View source for Animated series

{{Refimprove|date=February 2024}}
{{short description|Set of animated works with a common series title}}
{{for|the technology|History of animation}}
An '''animated series''' (or a '''cartoon series'''<ref name="encanim">{{cite book|last=Lenburg|first=Jeff|year=2009|title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/mode/2up|edition=3rd|location=New York, NY|publisher=Facts On File|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/page/n11/mode/2up XI]|isbn=978-0-8160-6599-8|access-date=2025-06-18}}</ref>) is a set of [[Animation|animated]] films with a common title, usually related to one another. These [[episode]]s typically share the same main heroes, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can either have a finite number of episodes like,<ref name="toonsmag">{{Cite web|url=https://www.toonsmag.com/animated-films-vs-animated-series|title=Animated Films vs. Animated Series: The Ultimate Battle for Viewer Loyalty|last=Rahman|first=Arifur|website=Toons Mag|access-date=2025-06-18|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430033535/https://www.toonsmag.com/animated-films-vs-animated-series|archive-date=2025-04-30}}</ref> for example, [[miniseries]], a definite end, or be open-ended, without a predetermined number of episodes.<ref name="encanim438">{{cite book|last=Lenburg|first=Jeff|year=2009|title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/mode/2up|edition=3rd|location=New York, NY|publisher=Facts On File|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/page/438/mode/2up 438]|isbn=978-0-8160-6599-8|access-date=2025-06-18}}</ref> They can be released on television<ref name="encanim" /> or the internet,<ref name="toonsmag" /> in movie theaters<ref name="encanim" /><ref name="bigenc">{{Cite web|url=https://bigenc.ru/c/animatsionnyi-serial-25d17b|title=Анимационный сериал|last=Федюшин|first=Владислав Валерьевич|date=2023-10-06|website=Научно-образовательный портал «Большая российская энциклопедия»|trans-work=Great Russian Encyclopedia Online|language=ru|trans-title=Animated series|access-date=2025-02-10|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204055529/https://bigenc.ru/c/animatsionnyi-serial-25d17b|archive-date=2024-12-04}}</ref> or [[direct-to-video]]. Like other creative works, cartoon series can be of a wide variety of [[List of genres|genres]] and have different [[target audience]]s: both males and females, both [[Children's television series|children]] and [[adult animation|adults]].<ref name="bigenc" /><ref name="bigencanime">{{Cite web|url=https://bigenc.ru/c/anime-e62c64|title=Аниме|last=Магера|first=Юлия Александровна|date=2023-04-14|website=Научно-образовательный портал «Большая российская энциклопедия»|trans-work=Great Russian Encyclopedia Online|language=ru|trans-title=Anime|access-date=2025-06-26|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622185259/https://bigenc.ru/c/anime-e62c64|archive-date=2025-06-22}}</ref>

==Television==
{{see also|Lists of animated television series}}
Animated [[Television show|television series]] are aired daily or on certain days of the week during a prescribed [[Broadcast programming#Time slot|time slot]], including, for example, [[saturday-morning cartoon]]s, [[List of American prime time animated television series|prime time cartoon]]s, [[late night anime]], and [[weekday cartoon]]s; series broadcast only on weekends.<ref name="bigenc" />

The duration of an episode also varies. Traditionally, they are produced as half-hour or nearly half-hour cartoons; however, many are animated [[Short film|shorts]] of 10 — 11 minutes, which can be combined for filling a set time period in "segments" including several such shorts. When advertising is taken into account, the cartoon itself may be only 15 — 20 minutes of the half hour, although [[Netflix]] and many other [[List of streaming media services|streaming services]] do not show commercials. There are also series with very short episodes lasting approximately five minutes; they have recently become more common in [[anime|Japanese animation]].

If a local station of a television network broadcasts an animated series as a part of its own programming, the time-slot will vary by region.

