Animated Series to Stream This Fall

By Chamar Griffith, Kinfolklore Contributor

Editor’s note: Last year, we asked Kinfolklore Contributor and Yet Another DC Animated Podcast cohost Chamar Griffith to recommend his favorite animated series to help us fill the void left behind when we finished Avatar: the Last Airbender. You can see Chamar’s earlier recommendations here. This is part two of his recommendations and it’s coming at an important time.

In honor of Wonder Woman’s 80th Anniversary and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Yet Another DC Animated Podcast is working with the nonprofit Safe Horizon to raise funds to support survivors of Domestic and Partner Violence. Please chip in if you can to support this important cause by visiting this link.

Now, onto to the recommendations!

Young Justice - HBO Max

Please don’t let their live-action theatrical adaptations deter you from the fact that DC Comics is killing it in their Animated Universe!

Based on the comic book of the same name, this series takes the sidekicks of the Justice League heroes and puts them together in their own mini-league. Originally starting with Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash, the series has grown to introduce more diverse characters, create new worlds, and tackle stories that revolve around identity, trauma, loss, and heroism. Characters experience true development and the dynamic between them makes it even better.

Now entering its fourth season, the show is a favorite regardless if you are a DC comic fan or not. In fact, its initial cancellation caused such an uproar that a whole streaming service was created to bring it back and it’s been picking up momentum ever since.

Guillermo del Toro: Tales of Arcadia - Netflix

**Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia** is part of a three-tale series with about six seasons in total following the stories of trolls, aliens, and wizards within the town of Arcadia. Image courtesy of Netflix.

It’s easy to paint the monsters in any story - sharp teeth, razor claws, scary sounds. What’s great about this series is the monsters are the heroes! This is a three-tale series with about six seasons in total following the stories of trolls, aliens, and wizards within the town of Arcadia.

This series is amazing because of the mythology that Guillermo draws from, lifts up, and expands. The first in the tales is Trollhunters, followed by 3Below, then the Wizards series; all culminating into their feature-length film Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans also available on Netflix.

Gravity Falls - Hulu & Disney+

Summers can be weird, but have they ever been finding a journal detailing all the mythical, mystical, sci-fi, out-of-this-world stuff happening in your obscure town weird?

That is Gravity Falls. A story about twin brother and sister Dipper and Mabel who stay with their Great-Uncle Stan (affectionately called Gruncle Stan) working in his oddities shop. Dipper on the first day comes across a journal written by a random scientist with explanations on all the weird stuff that happens in the town. The mystery grows as you learn it isn’t the only journal and that their Gruncle Stan is hiding something as well. Dipper recruits his eccentric sister and the friends he has made to solve the mysteries plaguing the town.

I love this series and so has everyone I talked to about it. Dipper is an amazing character but it’s Mabel, Gruncle Stan, Soos, and even their pet pig Waddles that truly helps to make the show. Each character grows with time and the humor is amazing.

Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts - Netflix

“The cast is so diverse and does a great job in representing BIPOC and LGBTQ communities. ”

To be honest, I found this one by accident but it shortly became one of my favorite animated series of all time.

First off, this show is stacked with the voice acting talents of Grey DeLisle-Griffin, Steve Blum, and Dee Bradley Baker but also onscreen actors like Karen Fukuhara from the Boys, Dan Stevens from Legion and Downton Abbey, Sterling K. Brown, and Deon Cole!

The story follows Kipo, a girl who along with the rest of humanity was forced underground and after an incident leads her to be separated from her community, she explores a world on her journey back discovering secrets about her and humanity’s past while making some great friends along the way. The cast is so diverse and does a great job in representing BIPOC and LGBTQ communities.

The series ran for 30 episodes over 3 seasons and they all dropped in 1 year which is an impressive feat for an animated production. More importantly, it’s musical! Every song on this show is an absolute banger!! If one of these doesn’t make it on your playlist, you’re missing out.

Gurren Lagann - Netflix & Hulu

“Every word, sentence, and phrase is an affirmation. I have actually recited some of the lines from the anime to friends and myself whenever they needed a lift.”

I was first introduced to this show when I met with some Black anime fans who described it as (no spoilers) the animated adaptation of *Drake Voice* “Started from the bottom, now we’re here.”

This show focuses on a group of people who along with the rest of the human population are trapped underground, forced down there by beast monsters manipulating mechas. When a couple of them break to the surface they take over two of the mechas to become Gurren Lagann. They eventually join and lead a resistance to take back their world. That’s season one. Season two takes everything we learned and pushes it even higher!

The thing I love most about this show is not the animation, or the storyline, or even the characters - all of which is great! It’s the dialogue. Every word, sentence, and phrase is an affirmation. I have actually recited some of the lines from the anime to friends and myself whenever they needed a lift. The series is quick with under 30 episodes but wraps up beautifully each season.

Honorable Mentions

My Hero Academia - Hulu

I love watching this because it shows young men that it is ok to show their emotions.

Craig of the Creek - HBO Max

Black Boy Magic happening in this series!

Steven Universe - HBO Max

Always been a very popular show but after a rewatch from beginning to end, the messages in this show are just so amazing.

The Jackie Chan Adventures - Crackle (Season 3 - 4); Available for Purchase

This was one of my first introductions to Chinese and Chinese-American culture and is filled with hilarity, action, mythology, and storytelling.

Dragon Prince - Netflix

From the creators of ATLA, this series is great and sees the return of Sokka’s voice actor who makes a great deep-cut joke which alone is worth the watch.

Voltron: Legendary Defender and She-Ra: Princess of Power - Netflix

Although they’re two different shows and not connected at all, they are both amazingly done reboots of two classic 80s cartoons.