Animation is one of the most expansive forms of storytelling, with characters and situations that provide a true escape from reality with limits that extend as far as your imagination. One company taking this mindset to heart is Netflix, whose animated shows and films have provided some of the most exciting stories of the last 20 years.

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Many of these stories are entirely original in concept and execution, while others adapt something from the past and bring a new spin on their characters and story. However, all of them provide not just unique stories and characters but have helped define the path animation is taking in the present moment.

10) 'Carmen Sandiego'

Carmen Sandiego and her crew

She is one of the most infamous villains in Saturday morning history, but this was the show that gave the world’s greatest thief a brand-new perspective. A long time ago, a girl was adopted and trained by V.I.L.E Academy to become a master thief. Upon a change of heart, she sets out to take down her former masters by either stopping their plans outright or stealing from them first and returning their prizes.

Gina Rodriguez reinvents Carmen by giving her a sympathetic edge while also providing her signature charisma in a fun heist series for the whole family.

9) 'Trollhunters'

Trollhunters

Created by Dreamworks and acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro, this series is the first in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy. It all begins when Young Jim Lake Jr. (Anton Yelchin (episodes 1–41) and Emile Hirsch, onward) and his friends stumble upon a magical world inhabited by trolls. With the aid of his new mentors, Jim becomes stuck between a double life as a regular teenager and protecting his home from ancient monsters.

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Del Toro creates a unique and detailed world full of exciting characters, with mysterious creatures that, much like his films, are both grotesque and enchanting at the same time.

8) 'Disenchantment'

Bean-Elfo-and-Luci-ready-for-a-fight
Image via Netflix

The third series from creative legend Matt Groening lives up to its creator's name. Disenchantment takes place in a magical land where alcoholic Princess Bean (Abbi Jacobson) and her two best friends Luci the demon (Eric André) and Elfo the elf (Nat Faxon) go on adventures and, in general, mess things up for the kingdom.

What Groening brought to the family sitcom and sci-fi, he brings a fun and suitably cynical take on fantasy as Bean and her friends battle against witches, satanic worshippers, and discover new lands run by inventors rather than wizards.

7) 'Inside Job'

Reagan Ridley, played by Lizzy Caplan, and coworker Brett staring in horror in Inside Job
Image via Netflix

This series follows Cognito, Inc., the underground government agency covering up every central conspiracy theory and secret development on the planet. Socially awkward agent Reagan Ridley (Lizzy Caplan) and her new yes-man partner Brett Hand (Clark Duke) deal with evil robot presidents, talking psychic mushrooms, and moth-men – just the average day-to-day operations of this organization.

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Featuring fun performances from Caplan, Duke, and Christian Slater, this series pokes fun at the absurdity of conspiracy theories and government cover-ups and allows the viewers to care about the main characters, especially Reagan.

6) 'Castlevania'

Castlevania heroes

Inspired by the video game series of the same name, this gothic-tinged series takes less after the Saturday morning cartoon Captain N and much more after the gritty anime Attack on Titan. Monster Hunter Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage) is Wallachia’s only hope against the army of demons led by Dracula (Graham McTavish) himself, enacting revenge after his wife got burned at the stake. Thankfully, Trevor has allies in the form of Syphia (Alejandra Reynoso), a magician, and Alucard (James Callis), the son of the impaler himself.

It is brutally dark, genuinely scary, and violently bloody. It expands on the video game’s story while providing greater detail and perspective on its characters; all expressed in beautiful and striking animation.

5) 'Masters of the Universe: Revelations'

He-Man Revelations

Filmmaker Kevin Smith puts a bold new spin on the classic toy line and animated series. In the faraway world of Eternia, He-Man (Chris Wood) and Skeletor (Mark Hamill) have vanished. The kingdom has fallen into disarray, with bounty hunters and villains ruling the lands. Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Man-At-Arms (Liam Cunningham), Orko (Griffin Newman), and even Evil-Lyn (Lena Headey) must find the Sword of Power and stop the planet from dying.

This series brings back characters from the original He-Man series while putting a dark and mature spin on the tone. With Eternia’s greatest hero and villain gone, the stakes and consequences are higher than ever.

4) 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'

She-Ra and Team

This cult hit proved to be a ground-breaking reinvention of the 80s powerhouse. One day on the planet Etheria, young soldier Adora (Aimee Carrero) finds a magic sword, transforming her into the titular hero, She-Ra. Upon escaping from the Fright Zone, she sets out to unite all the princesses on her planet to fight in a revolution against the evil emperor Hordak and his aide, Adora’s former best friend Cattra (AJ Michalka).

This series spans across dozens of different lands, with a wide cast of characters providing comedy, drama, and above all other things, love.

3) 'Green Eggs and Ham'

Green Eggs and Ham

This series expands the classic, 50-word Dr. Seuss book into a 13-episode adventure saga. Sam-I-Am (Adam DeVine) and his begrudging new best friend, Guy-Am-I (Michael Douglas), go on a quest to Meepville to return a captured animal, a Chickeraffe, to his natural habitat. Along the way, they deal with love, trust, friendship, and how to appreciate good food along the way.

One wouldn’t think this book would adapt well to this format, but it proved to be a delightful surprise for viewers everywhere. The animation brings Seuss’ world to life with beautiful vibrancy and surprisingly layered characters and messages.

2) 'Hilda'

Hilda

Based on the graphic novel series, Hilda is about its titular protagonist (Bella Ramsey), moving into a Scandinavian-inspired city called Trollberg. With the help of her new best friends, David (Oliver Nelson) and Frida (Ameerah Falzon-Ojo), she makes every day into a new adventure, journeying to find strange creatures such as trolls, elves, ghosts, and even dangerous monsters.

It’s a relaxing, mellow series with a distinctly European flavor. The lead characters are charming, the inhabitants of this world are creative, and the story promotes a message of understanding since, with few exceptions, nobody in Trollberg is truly good or evil.

1) 'Bojack Horseman'

Bojack and Todd

Bojack Horseman is a series that many have called one of the greatest TV shows ever made. Back in the ’90s, Bojack Horseman (Will Arnett) was in a very famous TV show called Horsin’ Around, but now is a washed-up, depressed has-been. Bojack navigates his life in Hollywoo with roommate Todd (Aaron Paul), new friend and ghostwriter Diane (Alison Brie), his rival Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), and his agent/ex-girlfriend Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris).

Apart from many hilarious moments, this show takes an uncomfortably close look at celebrity culture, depression, and relationships, all dealing with past trauma and self-inadequacies and, in many respects, doing it better than other shows that tackle similar subject matter.

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