Top 100 Animated Series Nominees – 2010s: “When Cartoons Got Complicated”

We’ve hit the home stretch. After covering every decade from the pre-’80s to the 2000s, we’re finally diving into the 2010s nominees for GeekCast Radio’s Top 100 Animated Series Countdown.

This era’s a trip. Animation started flexing in all directions — experimental storytelling, wild crossovers, streaming-era risk-taking, and some seriously strange ideas that actually worked. Shows like Gravity Falls, Harley Quinn, Dragon Ball Super, DuckTales (2017), and even oddball gems like Kulipari: Army of Frogs all brought something new to the table.

I’ll admit it: a lot of this decade pushed me out of my comfort zone. Adventure Time? Hated it. Attack on Titan? Too dark. But Dragon Ball Super? That hit home. It brought back the energy and scope I grew up with while proving the franchise could still evolve. Even G.I. Joe Renegades deserved better than one season — you could see the potential all over it.

What stood out most was how animation found its groove again. The 2010s didn’t just live off nostalgia; they remixed it. They gave us reboots that worked, adult humor with brains, and superhero series that weren’t afraid to throw punches — literally and thematically.

This was the decade that said, “Yeah, cartoons can do anything now.” And honestly? It’s been wild watching that play out.

🎙️ Hear us break it all down in the latest episode:
👉 Top 100 Animated Series Nominees – 2010s