Cartoons don’t necessarily have to be lighthearted, withsome shockingly dark animation proving the medium’s potential for telling poignant stories.For a long time, animation was commonly thought of as fodder for kids, withSaturday morning cartoons of the 80sbeing the norm for the genre. However, in the modern age, animation has truly branched out to include all kinds of stories, with some of the darker animated shows touching on some incredibly sensitive topics.
In many cases, adult animation can wear a colorful exterior, with zany jokes and characters that betray the true depth that lies beneath. But it’s just as often that shows aimed at young adults or even children have begun to broach difficult emotional storylines, with even the likes ofBlueyfeaturing adult-oriented episodes. In many respects,animation is actually better for weaving narratives that take a look at serious themes, tastefully rendering them without the limitations of live-action TV production.
10Primal
A Silent Dissection Of Humanity’s Relationship With Nature
One of the premiereworks of Genndy Tartakovsky, an animation legend known forSamurai JackandDexter’s Lab,Primalis an utterly unique series that simply wouldn’t work in live action.Whereas Tartakovsky was fond of injecting small doses of adult humor or situations into his series that were largely aimed at children,Primalgives him full permission to get serious with his storytelling.
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The series focuses on Spear, a stone-age hominid eking out an existence in a fantasy version of prehistoric Earth, who forms a bond with Fang, a ferocious dinosaur. Despite its pulp action surface,Primalcan be quite cutting with its themes. Beyond a harrowing depiction of man vs. nature and the deep philosophical questions posed by the simple struggle to survive, more nuanced topics like grief also occasionally arise.
Primal
Cast
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.
After all, it was the shared experience of tragedy and loss that brings Spear and Fang together in the first episode. With hardly any dialogue,Primalweaves engrossing narratives that deepen the bond between its leading characters no matter how much bloody hardship they endure.
9Bojack Horseman
One Of The Saddest Animated Series Ever
It’s hard to mention animated shows that can get achingly real in their dissection of human existence without giving a nod toBojack Horseman.The Netflix original animated series stars Will Arnett as the titular equine celebrity, a horse-headed man who lives in a world populated by animal characters as well as humans.
It’s hard to mention animated shows that can get achingly real in their dissection of human existence without giving a nod toBojack Horseman.
After becoming famous as the patriarchal center of a feel-good sitcom a laFull House,Bojack has grown into a lonely, narcissistic, drug-addicted burn out who struggles to find meaning in his lifeas he endeavors to write a memoir. Granted,Bojack Horsemanexists in a cartoony reality, full of clever animal-related jokes and fast-talking characters that dispense puns with deft and fidelity.
BoJack Horseman
Once the famous star of a hit sitcom, BoJack Horseman has fallen on tough times. Stuck in a major career slump and longing to relive his glory days, BoJack attempts to once more become relevant in an industry that has long since turned its back on him. With a few dysfunctional friends at his side, BoJack begins his long-overdue career comeback.
However, the series is more famous for its dark moments, dissecting the Hollywood entertainment industry with heavy subjects like drug abuse, depression, and child abuse.Bojack himself is quite a reprehensible protagonist, something the show doesn’t shy away from as it details his self-fulfilling prophecy of misery and dejection in a world that once adored him.
8Moral Orel
One Of Adult Swim’s Most Cutting Series
Though largely overlooked in its time,Moral Orelhas lately seen something of a resurgence of interest as the years have reflected favorably upon the plucky Adult Swim series. Using adorable stop-motion animation reminiscent of theRankins/Bass holiday specials,Moral Orelrevolves around Orel,a young Christian boy growing up in a devout Protestant town in America’s bible belt.
As he ages, Orel learns that his parents and the community figures he admires so much might not have all the answers, or be entirely consistent in their religious beliefs. Suffused with crass humor that might make fans ofSouth Parkblush, the comedy ofMoral Orelis as dark as it gets, superimposed upon the sunny, happy-go-lucky nature of its puppet protagonist.
Moral Orel
Moral Orel is a stop-motion animated television series centered around 11-year-old Orel Puppington, whose fervent dedication to religious teachings often results in problematic misinterpretations. As he navigates the challenges of his devout beliefs, the consequences of his misguided actions reveal the complexities of faith and morality.
