Best Animated TV Series Openings

Here we go! Another totally subjective list to argue and debate over. This week I figured we’d discuss animated television series openings. Yes, they are pretty hit or miss but we have plenty of good ones to talk about. 

Right off the bat I’ll say mine are skewed towards the ones I grew up with. Lots of 70s and 80s pickings. Your picks will be different. And that’s OK. I don’t want to see a lot of crying in the comments below. And I’m not an anime guy so don’t get on me for not including any here.

Here we go…

The Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones. The song said it all in a catchy little song that told you all you needed to know about the family. You can’t mess with classics and this one is a definite classic.

While you might be saying the OTHER openings is better, I’ll remind you that the one you’re referring to is for the MOVIE and not the TELEVISION series. Like any good opening, this set up little kids expectations and was a staple of my childhood.

Can you talk about GI Joe with Transformers? Absolutely not. Yes, cartoons in the 80s were glorified advertisements for toys but they gave us some pretty entertaining cartoons and comics.

Let’s keep the 80s love going! Yelling, “I have the power!” was a common theme for many kids back in the day and this cartoon supplied so many classic moments…and just as many memes today. 

Here’s one that doesn’t get the love it deserves. Silverhawks came on in the mornings when I was young so usually I was half asleep watching this but I fondly remember the opening. Yes, the cartoon was cliche and very by the numbers but it had so much potential. Plus, the visuals still hold up today!

BOOM! Probably one of my favorite songs for a cartoon series of all time. Ridiculously catchy and the cartoon itself is immensely entertaining. Yes, it’s a series based on a clothing line but the song raises it to another level.

OK, this one might be a bit hard to swallow because of its simplicity but that’s why it makes my list. 

This one was a little after my time but thanks to younger siblings I was able to enjoy it on many levels. Darkwing Duck was just a plain cool opening that drew you in and promised you a good time. And it delivered. 

A no-brainer. 

A catchy little song to a fun little cartoon. It let you know what to expect and while the episodes were formulaic…which was the norm with the majority of them…I still find myself humming this one from time to time. 

This came out the year I was born but it was still on in reruns and I remember this so I consider it my first animated series that made an impression. I even have a vintage TV that I still rock from time to time that gets several nods and compliments when I wear it. 

I can’t tell you how I know this 60s classic but it’s embedded in my brain. The song is easy to remember but I couldn’t tell you about a single episode. It’s a gift and a curse. While 

Another classic and one of my favorite Andy Kaufman skits. That reference will go over the majority of your heads but it’s true. 

This should have been included in the 80s batch above but I just remembered it…which will happen with a bunch of other shows after I post it but that’s life. I’m sure a number of you will provide all the ones I missed. And that’s OK.

The perfect bookend to The Flintstones at the start of this! They don’t make them like this anymore. Simple yet effective. Tells you what you need to know and does it with style. Isn’t that what’s it all about?