4 Must-See New Kids' Cartoons

Kids’ cartoons.  There used to be a time when saying “cartoons” – specifically, Western animation – is already enough, as it was assumed that they were for kids.  Now, with many shows like The Venture Bros. and Rick and Morty around, classifying which ones are for kids and which ones are exclusively for adults is somewhat of a necessity.

Anyway, I’m currently following four new (and by “new”, I mean having debuted last year or this year) ongoing kids’ animated series.  For me, they offer delightful kid-friendly entertainment, but can be enjoyed by adults – specifically, of my generation – on a different level as well.

These are…

DuckTales

This reboot of the much adored 80’s animated series is not only oozing with nostalgic appeal, but also successfully revitalizes the property for modern audiences.  With only the pilot released so far, it has already a lot of things going for it that makes me think it can surpass the original.

First, it looks like Donald Duck is going to be a more active part of the show.  In comparison, in the original, Donald only appeared in the first episode (if I remember it correctly), unceremoniously leaving Huey, Dewey, and Louie with Uncle Scrooge to join the Navy.

Second, David Tennant is voicing Scrooge McDuck, and he’s really making the character he’s own.  No disrespect to Alan Young, the original voice actor for Scrooge, but this is the Tenth Doctor we’re talking about.

Third, it’s confirmed that Darkwing Duck is going to make an appearance!  I’ve wanted this for so long.  As a kid, I often wondered why DuckTales never crossed over with Darkwing Duck when they shared common characters like Launchpad McQuack and Gizmoduck.  Speaking of Gizmoduck, he’s also confirmed to appear (as well as other characters from the original cartoon and from the classic Gladstone comics) and is to be voiced by Lin Manuel-Miranda (the rapper/composer known for Hamilton and the songs of Moana).  I wish the rest of the Justice Ducks does, too.

And, fourth, not only is Darkwing Duck tied up to the show, but it’s hinted, via Easter eggs, that Goof Troop, TaleSpin, and other old Disney cartoons could cross over as well.  If this actually happens, then, the DuckTales reboot may truly be the best thing that ever happened to TV.

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Here’s another reboot that works wonderfully.

I already praised it in my review earlier this year.  But it’s only after watching its third season last month – when the dynamics are further shaken up in interesting ways, and important secrets are revealed – that I began to love it.

Really excited for season 4, which is just around the corner – next month, to be exact!

Justice League Action

Ever since last year – when it made my list for best TV shows – it rarely lets up in being utterly adorable and humorous (season one is still ongoing, as it’s set for 52 episodes; I’ve seen 33 so far).  With the episodes being stand-alone, bite-sized romps featuring a rotating set of characters, the show effectively offers an undemanding but clever, thoroughly kid-friendly translation of the DC Universe.  Heck, it’s even able to brilliantly depict traditionally “dark” characters like John Constantine, Swamp Thing, and Etrigan the Demon in an endearing “G” manner.

Spider-Man

I’ve only seen the first three episodes so far, and I can’t guarantee that I would be around for the long run.  It depends on how it eventually goes.

Nonetheless, at this point, I think it’s very, very promising.  It even feels like the spiritual successor of Spectacular Spider-Man (a beloved, fantastic Spidey animated series that was prematurely cancelled after only two seasons without providing any form of closure, to every fan’s frustration).

I love how Spider-Man – also known as Marvel’s Spider-Man – contains a lot of the familiar Spider-Man mythology, but still entirely different in its presentation.  It has a good balance of traditional elements and fresh twists.  In addition, it’s seemingly going to develop its own storylines rather than follow the framework of popular storylines from the comic books.

The most intriguing of all its spins is that Miles Morales, a.k.a. the other Spider-Man in the comics, is also in the show.  More interestingly, he’s a classmate of Peter Parker.  In the comics, since Peter Parker is already an adult in the present continuity, the two have a mentor-protégé relationship.  But, in this cartoon, being in the same age group will result to some intriguing dynamic between the two Spideys – for I’m all but certain that Miles will do some web-slinging himself in due course.