10 Obscure Animated Shows That Became Cult Classics

4 days ago 13

A still from the Nickelodeon sci-fi series 'Invader Zim'

Published Jun 20, 2026, 9:03 PM EDT

Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada.

Making an animated show is hard. Not only do you have to go through the usual rigamarole of pitching an idea to a network and assembling the cast and crew, but animation is a costly, time-consuming process that doesn't allow much room for reshoots and script alterations, since you literally have to re-draw the scene. Thus, it can be very devastating when a show doesn't do very well on release or is cancelled early.

Fortunately, the internet has made it a lot easier to watch old shows and give them a second chance. Some of these shows are also helped by their small but dedicated fanbases.

'The Pirates of Dark Water' (1991–1992)

Tula, Ren, Ioz, and Niddler, with weapons surrounded by zombie creatures in The Pirates of Dark Water.

Prince Ren (George Newbern) is the heir to the ruined kingdom of Octopon on the oceanic planet of Mer. He sails the seas with an ecomancer named Tula (Jodi Benson), and a pirate named Ioz (Héctor Elizondo), searching for the Thirteen Treasures of Ruel that can restore Octopon to its former glory, and stop the Dark Water, a mysterious liquid that destroys anything it touches. Unfortunately, Ren has to compete with a wicked pirate named Bloth (Brock Peters), who wants to use the treasures to control the Dark Water, and the Dark Dweller (Frank Welker), who created the water in the first place.

It can be surprising to learn that The Pirates of Dark Water was produced by Hanna-Barbera, since it's quite different from their expected lineup. Though it only had 21 episodes before being cancelled due to high production costs, the show earned praise for its mature storytelling, complex characters, and unique premise. That high production cost also didn't go to waste, as the show looks very good for an early 1990s cartoon, with fun character designs and detailed water animation.

'Megas XLR' (2004–2005)

Three characters in a car in 'Megas XLR'

As humanity fights a losing war against the Glorft, they plan to send pilot Kiva Andru (Wendee Lee) back in time with an experimental robot called Megas to save humanity from extinction. A Glorft attack causes Megas to be sent too far back, and in 2004, it is found and modified by slacker Harold Cooplowski (David DeLuise). When Kiva comes back to retrieve Megas, she is distraught to learn that only Coop can pilot it now, so she has to teach him how to use the mech as the Glorft send their own agents back in time to claim it.

Megas XLR ended due to low ratings, but it received high praise thanks to its concept and unique style of humor. It combines the grand action sequences of mech anime with a tongue-in-cheek style of humor utilizing billboard gags and pot-shots at MTV. Really, all you need to know can be summed up in the theme song, the aptly named "Chicks Dig Giant Robots."

'Invader Zim' (2001–2006)

The extraterrestrial Irken Empire has made it its mission to conquer the galaxy, and sends agents to infiltrate planets to make them easier to subdue. The Irken leaders, the Almighty Tallest (Wally Wingert and Kevin McDonald), assign their most hated agent, Zim (Richard Steven Horvitz), to the planet Earth to keep him out of their way, and assign him a malfunctioning robot named GIR (Rosearik Rikki Simons). Zim makes headway thanks to the humans of Earth being easily duped, except for a paranoid boy named Dib (Andy Berman), who makes it his mission to expose and defeat Zim.

Invader Zim is one of the most unique shows to come from Nickelodeon, and far more mature and unhinged than their usual lineup. The show pushed the limits of what is considered acceptable in kids' media, with plenty of gross-out shots and disturbing concepts for episodes. Yet it's all balanced out by its aggressive sense of humor that can go from 1 to 100 in a minute.

'Dave the Barbarian' (2004–2005)

Lula and Dave looking at each other in 'Dave the Barbarian'

When King Throktar (Kevin Michael Richardson) and Queen Glimia (Erica Luttrell) of Udragoth leave to battle evil, their teenage daughter, Princess Candy (Erica Luttrell), is left in charge, and their eldest son, Dave (Danny Cooksey), is tasked with protecting it. They are aided by their sorcerer uncle, Ozlo (Kevin Michael Richardson), their aggressive younger sister, Fang (Tress MacNeille), Dave's talking sword, Lula (Estelle Harris), and Faffy (Frank Welker), the family's pet dragon. Unfortunately, the group is a lot less competent than they sound, and Dave in particular would rather run from a fight than throw a single punch.

