7 R-Rated Properties That Shouldn’t Have Had Cartoons

For a long time, cartoons were primarily made for children. However, even then, many popular live-action movies geared towards adults found their way into animated form, often targeting kids. We’ve even seen franchises like Aliens and Predator create toys for young audiences, showing that some stories can cross age boundaries. Here are seven R-rated movies from the past that surprisingly had animated adaptations, and probably shouldn’t have.

7.) Robocop

Though it features a hero, the 1987 film Robocop is known for its shockingly violent scenes. The movie was a critique of capitalism and violence, and wasn’t intended for children. Surprisingly, a cartoon series, Robocop: The Animated Series, followed just a year later. While the cartoon only lasted twelve episodes and isn’t as highly regarded as the original films, it didn’t harm the franchise as a whole.

6.) Swamp Thing

For longtime comic book readers, it’s surprising to think of Swamp Thing as a show for kids. The comics have often been dark and scary, focusing on horror elements as Alec Holland protects “The Green.” Back in 1991, an animated series tried to make Swamp Thing appealing to a younger audience, but it wasn’t successful. Alec Holland appeared again in other DC animated shows, but that particular series has largely been forgotten by fans.

5.) Rambo: The Force of Freedom

I have to say, Robocop and Swamp Thing had a bit of an edge when it came to becoming kid-friendly – they already had that futuristic or supernatural hook! But poor Rambo… that one always struck me as odd. In 1986, they turned Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo into something straight out of G.I. Joe, leading a team of soldiers and kids against the bad guys. It’s just… the original First Blood was so gritty and focused on a Vietnam vet dealing with serious trauma. Turning that into a cartoon for kids felt completely out of left field! Of all the strange adaptations out there, Rambo: The Force of Freedom definitely feels like the most bizarre.

4.) Toxic Crusaders

The Toxic Avenger was a breakthrough film for Troma Entertainment, launching the superhero Toxie. While the movie was known for its over-the-top violence and spawned sequels and a recent remake, the 1991 animated series, The Toxic Crusaders, took a different approach. It gave Toxie comical sidekicks and toned down the gore and adult content. Though the cartoon lasted thirteen episodes and even inspired a recent video game, it didn’t quite capture the spirit of the original film.

3.) Police Academy

I remember the first Police Academy movie being a pretty raunchy comedy – definitely not something you’d picture as a cartoon! But the later sequels toned things down and became much more family-friendly, which I guess paved the way for this animated series. It wasn’t quite as good as the original, but it was surprisingly long-lived, running for two seasons and almost sixty-five episodes. It’s one of the more substantial cartoons on this list, actually.

2.) Highlander: The Animated Series

Given its focus on characters battling to the death for power, Highlander doesn’t seem well-suited as a children’s cartoon. The 1994 animated series takes place in the 27th century, diverging from the historical setting of the original movie. While Highlander: The Animated Series ran for two seasons, it never achieved the same success and was limited by its inability to explore the darker themes present in the source material.

1.) Conan The Adventurer

Before Arnold Schwarzenegger became famous as Conan the Barbarian, the character had already been thrilling audiences for decades, first appearing in stories in 1932. Later, in 1992, an animated series called Conan the Adventurer offered a much milder, family-friendly take on the hero. This version proved popular enough to earn a follow-up show, Conan and the Young Warriors. Instead of using his sword, this animated Conan used a magical metal called “star metal” to send his enemies to another dimension.

2026-05-23 23:41