In recent years, audiences have stopped associating animation, in both movies and TV shows, with children's media. Though there are many great animated series for kids, and some grapple with serious subjects, the landscape of adult animation has been booming for a long time. Adult-oriented shows have the luxury of being able to show more graphic and intense violence onscreen since there are no live-action limitations, as well as touching upon dark themes like loss, grief, and the emergence of dangerous new technologies. Typically blending genres like sci-fi and fantasy, there's little that animated shows can't do.

All the best adult animated TV shows push themselves to take advantage of the genre, experimenting with interesting art styles and crafting intricate characters. As adult animation becomes more mainstream and tells stories that rival the best of prestige TV, it's even more exciting when a new addition to the genre premieres, even if it's short-lived. However, the great thing about all of these series is that they have dedicated fan bases who have kept the momentum and love for the projects alive and will continue to do so in the future.

9 Castlevania (2017–2021)

This vampire story gets to play with the darkness of the genre

One of the best vampire TV shows of all time, Castlevania did a lot to revitalize the genre, especially within the field of animation. Loosely based on the video game series of the same name, Castlevania is undoubtedly a horror show, leaning into the demonic tendencies of the magic and monsters of its universe. However, one thing every character in Castlevania has in common is that they're motivated by a dark and tragic backstory that pushes them far enough to either disregard their humanity or keep fighting despite the world's despair.

Castlevania uses an animation style similar to anime and uses these techniques within the fight sequences, making them all the more thrilling and dynamic. The series enjoys playing with the myths and legends that have followed vampires, particularly Dracula, throughout history, making us all afraid of the dark. However, Castlevania is quick to point out that the vampires are far from the only villains in the story, with humans proving themselves capable of just as much evil.

8 Scavengers Reign (2023)

HBO's short-lived sci-fi series told an epic story

It's not uncommon for a sci-fi series to be set on an alien planet, but few shows have taken advantage of this concept as effectively as Scavenger's Reign. The setting of the world where the characters have crash-landed is one of Scavenger's Reign's biggest strengths, as it instantly immerses the viewer in the danger and beauty of this unknown land. Each character goes on a journey throughout Scavenger's Reign that reflects the issues and fallibility they presented in their daily life, now heightened in this survival situation.

It's a shame that the series was canceled after season 1. The world of Scavengers Reign is one that viewers can get lost in, even if it's a little scary. However, the show does an amazing job of highlighting how beauty and terror always go hand-in-hand and that there are natural worlds untouched by human selfishness. Though the show doesn't struggle to relate to real life and communicate its message about society, it never fails to fully transport you into the high stakes of its survival story.

7 BoJack Horseman (2015–2020)

As BoJack Horseman evolved, it went from a satirical comedy to a searing exploration of fame

Widely regarded as one of the best TV shows of the 2010s, BoJack Horseman went through a significant evolution throughout its six-season run. Following the titular antihero, BoJack Horseman, as he attempts to rebuild his fame and is ultimately brought down by his unresolved trauma and inability to process his experiences, BoJack Horseman tackles very real issues through its slightly fantastical world. The best episodes of BoJack Horseman are typically the least comedic, fully embracing the darkness of the story.

BoJack is not a good guy, and many of his actions throughout the seasons make him go from dislikable to a true villain. However, BoJack Horseman deftly avoids moralizing or sensationalizing its narrative, presenting all of the characters as full individuals who are equally capable of growth and failure. BoJack Horseman holds a mirror up to the contemporary concepts of fame and success, forcing the viewer not just to grapple with BoJack's flaws but also the structure of the society that enables him.

6 The Midnight Gospel (2020)

This limited series examines deep philosophies with trippy visuals

The Midnight Gospel has a unique premise. It adapts a series of podcast episodes led by one of the show's creators, Duncan Trussell, and infuses the conversations into alternate realities that the main character travels to. Trussel voices Clancy, the space traveler who enters visually stimulating and often dangerous worlds to interview the residents of these planets. Each episode takes on a heavy topic, but one of the most memorable is the final episode, where Trussel and his mother, Deneen Fendig, discuss her illness and eventual ing.

It's an incredibly emotional conclusion to the series, making it almost impossible not to cry in the show's final moments.

It's an incredibly emotional conclusion to the series, making it almost impossible not to cry in the show's final moments. While the installment touches upon subjects like death, magic, the afterlife, and similar topics, when The Midnight Gospel makes these issues personal, it invites the viewer to reflect on their own experiences. While The Midnight Gospel isn't as traditionally dark as other animated shows, it's the most emotionally intensive, asking the audience to go on a serious journey many times over.

