Searching for absolutely gorgeous animation and gripping storytelling? You're in the right place.

With animations like Big Mouth that revolve around kids but are not the least bit kid-friendly, it's very difficult to utter words like "cartoons are for kids". Anyone who says that just proves they've only ever seen kid cartoons and besides, what's wrong with some Bubble Guppies every now and then.

2021 saw some really great animations come to our screen - great in terms of gripping storytelling and absolutely gorgeous animation. Here are some of the top animated series of 2021

1. Invincible



Prime Video's Invincible is based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman. It follows Mark Grayson, the teenage son of the strongest superhero Omni-man. Grayson wants nothing other than to be a superhero like his father and when his powers finally come, it's not the cakewalk he thought it would be.

Invincible has jaw-dropping fight scenes and one very annoying character fans couldn't stop talking about. Even if you do think cartoons are for kids (this one isn't though!), give this one a chance. In terms of tone and action, it's very The Boys.

Amazon Prime's Invincible will return for Season 2 but there are no confirmed dates yet.


2. Arcane



No matter what you do, do not read the synopsis of this show, especially on Netflix. It just spoils the entire thing.

Arcane is a 2021 Netflix action sci-fi animation based on the video game League of Legends by Riot Games. Set in a utopian Piltovian state, Arcane follows the story of the lengths the upper class will go to remain on top and how far the oppressed will go to break their bonds. In the middle of all this, there's a lot of family drama.

Beautiful art style, great storyline, and a well-lauded soundtrack. Arcane is also one of the highest-rated Netflix originals with 100% Rotten Tomatoes and 9.1/10 on IMDB.

Though Season 2 has been confirmed, it sadly won't come any earlier than 2023 as confirmed by Nicole Laurent, Riot Games CEO


3. What If 

Marvel's What If is an animated anthology series based on characters from the Marvel Comic books. It's sort of a giant 'we see you' nod to the fandom. This 2021 animated series takes very defining moments in the Marvel universe and asks 'what if it had happened differently?'. It's a question that Marvel fans get into passionate discussions about.

If you're not a hardcore Marvel fan, you might miss some of the subtle nods to quotes or scenes from the MCU. 


Worthy mentions: Castlevania


Inspired by the video game series, Netflix's Castlevania is a dark fantasy animated series that follows a vampire hunter Trevor Belmont, who goes around saving people and towns from monsters. On his journey, he meets other equally strong characters who join him on his mission to save the world from extinction and the influence of Vlad Dracula.

First released in 2017, Castlevania aired its final season in 2021. Slow starter but it has a solid storyline, incredible fight scenes, and really pretty animation. Honestly, if I could live in one fictional world, this would be it. It would be a beautiful five minutes because I'd be immediately gobbled up by some monster.