"No Kids Allowed: The Grown-Up Guide to Animation"
- Binge God
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
A lot of people think animation is just for kids, but it’s actually just a medium—one that spans a variety of genres and often caters to adults.
From dark comedies dealing with serious themes like Bojack Horseman, to thought-provoking conspiracy dramas like Common Side effects, and captivating sci-fi like Scavengers Reign, animated series can be just as gripping, immersive and mature as live-action.
In this blog, we’ll dive into 10 must-watch shows that prove animation isn’t just for children.
synopsis:
"Follows former high school lab mates Marshall and Frances as they unravel a conspiracy involving big pharma and the government to suppress knowledge of a rare fungus secret that may contain the solution to cure all world's diseases."
1-Humour: it's consistently funny in a dark, edgy, dead-pan kind of way that references real-world issues.
2-Plot: it's unique & unpredictable & intense, which keeps it engaging throughout
3-Animation: Distinctive, eye-catching style that complements the show's bizarre atmosphere.
4-Themes: Explores mental health, corporate greed, addiction, and personal struggles in a raw, unconventional way.
5-Characters: Quirky characters with complex, often chaotic (& in some cases, relatable) lives.
6-Thought-Provoking: Balances humour with moments of real emotional depth.
Synopsis:
"A vampire hunter fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly creatures controlled by Dracula."
1-Action: Intense, visually captivating, beautifully choreographed fight scenes.
2-Fantasy: leans all the way in to the fantasy elements with detailed lore, magic & monsters
3-Complex Characters: Multi-dimensional heroes and villains (that you'll love, hate & everything in between), with rich, detailed backstories.
4-visuals: Gorgeous, detailed animation that enhances the gothic atmosphere.
5-Mature Themes: Explores revenge, love, morality, and the struggle between good and evil, and does them justice.
6-Engaging World-Building: A dark, immersive universe full of well-thought out of myth and lore that feels unique (which is impressive for a show built around a character as popular and saturated as dracula ).
7-Perfect for: Fans of Horror & Fantasy: the show Combines vampire lore with thrilling fantasy action in a way that makes it feel like the two belong together. seamless fusion with the horror and fantasy elements in perfect harmony.
Synopsis:
BoJack Horseman was the star of the hit television show "Horsin' Around" in the '80s and '90s, but now he's washed up, living in Hollywood, complaining about everything, and wearing colourful sweaters.
1-Comedy: Humour is used a lot to balance out the heavier more mature themes.
2-Complex Characters: The characters are extremely flawed, which makes them relatable, but they also evolve throughout the series, which makes the show feel more mature sophisticated.
3-Themes: The show does a great job of gradually descending deeper and deeper into heavy themes like mental health, addiction, and self-doubt with heart. The themes are explored with such depth and unflinching honesty that it honestly gets quite harrowing and serious at a point.
4-Unique Animation: Vibrant, distinctive art style that reflects the show's light-hearted tone, allowing the story and dialogue to do the emotional heavy lifting.
5-Satire: A smart, satirical take on Hollywood and celebrity culture.
6-Emotional Depth: A surprisingly deep exploration of personal growth and redemption.
7-Perfect for: Thoughtful Viewers: For those who enjoy humour with depth and soul.
Synopsis:
"The crew of a damaged deep space freighter are stranded on a beautiful but dangerous planet."
1-visuals: mesmerising visuals are used to guide viewers through a beautiful yet terrifying and predatory alien ecosystem.
2-character exploration: The show expertly and creatively uses various aspects of this ecosystem to explore the characters in quite a lot of depth
3-Themes: Through this character exploration the series dives into raw, mature themes like love, mortality, survival and even artificial intelligence.
4-time efficient: Unfortunately not renewed for more but it was well received by critics. The story is wrapped up satisfyingly by the end of the season (there are only 12 episodes so it’s not too big of a time commitment)
5-Perfect for: viewers who appreciate strong visuals, character exploration, survival thrillers and sci-fi.
synopsis:
"Amid the stark discord of twin cities Piltover and Zaun, two sisters fight on rival sides of a war between magic technologies and clashing convictions."
1-Themes: A highly emotional and sophisticated exploration of family, love, classism and politics in a thrilling & captivating 2-season story.
2-Incredible visuals: unforgettably exciting, colourful and dynamic action sequences & visuals in a variety of animation styles. Elite-tier animation.