All early cartoon television series, the first being ''[[Crusader Rabbit]]'' (1950 — 1959), are comedy. However, later series include sports<ref name="bigenc" /> (''[[Speed Racer]]'', ''[[Captain Tsubasa]]'', ''[[Slam Dunk (manga)|Slam Dunk]]''), action (''[[Hajime no Ippo]]'',<ref name="bigenc" /> ''[[G.I. Joe]]''), science fiction (''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'',<ref name="bigencanime" /> ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]''), drama (''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''), adventure (''[[Dragon Ball (TV series)|Dragon Ball]]''), martial arts (''[[Baki the Grappler]]''), and other genres.<ref name="bigenc" />

The first [[animated sitcom]] was ''[[The Flintstones]]''<ref name="bigenc" /> (1960 — 1966)<ref name="bigencsitcom">{{Cite web|url=https://bigenc.ru/c/sitkom-4d1837|title=Ситком|last=Шпоть|first=Василиса Виталиевна|date=2023-10-18|website=Научно-образовательный портал «Большая российская энциклопедия»|trans-work=Great Russian Encyclopedia Online|language=ru|trans-title=Sitcom|access-date=2025-02-19|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208023652/https://bigenc.ru/c/sitkom-4d1837|archive-date=2024-12-08}}</ref> produced by [[Hanna-Barbera]]. It was followed by other sitcoms of this studio: ''[[Top Cat]]'' (1961 — 1962), ''[[Jonny Quest (TV series)|Jonny Quest]]'' (1964 — 1965), ''[[The Jetsons]]''<ref name="bigenc" /> (1962 — 1963, 1985, 1987); and ''[[Wait Till Your Father Gets Home]]'' (1972 — 1974), an adult-oriented animated series<ref name="bigencsitcom" /> in the style of ''[[All in the Family]]''. ''[[The Alvin Show]]'' from [[Ross Bagdasarian]] and ''[[Beany and Cecil]]'' from [[Bob Clampett]] also are sitcoms.<ref name="bigenc" />

===Broadcast network===
The 1980s and 1990s were a renaissance of children's and adult cartoon television series. Various broadcast networks and media companies began creating television channels and formats designed specifically for airing cartoon series. Companies that already had these types of formats began to revamp their existing models during this time. Most of these animations were American cartoons<ref name="comicdisney">{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/d/disney.htm|title=Walt Disney|last=Knudde|first=Kjell|date=2025-04-24|website=Comiclopedia|access-date=2025-06-25|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250621222203/https://www.lambiek.net/artists/d/disney.htm|archive-date=2025-06-21}}</ref> and Japanese animes.<ref name="bigencanime" /> Listed below are examples of television networks and channels that include animation at present.
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'''American'''
* [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
* [[Discovery Family]]
* [[Nickelodeon]]<ref name="bigenc" />
* [[Nick Jr. Channel]]
* [[TeenNick]]
* [[MTV]]
* [[Comedy Central]]
* [[Disney Channel]]<ref name="bigenc" />
* [[Disney XD]]
* [[Disney Jr.]]
* [[Universal Kids]]
* [[PBS Kids]]
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'''British'''
* [[CITV]]
* [[CBeebies]]
* [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]]
* [[Pop (British and Irish TV channel)|Pop]]
* [[Tiny Pop]]
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'''Japanese'''
* [[TV Tokyo]]
* [[Kids Station]]
* [[Tokyo MX]]
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'''Canadian'''
* [[Treehouse TV]]
'''Australian'''
* [[ABC Kids (Australia)|ABC Kids]]
{{col-end}}

Examples of animation-focused networks and channels of at present are listed below; but some of them occasionally broadcast live-action shows.
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{{col-break|width=25%}}
'''American'''
* [[Cartoon Network]]<ref name="bigenc" />
** [[Cartoonito (American programming block)|Cartoonito]]
** [[Adult Swim]]
* [[Boomerang (TV network)|Boomerang]]
* [[Nicktoons (American TV channel)|Nicktoons]]
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'''South Korean'''
* [[Tooniverse]]
* [[Aniplus]]
* {{ill|AniBox|ko|애니박스}}
* {{ill|Anione|ko|애니원}}
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'''Canadian'''
* [[Cartoon Network (Canadian TV channel)|Cartoon Network]]
* [[YTV (Canadian TV channel)|YTV]]
{{col-break|width=25%}}
'''Japanese'''
* [[AT-X (TV network)|AT-X]]
{{col-end}}