Dave the Barbarian feels like a more modern take on The Flintstones, combining modernity with antiquity to create some hilarious juxtapositions. A typical episode is filled to the brim with fourth wall breaks, absurdist humor like Dave making a homemade megaphone with a squirrel, string, and a megaphone, and the primary antagonist is an evil pig named The Dark Lord Chuckles the Silly Piggy (Paul Rugg). Though it only lasted one season, the show won an Annie Award for Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production, and was nominated for Writing in an Animated Television Production.

Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?

🕷️Spider-Man

😈Daredevil

🤖Iron Man

💀Punisher

⚡Thor

🛡️Cap

FIND YOUR HERO →

What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.

AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully.

NEXT QUESTION →

It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think.

ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours?

AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.

AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust.

NEXT QUESTION →

You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.

AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win.

NEXT QUESTION →

What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.

AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind.

NEXT QUESTION →

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.

AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against.

NEXT QUESTION →

When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.

ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly.

NEXT QUESTION →

What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.

AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing.

NEXT QUESTION →

The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.

ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over.

REVEAL MY HERO →

Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.

🕷️ Spider-Man

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you.
Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.

😈 Daredevil

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.

🤖 Iron Man

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man.

💀 The Punisher

You've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.

⚡ Thor

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.

🛡️ Captain America

You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

'Shadow Raiders' (1998–1999)

Two characters in the animated series 'Shadow Raiders'

Princess Tekla (Donna Yamamoto) is left the only survivor of Planet Tek after it is consumed by the Beast Planet, and flees to the Cluster, a collection of four habitable planets named Rock, Ice, Fire, and Bone, who constantly raid one another for resources. The Beast Planet follows her and begins invading the Cluster, attacking the planets with armies of drones led by three generals: the aggressive Blokk (Scott McNeil), the deceptive Lamprey (Tasha Simms), and the silent Voyd. Tekla meets a miner from Rock named Graveheart (Paul Dobson) and King Cryos (Mark Oliver) of Ice, and together they work to unite the four planets into an army strong enough to repel the Beast Planet before it kills them all.

Shadow Raiders came from the same creators as ReBoot and Beast Wars: Transformers, and though it didn't last as long, it made a powerful impression in its short lifespan. The show balanced its action and comedic moments with diplomatic talks that emphasized the difficulty of bringing these planets together, with plenty of strong scenes of characters debating with one another while the threat grows ever closer. The Beast Planet and its forces also make for effective antagonists: the generals provide a face and something tangental for the heroes to face, while the Beast Planet itself is a literal cosmic horror that feels like it cannot be defeated, merely avoided.

'Freakazoid!' (1995–1997)

Characters looking shocked in an episode of 'Freakazoid!"

A computer accident merges Dexter Douglas (David Kaufman) with the 1990s internet, transforming him into a superhero named Freakazoid (Paul Rugg). The transformation proves to be a double-edged sword, as while Freakazoid has access to cartoon logic and enhanced speed and durability, he also loses his mind and attention span, as seen whenever he gets sidetracked by his good friend Sgt. Mike Cosgrove (Ed Asner). Nevertheless, when villains rear their wicked heads and threaten the innocent, Freakazoid will be there to save the day in his own unique and incomprehensible way.

Freakazoid! is one of several animated shows produced by Steven Spielberg during the 1990s, and remains fondly remembered thanks to its comedic writing and impeccable voice acting. The jokes feel like precursors to internet memes with their nonsensical combination of timing, ad-libbed rants, and cutaway gags, which have helped the show feel evergreen even 30 years later. As for the voice acting, Rugg easily steals the show, but Asner is also hilarious in his deadpanned delivery, and other voice actors included talent like Jeff Bennett, Tim Curry, and Ricardo Montelban.

