10 Animated Shows Without a Single Flaw

Image via Nickelodeon Published Jul 28, 2026, 8:11 PM EDT Eddie Possehl is a dynamic and driven writer/director with a passion for the written word and all things film, television, comics, and games. His passion for storytelling led him to establish his own production company in hopes of achieving his dreams. His dedication to his craft has attracted renowned talent like Yuri Lowenthal to collaborate with him on his projects. As he grows and improves, Eddie is a shining example of a self-starter. Sign in to your Collider account Animated shows have been a staple of the television medium since the very first animation made for television was made all the way back in 1949: Crusader Rabbit. In the many decades that animations have been airing around the world, there have been plenty of productions that audiences have absolutely fallen in love with. It's very difficult to claim that something is "without flaws," but these television series come pretty dang close. Whether they're made for all ages or for more mature audiences, a good show can stick with people for quite a long time after it's done airing. Anything is possible in the medium of animation, so there are endless possibilities for greatness. 'Infinity Train' (2019–2021) Image via Cartoon Network Infinity Train is an extremely underrated animated anthology series that more than deserves the kind of respect on its name that the rest of the animated shows out there that are "without flaws". This show is a prime example of how animation for all audiences can have mature storytelling and deep themes while still being accessible for kids. When a group of characters gets trapped on an endless train—each car holding a new universe within it—they must explore these new worlds while simultaneously exploring their own internal character arcs. Every episode brings about a new message, and they always find a way to hit hard while having a cute animation style that is easy on the eyes. 'Adventure Time' (2010–2018) Image via Cartoon Network Of Cartoon Network's many masterpieces, Adventure Time is one of the most hailed to this day. It's a silly, goofy, and off-the-wall comedy that is hilarious and keeps the tone light. However, this isn't where it solely succeeds, as it is a masterclass in balancing tone. It may be an incredibly funny and colorful show, but it tackles mature and complex themes and messaging at the same time. Throughout the course of the series, the characters grow up and go through some great character development, which got people incredibly connected to them over the eight-year run. The worldbuilding is consistently fun and engaging, as well, which also gets people invested in the greater space surrounding Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) and Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada). There's very little not to love about Adventure Time. 'Arcane' (2021–2024) Image via Netflix Before 2021, not many people would've thought that the infamous video game League of Legends would have led to one of the greatest television series of all time. Netflix's Arcane is one of the most beloved animated runs of the 2020s for plenty of great reasons. It has a gorgeous art style, looking hand-painted while being 3D animated, paired with a flowing animation quality unlike any other from the likes of the French studio Fortiche Production. Looks aren't everything, though, as the story supporting Arcane and the characters within it is very well-written. There are numerous protagonists at play in this production, but everyone still manages to get their time in the sun. The action is exciting, the voice acting—specifically from Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell—is superb, and the complex characters are forever iconic. 'Gravity Falls' (2012–2016) The inherent charm, heart, and soul present in Gravity Falls is undeniable. There's a reason that this project, produced by Disney Television Animation, is some people's favorite animated show of all time. Following the many adventures of twins Dipper Pines (Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal)—alongside their Grunkle Stan (Alex Hirsch) and Soos Ramirez (Alex Hirsch)—Gravity Falls is filled to the brim with love and care, which shines through its quality. Gravity Falls is a show that has lived in the hearts of those who have seen it ever since it ended ten years ago. While having fun with cryptids, mysterious fantasy creatures, and supernatural entities, this series also has a plethora of deep underlying mysteries and character arcs that are enjoyable and compelling. Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one. 🚀Star Wars 💍Lord of the Rings 🧙Harry Potter 👑Game of Thrones 🖖Star Trek FIND YOUR UNIVERSE → 01 What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question. ABeing part of something larger than myself — a cause, a rebellion, a fight for freedom that outlasts me. BThe journey itself — the places I'll go, the companions beside me, the world I'll discover on the way. CLearning — unlocking what I'm capable of, understanding the world's hidden mechanics, growing into something more. DLegacy — the name I leave behind, the power I build, the mark I make before the world moves on without me. EUnderstanding — exploring what exists beyond the horizon and asking what it means to be alive in a universe this vast. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully. AA galaxy of planets, each with its own culture — connected by conflict, trade, and the Force. BAncient lands of breathtaking beauty, deep history, and a creeping darkness at the edges. CA world hidden inside our own — full of wonder, community, and magic waiting to be learned. DA brutal, beautiful continent where power is everything and every alliance is a calculation. EA future where humanity has reached the stars — and must decide what kind of species it wants to be. