Much has been debated over this, so I thought I'd start a single thread - perhaps a sort of 'reference' thread where people can argue to their hearts content about the topic...

The '90's was a good time for the return of prime time cartoons that made them appeal to adults once again like "The Simpsons", "Ren & Stimpy", "Beavis & Butt-Head" since the early/mid 20th century.  8)  :)

The 90's were more classic style. Today animation is focused on Anime or computer generated graphics. Today's just have a different feel to them, even if the stories and such are similiar.

It depends on whether we're talking about American cartoons or if we're throwing anime into the mix.  If we're just talking about American cartoons, then it's the 90's by far.  Actually, it's not even close.  If we're throwing anime into the mix, I'm going with the 00's because I love anime.  By anime, I mean the stuff on Adult Swim like Full Metal Alchemist, not crap like Yu-Gi-Oh.  Anime tends to have more overall continuity thus giving you a reason to watch it and they tend to be more serious.  Would any American cartoon show the amount of blood that some of the anime on Adult Swim show, not to mention killing off several characters?  Not a chance.

Apart from a few good ones like The Simpsons and Family Guy, all of today's cartoons suck

'90s cartoons are generally better.  Both decades have too much gore/gross stuff in their cartoons.

'90s cartoons are generally better.  Both decades have too much gore/gross stuff in their cartoons.


I guess we can blame that on Ren & Stimpy.  That was the first cartoon I remember that had some pretty gross stuff.

I guess we can blame that on Ren & Stimpy.  That was the first cartoon I remember that had some pretty gross stuff.


Yeah I think so.  That was 1991.  The cartoons of the '90s of anything I'd say are more gross than now, but higher quality.  All kids have today is Spongebob.

I think the ingredient that is lacking in most entertainment - not just cartoon - is heart. Not necessarily sloppy, emotional sentimentality, but a real sense of pathos, a real moral which actually teaches kids something (I'm sounding a bit old). Early 90s shows like Barbar and even the Rug-Rats/Nickelodeon shows were a case in point. Now we have crap such as the 'Fairy god-parents' and 'Spongebob Squarepants' (which is admittantly funny at times if annoying).

90's cartoons are better no contest. But be warned I'm very, very, biased ;D

Some cartoons from the 90's, such as South Park, Ren and Stimpy, and The Simpsons are good.

As for now, I like Spongebob Squarepants, The Boondocks, Family Guy, and Fairy Odd Parents.

Family Guy ranges from ok to dreadful...not as bad as that 'American Dad' show lol. Futurama was pretty good for awhile, then it sort of degenerated like the Simpsons.

But you guys are forgetting that both Family Guy and Futurama are technically 90's shows.

90's rocked by far. They appealed to both kids and adults, and are actually funny. There's more action and movement too. Today there's a wide seperation of kid's and adult cartoons. They try way to hard in trying to teach kids a life lesson, the stop-animation adds a crappy look to them, and mostly they're just lame, lame, lame.

90's rocked by far. They appealed to both kids and adults, and are actually funny. There's more action and movement too. Today there's a wide seperation of kid's and adult cartoons. They try way to hard in trying to teach kids a life lesson, the stop-animation adds a crappy look to them, and mostly they're just lame, lame, lame.



I agree. The one thing that sererate's 90's and 00's cartoons is that 90's cartoons appealed to both kids and adults as you said. I can watch the cartoons that I watched as a kid and still find them funny(sometimes even funnier) today.

That's because GenXers never really grew up. I think it'll be the game with GenY.

The 90's were more classic style. Today animation is focused on Anime or computer generated graphics. Today's just have a different feel to them, even if the stories and such are similiar.

Very nicely put. I think the exact same thing. 90's cartoons are much better than those of the 00's.

Very nicely put. I think the exact same thing. 90's cartoons are much better than those of the 00's.


Having said that, many 00s cartoons are trying to imitate the style and tone of 90s cartoons. Most obvious the 'Fairy Odd Parents' trying to copy Dexter's Lab/Powerpuff Girls (that Cartoon Network style), or a few other cartoons I can't quite name using the 'collage' technique like shows like 'Angela Anaconda'etc.

Another thing you'd want to consider is that a lot of the shows on Saturday mornings now (at least I have found with ABC), is that a lot of the shows barely even appeal to kids, they're all like Saved By the Bell-type shows (i.e. "That's So Raven", "Lizzie McGuire", "Phil of the Future", "Suite Life of Zack and Cody").  It's all crap.  I was talking to my mom after we watched a few of these shows and I was just like "Man, I feel sorry for the kids of today, they only have crappy shows to watch", She was like "I KNOW!"

