Action cartoons were a hit phenomenon in this particular decades. They were wildly successful among young boys, and even had an audience among the girls. Which of them stand out?
A real American hero - G.I. Joe is there - and he is there, ranked #1 among these action cartoons. Watch as these heroes protect the world, going head to head with the villainous terrorist organization known only as Cobra. Can they stop Cobra's schemes for global domination? The Joe toy line was on the wish list of every boy in this generation, with ships, tanks and planes to pair with the character figures.
In the 1980s, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo were just as popular for their action cartoons as they were for their paintings. These little turtles came to live and learned karate under their rat tutor, Splinter. Using their knowledge of the martial arts, they constantly thwarted the cruel machinations of their enemies: Shredder and Krang. This series was so successful, it spawned several non-animated movies - and the comic books were huge, too.
Another smash hit came up in the form of transformable robots. Just as well known for their creative toys (that were puzzles, effectively) as for their show, the Transformers pitted the hero Autobots against their opponents the Decepticons, who were bent on controlling planet earth and its human residents.
Thundercats is perhaps the biggest underdog here, no pun intended. It has developed a huge cult following among the generation it was intended for. Watch as our good guys go up against the mastermind Mumm-Ra, attempting to thwart his designs.
Think of it as the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: these action cartoons featured several mechanical entities in the shape of Lions. When the human drivers of the Lions merged they created Voltron, a huge robot who was a powerful force for all that is righteous in the universe
Action cartoons were abundant in this era - but now you know some of the very best.
select one here...