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world's conflicts tells you everything about its soul. AThrough sacrifice and courage — someone has to make the impossible choice so others don't have to. BThrough fellowship — the impossible becomes possible when the right people walk the same road. CThrough growth — confronting what you fear, understanding what you lack, and becoming equal to the challenge. DThrough strategy — outthinking, outmaneuvering, positioning yourself so the outcome was never in doubt. EThrough dialogue — finding the third option, the peaceful resolution, the answer that doesn't require a body count. NEXT QUESTION → 04 Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for. AA small crew — a pilot, a rogue, a warrior — each broken in their own way, unbeatable together. BA fellowship of different kinds of people, bound by purpose and deepened by the long road. CFriends who grew up alongside me — who knew me before I knew myself, and stayed anyway. DAllies whose loyalty I've earned — and tested — and whose ambitions align with mine, for now. EA crew of brilliant, curious, principled people from every corner of known space. NEXT QUESTION → 05 What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are. AI want to use it to protect — and I'm terrified of what I might become if I'm not careful. BI distrust it. The most important power in this story is the courage to give it up. CI want to earn it — through knowledge, through effort, through becoming someone worthy of it. DI want to wield it. Preferably before someone else decides to wield it against me. EI want to understand it — its structures, its limits, its ethical dimensions. Power without accountability is the real threat. NEXT QUESTION → 06 How does your universe treat good and evil? A world's moral architecture tells you more about it than any map. AThere is a dark side and a light side — and the choice between them is always present, always personal. BEvil is real and ancient and patient — and goodness, however small, is the only thing that can undo it. CGood and evil are real, but they live inside people — and people are complicated, always capable of both. DGood and evil are mostly a matter of perspective and proximity. Power is the only honest currency. EEvil is usually the result of ignorance, fear, or broken systems — and understanding it is the first step to solving it. NEXT QUESTION → 07 What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying? AThe reluctant hero — ordinary origins, extraordinary moment, changed forever by the choice to act. BThe unlikely carrier — the one nobody expected to matter most, quietly bearing the weight of everything. CThe student — not yet who I'll become, learning through every mistake, growing into something the world needs. DThe player — sharp enough to see the game for what it is, ambitious enough to try to win it. EThe explorer — drawn to the unknown, driven by curiosity, most alive when standing somewhere no one has stood before. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you. AThat hope is real — that even in the darkest galaxy, a new hope is always possible. CThat even the smallest person can change the course of the future, if they have the courage to try. CThat love and friendship and doing what's right will matter in the end, even when everything says otherwise. DThat the wheel keeps turning — that power shifts, winters end, and what endures is those willing to fight for it. EThat humanity — or whatever we become — is capable of extraordinary things, if we choose to be. REVEAL MY UNIVERSE → Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose. Star WarsYou believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast. You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance. You'd find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources. Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story. The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is. Lord of the RingsYou understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world's beauty is worth protecting even at great cost. Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate. You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival. Tolkien's universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance. Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world. Harry PotterYou believe that love, loyalty, and doing what's right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise. The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle. You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete. Harry Potter's universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying. That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely. Game of ThronesYou see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it. Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation. You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don't confuse the world as it is with the world as you'd like it to be. Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer. Winter always comes. You are already prepared. Star TrekYou believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation. Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear. You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is. The Federation is the universe's most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better? You don't just hope that's possible. You think it's the only thing worth working toward. