10) Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Overall, the first season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch gives the unique clone trooper squad a chance to shine. The result is an enjoyable and action-packed depiction of the Clone Wars’ aftermath. Despite a few issues with the storytelling, including its filler episodes and repetitive guest appearances, the show is a suitable expansion of the galactic universe due to its charming characters, voice cast, entertaining action, and solid animation. It didn’t quite reach the same heights as the final season of The Clone Wars, but it did continue the booming trend of Star Wars animation respectably. Whatever direction it’ll go in season two, I’m more than willing to jump right back into the galaxy far, far away and rejoin these unique clones for another series of galactic adventures.
9) Hit-Monkey
Overall, Marvel’s Hit-Monkey hits the correct ambitious targets regarding its themes and characters, even though some missed their marks by an inch. The storyline did follow some familiar formula beats from time to time, and the comedic moments from Sudeikis were far from hysterical. Nonetheless, it’s a stylistic and entertaining animated series that serves as a good reintroduction of one of Marvel’s lesser-known characters. Plus, it shows further proof that Marvel may have a brighter future in adult animation outside of its massive cinematic universe.
8) Disney’s What If?
Overall, the first season of Marvel’s What If is a visually attractive and narratively brilliant anthology series for Marvel fans, young and old. Ranging from its well-written stories to its excellent use of animation, the series showcases the Marvel multiverse in more ways than one. It also proved to be a great start for Marvel Studios and the franchise in the animation department. Was it something that needs to be watched to make sense of the Marvel Cinematic Universe like the other Marvel/Disney+ shows? Not really. However, the show’s multiverse element should play an essential role in the upcoming MCU films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
7) Young Justice
Overall, part one of Young Justice: Phantoms continues the show’s consistent success with stellar results. It is another series of engaging story arcs that effectively combines the old-fashioned superhero action with its mature themes and drama. Not only that, but it is also a great start to the series’ first year on HBO Max. The fourth season also has enough intrigue in its main arc to get me back into the show that I regrettably ignored for less than ten years. In fact, I’m actually excited to see what happens next in the season’s upcoming second half, especially after what happened in the first half’s finale. Let’s hope that part two can be just as heroic as part one.
Over the course of RWBY’s popularity even long after Monty Oum’s untimely passing, his creation has spawned various forms of media that attempts to be canon within the show’s lore, and unlike the “woke” bullshit of the Kathleen Kennedy-owned Star Wars films that aim to kill the past, it doesn’t ignore previous stories that used to be pre-existing canon out the window.
5) Infinity Train
As a fan of this series since seeing its pilot years ago, and then growing to love it even more once it officially started, I enjoyed this season immensely on its own…but I feel I can also safely say that it is probably the lowest in my rankings for the series overall. Part of that is by default, since it feels a bit incomplete, part of that is because of the reasons mentioned before about having less mystery to it than previous seasons, and part of it is that it feels much smaller in scale than the rest, being less focused on cracking the greater problems within the train (though there are major hints and connections that were meant to be explored later) and being pretty much entirely about the human element between these two friends. And I’d be lying if I said the fact that it is possibly the FINAL season didn’t have something to do with that too. And yet, its nature of being the most recent AND being directly connected to the next planned season (which is supposed to be a movie, so…not a season, I guess?) probably means I’ll rewatch it the quickest if confirmation of making that next book ever comes around! And above all else, I still wholeheartedly recommend this entire series to anyone who will watch it. If it’s taught me anything, it’s that the door to a better future just needs you to want to do better. Until the next ride, fellow passengers.
4) DOTA
I need to come clean that I have never played the games this series is based on. With the amount of lore and background info, I was told to expect from DOTA I was a little concerned this show would make no sense. Luckily, the show doesn’t really stumble in this regard. There were sometimes I would have to rewind a bit to try and process certain things.
3) Masters of the Universe
This grand epic is far more extensive than anything Masters of the Universe has released before. The stakes are universal, with a healthy inclusion of fan service and pay-off. From here, the story seems complete. However, don’t be surprised if this series gets picked up to explore the lore of Eternia even further. This collection of ten episodes thus far has proven that there is far more left to the Masters of the Universe to explore. And the stories have only gotten better with time and maturity.
2) Invincible (Winner of Best New Animated Drama Series)
Invincible is unlike anything else on television. It takes aspects from different things that we see in media but blends them together in a perfectly baked cuisine. It is no wonder that this series has been gaining popularity at a breakneck pace. This is a massive step for animation, as this is the first to be seeing such excitement as the major budgeted programs.
1) Castlevania
One could argue the final outing for our vampire hunting trio doesn’t take enough risks. That it plays it safe. After all, we get the ideal ending for many characters that most probably wanted. Not to mention we leave the series with newly resurrected characters offering them a new sense of hope. But it’s because of this very reason that the series ends as perfectly as it does as well as what we’ve been given. We’ve sunken our teeth into what has been a blood-soaked, hellish, nightmare-fueled thrill ride, from start to finish. With freakishly gorgeous animation, a gothic dystopian playground to frolic in along with scarily relatable characters to lose ourselves in, I’ve drank my fill. And like Trevor, Sypha and Alucard, I too basked in the warm sunlight as I sent my three friends off into the little slice of heaven they and the series had all earned themselves. And this is where I will stay as I wait for the next series in the Castlavania universe as I will always be thirsty for more.