For cartoon fans, the 1980s were a holy decade. Kids in that era would anxiously anticipate some of the best cartoon series ever created on Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons. Even after all these years, these shows have moulded an entire generation and are cherished by viewers.
In this video, we’ll give you a big dose of nostalgia by bringing you some of the era’s hidden jewels. The following cartoons are grossly underappreciated and ended far too soon. They may not have been on for very long, but they provided us with some of our fondest childhood memories. Take a look back at the golden age of cartoons!
Dino-Riders (1988)
Is it possible for conquest stories to be cute? With its story of the peaceful Valorians whose land was attacked by the predatory Rulons, Dino-Riders was undoubtedly that. A party of Valorians attempted to flee in their starship, but instead found themselves 65 million years in the past, on a planet inhabited by dinosaurs.
They were followed by the Rulons as well. The Rulons used their own particular capabilities to manipulate the dinosaurs, while the Valorians used their telepathic abilities to converse with and befriend them. Eventually, it all boiled down to a showdown between the good and the evil, with the dinosaurs coming to the assistance of their Valorian friends. No prizes for guessing who won!
Many people remember Dino-Riders as a glorified toy commercial that was aimed at selling overpriced plastic dinosaurs to young children. While this is not completely false, there was so much more to this entertaining show even if it did only lastabout 14 episodes. It was fun to watch the dinosaurs in their battle gear, equipped with missiles and lasers.
At the end of each action-packed episode, much as in the best 80s cartoon shows, there is always a lesson to be learned. The character designs were fantastic, but the dinosaurs truly stole the show. The triceratops with a pair of double-cannons installed on its side that could rotate to serve as armour was our favourite.
The artwork is amazing, and the use of vibrant colors made for a visually pleasing experience. The show could have gone on for much longer, but the second season was a disaster, and suddenly, it was taken off air overnight.
Sectaurs (1985)
A scientific experiment on the planet Symbion went badly wrong, resulting in terrifying insect-like mutants. The creatures organised terror forces under the command of SpiDrax and launched an attack. Just when the forces of good appeared to be overwhelmed, scientists created the Sectuars, a unique humanoid race dedicated to fighting mutants and rescuing the cosmos from imminent disaster.
This syndicated miniseries, with its five half-hour segments, might be forgotten by many, but some still remember fondly the interesting sci-fi plot. Like any conventional cartoon plot from that time, this show had the typical good guys and dramatic villains, which happened to look like spiders.
The makers focused on bringing together likable characters, and if you overlook some questionable writing, you will appreciate this joyous nostalgia trip. The plot incorporated some elements of Greek mythology,making for a pretty interesting narrative. The medieval weapon combat and well-choreographed shootouts and aerial assaults were consistent treats for action lovers.
The show intended to replicate the success of He-Man, going so far as to release a toy line shortly after its release. But of course, that didn’t quite work out, and after only five episodes, we never heard from Sectaurs again.
M.A.S.K. (1985-1986)
Matt Trakker is a multimillionaire who learns of a terrible international criminal organisation known as V.E.N.O.M. To combat these evil forces, he joins forces with a group of friends, each of whom has their own special abilities.
They join the M.A.S.K. military organisation and become a masked crime-fighting force with a fleet of hidden cars. They are determined to destroy V.E.N.O.M, and the brains behind its operations, Miles Mayhem. Miles is also the man responsible for the death of Matt’s father,and personal vengeance partly drives the hero’s every action.
This cartoon was too good to be forgotten – it definitely formed an integral part of 80s action animation cohort.Every hero was given their own cool vehicle, and you could tell from one look that the animation was of a substantially high quality.
There are moments that will give you a serious Transformers vibe, such as when the planes turned into helicopters,or racing cars begin to fly. It was one of the earliest crime-fighting series in animation, and despite its simple themes, the storey had a lot of impact.
Despite the fact that the animation was rapidly forgotten, a film adaptation is currently in the works, with F. Gary Gray at the helm. We, for one, are looking forward to the pleasant end result, which will be inspired by this amazing series.
Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light (1987)
All complex machinery abruptly stop working on the fictional planet of Prysmos , a super-futuristic world with high-end technology, as a result of combined radiation from the planet’s three Suns.
The residents of Prysmos, known as The Visionaries, use ancient magic to compensate for the abrupt lack of technology. Those interested in learning such magic must enter a competition hosted by the wizard Merklynn. But the Visionaries are divided into two factions,the evil Darkling Lords and the heroic Spectral Knights and the two rival groups wage war against each other relentlessly.
This is an overlooked 80s classic, which deserved way more appreciation than it received. The complex plots were a welcome change from other basic stuff on offer, and the dialogue wasn’t cheesy like some of the other shows of that era.
