3 Action Cartoons From 1986 That Turn 40 This Year, With a Combined 332 Episodes

How many action cartoons can you name? He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Transformers, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are just a few examples. And if you grew up watching shows like these, you know that 1986 was one of the most important years for animated action, with some series making their mark on TV by offering something different, while others were ready to reach audiences around the world. Some went on to build legacies that are still going strong today, others are remembered by a smaller group of fans, and a few are just as entertaining to revisit if you want to recapture that ’80s energy.

But 3 animated shows, in particular, deserve to be remembered this year as they celebrate their 40th anniversaries. And that’s not all: between them, they have a whopping number of episodes. Think you can guess which ones? Let’s take a look.

3) SilverHawks

Anyone who grew up watching action cartoons in the ’80s will recognize the formula behind SilverHawks. It has a team of heroes with different abilities, some pretty over-the-top villains, and an adventure that blends action with sci-fi. The basic idea is to follow a group of police officers who are given cybernetic bodies to survive a journey through space and fight crime across the galaxy of Limbo. Their main target is Mon*Star, a criminal who can transform into a monstrous creature and has a whole crew of villains working for him. While the show had an audience back in the day, it’s more of a cult classic today, honestly. And do you know why? As mentioned earlier, its formula feels familiar because of another show.

Everyone has heard of ThunderCats, right? Well, they are basically sister series (as both share the same creative team), which made it harder for the former to step out of the more popular show’s shadow. Still, SilverHawks was never a bad cartoon during its original run, and it stayed on TV for a decent amount of time. Its story features space battles, metallic armor, and characters with unique abilities to keep the action moving. Sure, it has its limitations, but it’s still a great show to revisit if you’re looking for a little ’80s nostalgia. It’s also a fun example of what happens when you mix genres.

2) Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya)

Here we’re dealing with a legacy that’s hard to beat, because few action cartoons today can match the historical impact of this one. It’s also hard to think of another series that takes the idea of making every fight bigger and more difficult than the last one quite so seriously. Saint Seiya, known to many as Knights of the Zodiac, follows Seiya and other young warriors who wear armor inspired by the constellations to protect Athena and face increasingly powerful enemies. The series features supernatural battles, references to Greek mythology, and rivalries that always push its heroes to the brink of defeat before they find a way to keep fighting. It’s pretty much built around lengthy, hard-fought showdowns.

An international hit that has reached audiences across generations, it’s also often considered one of the great manga adaptations, even though the anime began development before the manga’s first volume was released. But there’s one cool aspect worth highlighting: its visual style. The armor designs defined each character’s identity, becoming just as much a part of the cartoon’s appeal as their individual powers. Even today, it’s hard to find that level of distinctive design on TV, especially in action animation, where so many shows focus on more conventional superheroes. Knights of the Zodiac is still fondly remembered 40 years later, and it helps that it has grown into a full-fledged franchise, with spin-offs, a CGI adaptation, and even a live-action movie.

1) Dragon Ball

It’s pretty much impossible to talk about action cartoons without putting Dragon Ball near the top of the list. If Knights of the Zodiac is famous around the world, this one is even bigger and has managed to reach audiences well beyond anime fans. And while many people associate the franchise mainly with the battles in Dragon Ball Z, the original series has a slightly different approach: instead of starting with threats capable of destroying planets, it follows Goku as a child, when he meets Bulma and sets off with her to find the seven Dragon Balls, magical objects that can grant a wish. Over the course of its many episodes, the show introduces characters like Master Roshi and Krillin, along with martial arts tournaments that give the fights more room to shine without losing the humor and ridiculous situations that make the cartoon so much fun.

And that mix is what makes the whole thing so special. Even though it’s an action series with plenty of fights, it knows how to balance them with comedy and entertainment. Goku is a powerful protagonist, but his naivety is often what gets him into hilarious situations. Besides, the story doesn’t need every new opponent to pose an apocalyptic threat to keep you interested; the stakes get higher as the series goes on, setting the stage for what comes next and making you curious to see where things will lead. At the same time, there’s still a sense of adventure that sets the original apart from its successors. It’s hard not to know Dragon Ball, even if you’ve never actually watched it.

4 1980s Cartoons Whose Toys Were Way Cooler Than The Show