I hate it how, ever since Toy Story came out, everyone thinks if they make a cartoon that's crappy, kids will like it anyway if it is computer generated.  I admit I liked Toy Story and A Bug's Life but after a while there were waaaay too many CG shows/movies for kids.  What I really want back are more shows with Clay-animation (anyone remember "Bump In The Night"?).

Probably the last good year for neat cartoons was '97 (which had One Saturday Morning).  I wish "Recess" was still on network TV.

Another thing you'd want to consider is that a lot of the shows on Saturday mornings now (at least I have found with ABC), is that a lot of the shows barely even appeal to kids, they're all like Saved By the Bell-type shows (i.e. "That's So Raven", "Lizzie McGuire", "Phil of the Future", "Suite Life of Zack and Cody").  It's all crap.  I was talking to my mom after we watched a few of these shows and I was just like "Man, I feel sorry for the kids of today, they only have crappy shows to watch", She was like "I KNOW!"


"The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" isn't crap, it's far funnier and have better jokes than "Saved by the Bell"

And I'm only a year older than the actress who plays "Maddie", who's cuter than Tiffany Amber Thiessan  and smarter than the tall actress from "Striptease".

"The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" isn't crap, it's far funnier and have better jokes than "Saved by the Bell"

And I'm only a year older than the actress who plays "Maddie", who's cuter than Tiffany Amber Thiessan  and smarter than the tall actress from "Striptease".


I was talking about their characters, though I'm probably the few people over 20 who's not familair with the characters' names from "Saved by the Bell"

well me personally i think 90's cartoons are better. but its obvious and not surprising beacuase i am  17 and not so interested on cartoons anymore. the only  thing today's cartoons have better texture and graphics than the 90's.

Does ANYONE here favour 00s cartoons?

Another thing you'd want to consider is that a lot of the shows on Saturday mornings now (at least I have found with ABC), is that a lot of the shows barely even appeal to kids, they're all like Saved By the Bell-type shows (i.e. "That's So Raven", "Lizzie McGuire", "Phil of the Future", "Suite Life of Zack and Cody").  It's all crap.  I was talking to my mom after we watched a few of these shows and I was just like "Man, I feel sorry for the kids of today, they only have crappy shows to watch", She was like "I KNOW!"



You cant even call them Saturday morning cartoons anymore, now its "Saturday Morning Crappy live action shows" ;D



Probably the last good year for neat cartoons was '97 (which had One Saturday Morning).  I wish "Recess" was still on network TV.



Yeah, 1997-1998 was pretty much the last good year for Sat. morning cartoons. I stopped watching them in 1999.

Does ANYONE here favour 00s cartoons?


I'm glad the gory cartoons are gone.  Other than that, no.  Cartoon Network sucks (actually, I've hated CN since Dec of '97, when I first watched it), and Nick has become The Spongebob Channel, which is a pretty funny show, but very overrated.

I'm glad the gory cartoons are gone.  Other than that, no.  Cartoon Network sucks (actually, I've hated CN since Dec of '97, when I first watched it), and Nick has become The Spongebob Channel, which is a pretty funny show, but very overrated.



Yeah, Spongebob is terribly overrated. Sadly Nick's schedual pretty much comes down to about three or four shows(re-runs of spongebob, Jimmy Neutron, and the fairly odd parents).

The only cartoons I really like on Nickelodeon anymore and could constantly watch without hating them are Danny Phantom and The Fairly Oddparents. DP doesn't really have the same vibe to it as the earlier Nicktoons, but it seems more like something that would've gone over well back then. And FOP... well, we all have our guilty cartoon shows, right? ;) I kind of like Codename: Kids Next Door on Cartoon Network too.

But overall, cartoons now don't have the same punch that the ones in the '90s and before did. People say that Spongebob was influenced by Rocko's Modern Life, but Spongebob seems like it's just random, innane humor. Rocko, at least, had something like a plot to it. I watch Spongebob sometimes, but it doesn't make me laugh as much as Rocko did. And I miss the Saturday morning cartoons like Recess and Pepper Ann.

Well, I prefer cartoons from the late '80s and early '90s over those of today. Of course, I was a child in the late '80s and early '90s, so it's possible that I'm biased because I have fond memories of those cartoons. The old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Gummie Bears, The Smurfs, Duck Tales, Jem, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Rescue Rangers, Captain Planet, etc. All so sadly forgotten... I don't see them on TV anymore at all.

