Two Animated Shows That Were Not Actually For Kids

   Everyone has that one childhood show that they were obsessed with. They would arise early on Saturday morning to catch the new episode on Cartoon Network, they wore T-shirts and pajamas, and drove their parents crazy by leaving their favorite character's action figure lying around the house. In the United States, most animated shows and movies are thought to be meant for young children and those still in grade school. Producers and directors are well-known for putting into their shows adult jokes, references to current events, and other things that fly over the heads of those under the age of fifteen. 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

      Ah, Star Wars. There is always someone in every family who is obsessed with this space opera (in the case of my family, it would be me!). This animated show first premiered in 2007 on Cartoon Network. George Lucas worked with Dave Filoni, a director of the award-winning series Avatar: The Last Airbender. In fact, when Dave Filoni got the offer to work on the show, he thought it was a joke, because Lucasfilms did not have an animation studio at the time. When he was assured of its authenticity, Dave heartily accepted the job, he and the creator of this popular series began to work on one of the most popular animated shows of all time.

   The show follows several different characters that have appeared in the Star Wars. The characters who receive the most focus (and are essentially the main characters) are Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Ashoka Tano, Anakin's padawan. Together, this group takes on the evil Sith and the Sepratist Alliance. Alongside their trusted clone troopers, they seek a victory for the Replublic and the peace that the end of war will bring.

   However, the show was not well-liked at first. Fans sneered at the thought of Anakin having an apprentice, especially one that was so whiney and immature. The animation was blocky and the style look as if it was drawn by amatures. Not only that, but the whole show is not in order. Clone Wars uses an anthology style, meaning that it is written more as a collection of stories with a few connected story arcs spread throughout. 

Of course, those opinions changed. As of 2020, the Clone Wars is Disney Plus's fifth most popular show, behind The Mandalorian and The Simpsons. It has won awards for its animation and voice acting (such as winning best shown in the IGN summer movie wars two years running), as well as being nominated for several others. 

Star Wars has historically been considered for children, though that has changed over time. But what would make Lucasfilm's first animated show not really for kids? 

Their may not be any blood, the George and Dave were not afraid to make this show dark and violent. Many scene contain dialogue or scenery that are too much for a kid to be able to understand. From riots to terrorism, to mind-controlling aliens and slavery of people of all ages, this show draws in young adults by the droves and is clearly marketed for an older audience.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

    I already mentioned this show earlier, but it deserves its own section. Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008 and had three seasons. It won a Primetime Emmy in 2007 for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, several Annie awards in Best Animated, Best Directing, and Best Storyboarding. It has also been nominated in several catagories, from Best Writing to Best Sound Editing. It even won the Kid's Choice Awards in 2008 for being children's favorite cartoon.

   The story takes place in a fictional war that is divided into four different nations: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. These nations describe the type of magic (or bending, in this universe) that people can use. Some can breath fire, others can manipulate water, and other can fly like a bird by manipulating the air waves. At the time of the first episode, the Air Nation has been destroyed by the evil Fire Nation. That is, all but one. An Airbender boy, names Aang, is found frozen in ice by two Water Tribe siblings, Katara and Soka. But Aang is no ordinary kid. He is the Avatar, the hero of the world who can master all four of the elemental bending styles. Together, these three kids must take down Fire Lord Ozai before he destroys the world.

   This article would not be complete without mentioning the character growth found throughout the show. Each character has their own backstory and motives, but no character changes more than Zuko. Son of Fire Lord Ozai and heir to the Fire Nation's throne, Zuko was banished from his home by his father for showing kindness and mercy to a division of Fire Nation soldiers. You can see in any picture from the show that he has a large burn across one eye. It didn't come from a training accident or rough play as a child. It came from his own father, who burned his son as a consequence for his "weakness". 

    Many people argue that Avatar is the best animated show ever produced, and they have a lot of evidence to their claim. From the soundtrack to the worldbuilding to the depths of the characters, fans can't seem to praise this show enough. But perhaps one of the reasons it is held in such high regard is that it does not pull punches with the story. Traditionally, many shows meant for children tend to stay away from topics that might upset or confuse their audience. The directors of Avatar did not believe in such a philosophy. Throughout the show, viewers can expect to encounter war, genocide, imperialism, totalitarianism, and domestic abuse. Yet the good thing is that you can watch as the characters come to terms with these hard topics, overcome their pasts, and become the people that they were meant to be. 

   Conclusion:

   Obviously, there are more those that could have been included in this article. A few shows from my childhood come to mind. But it is in my opinion that these two are the best of the best, and not just in this category. Whether you are into space operas or martial art fantasies, I can guarantee that these shows will bring out the inner child (or adult!) that lies within.

Didn't see the show you wanted? Comment down below what shows you believe weren't made for kids.