10. Star Vs. the Forces of Evil
Let’s pretend that season 4 never happened and the cast is steal fighting evil and prejudice that threatens the universe.
This show took us away with that fluid animation and giddy humor. Another one of those “girl from another world” cartoons where the MC has magic and tries to undo the wrongs her family has done. With her best friend from Earth, and other pals both human, Mewman, and from other parts of the galaxy.
Let’s also pretend Starco is a platonic shipping. As in they just remained friends and that their relationship didn’t just cost the lives of so many characters we grew to love since the first season.
Before you call me petty, a majority of us do think that that “series finale” is the sole reason we need season 5 so badly.
9. Kim Possible
Stick to babysitting? Nah.
Voiced by Christy Carlson Romano who found fame from Even Stevens, another equally popular Disney Channel show at the time. This show was a huge part of childhood, even if Disney Afternoon was no longer in existence by this time.
This cartoon made us believe our high school years would be the best. With villains, romance, and cheerleading. Once high school started, we realized that was never the case (but deep down we’d like to think the same stuff that happened in KP indeed happened for us).
And while most of us are tired of the whole “best friends best lovers” trope, Kim and Ron were the exception. They were a Disney couple that surpassed even the most classic of Disney princesses.
8. American Dragon: Jake Long
The series is good enough that we can ignore how much the character designs were downgraded in season 2.
While people today complain there isn’t enough representation in cartoons (and sometimes Disney either overdoes it or doesn’t bother at all), Jake Long was as good an Asian-Anerican hero as Mulan.
The fantasy-filled adventures conjoined with a forbidden romance, coined by the humor that makes this series one of the best.
While the finale was okay, Disney should never have cancelled this series. There could have been so much more for Jake, Rose, and the others!
And for Pete’s sake, the final episode finally had Jake’s dad learn he married into a family of dragons. Could you imagine what kind of adventures season three would have received now that Mr. Long’s fighting alongside his son?
7. Dave the Barbarian
Ba-ba-barista!
No matter how long it’s been, that theme song has remained ingrained into our heads.
This cartoon took all the Disney tropes and threw them out the window!
Dave is supposed to be the brave hero since he’s built like a god...but would rather prefer to cook and knit.
Candy is a princess who, like most teen girls, would rather shop and think about boys than run a kingdom. Even if that kingdom is in danger, she doesn’t care.
And let’s not forget Fang...who is NOT a monkey (but even after all these years, we're pretty sure she is).
While Hades and Cruella Deville are some of Disney's most iconic and hilarious villains, Chuckles the Silly Piggy can handle his own. Adorable, sinister, silly...makes you wonder if he was the inspiration for Bill Cipher!
6. Lilo and Stitch: The Series
A rare case where a spin-off from a popular movie is actually good.
It never occurred to us why Stitch was called Experiment 626 until the series happened. Now we have favorite experiments...I mean, cousins!
Characters that were only minor in the movie have slightly bigger roles in the series.
That dude who always loses his ice cream is pretty much part of the ohana and we love it!
5. Gravity Falls
Where simplistic style works amazingly with a plot-driven storyline. With all the crazy, theoretical sh*t that goes down!
I don’t know if this is exactly true, but I think this was a game-changer for Disney fans. I think this is where we started being more absorbed in cartoons with a bait-and-switch atmosphere.
Like we can’t NOT expect Disney cartoons to just be slice-of-life anymore. That’s just a cover for when things really get dark and tragic.
Even after the series ended, we’re still asking ourselves what the characters are doing.
And what is Bill plotting...
4. Wander Over Yonder
Happiness and friendship is a small, fuzzy, orange whatever in a goofy green hat.
Made by the man who created The Powerpuff Girls, this show was borderline humor with a side of AWW!
And then like every Disney cartoon, it slowly descends into dark, depressing territory.
And then Disney cancelled it right when it was kicking into a much-anticipated plot. How’s that for dark and depressing?
3. Amphibia
Created by someone who worked on the Gravity Falls team, the cartoon is its own thing, not a copy, I promise!
Although there are some dark elements that might have been inspired by Matt Bradley’s time on GF. And if you watched all the way to season 2, the Gravity Falls fan in you would be screaming…
But this is a great cartoon that, like SVTFOE, is another “girl from another world” trope. But it’s not just one world that might be in danger. It’s possibly many others, including the human world, if you’ve binge-watched all the way to season 3.
Thai-American girl Anne Boonechuy might as well be considered a Disney princess.
Scratch that, Disney QUEEN. Since she’s fighting against the King of Amphibia (and because we need more Disney queens instead of princesses!).
2. The Owl House
“Girl in another world” is a well-loved trope. And it beats the hell out of the “best friends to lovers” one (Starco fans, I’m not sorry).
Luz Noceda is a relatable character who has it hard making friends because she’s so different. We’re all a little different, but we’re not problematic. And just like Luz, we want to escape into a world that fits our needs and fulfills our desires.
And the Boiling Isles turns out to be the complete opposite. But even though it’s not exactly what she wanted, it’s exactly what she needed.
People of another realm who love and support her while developing her into a better person. And possibly the hero of the story.
Where a trashy witch turns into an awesome mom figure.
Two characters are voiced by the creator of Gravity Falls.
And Disney allowing us it’s first-ever official, onscreen, definitely-not-playing-with-us lesbian couple.
Hearing the word ‘Lumity’ has never felt more perfect.
1. Phineas and Ferb
Don’t you just wish your summer was as good as theirs?
Actually, don’t you wish you had as good a romance as Jeremy and Candace?
Or as good a pet as Perry the Platypus?
Better yet...don’t you just wish summer vacation was as long as theirs with no knowledge of it ever ending?
Yeah, this cartoon was the best. It’s the reason we even tune into Disney. And that’s why it’s #1.