3-Characters: A whole cast of incredibly likable, complex, and well-developed characters that act as the show’s emotional anchor and keep you interested throughout
4-Diversity: Several strong, well-developed women characters leading the story and helping it develop, with a pretty diverse cast overall
5-All eps available: It was incredibly well-received by both critics and general audiences, and now that both series are available, viewers won’t have to wait to find out
what happens after the incredible cliff-hanger at the end of season 1.
6-Perfect for: viewers who appreciate strong visuals, quality storytelling & character development, diversity and thought-provoking commentary.
Synopsis:
"A Street Kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he chooses to stay alive by becoming an Edgerunner, a Mercenary outlaw also known as a Cyberpunk."
1-Themes: explores crime, classism, capitalism, and systemic financial inequality in a surprisingly hard-hitting emotional way.
2-Action: Lots of futuristic, tech-heavy, dynamic action sequences to hold your attention.
3-Impact: It’s the kind of story you don’t forget thanks to the emotion felt throughout, but especially because of the way it ends.
4-Succinct: it wraps itself up in 10 episodes so it’s not a big time commitment (which makes its impact and memorability that much more impressive).
5-Reception: received strongly positive reception from both critics and audiences. A lot of Netflix originals are forgettable, but this animated series is definitely not
one of them.
6-Perfect for: Viewers that enjoy dystopian stories, action, and real emotional depth.
Synopsis:
"A collection of animated short stories that span various genres including science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy."
1-anthology: each episode is entirely self-contained, with its own full story & unique animation style. Keeps the watching experience interesting, varied & surprising
2-3 Seasons: It’s not a massive time commitment because the eps are short & self-contained, but there are 3 seasons out (with a 4th on the way), so there’s a lot to watch!
3-themes: Explores a lot of adult themes and stories, but there are several light-hearted episodes for those looking for lighter entertainment.
Synopsis:
"Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny."
1-Unique Animation Style: Features a visually stunning blend of traditional and modern animation techniques and several captivating action sequences.
2-Story/themes: A gripping narrative with engaging Themes of racial identity, belonging, and the clash of different cultures in a fascinating historical context.
3-Diverse Representation: Focuses on a half-Japanese, half-Portuguese protagonist, offering a fresh perspective in a genre often dominated by traditional cultural
depictions.
4-Complex Characters: Deep, multi-dimensional characters that evolve throughout the story, adding emotional depth.
5-Culture: Set in a visually stunning feudal-era Japan.
6-Reception: The show received critical acclaim for its originality and storytelling, making it a standout in animated series.
7-Perfect for: viewers who enjoy feudal-era Japanese culture, action, and revenge stories.
SYNOPSIS:
"Animated series inspired by Norse Mythology. The Twilight of the Gods refers events that led to the destruction of Midgard and Asgard, then the death of most of the Æsir and Vanir gods in an ultimate battle against evil, the forces of nature and the Giants."
1-Epic Norse Mythology: Dive into the legendary world of viking gods and fate.
2-Stunning Animation: Gorgeous visuals that bring ancient tales to life.
3-Action-Packed: Intense battles and high-stakes drama.
4-Rich Characters: Deep, complex gods like Odin, Thor, and Loki portrayed in a way that feels more authentic to norse mythology than the standard hollywood depictions.
5-Twists on Tradition: A fresh take on the Ragnarok myth.
6-Immersive World: Beautifully crafted realms, landscapes & characters
7-Perfect for: lovers of epic sagas and mythological storytelling & norse/viking culture.
synopsis:
"Traversing trippy worlds inside his universe simulator, a space caster explores existential questions about life, death, and everything in between."
1-Mind-Bending Animation: Surreal visuals that push creative boundaries.
2-Philosophical Conversations: Deep, meaningful discussions on life, death, and everything in between.
3-Unique podcast-style Storytelling: A blend of existential themes with dark humour and heart.
4-Emotional Journey: Unexpected moments of vulnerability and introspection.
5-Vibrant World: A wild, ever-changing universe full of bizarre and fascinating characters.
6-Perfect for: Open Minds: Great for fans of abstract, thought-provoking content.
Each animated series on this press-playlist is a testament to the versatility, sophistication and maturity that can be found in animated series. Whether you believed animated shows were for kids or not, the shows on this list are all extremely high-quality and very much worth watching! If you’ve seen any of the shows on this list be sure to share your opinion on them in the comments!
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