The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(September 2021) |
This is a list of adult animated television series before 1990 (including streaming television series); that is, animated programs targeted towards audiences aged 18 and over in mind. Works in this medium could be considered adult for any number of reasons, which include the incorporation of explicit or suggestive sexual content, graphic violence, profane language, dark humour, or other thematic elements inappropriate for children. Works in this genre may explore philosophical, political, or social issues. Some productions are noted for their complex and/or experimental storytelling and animation techniques. Adult animation is typically defined as animation which skews toward adults. [1] [2] [3] [4] It is also described as something that "formative youths should stay far, far away from" [5] or has adult humor [6] [7] and comes in various styles, [8] [9] [10] [11] but especially sitcoms and comedies. [12] These animations can also "appeal to wide swaths of viewers," including those aged 18–34. [13] [14] AdWeek called adult animation "animated projects aimed at grown-ups, not kids." [15]
In North America, there is children's animation, adult animation, and young adult animation, with various mature animations in the United States, especially in television series. This page mainly includes series in North America and Europe, on programming blocks such as Adult Swim, Animation Domination, Adult Swim (in Canada), and others, with other mature animations, including web series and animated films covered on other pages. These series should not be confused with cartoon pornography or hentai.
Title | Genre | Seasons/episodes | Show creator(s) | Original release | Network | Studio | Age rating | Technique | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Flintstones | Sitcom | 6 seasons, 166 episodes | William Hanna | September 30, 1960 – April 1, 1966 | ABC | Hanna-Barbera | TV-G | Traditional | [16] |
Joseph Barbera | |||||||||
Where's Huddles? | Sitcom | 1 season, 10 episodes | William Hanna | July 1, 1970 – September 2, 1970 | CBS | Hanna-Barbera | TV-G | Traditional | [17] |
Joseph Barbera | |||||||||
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home | Sitcom | 3 seasons, 48 episodes | William Hanna | September 12, 1972 – October 8, 1974 | Syndication | Hanna-Barbera | TV-Y7 | Traditional | [18] |
Joseph Barbera | |||||||||
Jokebook | Animated comedy | 1 season, 3 episodes | William Hanna | April 23, 1982 - May 7, 1982 | NBC | Hanna-Barbera | TV-NR | Traditional | [19] |
Joseph Barbera | |||||||||
The Simpsons | Sitcom | 35 seasons, 760 episodes | Matt Groening | December 17, 1989 – present | Fox | Gracie Films | TV-PG | Traditional | [20] |
20th Television Animation | TV-14 [lower-alpha 1] |
Title | Genre | Seasons/episodes | Show creator(s) | Original release | Network | Studio | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dick Spanner, P.I. | Comedy | 1 season, 22 episodes | Terry Adlam | 1986 – 1987 | Channel 4 | Virgin Group | [21] |
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is an American adult animated television sitcom created by Michael Ouweleen and Erik Richter for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. The first season of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is the first adult animated production to be produced by Cartoon Network Studios. A spin-off of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, the series revolves around Harvey Birdman, originally a superhero from Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, and his new career as an attorney, defending characters who had originally been featured in past Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
Home Movies is an American animated sitcom created by Brendon Small and Loren Bouchard. The show centers on an eight-year-old aspiring filmmaker, also named Brendon Small, who makes homemade film productions in his spare time with his friends Melissa Robbins and Jason Penopolis. He lives with his divorced mother Paula and his adopted baby sister Josie. He develops a skewed father-son-like relationship with his alcoholic, short-tempered soccer coach, John McGuirk.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American adult animation created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and first broadcast in 1994. It takes the form of a surreal parody of talk shows, hosted by a reimagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. It incorporates surrealism and non-sequitur humor.
Drawn Together is an American adult animated series and sitcom created by Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein for Comedy Central. The show premiered on October 27, 2004, and ended on November 14, 2007, after three seasons and 36 episodes. The series is a parody of house-based reality shows such as The Real World, The Surreal Life, and Big Brother, and follows the misadventures of the housemates in the fictional show of the same name and uses a sitcom format with a reality TV show setting.
Adult animation, also known as mature animation, and infrequently as adult-oriented animation, is any type of animated motion media that is catered specifically to adult interests and is mainly targeted and marketed towards adults and adolescents, as opposed to children or all-ages audiences.
An animated sitcom is a subgenre of a television sitcom that is animated instead of being filmed live-action, and is generally made or created for adult audiences in most cases. The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, South Park, and Family Guy are four of the longest-running animated sitcoms.
Cartoon Network is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is the flagship property of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also oversees Boomerang, Cartoonito, Discovery Family, Adult Swim, and Toonami. The channel is headquartered at 1050 Techwood Drive NW in Atlanta, Georgia.
Adult Swim is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Showcase Television, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily airs animated and live-action comedies targeting a teenage and young adult audience. Its branding is licensed from the Adult Swim programming block broadcast by Warner Bros. Discovery's Cartoon Network; it is the first full-time television channel to use the "Adult Swim" brand.
Super Drags is a Brazilian adult animated comedy television series created by Anderson Mahanski, Fernando Mendonça and Paulo Lescaut for Netflix.
Cartoon Network is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is part of The Cartoon Network, Inc. unit of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery which primarily focuses on animated programs.
Magical Girl Friendship Squad is an American adult animated magical girl sitcom created by Kelsey Stephanides and starring Anna Akana and Quinta Brunson. It follows two directionless young women who must figure out how to save the Universe. The first season of the series, consisting of six 11-minute episodes, premiered on Syfy's late night programming block TZGZ on September 26, 2020.
Cartuna is a Brooklyn-based animation production company that has made animated TV shows for Syfy, Comedy Central and Facebook Watch. The company has producers, all of which have their own unique style.
In the United States, before the enforcement of the Hays Code, some cartoon shorts contained humor that was aimed at adult audience members rather than children. Following the introduction of the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system, independent animation producers attempted to establish an alternative to mainstream animation. Initially, few animation studios in the United States attempted to produce animation for adult audiences, but later examples of animation produced for adults would gain mainstream attention and success. Some of the most prominent animations with these mature/adult themes include Aqua Teen Hunger Force, BoJack Horseman, South Park, Family Guy, Mission Hill, and Archer, along with other adult animated television series, feature films, and animation in other forms which helped the genre expand over the years, beyond animated sitcoms.