AskMen.com
Almost to a man (or is it to a boy?), watching Saturday morning cartoons as a child is a lasting memory for guys. Throughout the days leading up to that exciting morning, a boy's mind is filled with anticipation, awaiting the next episode of his favorite character's adventures. Since these types of memories are so embedded in our minds, and because we still quote famous lines from our favorite '80s cartoons, we thought it appropriate to list the best of them all. All the shows in this list were original, had some unforgettable characters and kept kids of all ages glued to the TV set.
Number 10
MASK (1985)
How could anyone forget the cool crime fighters that made up MASK, the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, which consisted of the tech-savvy Bruce Sato, disguise specialist Buddy Hawkes, martial arts expert Gloria Baker, computer pro Alex Sector, weapons expert Monk McLean, and vehicle pilots Brad Turner and Dusty Hayes? In their efforts to combat VENOM (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem, don't ya know?), our heroes donned special masks that gave them superpowers. Each of the 70 episodes of MASK featured tons of action, a surprising amount of comedy and really cool villains that kept kids watching every week.
Memorable scene: Whenever Brad or Dusty took off in MASK's cool plane, Gator, or car, Condor, it was a sight to behold.
Number 9
TranZor Z (1984-1985)
A classic Japanimation show, the dubbed TranZor Z had an intricate storyline and detailed battle scenes typical of Japanese cartoons. In a nutshell, TranZor Z is a giant super-robot created by Professor Wells. As a catalyst to the show's first episode, Wells' nemesis Dr. Demon destroys Wells and his house. During his final moments, Wells introduces his grandson Tommy to TranZor Z, a machine that will help combat Demon's world-destroying Machine Beasts.
The show follows Tommy's mastering of TranZor Z and, with the help of friend Jessica and her robot Aphrodite-A, each episode features another series of battles between Tommy and Co. and Dr. Demon's brutal machines.
Memorable scene: The very last episode of TranZor Z featured an epic battle between Tommy and Dr. Demon at Demon's lair. Tommy, of course, was victorious.
Number 8
The Smurfs (1981-1986)
The magical little blue creatures that roamed an enchanted forest and lived in mushrooms weren't always as innocent as they seemed. Their leader, Papa Smurf, along with several of his best Smurfs (and his one Smurfette) had to stave off Gargamel, an evil, bumbling wizard who always brought with him an equally evil cat, Azrael. In most episodes of the long-running Saturday morning cartoon, Gargamel would have a plan to capture, enslave or eat the Smurfs in order to steal their magic. The Smurfs, in turn, would foil Gargamel's plan and sometimes even save him from getting destroyed by his even eviler, more capable wizard brethren.
Memorable scene: When Painter Smurf used magical paint, the village went haywire and things started to disappear; a cool scene to watch as a kid.
Some crazy alien cats, a bunch of hot chicks, a funny policeman, and the defender of the universe.
Number 7
Thundercats (1985-1987)
The classic chant "Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats, ho!" was how each episode of Thundercats began, leading into a full half-hour of alien humanoid cats battling it out with Mumm-Ra, the embodiment of evil, and his mutants. Landing on Third Earth while still frozen, the Thundercats, lead by Lion-O, were a group of alien-cats with muscular human bodies and children's minds (thanks to their frozen journey).
Lion-O, with his Sword of Omens, led the charge along with a crew including Wilykit, Wilykat, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, and Snarf. With its sci-fi action theme and easy-to-follow cookie-cutter script, Thundercats is as '80s as you're going to get.
Memorable scene: In an episode where Lion-O goes in search of some much needed Thundrillium (a substance used to power their base), he had to battle a wicked-looking snowman of Hook Mountain to get it. A great cartoon fight scene.
Number 6
Jem and the Holograms (1985-1987)
An empowering cartoon that was just as popular with the boys as it was with the girls, Jem and the Holograms introduced kids to Jerrica Benton, the owner of a music company and a foster home for girls. Using her special earrings, Benton projected herself as a hologram and became Jem, the lead singer of rock group Jem and the Holograms. Thanks to the earrings and her computer Synergy, the rock group, consisting of Jem, her sister Kimber and her foster sisters Aja and Shana, cultivated a huge following. With their hit songs, the Holograms battled it out with their rivals, the Misfits, and somehow managed to get entangled in some exciting adventure every episode. Though now the Holograms' songs may seem extremely cheesy, the feel-good themes that the songs and shows dealt with were popular with kids and a boon to worried mothers everywhere.
