Top 6 animated television series for grown-ups to look out for in 2024

We’ve all loved cartoons as kids because we could easily get immersed in worlds with superheroes, villains, and alternative universes. Pokémon, Justice League, and The Powerpuff Girls will remain in people’s hearts forever. And while watching these cartoons again brings us to the verge of tears, the new high-quality ones squash the animation techniques. Anime movies and series, for example, bring forth the new pixel generation, such as Demon Slayer or Your Name.

Thus, we’re entering the zone of mature animated cartoons intended solely for this audience as they tackle serious subjects through cartoon adaptations. We can think about BoJack Horseman, where the themes of addiction and depression are prominent, but we cannot forget about the South Park series, full of real-world references in the form of satire and dark comedy.  

So, if you’re looking for a fresh animated series for grown-ups, here are our best recommendations for the series in 2024.

X-Men ‘97

The globally appreciated American animated series ended up with the fifth season in 1990 as a production from Marvel Studios. In 2024, the series continues with enhanced visuals and better story-telling features in 12 episodes that have already been released. Luckily for fans, producers are already in the making for the second season while the following is developing.

The story follows from “X-Men: The Animated Series,” where people are born with special abilities that transform them into mutants as they age. The old series ends with a cliffhanger as Xavier ends up taken by the Shi’ar after a potentially deadly moment. The modern series will continue without the character, and we’ll see the X-Men team led by Magneto. The style of the animation hasn’t changed much, but it’s provided in 4K. Since it’s a production from Marvel Comics, you might want to extend your Bitty Pop collection.

Arcane

Arcane is an animated series based on the League of Legends game, one of the most played in history. The action takes place in the Arcane Universe, which is part of the game’s Runettera world and follows the story of a few LOL characters. In the series, the story revolves around Vi and Powder (Jinx) and their struggle to reunite after being separated between Piltover and Zaun.

The first season already has fans of the game, and people who have never played it are excited for the second one, which will be released in November. The trailer already hints at a few spoilers, so everyone is speculating about what will happen to Jinx, Vi, and Caitlyn. Fans of the series praised the developing team for making the show spectacular by creating lovable and real characters.

Blood of Zeus

The first season of Blood of Zeus was released about four years ago and made waves on the internet as it depicted the loved and the damned demigods from the mythical ancient Greece. In the series, we watch the son of Zeus, Heron, on a quest to save Olympus as he faces numerous challenges. Besides gods, characters in the form of giants, demons, and titans are all around the ancient universe.

The series is basically a battle royale of Greek mythology, so watchers and experts positively received it. The second season, which aired in May, has yet to receive the same acclaim, but it’s known that it explored even deeper emotional features of the characters than before. You’ll be able to see Hades, Persephone, and Demeter as part of the story, so you’ll definitely love the show if you’re a fan of Greek mythology.

Ninja Kamui

An anime should also be part of the list, and it will be Ninja Kamui, a series that has already aired at the beginning of the year and still hasn’t gotten its deserved attention. We’re following the story of a former ninja who has escaped from its past and hides in America. However, after his family is murdered, he has no other choice than to return to being a ninja and avenge his family. You can say it’s the classic story of a ninja who finally got the time to live a simple life, but his destiny is already written.

However, the series revives such stories and has amazing action sequences. The ninja concept is brought to the 21st century with a modern twist. Hence, Kamui will handle high-tech weapons but use ancient ninja skills to finesse his enemies.

In the Known

Another American animation is “In the Known,” a great political satire that arrived just in time for this year’s presidential elections created by Zach Woods. The show revolves around the host of a public radio projected as a stop-motion puppet. In six of the show’s episodes, we see the host get interviews with famous celebrities like Kaia Gerber or Jorje Masvidal.

However, in the interviews, a lot of things happen, and we see Lauren Caspian in different settings. You can see the show on Peacock.

Ark: The Animated Series

Ark: The Animated Series is a science-fantasy show based on the video game Ark: Survival Evolved. The show was aired on Paramount+ and followed the adventure of a palaeontologist who wakes up from her usual world in the middle of the ocean, figuring she’s been transported to a past world where dinosaurs and tribes ruled the earth.

The dynamic action and characters will make you watch the series in one take, as it only has six episodes. The game revival was surely a success, even if it wasn’t that popular compared to other similar games. However, it has gained critical acclaim.

Are you ready to watch this year’s best animated series?

Adult animated series have become widely appreciated among grown-ups because they’re fun to watch but sometimes hurt them to the core by addressing serious issues. Some of the series presented above have been inspired by video games and adapted to be watchable, while others continue famous franchises. Regardless of the origin, we love them all!