During the 1990s, more mature content than those of traditional cartoon series began to appear more widely, extending beyond a primary audience of children. These cartoon series included ''[[The Simpsons]]'', ''[[South Park]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'',<ref name="bigencsitcom" /> ''[[Futurama]]'',<ref name="bigenc" /> ''[[The Ren & Stimpy Show]]'', ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'', ''[[Beavis and Butt-Head]]'', ''[[King of the Hill]]'', and ''[[Duckman]]''. Canadian computer-animated series ''[[ReBoot]]'', which began as a child-friendly show, shifted its target group to ages 12 and up, resulting in a darker and more mature storyline.<ref name="animag">Hetherington, Janet L. "As Mainframe's technology reaches adolescence, there's a 'ReBoot' Renaissance". ''[[Animation Magazine]]'' #59. Vol. 11, Issue #8, September 1997.</ref>

==Film theatrical==
{{see also|List of theatrical animated short film series}}
Animated film theatrical series include all early animated series: ''Animated Weekly'' (1913),<ref name="oejcohlarnaud">{{cite journal|last=Bastide|first=Bernard|year=2007|title=Des cabarets de Montmartre aux studios de Fort Lee: Émile Cohl et Étienne Arnaud, une amitié fertile|url=https://journals.openedition.org/1895/2473|journal=OpenEdition Journals|volume=53|language=fr|publisher=1895. Mille huit cent quatre-vingt-quinze|pages=194–209|doi=10.4000/1895.2473|access-date=2024-07-08|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326045830/https://journals.openedition.org/1895/2473|archive-date=2025-03-26}}</ref> ''The Newlyweds'' (1913 — 1915),<ref name="encanim38">{{cite book|last=Lenburg|first=Jeff|year=2009|title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/mode/2up|edition=3rd|location=New York, NY|publisher=Facts On File|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/page/38/mode/2up 38]|isbn=978-0-8160-6599-8|access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> ''Travelaughs'' (1913, 1915 — 1918, 1921 — 1923),<ref name="encanim48">{{cite book|last=Lenburg|first=Jeff|year=2009|title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/mode/2up|edition=3rd|location=New York, NY|publisher=Facts On File|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/page/48/mode/2up 48]|isbn=978-0-8160-6599-8|access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> ''[[Old Doc Yak#In other media|Doc Yak]]'' (1913 — 1915),<ref name="encanim23">{{cite book|last=Lenburg|first=Jeff|year=2009|title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/mode/2up|edition=3rd|location=New York, NY|publisher=Facts On File|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/page/22/mode/2up 23]|isbn=978-0-8160-6599-8|access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> ''[[Colonel Heeza Liar]]'' (1913 — 1917, 1922 — 1924),<ref name="encanim22">{{cite book|last=Lenburg|first=Jeff|year=2009|title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/mode/2up|edition=3rd|location=New York, NY|publisher=Facts On File|pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofan0000lenb/page/22/mode/2up 22]—23|isbn=978-0-8160-6599-8|access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> ''{{ill|Kapten Grogg|sv}}'' (1916 — 1922),<ref name="animation">{{cite book|last=Giannalberto|first=Bendazzi|year=2015|title=Animation|volume=1|location=Burlington, MA|publisher=Focal Press|page=67|isbn=9781138854529}}</ref> ''Les Aventures des Pieds Nickelés'' (1917 — 1918),<ref name="oejnickeles">{{cite journal|last=Loné|first=Éric|year=2007|title=Les Aventures des Pieds Nickelés|url=https://journals.openedition.org/1895/2593|journal=OpenEdition Journals|volume=53|language=fr|publisher=1895. Mille huit cent quatre-vingt-quinze|pages=324–325|doi=10.4000/1895.2593|access-date=2024-07-09|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215093424/https://journals.openedition.org/1895/2593|archive-date=2024-12-15}}</ref> the ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' cartoon short films released in movie theaters from 1940 to 1967, and many others.<ref name="bigenc" />

==Direct-to-video==
{{see also|List of animated direct-to-video series}}
[[Direct-to-video]] animated series include Japanese [[original video animation|OVA]] series, the first of which was the science fiction drama ''[[Dallos]]''<ref name="bigencanime" /> (1983 — 1985). Almost all [[hentai]] (pornographic) [[anime]] series are released as OVAs.

==Web series==
Animated web series are designed and produced for [[streaming provider|streaming services]]. Examples include ''[[Happy Tree Friends]]'' (1999 — present) and ''[[Eddsworld]]'' (2003 — present).

They can also be released on [[YouTube]], such as [[Asdfmovie]], which debuted in 2008.

{{portal|Animation|Cartoon}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Animation}}
{{Media series}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Animated series]]
[[Category:Television genres]]