Memorable scene: At the end of the very first episode, Jem and friends got trapped inside the Starlight House foster home when a fire was accidentally set. Would they get out alive? Kids had to wait for the next episode to find out…
Number 5
Inspector Gadget (1983-1986)
With a cool theme song, an awkward but funny policeman, thousands of cool gadgets and a faceless villain, Inspector Gadget had it all. With the help of his faithful dog Brain and nerdy niece Penny -- both of whom actually did most of the investigative work -- Inspector Gadget (whose voice was that of Don Adams of Get Smart fame) could solve any crime thanks to his gumshoe-aiding gadgets, which came out of his coat and hat. The evil Dr. Claw always hatched some devious plan, all the while stroking his pet, Madcat, but Gadget and crew were always there to foil it, no matter how ineptly. Still, throughout the series, Dr. Claw was always slightly out of reach.
Memorable scene: When Inspector Gadget first busted out his helicopter ("Go, go Gadget 'Copter!") to save the day once again.
Number 4
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984-1987)
Another science fiction, good vs. evil cartoon, Voltron: Defender of the Universe detailed the quest of the robot Voltron, an all-powerful good guy whose mission was to stop the evildoings of King Zarkon and Prince Lotor of Planet Doom. Depending on which season you watched, you saw one of two Voltrons: there was the robot made up of five separate mechanical lion pieces (called Lion Force), each piloted by a different hero, and there was also the Voltron comprised of different space vehicles (called Vehicle Force) which was assembled when the time to fight evil had arrived.
The explorers trained to pilot Voltron always brought new adventures to the table and made each intergalactic episode a delight to watch. Even now, we can't ignore reruns of Voltron on the Cartoon Network.
Memorable scene: Evil Prince Lotor cloned himself in an effort to vanquish hero Keith, but, during yet another epic animated action scene, Keith found a way to defeat the evildoer. As a young boy, this scene was the reason you got up early every week.
The toughest man of them all, the coolest robots in the universe, our No. 1 pick, and an honorable mention.
Number 3
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1987)
How many times did we, as young lads, stand on the couch and bellow, "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!"? He-Man was the man, featured on a show that will be remembered for years to come. Prince Adam, in an effort to defend his home of Eternia against the evil Skeletor, would shout those immortal words and turn himself into He-Man, while his wimpy tiger would turn into the menacing Battlecat. With his great sword, loyal tiger and friends Man-At-Arms, Teela, the Sorceress, and Orko, He-Man always embarked on an exciting adventure. The best part -- and perhaps, looking back, the most hilarious thing about He-Man -- was that a character would always provide a moral lesson at the end of the show.
Memorable scene: During one of Skeletor's many attempts to invade the mystical Castle Grayskull, he let loose a dragon on He-Man and a fantastical fight ensued.
Number 2
Transformers (1984-1988)
The appeal of Transformers is undeniable. Robots with human-like qualities who could transform into the coolest vehicles and animals -- what more could a young boy ask for? On the popular cartoon series, it was the Autobots (good) versus the Decepticons (evil), both of which hailed from the planet Cybertron but had crashed on Earth millions of years ago. Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, fought until the bitter end to defend Earth from the resource-ravaging Decepticons, led by Megatron. The multitude of cool characters, catchy theme song and dozens of spin-off toys made Transformers one of the most successful cartoons of its time.
Memorable scene: Things got dicey during episode 6 when the much-loved Optimus Prime was left weakened by an enemy attack. Alone, he was left to defend himself against Megatron's forces. Boy, were we nervous during this episode…
Number 1
G.I. Joe (1985-1986)
Initially an animated miniseries, this wildly popular cartoon evolved to a full series due to the high demand for a show bringing to life the popular Hasbro toys of old. The show profiled the actions of a team of U.S. military personnel with varied skills that joined forces to combat the terrorist group Cobra. With guys like Duke, Falcon, Leatherneck, and Bazooka battling it out against evildoers Destro and Baroness, there was always excitement on G.I. Joe. The coolest part was that, like in Transformers, there was always a specialist around to get the team out of a predicament, whether they were having trouble in snow, sea, dry land, or air.
Memorable scene: A number of cool fight and reconnaissance scenes stand out, but the classic one in which Timber and Freedom snuck into Cobra's jungle castle to free their cohorts is among the best.
honorable mention
Muppet Babies (1984-1992)
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies featured some of your favorite Muppet characters -- like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Fozzie -- in baby form. The cute monster-puppets would never leave their nursery but would use their imaginations to take part in all sorts of adventures. Just like the real Muppet Show, Muppet Babies was geared toward kids but could also be appreciated by adults with its smart-alecky characters and sometimes-mature jokes.
Memorable scene: When the babies stole Nanny's video camera and made a parody of Star Wars, it was a memorable, and hilarious, event.
the joys of childhood
Life was so simple when you were a child. The most you had to worry about was getting up on time to catch your favorite cartoons. With shows like these 10, we would have stayed up all night (if Mom had let us) in order to make sure we never missed an episode.