Yet as the series progresses,Moral Orelexamines some shockingly sensitive themes with respect and reverence, with storylines that look at everything from the shunning of homosexuality in the Christian church to the formation of romantic interest in the wake of sexual assault. No subject is off the table forMoral Orel,a strength that ultimately got the show canceled.
7Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Broke A Generation Of New Cyberpunk Fans
Anime has always been at the cutting edge of adult animation, by and large aiming itself at older audiences with often fantastical stories.Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersintroduced the dazzling capabilities of the legendary Studio Trigger to a whole new set of eyes on Netflix, quickly garnering broad appeal with a single short season.
Taking place in the same world as the video gameCyberpunk 2077, Cyberpunk: Edgerunnerstells the story ofDavid, a poor kid growing up in the slums of the cyberpunk dystopia Night City. When his mother dies, David has no choice but to turn to crime. The world ofCyberpunk 2077is a dark indictment of late stage capitalism, exploring the troubling consequences of a modern capital-minded society brought to its natural conclusion.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
David Martinez (Kenichiro Ohashi) is a streetwise kid living in the slums of Night City in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. To survive, David becomes an edgerunner, also known as cyberpunk, taking on mercenary jobs outside the system. Together with a group of new and veteran edgerunners, David will shoot for the moon to escape the underbelly of the increasingly cyber-obsessed city. Unfortunately, the law isn’t the only group that the edgerunners will have to contend with, as other heavily cyber-augmented humans will pose an even more significant threat.
Above all else, the heartbreak ofCyberpunk: Edgerunnersis what makes it stand out as an emotionally devastating limited series, with David’s tragically preventable journey into madness lined with death. Paired with a breathtaking score that ties its short, bittersweet story together, the science fiction animated series is a stunning proof of animaiton’s potential as a serious storytelling tool.
6Rick and Morty
Still Manages The Occasional Emotional Gut Punch
Infamous by the reputation of its fanbase,Rick and Mortyis a pop culture tour-de-force that has become quite popular for a reason. The titular screwball comedy duo consists of Rick Sanchez, a brilliant, but troubled reality-hopping scientist who comes crashing back into the life of his estranged daughter, and his grandson, Morty, an average tween boy of below-average intelligence.
The two go onall sorts of bizarre adventures across the cosmos, taking part in Dan Harmon’s penchant for nonsensical gags and goofs. As comedy-forward asRick and Mortyis, some of the series' best episodes are where it allows itself to be taken more seriously.
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.
Rick’s troubled past and the dysfunctional nature of the Smith family lead to some heavy emotional beats, not to mention some of the profound sentiments expressed by the many alien beings Rick and Morty meet over the course of their adventures. Weaving tales of grief, revenge, drug abuse, and nihilism, it’s no wonderRick and Mortyhas been renewedfor a dozen seasons.
5Tuca & Bertie
Picks Up The Baton From Bojack Horseman
On a surface level,Tuca & Bertieis quite comparable toBojack Horseman.Both are adult-oriented comedies that take place in worlds populated by animal characters, though the universe ofTuca & Bertieis far more zany and colorful than the relatively grounded Los Angeles streets ofBojack Horseman.
The sitcom takes place at the end of an era, as the mild-mannered but sweet baker Tuca moves out of her apartment with her best friend, the loud and eccentric Tuca, to live with her boyfriend, Speckle. From there, the two navigatethe turbulent world of adult lifetogether, still maintaining their bond. Despite being even more loose with the laughs thanBojack Horseman, Tuca & Bertiestill manages to tastefully navigate the waters of difficult conversations.
Tuca & Bertie
Tuca & Bertie is an animated series created by Lisa Hanawalt, focusing on the friendship between two anthropomorphic bird women living in the same apartment building. Voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, the series explores themes of friendship, adulthood, and personal growth, balancing humor with more serious topics.
The show has a heavy focus on the effects of sexism and misogynywithout feeling preachy, exploring emotionally distressing narratives rife with sexual harassment, fraying friendships, and dark childhood events through the lens of two young women. Balancing wacky cartoon hi-jinks with applicable real-world stories,Tuca & Bertieis a genius demonstration of animation’s versatility.
4Young Justice
Proves The Potential Of The DC Universe
An animated show need not necessarily be aimed strictly at adults to be both dark and emotionally volatile. EnterYoung Justice,one of the latest in a long line of series that prove the strength of the DC Universe in an animated format. The series begins with the formation of the simply-named “The Team”, a superhero group made up of the sidekicks of various Justice League heroes.
