{"id":3943,"date":"2021-12-20T22:00:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/?p=3943"},"modified":"2021-12-13T16:32:57","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T07:32:57","slug":"the-5-best-cartoons-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/2021\/12\/20\/the-5-best-cartoons-of-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Best Cartoons of 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This was a stellar year for animation\u2014and not just on the Japanese side of things. Here are my picks for the best new animated TV series I watched in 2021<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Arcane: Official Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4Ps6nV4wiCE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Arcane<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Steampunk Fantasy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Studio:<\/strong> Fortiche<\/p>\n<p><strong>Release date:<\/strong> November 6, 2021<\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/strong> Piltover is a city deeply divided. On one side, the rich and powerful live in luxury. On the other, the poor live in crime-ridden, drug-filled slums. But little could anyone in the city suspect that a robbery gone wrong would usher in an era of technological revolution\u2014and bring the two classes to the edge of civil war.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should watch it:<\/strong> When it comes down to it, <em>Arcane<\/em> succeeds where so many game adaptations fail because of one simple reason: focus. <em>League of Legends<\/em>, the game on which <em>Arcane<\/em> is based, has 157 playable characters. <em>Arcane <\/em>focuses on five of them\u2014Vi, Jynx, Jayce, Victor, and Caitlyn. This leaves plenty of room to explore who these characters are on both a thematic and emotional level. And while the supporting cast does feature some familiar faces (in addition to more than a few original ones), it never feels like the show is fan-service aimed at only the most hardcore of hardcore <em>League of Legends<\/em> fans.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond that, <em>Arcane<\/em> is one of the most beautiful-looking animations of the year with an art style that makes every frame look like a literal painting. Add to that an amazing score featuring Imagine Dragons among other artists and you have something that can feel like a music video at points. Even if you\u2019ve never ever heard of<em> League of Legends<\/em>, you should be sure to give <em>Arcane <\/em>a watch. You won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch it if you like: <\/strong>Steampunk or low fantasy tales,<em> League of Legends<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where You Can Watch It:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81435684\">Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Invincible \u2013 Official Trailer | Prime Video\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-bfAVpuko5o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Invincible<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Superhero Deconstruction<\/p>\n<p><strong>Studio:<\/strong> Wind Sun Sky Entertainment and Skybound North<\/p>\n<p><strong>Release date:<\/strong> March 25, 2021<\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/strong> Mark Grayson is your ordinary, everyday kid\u2014despite the not-so-ordinary fact that his father is Omni-Man: Earth\u2019s greatest Superhero. Now, after 17 years of hoping and praying, Mark has finally gotten his powers. But no sooner has he begun his training than the world\u2019s premiere superhero team, The Guardians of the Globe, are slaughtered with a comatose Omni-Man as the only survivor. Now with a major power vacuum in the superhero community and no end to the villains attacking the planet, Mark has no choice but to step up and become the hero he always dreamed of becoming.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should watch it:<\/strong> <em>Invincible <\/em>is basically what happens if you take the DC comics universe and bring it up to the realistic levels of ultraviolence that such a world full of superheroes should have. The series features numerous plots you have seen in comics before\u2014i.e., alien invasions, superpowered crime lords, and classic super villains\u2014but plays them completely straight (with all the brutality that implies). Mark serves as our proxy, learning that the superhero world he always idealized is far from what he expected\u2014and then trying to balance it with being a normal high schooler at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>Then there is the other side of the story\u2014the twist on the <em>Superman<\/em> mythos. The slow burn mystery that unfolds over the course of the season is handled perfectly and the way it comes together with Mark\u2019s own story for the climax is fantastic\u2014as is the emotional resolution that makes us feel like we\u2019ve lost even if we\u2019ve technically won. If you like superheroes at all (and don\u2019t mind copious amounts of animated blood and gore), give this show a shot.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/2021\/06\/23\/invincible-brings-brutal-reality-to-superhero-stories\/\">Read the full review here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch it if you like: <\/strong><em>Superman, Justice League, Teen Titans<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where You Can Watch It:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/INVINCIBLE-SEASON-1\/dp\/B08WJMRHYZ\">Amazon Prime Video<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Masters of the Universe: Revelation Part 1 | Official Trailer | Netflix\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iXdEeRBh9Zk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Seasons 1 and 2)<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Genre:<\/strong> High-Tech Fantasy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Studio:<\/strong> Powerhouse Animation Studios<\/p>\n<p><strong>Release date:<\/strong> July 23, 2021<\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/strong> He-Man and Skeletor are dead, magic is disappearing from the face of Eternia, and our heroes have become estranged from each other. Now a mercenary, Teela finds herself contracted by an old foe to save not only the planet but the universe itself. In this world without a champion, can she find it within herself to become the hero she was born to be?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should watch it: <\/strong><em>Masters of the Universe: Revelation<\/em> has a hard job ahead of it from the start. It needs to both wrap up the original 80s <em>He-Man<\/em> cartoon and upgrade it from glorified TV commercial to a modern serialized narrative. And for the most part, it succeeds with flying colors.