Rankin-Bass, the show built a detailed and engaging world with a continuing storyline. Viewers quickly became fans, and for four seasons, Lion-O and his friends fought against the evil Mumm-Ra while trying to rebuild their destroyed planet, Thundera.

Like many popular cartoons from the 1980s, this series has been revived with a new animated version. There’s been talk for years about making a live-action movie or show, but so far, those plans haven’t happened. Luckily, the original series remains enjoyable and holds up well even today.

5 Questions
Test Your ’80s Cartoon Nostalgia: Heroes, Holograms, and High Adventure
Your Top Score
—
Attempts
—
0
0
Report Error

Found an error? Send it so it can be corrected.

Read More

2026-03-10 04:09