10 Longest-Running Animated Shows, Ranked
Animated television is a medium that lends itself perfectly to shows that run for a long, long time. Voice actors getting older is much less noticeable than in live-action, and as animation techniques and technology keep getting better, shows can only keep getting better-looking and better-looking. As such, there are plenty of cartoons and other animated series that have been running for well over a decade.
From children’s television like The Fairly OddParents to adult shows like Futurama, these are the ten longest-running animated shows of all time. This list is focused on mainstream television; otherwise, the longest-running animated series ever is the German (originally East German) Unser Sandmännchen (“Our Little Sandman”), an obscure children’s bedtime stop-motion program, which has been on the air since 1959.
10
‘Curious George’ (2006–2022)
Created by Joe Fallon
The character of Curious George originated in the popular children’s books by Margret Rey and H. A. Rey, a curious but well-behaved monkey that was taken from Africa to America by the Man with the Yellow Hat. There have been several adaptations of the story, but the most prominent in 2006 became the film Curious George, whose sequel was the PBS Kids series of the same name.
The show saw a great evolution over the course of its run, including a period between 2015 and 2018 when it was canceled, until Peacock picked it back up. Curious George finally definitively ended in 2022, and throughout the 17 years that it was on air, it was one of the best things that little kids could watch on television. Cute and full of visual whimsy, it was the kind of children’s show that even adults could appreciate.
- Release Date
-
2006 – 2021
- Network
-
PBS, Peacock
-
Jim Cummings
Steve (voice)
-
The Man with the Yellow Hat (voice)
-
Jim Cummings
Chef Pisghetti
-
9
‘The Fairly OddParents’ (2001–2017)
Created by Butch Hartman and Steve Marmel
Although the quality of its seasons declined as they went on, The Fairly OddParents remains one of the most iconic cartoons of the 2000s, one that many people grew up watching and loving. Even for those who never saw it growing up, however, it’s still a fantastic show, full of cool storylines and anchored by a strong sense of humor.
The series went through a revival, some dry periods, a crossover event with Jimmy Neutron, and three feature films, reflecting just how successful it was with audiences throughout its 17-year stint. Despite its weak ending, it remains a beloved cartoon that fans who watched it every week in their childhood still hold dear to their hearts.
8
‘American Dad!’ (2005–)
Created by Mike Barker, Seth MacFarlane, and Matt Weitzman
Although it usually sits under the shadow of a certain other animated Seth MacFarlane sitcom, American Dad! is very much its own thing, and just as worthy of praise. Moving from Fox to TBS and now back to Fox, it has stayed quite creatively uniform throughout its soon-to-be 21-year run.
The show is far funnier, better-written, and more original than many people give it credit for, to the point that many MacFarlane fans would call this a better show than the writer’s other brainchild. The voice acting is great, the animation has stayed consistently solid since 2005, and the characters are all delightfully fun and full of surprises over two decades later still.
7
‘Pokémon’ (1997–2023)
Created by Satoshi Tajiri, Jun’ichi Masuda, and Ken Sugimori
The Pokémon franchise is so humongous at this point that it’s hard to keep track of all the video games, shows, and movies; but, to this day, the original anime remains many people’s favorite part of the whole franchise. One of the longest-running anime of all time, it consists of eight series based on different main installments from the video game franchise, split across a whopping 27 seasons.
Though many of the show’s fans are mainly in it for the nostalgia, there are still plenty of people getting into it for the first time nowadays, and for good reason. The series is just that good. Despite the storylines getting somewhat repetitive from time to time, the animation is vibrant, the Pokémon designs always keep things fresh, and each season’s plot is consistently entertaining.
- Release Date
-
1997 – 2022
- Network
-
TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
-
Rica Matsumoto
Pikachu (voice)
-
Mayumi Iizuka
Satoshi (voice)
6
‘Arthur’ (1996–2022)
Developed by Kathy Waugh
Based on the popular children’s books, Arthur is fantastic for kids, dealing with important topics like illness, reading, and empathy. It won several awards, from Emmys to BAFTAs, over the course of its nearly three-decade-long run, and all of those were always deserved.
