Our Top 11 Animated Shows of the Year

2019 has been such an amazing year for animation and in particular has felt so ripe with a large number of truly great animated show. This inspired us to come up with a consensus ranking for our top animated shows of the year! Here we count down our 11 best of the year (11 because there was a natural divide after that point in how the points shook out). Each of us ranked our personal top 10, and points were assigned based on placement: 10 for 1st, 9 for 2nd, etc. After summing those points together we have our list!

First, here are seven shows that didn’t quite make it, listed by show name and number of total points: Given (14), OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes (13), Young Justice: Outsiders (13), Amphibia (11), Rick and Morty (11), Summer Camp Island (10), Stars Align (10)

11) BoJack Horseman: 24 points

Despite only airing half a season this year, BoJack Horseman was as great as ever, narrowing the show’s focus more to BoJack’s arc involving his past mistakes. The way the season so far as taken the audience on a ride of ups and downs with BoJack’s efforts to make amends while continuing to show the negative impact he had on others has been very poignant. –Dylan Hysen

10) gen:LOCK: 25 points

gen:LOCK is the show Voltron wishes it had been, from constant high quality episodes to well executed queer representation. In one season, gen:LOCK created a great relationship between the viewer and the main squad with the identity discussion within the show as its thesis. gen:LOCK delves deep, and is a true cerebral experience. –Delaney Stovall

9) Craig of the Creek: 26 points

7) The Promised Neverland: 29 points

I think we all know how great the Promised Neverland first episode was. How they fooled us with what kind of show it is was brilliant. I was worried once they pulled that twist that the show couldn’t maintain its high quality, but it did. Emma is a character it’s hard not to root for. –Steve Zec

6) Miraculous Ladybug: 33 points

Miraculous Ladybug had its best season to date this year in a Season 3 that featured some complete zaniness, bold narrative shots, and continued the amazing, consistent character-work that’s always a stalwart to a show that can sometimes be all over the place. Ladybug and Chat may still not know who each other are, but the show continues to find innovate ways to make its current dynamic interesting. –Dylan Hysen

5) Undone: 36 points

As someone with mental illness, Undone made the greatest impact on me of the year. To experience what a character feels or thinks is not new, it is the very essence of storytelling, but very rarely is mental illness explored to such an extent. This was extremely meaningful for people with mental illness and it was done without judgement. In fact, you’re supposed to root for Alma, you’re on her side as you experience her reality. This also made for an incredible narrative journey with non-linear time accompanied with fantastic visuals. –Delaney Stovall

4) Tuca & Bertie: 50 points

3) She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: 62 points

I’ve been waiting for a show to fill the Korra void for years. I think this is it. She-Ra features gorgeous animation and a journey to not only defeat the greatest evil in the universe but also to discover oneself. She-Ra’s main cast stands out as extremely relatable, endearing, and interesting. The dynamic between Catra and Adora and Catra’s spiral so far set the show apart. She-Ra is portraying both sides of its conflict fantastically and I eagerly await the conclusion next year. –Delaney Stovall

2) Infinity Train: 64 points

Part 1 of the long-awaited anthology series did not disappoint, providing a twisty look at a mystery train but doing a great job at not losing sight of its anchor, main character Tulip and the personal struggles that led her there. Impressive character and background design as well as effective comic relief from sidekicks One-One and Atticus kept the train rolling to its thought-provoking conclusion. –Alex Bonilla

1) Steven Universe: 95 points

A quasi-series finale in “Change Your Mind” and a whole feature film that distills the Steven Universe experience would have been enough to cement Steven Universe’s appearance in a top 10 list, but its Future continuation has rolled on to explore ever more angles in Rebecca Sugar’s world, from the growing teenage frustration of Steven to the role of those who feel left behind by changes in the status quo. It all adds up to another banner year for the series. –Alex Bonilla

Dylan Hysen

Dylan is a software developer from the DC area who hosts the Overly Animated podcast discussing everything animation.