5 Great Animated Shows Aimed At Adult Audiences

Once upon a time, animation was seen as little more than a form of children's entertainment, but this has changed in recent years, with the debut of numerous animated shows aimed at older audiences, and far more than just the raunchy comedies that used to dominate the 'adult animation' banner. The upcoming Marvel Zombies animated series, which will debut on Disney Plus with a TV-MA rating, is a perfect example of this change.

It's a wonderful time for fans of animation as an art form, many of whom have long believed in the potential of the medium to tell a wider range of stories. Here's a few great animated series aimed at older audiences.

1. Arcane

First hitting Netflix in 2o21, Arcane, inspired by previously unexplored back stories from the popular video game League of Legends, focuses on the conflict between the thriving, well-to-do residents of Piltover, those who struggle for survival in the underground city of Zaun, and how the introduction of magic, aka 'the Arcane' exacerbates the existing problems between the two. Much of the story is seen through the perspective of two characters on different sides of the conflict: Vi, a Zaunite who while searching for her missing sister, becomes inadvertently drawn into Piltover's problems as she unexpectedly falls for Piltovan enforcer Caitlyn Kirraman, and Jinx, the missing sister in question who believes Vi abandoned her, and suffers increasing mental health issues as a result.

Over the course of its two seasons, Arcane was praised for it's story, characters, visuals, and voice acting. It has been argued that the story worked better in animation than it would have in any other medium, particularly in how it utilises visual cues to portray the fluctuations in Jinx's mental state in particular scenes. Arcane has been lauded by many as not just a great animated series, but one of the best TV series overall in recent years.

2. Invincible

Invincible, based on a comic book series by Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead fame, follows Mark Grayson, the Human-Viltrumite hybrid son of Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man, an alien hero having settled on Earth, supposedly to aid the planet and share technology. Mark is at first excited when his own powers emerge at age 17, but his fledgling superhero career takes a complicated turn with the reveal that his Father has been playing a long con, and actually intends to conquer Earth for the Viltrumite Empire.

Like the previous adaptation of Kirkman's work, Invincible, which at times displays high levels of violence and gore, is intended for adult audiences despite being animated. The series has been praised by fans and critics as a unique, and at times surprisingly dark take on the superhero genre.

3. Star Wars 'Tales' Franchise

Strictly speaking, the Star Wars 'Tales' series are rated PG, so can be viewed by younger audiences. However, thus far, each of the Tales series have dealt with darker, more complicated themes, and less of the 'Black and White' morality usually expected of the franchise.

Tales is a collection of shorts in the Star Wars universe. Each series focuses on two characters, with each character receiving three focus episodes. Three Tales entries have aired so far: Tales of the Jedi, Tales of the Empire, and Tales of the Underworld. They have been praised for high animation quality, engaging stories, and Easter Eggs of the larger Star Wars universe. Fans are eagerly awaiting another installment.

4. X-Men '97

Debuting it's first season on Disney Plus in March 2024, X-Men '97 is a sequel to the cult-classic X-Men: The Animated Series. As the series begins, the team are dealing with the absence of Professor X and the fact he unexpectedly willed both the X-Mansion and control of the X-Men to Magneto, along with still continuing Anti-Mutant sentiment among the human race. The latter results in a world-altering tragedy at the series halfway point.

The original X-Men: The Animated Series was geared towards children and young teens, and X-Men '97 sold itself on having grown up with that original audience. '97 has all the characters fans loved in the original, now paired with more nuanced moral dilemmas, darker themes, and slightly more graphic violence. Some reviewers have even referred to it as one of Marvel's greatest projects. A second season is currently in production.

5. Castlevania

When his human Wife is falsely accused of Witchcraft and burned at the stake, the vampire Count Dracula vows revenge, unleashing an army of demons to slaughter the humans of Wallachia. Trevor Belmont, bound by his Monster Hunting bloodline, teams up with the Speaker magician Sypha Belmades, and Alucard, Dracula's Dhampir son, to defeat Dracula and save humanity.

Castlevania is based on the popular video game series of the same name, most notably the 1989 game Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, and ran for four seasons on Netflix, between 2017 and 2021. The series was highly praised for its animation, action sequences, and voice work, although the third and fourth seasons suffer from some pacing issues. A sequel, Castlevania: Nocturne, following Trevor and Sypha's descendant, Richter Belmont, based on the game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, followed in 2003, running for two seasons.

These are just a few of the shows heralding a new era of animated content geared toward adult audiences. Let's hope the trend continues.