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The Team goes on to perform clandestine operations for the world’s strongest heroes, saving the planet themselves on more than one occasion. Admittedly,Young Justicebegins as a fairly standard formula for superhero action, though it occasionally dips its toes into heavier waters, such as with Superboy’s origin as a clone.
Young Justice
Young Justice is an animated Superhero Sci-Fi television show created by Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman. The series follows the Young Justice group of superheroes, including names like Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy. Viewers will recognize voices from Jesse McCartney, Khary Payton, Jason Spisak, and Nolan North.
As things progress,the series only gets more and more adult, aging in theme alongside its characters. By the time the series closes, it’s managed to get quite adult in spite of its name, with some ofYoung Justice’smost rewatchable episodesfocusing on heartbreak, betrayal, PTSD and depression.
3The Midnight Gospel
A Trippy Animated Podcast That Goes To Poignant Places
Not only are the visuals ofThe Midnight Gospela feast for the eyes, butthe powerful stories within are some of the hardest-hitting conversations in any animated production. The loose framework of a story centers on Clancy Gilroy, a “spacecaster” who lives in a thin, membranous strip existing between realities.
As Clancy hops from dimension to dimension, audio of real interviews that his voice actor, Duncan Trussell, has conducted on his real-world podcast are worked into the stunningly hallucinogenic animation. Beyond its beautiful art,The Midnight Gospelis well-worth watching for the powerful topics discussed therein, ranging from grief to death to the human condition itself.
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.
It’s all the more impactful that these conversations are had by real people, reflecting on their actual experiences to sincere, if often heartbreaking results. Even if it doesn’t have much in the way of a traditional narrative,The Midnight Gospelfeaturessome of the most heart-breaking moments of modern animationaround.
2Arcane
Turned A Multiplayer Video Game Into Some Of The Best Fantasy Drama Available
Considering it’s based on the multiplayer video gameLeague of Legends,whose story takes place entirely in the background in promotional materials, it’s incredible thatArcanemanages to espouse such an emotional experience.The show takes place in the fantastical city of Piltover, where the rich upper crust of society enjoy a techno-magical world, while the poorer residents of the city’s slums, referred to as Zaun, subsist on its scraps.
The crux of the drama centers on the orphans of a war for Zaun independence, Vi and Powder, as well as a gifted, affluent inventor named Jayce. The relationship between Vi and Powder, who gradually becomes the criminal mastermind Jinx, is one of heartbreakingly real consequences.
Arcane
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.
It’s easy to sympathize with both sides ofArcane’s conflict, making it all the more devastating when one does finally manage to come out on top. With shockingly true-to-life applications of poverty, mental instability, and the easy deterioration of once strong sibling bonds,Arcanemakes for one of the most empathetic fantasy experiences of the modern age. Hopefully,season 2 ofArcanewill continue to build upon these topics.
1Scavenger’s Reign
A Meditative Science Fiction Masterpiece
Science fiction has always been a natural fit for animation, which allows for the most far-out ideas of writers to be realized with far less hassle.Scavenger’s Reignproves that such grandeur doesn’t necessarily need to exclude a poignant human experience, withtales guaranteed to make all but the most stone-faced viewers cry.
Scavenger’s Reignproves that such grandeur doesn’t necessarily need to exclude a poignant human experience, with tales guaranteed to make all but the most stone-faced viewers cry.
The show takes place on a beautiful, but hostile alien planet, upon which the crew of a deep-space freighter have been stranded. Three pockets of survivors have separate adventures before eventually joining up together.Scavenger’s Reignstands out for just how alien it’s able to make it’s exoplanet feel, brimming with dangers equally horrifying and mesmerizing.
Scavengers Reign
Expanding on the short film Scavengers concept, Scavengers Reign is a sci-fi adventure-drama series created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner for MAX. When their ship crashlands on a strange new planet, crewmembers attempt to find other potential survivors and their downed vessel as they navigate a hostile but beautiful alien world.
This environment reflects a deeper, darker statement about the futility of human endurance when put up against the grand scope of the universe, championing instead the connective tissue between all living things. Couple these heady thoughts with a few poignant deaths along the way, andScavenger’s Reignremains a bleak, but hopeful testament otanimation’s power as a medium.