Almost to a man (or is it to a boy?), watching Saturday morning cartoons as a child is a lasting memory for guys. Throughout the days leading up to that exciting morning, a boy's mind is filled with anticipation, awaiting the next episode of his favorite character's adventures. Since these types of memories are so embedded in our minds, and because we still quote famous lines from our favorite '80s cartoons, we thought it appropriate to list the best of them all. All the shows in this list were original, had some unforgettable characters and kept kids of all ages glued to the TV set.
Number 10
MASK (1985)
How could anyone forget the cool crime fighters that made up MASK, the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, which consisted of the tech-savvy Bruce Sato, disguise specialist Buddy Hawkes, martial arts expert Gloria Baker, computer pro Alex Sector, weapons expert Monk McLean, and vehicle pilots Brad Turner and Dusty Hayes? In their efforts to combat VENOM (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem, don't ya know?), our heroes donned special masks that gave them superpowers. Each of the 70 episodes of MASK featured tons of action, a surprising amount of comedy and really cool villains that kept kids watching every week.
Memorable scene: Whenever Brad or Dusty took off in MASK's cool plane, Gator, or car, Condor, it was a sight to behold.
Number 9
TranZor Z (1984-1985)
A classic Japanimation show, the dubbed TranZor Z had an intricate storyline and detailed battle scenes typical of Japanese cartoons. In a nutshell, TranZor Z is a giant super-robot created by Professor Wells. As a catalyst to the show's first episode, Wells' nemesis Dr. Demon destroys Wells and his house. During his final moments, Wells introduces his grandson Tommy to TranZor Z, a machine that will help combat Demon's world-destroying Machine Beasts.
The show follows Tommy's mastering of TranZor Z and, with the help of friend Jessica and her robot Aphrodite-A, each episode features another series of battles between Tommy and Co. and Dr. Demon's brutal machines.
Memorable scene: The very last episode of TranZor Z featured an epic battle between Tommy and Dr. Demon at Demon's lair. Tommy, of course, was victorious.
Number 8
The Smurfs (1981-1986)
The magical little blue creatures that roamed an enchanted forest and lived in mushrooms weren't always as innocent as they seemed. Their leader, Papa Smurf, along with several of his best Smurfs (and his one Smurfette) had to stave off Gargamel, an evil, bumbling wizard who always brought with him an equally evil cat, Azrael. In most episodes of the long-running Saturday morning cartoon, Gargamel would have a plan to capture, enslave or eat the Smurfs in order to steal their magic. The Smurfs, in turn, would foil Gargamel's plan and sometimes even save him from getting destroyed by his even eviler, more capable wizard brethren.
Memorable scene: When Painter Smurf used magical paint, the village went haywire and things started to disappear; a cool scene to watch as a kid.
Some crazy alien cats, a bunch of hot chicks, a funny policeman, and the defender of the universe.
Number 7
Thundercats (1985-1987)
The classic chant "Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats, ho!" was how each episode of Thundercats began, leading into a full half-hour of alien humanoid cats battling it out with Mumm-Ra, the embodiment of evil, and his mutants. Landing on Third Earth while still frozen, the Thundercats, lead by Lion-O, were a group of alien-cats with muscular human bodies and children's minds (thanks to their frozen journey).
Lion-O, with his Sword of Omens, led the charge along with a crew including Wilykit, Wilykat, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, and Snarf. With its sci-fi action theme and easy-to-follow cookie-cutter script, Thundercats is as '80s as you're going to get.
Memorable scene: In an episode where Lion-O goes in search of some much needed Thundrillium (a substance used to power their base), he had to battle a wicked-looking snowman of Hook Mountain to get it. A great cartoon fight scene.
Number 6
Jem and the Holograms (1985-1987)
An empowering cartoon that was just as popular with the boys as it was with the girls, Jem and the Holograms introduced kids to Jerrica Benton, the owner of a music company and a foster home for girls. Using her special earrings, Benton projected herself as a hologram and became Jem, the lead singer of rock group Jem and the Holograms. Thanks to the earrings and her computer Synergy, the rock group, consisting of Jem, her sister Kimber and her foster sisters Aja and Shana, cultivated a huge following. With their hit songs, the Holograms battled it out with their rivals, the Misfits, and somehow managed to get entangled in some exciting adventure every episode. Though now the Holograms' songs may seem extremely cheesy, the feel-good themes that the songs and shows dealt with were popular with kids and a boon to worried mothers everywhere.