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 'Cowboy Bebop' (1998–1999) Image via Sunrise Cowboy Bebop is an absolute classic not just when it comes to anime, but animated television shows as a whole. With phenomenal animation quality by the likes of the studio Sunrise, the visual fidelity of this series is gorgeous. The series takes on a retro-futuristic design style, noir-inspired lighting, and very distinct character designs. The major standout for Cowboy Bebop is the storytelling, though. There's a lot of soft storytelling, taking its time to reveal who the characters truly are, worldbuilding, and expanding on the main plot. With only 26 episodes to experience, it doesn't concern itself with fluff, and sticks straight to its story for the entire series run. 'One Piece' (1999–Present) Image via Toei Animation When the topic of the longest-running television series gets brought up, one of the first and most prominent names to pop up is the legendary One Piece. With over 1,000 episodes and counting, this may seem daunting to start, but anyone who has given it a shot will say one thing for certain: One Piece is worth it, beyond a shadow of a doubt—for different reasons across its many points in airing. It's excellent enough to get a live-action adaptation and have it actually end up good, which is saying something when it comes to animated shows. Even when One Piece has its standard anime filler episodes, they are written incredibly well and make them all well worth the watch and still important to the characters and their arcs, even if not for the primary plot. So, safe to say, this project is written exceptionally well the whole way through. As animation has progressed over time, though, One Piece has become one of the most well-animated television series of all time, thanks to Toei Animation. 'Attack on Titan' (2013–2023) Image via Wit Studio There's no question that, without a doubt, Attack on Titan is one of the most popular modern anime of all time. There aren't many times when an anime blows up so much that it also completely takes over the West. While old school anime did so with shows like One Piece and Dragon Ball Z, the modern day has series like the one, the only, Attack on Titan. While the animation by both Wit Studio (Seasons 1–3) and MAPPA (Season 4) is unbelievably gorgeous and jaw-dropping, it's the writing behind it by original mangaka Hajime Isayama that makes this product a home run. With a storyline that is truly thought-provoking and also brings mind-bending twists and turns (in Season 4, especially), Attack on Titan has remained unforgettable. 'The Spectacular Spider-Man' (2008–2009) Image via Sony Pictures Television The ever-famous superhero known as Spider-Man has been around for quite some time, meaning he's had plenty of chances to show his stuff on television. While he's had some great adaptations over the years, many fans would agree that the best is, without a doubt, The Spectacular Spider-Man. Overseen by the excellent Greg Weisman and Victor Cook, this two-season series is one of the greatest adaptations of Spider-Man ever put to screen. The Spectacular Spider-Man is one of the most well-written Spidey stories out there. The character development, plot progression, inventive reinventions of classic characters, and the interpersonal drama at play all carry this show to the top of the list of best Spider-Man variants. In fact, it is so popular that there's a large online movement, pressed forth by the hashtag #savethespectacularspiderman. He even got an inclusion in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, most likely because of how immensely popular he is, which is only possible because of the genuinely phenomenal quality of The Spectacular Spider-Man. 'Batman: The Animated Series' (1992–1995) Image via Warner Bros. Animation Batman: The Animated Series is one of the most hailed animated television shows of all time, and for extremely valid reasons. Brought to life by the iconic Bruce Timm, creator of pretty much the entire DCAU (DC Animated Universe), this is an early example of a family-friendly show not treating the kids watching as dumb and being honest and truthful with its storytelling. With a stellar voice cast—most notably Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as Joker—the wonderful teleplays for each episode are brought to life with grace. The writing is honest, raw, and genuine, keeping this as something that's not too mature for kids, but tells stories that truly matter and have stuck with people to this very day. 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' (2005–2008) Image via Nickelodeon Ask anyone, and a majority of television/animation fans will say that Avatar: The Last Airbender—despite being a Nickelodeon show made for all audiences—is one of the greatest television series of the generation. It has some of the best character work and animation, and manages to not have filler, despite the kind of series it is (animation for families). Avatar: The Last Airbender truly feels like lightning in a bottle. The standard it sets for animated shows is abundantly high, with few being able to top it. To this day, the fanbase continues to be extremely strong and dedicated to the franchise because of their love of this absurdly good show. As stated, the character work is out of this world, and it keeps people invested for the entire series' run. Avatar: The Last Airbender Release Date 2005 - 2008 Network Nickelodeon Cast Zach Tyler Eisen Aang (voice) Showrunner Michael Dante DiMartino Directors Giancarlo Volpe, Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan, Dave Filoni, Joaquim Dos Santos, Anthony Lioi Writers Tim Hedrick, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Joshua Hamilton, James Eagan, Joann Estoesta, Nick Malis, May Chan, Katie Mattila Franchise(s) Avatar Main Genre Animation Seasons 3 Producers Bryan Konietzko Creator(s) Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko Story By michael dante dimartino Streaming Service(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Bryan Konietzko