It was fascinating to watch the Spectral Knights fight the evil Darkling Lords, and the use of various magical elements added to the show’s mystery. The funny, dark, and captivating episodes were supported by top-notch voice acting particularly by those playing the captivating villians.
There was nothing to complain about in terms of animation, and some breathtaking transformation scenes involving mankind transforming into creatures were executed flawlessly. The most tragic aspect of this show was that it only lasted 13 episodes before being cancelled. Perhaps this amazing series was way ahead of its time and suffered the consequences.
Rambo (1986)
This was a fun, action-packed cartoon series with the most basic of stories. Colonel Trautman persuaded John Rambo to lead a special team to combat the nefarious acts of S.A.V.A.G.E, a lethal terrorist organisation. This organisation is known for spreading chaos, violence, and doom, and the storey follows Rambo and his team as they battle this threat.
This is a different version of Rambo than you are used to seeing in the movies. He was pretty much a savage with no remorse for his violent deeds, but here, he is keen on saving lives and has much more of a heart. His enemies are also way more complex than in the movies and are even capable of taking down our protagonist.
All this adds together to create some nail-biting, hard-hitting action sequences that are too cool for school. The narrative somewhat picks up from where it was left off in the third Rambo movie, making for one of the best military-based cartoon shows of all time – in the same league as shows like G.I. Joe.
The array of weaponry on offer, such as the AC-130 Spectre gunship and the OV-10 Bronco, will blow your mind. However, there were a few issues that may have been addressed to improve the outcome. Despite some great character designs, the animation lacked smoothness and brilliant colours, which detracted from the overall experience.
The marketing techniques were dubious, and this is most likely what led to the series’ demise, despite its great potential. It’s not easy to make a hardened, violent character fit for children’s amusement, but the writers rose to the occasion and nailed it.
Robocop (1988)
The character of cyborg cop Alex Murphy was reprised in this series, which was based on the original Robocop film. He keeps fighting to preserve the city from the city’s infamous bad aspects, and in the process, he begins to rediscover some of his humanity.
Characters like Officer Anne Lewis, who seemed to have a crush on Alex, and tough cops like Lieutenant Roger Hedgecock, who wants to see people like Alex eliminated, provided some sparks. Despite the odds, Alex continues to do his job with integrity and seeks to protect the law.
Don’t go in expecting the exact same narrative as the movie because the makers changed quite a bit around here. For instance, Robocop here is faster and more agile than in the film. The technological advancements are also far greater – lasers are used instead of handguns – and the antagonists, including Clarence Boddicker and his gang, are not dead.
The cartoon series obviously couldn’t use the kind of violence that was there in the movie, and therefore, the narrative was a bit twisted. It was still more mature than some of the other shows of that time.
This was one of the reasons that the popularity of the show died out pretty soon. The voice-actors deserve a special mention for some splendid work, and the animation does justice to their efforts. Overall, if you are okay with the idea of eliminating much of the violence found in the RoboCopfilm, this will be an interesting cartoon show to check out!
Silverhawks (1986)
Commander Stargazer recruited the Silverhawks, cyborgs with mechanical body parts, to combat the evil forces led by an escaped extraterrestrial mob leader. The Silverhawks have bionic bodies that are protected by armour with retractable protective masks and laser guns. The Quicksilver and his metal bird buddy lead them. There’s also a mathematician on their team, and this varied crew is attempting to take down the legendary gang.
This is an underrated cartoon gem from the 80s, and those who judge the questionable science in the show seriously lack a good imagination. It was a joyous experience to watch the brightly colored characters in action in the futuristic setting. The villain was a clear Mumm-Ra ripoff, but we didn’t mind given how amazing it looked.
His obedient sidekick was also an entertaining addition to the strange cast of characters in the show. It was one of those shows where the villains were way cooler than the dull and boring heroes. Yes, they did lose in the end, but not before they almost had you rooting for them.
The same people who made this show were responsible for popular hits like Thundercats, and even though the plot is formulaic, we had no problem with the content on offer. If you want a classic retro throwback from the golden era of cartoons, Silverhawks is the one to check out!
Dungeons & Dragons (1983)
While riding a roller coaster in an amusement park, a group of pals is mistakenly transported into the realm of Dungeons & Dragons. They meet the Dungeon Master as they arrive in the new mystery region, who offers each of them a magical artefact.
They must find a way out of this world, but it will be difficult because the evil Venger is attempting to seize their weapons in order to dominate the realm. We ultimately discover that the Venger is the Dungeon Master’s corrupt son, and the show closes on a cliffhanger, much to our dismay.
One of the highlights of this amazing show was the brilliant selection of deep characters, who were a class apart from what you might expect of a show of this kind. The emotional realism in the narrative was fascinating, and we loved the naturalistic reactions of the kids, dealing with all kinds of emotions, from fear to selfishness.