<\/p>\n<p>More than anything else, the show is a giant character piece exploring the two main female leads in the original series: Teela and Evil-Lyn. Both lived in the shadows of their male partners and now have the chance to grow without them. However, both have trauma they must face. Teela only found out that Adam and He-Man were one in the same at the moment of his death\u2014and continues to struggle with the implications of that. Meanwhile, Evil-Lyn is coming to terms with the fact that she was in an abusive relationship and that she can decide her own fate\u2014whether that is one of good or one of evil. All in all, this show takes the bones of a nostalgic classic to build an exciting, emotional tale of self-discovery.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/2021\/08\/23\/masters-of-the-universe-revelation-shows-the-collateral-damage-caused-by-a-secret-identity\/\">Read the full review here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch it if you like: <\/strong><em>He-Man, She-Ra, <\/em>Modernized 1908s nostalgia.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where You Can Watch It:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81154670\">Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rick &amp; Morty | Season 5 Trailer | HBO Asia\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r4I-_TQVwaY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Rick and Morty (Season 5)<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Sci-fi Comedy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Studio:<\/strong> Bardel Entertainment<\/p>\n<p><strong>Release date:<\/strong> June 20, 2021<\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/strong> Rick Sanchez is a genius mad-scientist and the multiverse\u2019s greatest asshole. His grandson Morty is a naive loser. Together they go on adventures that show that each is capable of being more than they appear to be\u2014and is also capable of being much less. Comedy ensues.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should watch it:<\/strong> This season has both kinds of stories that make <em>Rick and Morty<\/em> so fun to watch: stand-alone adventures and continuity heavy ones that push the overall narrative forward.<\/p>\n<p>On the stand-alone side we have a clone family war, Rick and Morty as turkeys, and a Hellraiser spoof. On the continuity side we learn about Rick\u2019s past\u2014what made him into the man he is today and the origin of his friendships with other characters that have appeared throughout the show. But best of all, it finally picks up on the Evil Morty storyline that has been brewing in the background over the seasons so far\u2014and even manages to give it an awesome payoff. Other than that, it\u2019s filled with all of the humor you\u2019ve come to expect from <em>Rick and Morty<\/em>\u2014which isn\u2019t a bad thing to say the least.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch it if you like: <\/strong><em>Community, Captain Planet, Voltron, Vampire Hunter D<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where You Can Watch It:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hulu.com\/series\/rick-and-morty-d76d6361-3fbf-4842-8dd7-e05520557280\">Hulu<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbomax.com\/series\/urn:hbo:series:GXkRjxwjR68PDwwEAABKJ\">HBO Max<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 | Official Teaser | Prime Video\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mW5neJrCOwI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Star Trek: Lower Decks (Season 2)<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Sci-fi Comedy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Studio:<\/strong> Titmouse<\/p>\n<p><strong>Release date:<\/strong> August 12, 2021<\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/strong> For Beckett Mariner, things are different on the USS Cerritos. Her best friend has left without a word and she has come to an understanding with her mother, the captain\u2014which is somehow causing more problems than it is fixing. Yet, with the Pakled conflict growing in scope and everything from god-creating energy beams to evil super computers popping up all over the place, she and her friends won\u2019t be getting a rest anytime soon.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should watch it:<\/strong> It\u2019s funny that the comedy show that mocks <em>Star Trek<\/em> the most is simply the best <em>Star Trek<\/em> show on the air right now. For all the inside jokes and jabs, there is a real love for what <em>Star Trek<\/em> is at it\u2019s very core: the idea that people from all walks of life can come together and do great things\u2014even if they\u2019re not the walking paragons of humanity that call the Enterprise their home.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond that, the characters are fun and dynamic\u2014always evolving and becoming better people. The adventures are over-the-top crazy\u2014making the most of the animated format to do things that would be too costly to do in a live-action TV show. Simply put, it\u2019s just damned fine <em>Star Trek<\/em> from top to bottom.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch it if you like: <\/strong><em>Star Trek, Rick and Morty<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where You Can Watch It:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paramountplus.com\/shows\/star-trek-lower-decks\/\">Paramount+<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em>Top image source: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/arcaneshow\/status\/1461967551978684416\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Arcane<\/a> on Twitter.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"more-link-wrapper\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/2021\/12\/20\/the-5-best-cartoons-of-2021\/\">Click to Read<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The 5 Best Cartoons of 2021<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[344,339,273,297,345,216],"class_list":["post-3943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-arcane","tag-best-of-2021","tag-invincible","tag-masters-of-the-universe","tag-rick-and-morty","tag-star-trek","excerpt","zoom","full-without-featured","even","excerpt-0"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biggestinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/FEmMNWjVcAI7m8H-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1090&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3943"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3948,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3943\/revisions\/3948"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}