Cartoon Index

The following list of cartoon titles includes every animated series that has been broadcast on a television network or released as a series of theatrical short films in English-speaking countries from the beginning of film animation to the present *(see note below). Original series available from subscription-based streaming services are also included.

To be included, a series must consist of at least three individual episodes using the same title. Animated feature films, one-shot specials, direct-to-video releases, motion comics, stop-motion animation, and other assorted miscellany fall outside the scope of the list. Anime series are only listed when they’re released from an outlet that doesn’t specialize in anime.

The following definitions explain the  —{ additional information }  fragment as it applies to relevant titles.

• Anthology Series: A show consisting of past episodes or short films from more than one original series that share a common theme, but are otherwise unrelated.
• Compilation Series: A show consisting of two or more segments with different titles that together form a single show. For example, The Yogi Bear Show contained the segments Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss, and Yakky Doodle. The titles for both The Yogi Bear Show and Yogi Bear appear under the same year: one representing the compilation show, and the other the segment. Many early cartoon series followed this format.
• Interstitial Program: A series of short, stand-alone segments that make up the regular part of a longer show, inserted for the purpose of filling time or of acting as a narrative bridge between the longer segments of a show.
• Programming Block: An arrangement of programs under an umbrella title, grouped together by genre, theme or target audience in order to attract and hold viewers for a long period of time.
• Rerun Series: A show that replays episodes of a series that has already ended its original broadcast run. The title of the rerun series must be different from that of the original show to be listed.
• Segment: A series with its own title, shown alongside other titled series as part of a single, larger show. “Show-within-a-show” segments are treated as individual segments if they have their own storyline, removed from the action of the show’s primary segment.
• Showcase Series: A program devoted to showing a variety of original animated segments that would, by themselves, be considered standalone films and not part of a series.
• Theatrical Shorts: Animated short films originally produced for the theater (mostly prior to the 1960s) and shown as a precursor to the main feature — e.g., Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Silly Symphonies, etc.

Anthology series, compilation series, rerun series, and showcase series are only included if at least roughly half the show is devoted to animation. A show’s individual, animated segments are included, even if the program they are part of is not.

*The list was originally exclusive to series shown in the United States. When the option to  “show U.S. broadcast details”  is selected, a result similar to  —U.S. (1986)  shows the date the series premiered in the United States, when it differs from the series’ original, foreign broadcast date. A result of  —U.S. (NA)  indicates the series was never shown in the US.