Memorable scene: At the end of the very first episode, Jem and friends got trapped inside the Starlight House foster home when a fire was accidentally set. Would they get out alive? Kids had to wait for the next episode to find out…
Number 5
Inspector Gadget (1983-1986)
With a cool theme song, an awkward but funny policeman, thousands of cool gadgets and a faceless villain, Inspector Gadget had it all. With the help of his faithful dog Brain and nerdy niece Penny -- both of whom actually did most of the investigative work -- Inspector Gadget (whose voice was that of Don Adams of Get Smart fame) could solve any crime thanks to his gumshoe-aiding gadgets, which came out of his coat and hat. The evil Dr. Claw always hatched some devious plan, all the while stroking his pet, Madcat, but Gadget and crew were always there to foil it, no matter how ineptly. Still, throughout the series, Dr. Claw was always slightly out of reach.
Memorable scene: When Inspector Gadget first busted out his helicopter ("Go, go Gadget 'Copter!") to save the day once again.
Number 4
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984-1987)
Another science fiction, good vs. evil cartoon, Voltron: Defender of the Universe detailed the quest of the robot Voltron, an all-powerful good guy whose mission was to stop the evildoings of King Zarkon and Prince Lotor of Planet Doom. Depending on which season you watched, you saw one of two Voltrons: there was the robot made up of five separate mechanical lion pieces (called Lion Force), each piloted by a different hero, and there was also the Voltron comprised of different space vehicles (called Vehicle Force) which was assembled when the time to fight evil had arrived.
The explorers trained to pilot Voltron always brought new adventures to the table and made each intergalactic episode a delight to watch. Even now, we can't ignore reruns of Voltron on the Cartoon Network.
Memorable scene: Evil Prince Lotor cloned himself in an effort to vanquish hero Keith, but, during yet another epic animated action scene, Keith found a way to defeat the evildoer. As a young boy, this scene was the reason you got up early every week.
The toughest man of them all, the coolest robots in the universe, our No. 1 pick, and an honorable mention.
Number 3
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1987)
How many times did we, as young lads, stand on the couch and bellow, "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!"? He-Man was the man, featured on a show that will be remembered for years to come. Prince Adam, in an effort to defend his home of Eternia against the evil Skeletor, would shout those immortal words and turn himself into He-Man, while his wimpy tiger would turn into the menacing Battlecat. With his great sword, loyal tiger and friends Man-At-Arms, Teela, the Sorceress, and Orko, He-Man always embarked on an exciting adventure. The best part -- and perhaps, looking back, the most hilarious thing about He-Man -- was that a character would always provide a moral lesson at the end of the show.
Memorable scene: During one of Skeletor's many attempts to invade the mystical Castle Grayskull, he let loose a dragon on He-Man and a fantastical fight ensued.
Number 2
Transformers (1984-1988)
The appeal of Transformers is undeniable. Robots with human-like qualities who could transform into the coolest vehicles and animals -- what more could a young boy ask for? On the popular cartoon series, it was the Autobots (good) versus the Decepticons (evil), both of which hailed from the planet Cybertron but had crashed on Earth millions of years ago. Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, fought until the bitter end to defend Earth from the resource-ravaging Decepticons, led by Megatron. The multitude of cool characters, catchy theme song and dozens of spin-off toys made Transformers one of the most successful cartoons of its time.
Memorable scene: Things got dicey during episode 6 when the much-loved Optimus Prime was left weakened by an enemy attack. Alone, he was left to defend himself against Megatron's forces. Boy, were we nervous during this episode…
Number 1
G.I. Joe (1985-1986)
Initially an animated miniseries, this wildly popular cartoon evolved to a full series due to the high demand for a show bringing to life the popular Hasbro toys of old. The show profiled the actions of a team of U.S. military personnel with varied skills that joined forces to combat the terrorist group Cobra. With guys like Duke, Falcon, Leatherneck, and Bazooka battling it out against evildoers Destro and Baroness, there was always excitement on G.I. Joe. The coolest part was that, like in Transformers, there was always a specialist around to get the team out of a predicament, whether they were having trouble in snow, sea, dry land, or air.
Memorable scene: A number of cool fight and reconnaissance scenes stand out, but the classic one in which Timber and Freedom snuck into Cobra's jungle castle to free their cohorts is among the best.
honorable mention
Muppet Babies (1984-1992)
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies featured some of your favorite Muppet characters -- like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Fozzie -- in baby form. The cute monster-puppets would never leave their nursery but would use their imaginations to take part in all sorts of adventures. Just like the real Muppet Show, Muppet Babies was geared toward kids but could also be appreciated by adults with its smart-alecky characters and sometimes-mature jokes.
Memorable scene: When the babies stole Nanny's video camera and made a parody of Star Wars, it was a memorable, and hilarious, event.
the joys of childhood
Life was so simple when you were a child. The most you had to worry about was getting up on time to catch your favorite cartoons. With shows like these 10, we would have stayed up all night (if Mom had let us) in order to make sure we never missed an episode.