Western animation, while not generally regarded as being the most beautiful medium, knows how to hit hard when it wants to. With help from big names like Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and Titmouse, creative minds have more than enough resources to subvert the stereotypes set up by the ugly trend of "adult animation."
While companies like Disney and Netflix tend to satisfy the niche of visually striking animated series, few go terribly far into experimental territories when considering compositions, character designs, or unique styles. That being said, the individuals who do account for their creative freedom make up for other projects' failures. These are a few highlights from those creative minds in recent years.
Updated April 26th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There have been tons of incredible animated series over the years, with some truly spectacular visuals, regardless of their time period. Animation is an art form and there are some amazingly talented teams out there that have breathed life into franchises thanks to their visual work. With so many aesthetic cartoon shows in the modern age, it can be difficult to decide what to watch next. Many of the titles featured on this list are a feast for the eyes, but there are tons of animated shows out there that pack a powerful punch visually. To better showcase some of these other titles, the following list has been updated and includes more entries.
13 Transformers: Prime
The Transformers franchise has seen quite a few shows and films in its time, after all it originally began as a cartoon to help Hasbro sell a line of awesome action figures back in the 1980s. Most people familiar with the modern iterations of the Transformers likely look to the impressive Michael Bay movies, which are an absolute feast for the eyes. Unfortunately, those wanting more lore and backstory won't find much with the feature films, as they can only pack so much content into each title.
Thankfully, a recent series helped to revitalize Transformers and bring it into the modern age. Transformers: Prime is just as beautiful to look at as the movies, with a gorgeous 3D animated aesthetic, great voice acting, and 65 episodes for lore-hungry fans to binge.
12 Batman: The Animated Series
There have been a lot of iterations of The Batman over the years, with a wide array of movies, live-action series, comics, and cartoons taking the Caped Crusader through a series of styles and universes. Of all the mediums dedicated to DC's darling, there have been a few standouts that really helped breathe new life into the world of Gotham and the mysterious Batman. In 1992, the world was introduced to Batman: The Animated series. It managed to crank out 85 episodes in a two-season (three-year) span, so there's a lot of content for Batman fans that have yet to see the series.
Everything about Batman: The Animated Series is great, including the visuals, which did wonders to help showcase the crime fighter's extensive rogues gallery.
11 Steven Universe
What starts out as a seemingly innocent tale about the adventures of a young boy soon devolves into an emotional rollercoaster with Steven Universe. As the lore builds throughout the show, characters are faced with an abundance of gripping issues, including the main Protagonist who has his fair share of heart-shattering moments and enlightening adventures. But the art style for Steven Universe shines well throughout its seasons, starting with the beautiful backdrop of Beach City and gaining steam as the Crystal Gems journey through some wild space-based locations and imaginative terrains.
10 Amazing World Of Gumball
Cartoon Network has always been a great example of appealing to a wide audience without taking the cheap approach, and Amazing World of Gumball is a perfect representation of this effort. With the art team taking a variety of different approaches when rendering their characters and scenes, Gumball looks just as fun as it feels.
This show is also a beautiful example of audience inclusivity, as its clever writing never feels exclusive to a young viewer base, and its jokes hit regardless of age.
9 Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal
Tartakovsky is easily one of the greatest animators of the modern era, directing some of the best shows in Cartoon Network's history, including Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and The Powerpuff Girls. His most recent series, Primal, is a brutal and heartfelt venture into the partnership between a prehistoric man and a tyrannosaurus rex after the two suffer familiar loss.
With the power of visuals alone, Tartakovsky tells yet another stunning story as the two characters form a symbiotic relationship in a harsh but beautiful world.
8 Black Dynamite
After the success of The Boondocks earlier in his career, director Carl Jones followed up in 2011 with his own take on the modern classic blaxploitation film Black Dynamite. This crime comedy series came out with critical acclaim for not only its charming script but also its visual style, combining traditional anime style with a more western flair.
Much like Boondocks, Black Dynamite had a unique voice in the animation industry, and soon became another cult favorite in Adult Swim's vast network.
7 Wakfu
In the art world, it's common knowledge that French cartoonists do it best, and Wakfu is a testament to that claim. Based on a strategic MMORPG by the same name, this show subverts its childish appearance by taking a mature approach to kids' TV, never talking down on its audience, and incorporating a lighthearted tone without breaking the overall flow.
With beautiful colors, fluid animation (especially in the fight scenes), and lovable characters, Wakfu is a treat for any viewer who gives it their time.
6 Midnight Gospel
Controversial upon its release for its post-new-wave, talk-till-you-drop style (fitting, seeing as the show was animated overtop a pre-existing podcast), Midnight Gospel was worthwhile for many of its viewers if just for the visual tone.
From director Pendleton Ward of Adventure Time fame and podcaster Duncan Trussell, Midnight Gospel is nothing if not an interesting take on the animation format, simultaneously questioning "what is life all about," and "while we're at it, what is animation all about too?" For any fans of philosophy talk, pretty colors, and fluid animation, this show might just hit the spot.
5 Samurai Jack
Taking a sharp turn from its classical influences, Samurai Jack follows a samurai as he is transported into a dystopian future by his mortal enemy, Aku. With his magical katana in hand, Jack must find a way back in time to stop the demon threatening his world.
Samurai Jack is a beautiful departure from Tartakovsky's previous work and a large stylistic inspiration to a lot of children who grew up around its release. Its writing was also largely impactful on the industry, being a benchmark example for well-written protagonists showing growth through pain and labor.
4 Adventure Time
Adventure Time became an audience favorite almost immediately upon its release on Cartoon Network, taking a distinctly different approach to the typical filler-episode style of the channel's other series. The adventures of Finn and Jake, while appearing hilariously random and inconsequential on the surface, proved to be much more than just a fun lighthearted romp in the post-post-apocalypse.
With its beautifully designed world and lovingly written characters, Adventure Time sought to treat its audience to a bright, youthful animation style while tackling more advanced topics like harmful masculinity, burnout, toxic relationships, and Finn's fatherhood issues.
3 Over The Garden Wall
A good part of Over the Garden Wall's audience didn't expect such a cute, seasonal cartoon to be the poignant adventure it was. In its run time, the short series plays like all the best folklore stories adapted to a modern age. Over the Garden Wall is also subject to quite a few essays and speculative pieces, with its ever-mysterious demeanor and intriguing mild horror elements.
On the series' premiere, it quickly filled a prime gap in family-friendly Halloween entertainment. By going all-in on a perfectly nostalgic autumnal aesthetic, Over the Garden Wall became an all-time favorite for many, and a yearly tradition for more.
2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003)
Preceding the more popular 3D-animated series of the same name, Clone Wars is a gem of the early 2000s, released at the peak of the prequel trilogy's popularity, filling the gap between the second and third film.
Not only did the abstract visual style portray the Star Wars universe in a new light, but it breathed new life into the characters and setting, unmatched by the previous films and adaptations. To many viewers, this is a definitive Star Wars experience, and an overlooked classic set aside for its intriguingly different take on the franchise.
1 Love, Death & Robots
Taking the world by storm the moment it was announced by Netflix, Tim Miller's anthology series collects a unique crew of animators with distinct styles to portray their visions of a sci-fi world. Even if an entry falls short for any given viewer, the next will surely make up for it, as there are plenty of episodes to satisfy almost any type of sci-fi fan.
Some prime animators were hired to work on Love, Death & Robots, including art directors from Into the Spiderverse and The Lego Movie.