What I don't like about newer cartoons is that they're often just ugly -- very bright colours and rapid animation. Characters are constantly running around the screen and making annoying noises, and it just drives me crazy; I think cartoons in the past had better, slower pacing. I also rarely perceive much of a plot. Cartoons used to have heroes and villains and some dramatic tension between the two; even if it was simplified and often violent, it was more interesting to watch than cartoons about students talking to each other at school.... Again, though, I'm aware that I am probably just very biased toward my own childhood. Also, I rarely watch newer cartoons for more than five minutes, so I never really give them much of a chance; I'm a bit too old now for most of them. :)

I actually like anime/Japanimation, though, and it seems to have really come out of the shadows in recent years. But I think the anime series that had the widest appeal (even I found it fun to watch) was Sailor Moon, and that's been out of action since the '90s also...

Of newer cartoons, I do like Spongebob Squarepants. It's just cute.... nothing more, nothing less. :)

^I agree. Alot of 00's cartoons lack a really good plot to get you interested. Most 90's cartoons had at least a decent story.

^I agree. Alot of 00's cartoons lack a really good plot to get you interested. Most 90's cartoons had at least a decent story.

Agreed. ;)

I can't think of a single 00's cartoon that I like.

Agreed. ;)

I can't think of a single 00's cartoon that I like.



Some of the ones on Adult Swim are o.k. I don't really care for the ones intended for kids these days though.

I don't really care for the ones intended for kids these days though.

Me neither. Probably because I'm not a "kid" anymore. LOL ;)

However, there are cartoons from my childhood that I enjoy.



Some of the ones on Adult Swim are o.k.

Adult Swim? I'm not familiar with that. :-\\

Adult Swim? I'm not familiar with that. :-\\



That's cartoon networks nightime block of cartoons intended for adults(family guy, futurama, etc.)

That's cartoon networks nightime block of cartoons intended for adults(family guy, futurama, etc.)

Ah yes. Now I remember. The animated comedy shows. I forgot that it was called that.

Cartoons in the 90s actually made you care about the characters, silly as it may sound. Now, we only care how eye-poppingly spectacular the visuals look.

Cartoons in the 90s actually made you care about the characters, silly as it may sound. Now, we only care how eye-poppingly spectacular the visuals look.



I totally agree. 90's cartoons had characters with very unique personalities and really made it easy to like them. Today's characters just dont have that same likeability.

I totally agree. 90's cartoons had characters with very unique personalities and really made it easy to like them. Today's characters just dont have that same likeability.


And of course, as it's been said many times before, 90s toons were far more story-orientated, less visually orientated...

And of course, as it's been said many times before, 90s toons were far more story-orientated, less visually orientated...


I agree. As idiotic as the '90s nicktoons were, they were way better than the ones of the '00s.  Spongebob is the only cartoon that's really decent at all today on Nick; that's why it's so ubuitiquous.

Irony, Cartoon Network used to air Looney Tunes and they were originally aimed towards adults in the early 20th century.

Heard that there was so many ignorant comments when on the Adult Swim board when they temporarily aired Popeye & Bob Clampett directed Looney Tunes.

90's cartoons are way better than today's stuff, which is almost all ANIME, very little classic-style cartoons today!

Anime has ruined some cartoons for me...I hate the anime version of Sonic the Hedgehog 'Sonic X'..obviously today's animators buy into 'kids like it(anime) because it's cool'...Bring back classic animation, and sooner rather than later!

ANIME=ILLUSTRATED RADIO!

BTW 'illustrated radio' was Chuck Jones' term for crappy animation...

I agree. As idiotic as the '90s nicktoons were, they were way better than the ones of the '00s.  Spongebob is the only cartoon that's really decent at all today on Nick; that's why it's so ubuitiquous.


Never liked Spongebob...Btw, are they still making episodes of 'Hey Arnold', 'Rugrats'.etc?

Never liked Spongebob...Btw, are they still making episodes of 'Hey Arnold', 'Rugrats'.etc?


Hey Arnold ended in 2004.  I believe Rugrats also ended around that time, and was replaced with "All Grown Up" (not sure if that's still on either, it sucks tho).

It seems to me like today's cartoons are more about kid fads and what's cool with kids rather than decent animation, characters, and plots....And it seems to me that educational cartoons are really starting to become all there is for preschoolers..Not that it's necessarily bad, it just seems that the yuppie 'superbaby' thing is what drives certain cartoons like 'Little Einsteins', preschoolers need fun cartoons too. Not all education stuff.

It seems to me like today's cartoons are more about kid fads and what's cool with kids rather than decent animation, characters, and plots....And it seems to me that educational cartoons are really starting to become all there is for preschoolers..Not that it's necessarily bad, it just seems that the yuppie 'superbaby' thing is what drives certain cartoons like 'Little Einsteins', preschoolers need fun cartoons too. Not all education stuff.


Yet again, another pillar of pop-culture infested by the entertainment-machine...when will someone curb the trend? It's high time...