'The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack' (2008–2010)

Flapjack and Captain K'Nuckles in Bubbie's mouth in The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack

Flapjack (Thurop Van Orman) is a young boy raised by a whale named Bubbie (Roz Ryan) who lives among the wacky inhabitants of the floating city of Stormhold Harbor. One day, Bubbie rescues a washed-up pirate named Captain K'nuckles (Brian Doyle-Murray), who tells Flapjack stories about Candied Island, a mysterious place full of candy. Now Flapjack accompanies K'nuckles on numerous adventures to acquire candy or sail to Candied Island, which often leads them into trouble.

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack is one of the best examples of a show that didn't do well on release, yet still shaped the look and tone of future projects. Many of the people who worked on the show went to work on some of Cartoon Network's best shows of the 2010s, such as Adventure Time and Over the Garden Wall. As for the show itself, time has been pretty kind to it, as those who watch it tend to fall in love with Flapjack's adorable optimism, its surrealist humor that seems to always be trying to one-up itself, and its use of high-seas hijinx to explore its unique world and the numerous islands that make it up.

'Sym-Bionic Titan' (2010–2011)

Ilana, Octus, and Lance in the animated series Sym-Bionic Titan.

When the world of Galaluna falls to General Modula (Don Leslie), only three people escape: Princess Ilana (Tara Strong), a warrior named Lance (Kevin Thoms), and a robot named Octus (Brian Posehn). They flee to Earth and disguise themselves as human teenagers, but Modula's forces pursue them. Fortunately, they can merge together into a being called the Sym-Bionic Titan to defeat their attackers.

Sym-Bionic Titan is another feather in the cap of famed animator Genndy Tartakovsky, known for hit TV shows like Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Primal. It has all the trademarks of his best work, such as using animation to express emotion more than dialogue, stylistic action sequences, and immersive worldbuilding. The characters also stand out thanks to their simple but effective personalities, especially Octus, who grows the most of the main cast through his relationship with popular girl Kimberly (Kari Wahlgren).

'The Tick' (1994–1997)

The Tick in an attic with a signal in the background

A crime-ridden city can sleep easily knowing that they are protected by the Tick (Townsend Coleman), a mysterious blue superhero with a boisterous personality and a love for upholding law and justice. He meets an accountant named Arthur (Micky Dolenz and Rob Paulsen), whom the Tick takes on as a moth-themed sidekick. When not trying to pay rent on their apartment, the duo protects the City from all sorts of eccentric criminals.

The Tick was released during a boom of superhero cartoons, but managed to carve out its own identity thanks to how hilarious it is. The show delights in spoofing classic superhero tropes and archetypes, best seen through The Tick's over-the-top love of justice and crime fighting, which include longwinded monologs and strange catchphrases like "Spoon!" It's been followed by two live-action series in 2001 and 2016, but they, too, ended prematurely, leaving The Tick with an unfortunate legacy of hilarious parody and tragic ending.

'Cybersix' (1999)

Two characters looking at each other in 'Cybersix'

The town of Meridiana is watched over by Cybersix (Cathy Weseluck), a leather-clad gynoid and runaway creation of the twisted scientist Dr. Von Reichter (Terry Klassen). By night, she battles against Von Reichter's other creations and thwarts the schemes of his son, José (Alex Doduk), with the help of an orphaned kid named Julain (Andrew Francis), and her brother, Data 7 (Scott McNeil), reborn in the body of a panther. By day, Cybersix disguses herself as a male teacher named Adrian, and maintains a friendship with her love interest, a biology teacher named Lucas (Michael Dobson).

It is criminal that Cybersix was ignored on release. While some of the darkest aspects of the original comic strip had to be toned down, the show still went to some dark places as it explored the difficulties of Cybersix's dual life and the dangers of science gone too far. It's also gorgeously animated by the legendary TMS Entertainment, leading to fluid action sequences and striking cinematic moments, especially when Cybersix's cape blows in the wind.