The show is great for the little ones of the house, that’s for sure, but it even throws some higher-level jokes and pop-culture references to properties like South Park and The Sopranos in there to keep parents entertained, which is what allowed it to run for 27 years. It may not be the kind of series that grown-ups would have any interest in getting into by themselves, but for those with kids, it’s a fantastic choice.
5
‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ (1999–)
Created by Stephen Hillenburg
SpongeBob SquarePants requires pretty much no introduction. One of the most iconic cartoons of the ’90s—and of all time, quite frankly—, it’s a show so good, so funny, so timeless, and so universally entertaining that plenty of grown-ups (both those who grew up watching the series and those who didn’t) are still watching it to this day.
First airing on May 1st of ’99, it’s the youngest of the 26-year-old animated shows, but that’s still a remarkably long run for any television series. Although it’s the consensus that the show has gotten progressively worse as its seasons have gone on, prime SpongeBob is about as great as children’s television can possibly get.
4
‘Futurama’ (1999–)
Created by Matt Groening
One of the most fun, most amusing, and most quotable sci-fi TV shows of all time, Futurama is a pillar of 21st-century pop culture that has no equal. It’s one of those rare 20+-year-old shows that are still running and have somehow never seen a dramatic decrease in quality. All in all, this is still the same series that audiences fell in love with a couple of years before the turn of the century.
First airing on March 28th of 1999, Futurama is slightly older than SpongeBob, but has fortunately steered clear of the pitfalls of being on the air for this long. The writing is just as creative, funny, and passionate as ever, making it clear that the current writer’s room cares just as much about these characters and their stories as those who originated the series.
3
‘Family Guy’ (1999–)
Created by Seth MacFarlane
One of the most divisive adult animated shows out there, Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy is nevertheless one of the best cartoons of the ’90s. There’s a case to be made that it has been out of form for many seasons now, but regardless, there are still those who enjoy the series every bit as much as they did back when it first aired.
Family Guy first aired on January 31st of 1999, making it the oldest of the animated shows that have been running for 26 years. Across that span of time, it has certainly had its ups and downs, but it has also remained remarkably true to the signature sense of style and humor that earned it its fans in the first place. It’s not for everyone’s taste, but those who enjoy it really love it.
- Release Date
-
January 31, 1999
- Network
-
FOX
-
Alex Borstein
Lois Griffin / Tricia Takanawa / Loretta Brown / Barbara Pewterschmidt (voice)
-
-
Julia Sweeney
Naomi Robinson (voice)
-
Michael York
Documentary Speaker (voice)
2
‘South Park’ (1997–)
Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone
The fact that South Park, one of the most consistently intelligent, creative, and funny sitcoms in television history, has been running for 28 years is a massive achievement. Known for its pitch-black sense of humor and its constant satirization of a large range of subjects, it’s one of the most influential television comedies in history.
With its short episodes, simple animation style, and always-hilarious storylines, it’s pretty easy to binge one’s way through South Park, particularly its exceptional earlier seasons. Hugely successful and never pulling its punches when it comes to making fun of sensitive subjects, it’s perhaps television’s boldest cartoon. The world is all the better for that.
- Release Date
-
August 13, 1997
- Network
-
Comedy Central
-
Liane Cartman / Wendy Testaburger / Mrs. Crabtree (voice)
-
Kyle Broflovski / Kenny McCormick (voice)
1
‘The Simpsons’ (1989–)
Created by Matt Groening
There’s really no competition. 36 years and seasons old, and giving no sign of stopping anytime soon, Matt Groening‘s The Simpsons is such an iconic classic that it feels like it has always been part of households’ weekly television-watching across the world. It’s had plenty of ups and downs, most people agreeing that its later seasons are pretty weak, but the majority of its run has been tremendously entertaining and funny.
The animation is great, the voice acting is great, and plenty of episodes are among animated television’s best. The Simpsons has done lots of things over the course of the nearly four decades during which it has existed; not all of them have been well-received by fans, but at least the series has never truly grown stale. The Simpsons isn’t perfect, but it’s an essential pillar of modern television, and it deserves all the credit in the world for that.
