The 2000s were a great time for cartoons - they were still riding the experimental waves of the ’90s while expanding into new territories of storytelling. While some shows were larger and more successful than others, a few hidden gems managed to entertain audiences with their unique yarns.
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A lot of these cartoons are nothing more than blips in people’s memories, but there is still something special about the time and place they existed in. Everyone has a favorite cartoon, yet it is the forgotten treasures that often return to people’s minds during a nostalgia trip.
9My Gym Partner’s A Monkey
What a premise. A human boy with the last name Lyon is mistakenly sent to a middle school for animals where he becomes fast friends with Jake the monkey. The animation really did justice to the middle school zoo metaphor, by turning the stereotypical American school into a literal zoo.
The craziness ofMy Gym Partner’s a Monkeymade forsome really great comedy that still holds up to this day. The cartoon produced four seasons and over 50 episodes, so there is a lot of content waiting for people looking to revisit this show.
8Static Shock
One of thecooler superheroshows of the ’00s, albeit one of the lesser-known series as well,Static Shockwas one of the first cartoons to feature an African-American protagonist in the superhero genre. After teenager Virgil Hawkins is exposed to a strange chemical, he gains electrical superpowers that both complicate and excite his once mundane life.
Numerous super villains, social issues, and personal stressors were tackled in this progressive cartoon. Fans of the DC Animated Universe’s more famous shows likeBatman: The Animated SeriesandJustice League Unlimitedshould giveStatic Shocka try.
7Evil Con Carne
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandyis instantly recognizable to kids who grew up watching the demented cartoon, but those same children might not remember its partner in crime,Evil Con Carne. When an evil genius is blown to smithereens, his assistant places his brain and stomach in a giant dim-witted bear.
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The subsequent madness is hysterical.Both a parody of super spies and the villains they chase after,Evil Con Carnewas short-lived but had all the magic and animated goodness ofThe Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.
6Xavier: Renegade Angel
As the wild card of cartoons,Adult Swimis known for outlandish animated programming, butXavier: Renegade Angelreally goes above and beyond to set itself apart. The show is a pretty loose structure, following Xavier, a strange bird-man hybrid who journeys across what can only be described as an Apocalyptic wasteland on a spiritual quest of dubious nature.
The graphics look like they were ripped straight from a badPlayStation 2game, but the writing is comedy gold and some of thefunniest, mind-warping bitsAdult Swim has ever conjured up are at full throttle in this show.
5Clone High
Another show renowned for its writing but often forgotten by the masses,Clone Highis the amalgamation of teen high school shows and astute comedy writing. The show follows a high school that is entirely composed of clones of famous historical figures.
Certainly a strange premise, the show is actually a clever parody of cheesy 2000s high school comedies and history’s most renowned figures.Clone Highonly lasted for 13 episodes, but it delivers quality over quantity.
4Codename: Kids Next Door
One of the coolest animated series from the 2000s,Codename: Kids Next Doormade every kid in the neighborhood want to be a super spy. The show follows a gang of kids, who are portrayed in this cartoon universe as a resilient agency fighting against the oppressive tyranny of adults and their conniving schemes.
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While the distinct treehouse,wicked cool gadgets, and over-the-top action scenes ensured this show had more personality than most cartoons, it was the beloved characters that madeCodename: Kids Next Doorsilly, all while maintaining some serious creative heart and soul.
3Whatever Happened To… Robot Jones?
Another cartoon that took the school setting and flipped it on its head,this time with a robot!Robot Jones is a curious robot intent on researching as much information on humans as possible. The show has an eerie ’80s vibe and tackled a lot of common problems kids face in schools – all under the guise of an innocent robot trying to learn about human nature.
2Martin Mystery
Mystery solving is nothing new to the world of cartoons, butMartin Mysterywas genuinely interesting and used real-world cryptids and hauntings to influence the show’s format. Similar to theX-Files,Martin Mysteryfollowstwo mismatched supernatural hunters as they travel the worldin search of monsters, ghosts, aliens, and everything in between.
Martin Mysterycould be pretty creepy for a children’s show, but overall the lighthearted vibes of the cartoon gave it an enduring quality of spooky coziness.
1Code Lyoko
A merge of 2D and 3D animation styles,Code Lyokois still as artistically interesting as it was in the mid-2000s. A gang of friends who all attend the same academy are thrust into a digitized computer world where they fight against a villainous program hellbent on destroying the real world.
An awesome show that explored the possibilities and dangers of the digital realm,Code Lyokolasted for four seasons and was highly rated throughout its run.