5 Invincible (2021–Present)

The bloody violence is only one part of Invincible's unforgettable impact

Invincible is a TV show that's impossible not to get hooked on, quickly becoming a crossover hit with viewers who weren't familiar with the original comic book series. However, for those who've read the graphic novels, the borderline-shocking level of gore that's a key feature of Invincible didn't come as a surprise. A bloody and compelling twist on the superhero genre, Invincible lets its characters have it, pushing them to the brink of death and emotional devastation every season.

While all the characters experience this, the audience is particularly invested in Mark's story, as he is hit the hardest by the harsh realities of the world of Invincible​​​​​​. The series's tone is set instantly, with unflinching, prolonged battle scenes and some of the rawest dialogue heard in any TV show, animated or not. Watching Invincible before you're ready will change the way you look at animation forever. Mark's emotional journey on Invincible will be ed for years to come.

4 Pantheon (2022–2023)

The future of technological development is more sinister than ever in Pantheon

The sci-fi thriller series Pantheon is one of the most underrated animated shows of the 2020s, as it grapples with the intersection of humanity and technology. As the innovation of the future starts progressing too quickly to control, the young protagonist, Maddie, becomes the epicenter of the fallout. Set in a world where people's consciousness can be ed to a cloud, and this is happening to individuals without their consent, it doesn't take long for the implications of Pantheon to get scary.

As the twisting plot grows more complex and high-concept, Pantheon becomes a TV show that you have to sit up and pay attention to.

Pantheon isn't just engaging because of its story, but also because of how its themes so clearly reflect the dangerous era of surveillance and the loss of digital agency that draws closer every day. Additionally, Maddie is a great lead character because she has a personal connection to the narrative, which interweaves with her experience of grieving the loss of her father. As the twisting plot grows more complex and high-concept, Pantheon becomes a TV show that you have to sit up and pay attention to.

3 Primal (2019–Present)

With gorgeous visuals & sparse dialogue, Primal never struggles to communicate its themes

Children might love dinosaurs, but the prehistoric creatures in Primal are not the friendly lizards found in typical kids' media. What initially set Primal apart from other adult animated series was the fact that there was no dialogue in season 1, with the Neanderthal protagonist, Spear, who s forces with the T-Rex, Fang. Though the gore and action of Primal are often what critics and audiences discuss the most, it's the tragic inciting events that define the show most of all.

Fang and Spear lose their families in the first episode, and the grief and rage they feel in the aftermath color all of their actions as the series progresses. However, Primal shines a light on how the characters learn to grapple with these big feelings, even as they fight their way through the ancient, untamed landscape. The series revels in the beauty of chaos and the lack of civilization, engaging with these themes further in season 2, when Fang and Spear come into with a larger world that doesn't share their sensibilities.

2 Love, Death & Robots (2019–Present)

An anthology series that will rock audiences to their cores

Often drawing comparisons to the live-action series Black Mirror, Love, Death & Robots is a dystopian anthology series that showcases how well-suited animation is to this format. Even if audiences don't connect with one episode of Love, Death & Robots, the next installment will have an entirely new art style and storyline, creating something for everyone. However, one thing that every part of the series has in common is the terrifying and electrifying version of reality they portray.

Whether it's a technologically advanced future, a mythological past, or a terrifying alternate reality that hits a little too close to home, there's always a deeper message to be found within the world of Love, Death & Robots. Since it airs on Netflix, the show doesn't have to hold back in of graphic violence or sex, infusing both into many episodes. Animation allows the characters and stories to go further than they typically do in live-action, and Love, Death & Robots takes full advantage of this.

1 Arcane (2021–2024)

The lasting impact of Arcane will be felt in animation for years to come

Netflix's critically acclaimed series based on the world of League of Legends, Arcane, is one of the best TV shows based on video games. Brilliantly blending the look and feel of the action-packed games with an emotionally resonant and nuanced story, Arcane covered a lot of ground in its short two-season run, gaining favor with an audience base who will never forget the project. Full of gory violence and tragic loss, Arcane isn't just meant for adult viewers because of its visuals, but also because of its intense stories.

Arcane is a story about grief and loss, never shying away from the sacrifices the characters make to fight for a better future. It's not always easy to watch Arcane​​​​​​, as the beloved characters the viewer gets to know suffer through unimaginable pain. Of course, there is a silver lining in Arcane. Glimmers of hope are built into the story, so it's not non-stop pain. However, older audiences will fully understand the weight of the events onscreen.