The plots were pretty intense and fast-paced, and throughout the 27 episodes, the storytelling was never found lacking. As we have already mentioned, the premature ending was pretty disappointing, a result of the show being randomly canceled. For many, this was one of the best-animated shows from the 80s, and it is a pity that we never got a final episode!
Robotech (1985)
A weird alien spaceship crashes on a South Pacific island. Over the next ten years, mankind have expended all possible technology in order to repair and fix this spaceship, and have succeeded in developing fighter jets that can turn into huge robots.
However, just as the spaceship is ready to be repaired, its owner, an extraterrestrial, arrives on Earth, kicking off a terrible war. This series has a sombre tone to it, as it examines the human ramifications of war.
For a generation that grew up on some of the best anime shows, this series was a delightful gift. It had Japanese origins and was actually a fine blend of three unrelated Japanese anime series. First things first, the storyline was compelling enough to immediately capture your attention.
The narrative included tons of action and battle sequences – a perfect adrenaline rush foraction fans. The slick alien mecha and the Veritech fighters were great to watch, and there were some pretty shocking moments when major characters died. We were bowled over by the sensational background score that superbly captured the mood of the series.
This version of the series did not have a conclusive ending, and we were left hanging for over 20 years till Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles was released. The popularity of this show has grown exponentially with time, and although this one ended too soon, new versions of it soon filled the void.
InHumanoids (1986)
Earth Corps is a group of scientists who specialise in subterranean investigation. Their peaceful existence is shattered, however, as they come upon an army of wicked monsters from below.
The Inhumanoids, together with a known traitor named Blackthorne Shore, formed a group and began assaulting the globe. The Earth Corps and their alien friends became the first line of defence against the invaders as the situation got more serious.
This underappreciated classic was pretty scary for the kids back in the day. The plot was fuelled by the urge to sell toys, but things soon changed for the makers.Inhumanoids proved to be one of the rare occasions where the writers were allowed a lot of creative liberty, and the toy line was even canceled after the first season.
The people involved in the show’s creation were the same who made hits like GI Joe and Transformers. One of the monsters in the show called Tendril was inspired by Lovecraft’s Cthulhu and was almost as intimidating.
Even some parts of the plot were inspired by his stories. The animation seems ahead of its time, and the background designs of the ancient civilizations are stunning. It would have been even better if the plots were made a tad darker in nature, but then, the show had to cater to children. Overall, it was an entertaining watch that was fun while it lasted!
Ulysses 31 (1981)
In the 31st Century, Ulysses is a well-known space traveller. He intends to return to Earth to be with his wife, but his son, Telemachus, is kidnapped while on his way back. Ulysses kills the kidnappers, but he earns the wrath of the Olympus Gods. Now he must locate the Kingdom of Hades and defend himself from the Gods’ united troops. Will they be able to find their way to Earth in the end?
There is a charm about some adventures, which makes you feel likepart of the journey. This animated series does just that, and is a terrific French-Japanese production that deserves more appreciation.
The idea of offending the Greek Gods in a futuristic world is pretty innovative, and the series introduces you to some of the best ancient mythologies through its intriguing narrative. The thought-provoking storylines have a unique style of presentation, which make them seem like a perfect adaptation of Homer’s works.
The animation might look dated now, but back then,the art was phenomenal. So was the score, and even the catchy theme song. The action will keep you on the edge of your seats, and we were impressed with the deep characters portrayed. The fact that shows like thesehave been forgotten is criminal, and goes to show that the quality of cartoons deteriorated with time!
Thundarr the Barbarian (1980)
This animated series takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ruled by wizards and magic. The Moon has been broken in certain areas due to a runaway planet’s trajectory, and the Earth’s temperature and topography have been irreversibly altered as a result.
Thundarr is a powerful warrior who travels the Earth with his allies on horseback. They take against wicked wizards, mutants, and other enemies such as the Brotherhood of Night. Thundarr wields the Sunsword, a formidable energy weapon that aids him in defeating his foes. His exploits form the subject of this engrossing series, which never received the acclaim it deserved.
This was one of the finest sword and sorcery cartoon shows back then, entertaining audiences with some fantastic plots. The adventure in the stories was enough incentive for the kids to get hooked on the narrative. Comic book greats like Martin Pasko and Steve Gerber were involved the writing, but the network censored the fight scenes quite heavily.
This Saturday morning gem had everything: cool fights, loveable characters, humorous sidekicks, and the ultimate battle between good and evil. The protagonist, a barbaric fighter, was popular with the kids, although the grownups often frowned at his questionable character.
The background animation added a nice touch, and the well-choreographed action scenes were the cherry on top. To capitalise on the show’s success, they even manufactured action figures of the characters, but the show was eventually discontinued, leaving only 21 episodes for us to enjoy.