Best 2000s Cartoons That Raised Us, Whether We Grew Up Good or Bad

2002—Now |  PBS Kids; PBS Kids Go! | 13 Seasons

Cyberchase is perhaps one of the first PBS kids’ cartoons that tries to play on the good vs. evil theme while simultaneously attempting to incorporate educational material. We aren't trying to bash other kids’ shows *ahem* Peppa Pig; however, this one at least has an educational element in it.

Each 22-minute episode has a math subject that is strongly reinforced, and the 4-minute “For Real” part at the end of the episode puts each case into a real-world context. While it may help the younger ones see math as fun and easier to grasp, it won't raise a Pythagoras Jr. as it shows only the very basics of math. It is still entertaining to watch. Our verdict: this is a fantastic cartoon for young minds.

2002—2009 | Nickelodeon; Nicktoons | 3 Seasons

The American animated science fiction television series My Life As A Teenage Robot was created by Rob Renzetti for Nickelodeon channel. It is exactly what it says in the title: the escapades of a robot that also happens to look like an adolescent girl, juggling high school and teen problems while attempting to save the world from danger.

The show executes its premise incredibly well. Even at their worst, all the characters are endearing and have excellent voice acting to support them. The pacing is pretty relaxed without much of the tiring hyperactivity found in many modern kids’ shows. Thanks to that and its creative ideas, smooth animation, and lively character personalities, every episode is just as enjoyable as the others. Kids and teenagers can relate to this show because Jenny Wakeman, the main character, experiences pretty much the same awkward situations every teenager has.

2003—2004  | ITV1 | 1 Season
 
This show centers on Cassie, a 13-year-old girl who travels across space with her father when pirates attack his ship and kidnap her dad. After Cassie’s father pledges to return for her but doesn't, Cassie is left alone. To find him, she turns to the assistance of the “most dangerous bounty hunter in the galaxy,” who turns out to be, well, a not-so-threatening-looking talking blue hamster.

This contrasting set of characters, let alone, is bound to take you on a fun galactic ride. The cartoon masterfully blends the best of both traditional and CGI animation, and the soundtrack is sure to give you goosebumps. The storylines in each episode are hilarious and action-packed, and the two main characters are simply adorable. This cartoon hasn’t aged a bit and never will!

2004—2006 | CBC Television | 3 Seasons
 
This show follows the life of a 16-year-old stable boy named Artha Penn, who lives in a world where humans and dragons coexist. When Artha Penn was selected to ride the legendary dragon Beaucephalis (Beau), he was thrust into an unbelievable adventure.

His life was forever changed when Artha became the renowned hero, the Dragon Booster. Artha’s mission is to prevent world war and bring dragons and humans together for all time. When nostalgia hits, you can't help but binge—watch the three seasons of this show in one sitting. And holler: “Release the dragon!”

2003—2016 | France 3; Gulli | 2 Seasons
 
In the show, a teenager walks dogs for a wealthy childless couple who treats their dog like a child. For whatever reason, instead of telling his owners, Corneil, the dog, decides to tell Bernie, the dog walker, that he can talk. Their adventures arise from Corneil being a very intelligent dog who comes up with various clever gimmicks, while Bernie is the one who puts the plans into action. This series is fantastic because it disproves the widely held belief that a show must have idiots to be funny. It doesn't! The jokes are also subtle, unique, and original.

Yet, the most anticipated part of every show is Corneil’s catchphrase, “Watch my chops.” Hence, the alternative name for this series is Watch My Chops. Other than that, the animation is done in such a brilliant way that it looks like a comic book that came to live-action. The theme song also helps this show become even more “contagious,” as it’s incredibly catchy. But beware, you may not be able to get that catchy theme song out of your head!

2003—2007 | France 3; Canal J | 4 Seasons
 
Four youngsters, Jeremie, Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi, discover an abandoned factory with a hidden underground lab where they find Lyoko, a virtual world. Aelita, a virtual lifeform, lives there and spends her time protecting the globe from X.A.N.A. This computer virus seeks to wipe everything out of this world. Simultaneously, they have to deal with the principal’s conceited daughter, Sissi, in the real world.

The action-adventure animated show Code Lyoko goes beyond just action and adventure. It involves more than just a squad of good guys resisting attacks from bad people. Check it out if you’re curious or feeling nostalgic for a show with lovable characters and a fantastic atmosphere. Although it caters mainly to the 6—11 age group, older viewers won't be let down by the show because the plots are frequently intricate and full of unexpected turns.

2001—2017 | Nickelodeon | 10 Seasons

One of the most popular and Nickelodeon’s second-longest shows from the 2000s is The Fairly OddParents. This is a show about a 10-year-old boy named Timmy Turner, who has two fairy godparents, Cosmo and Wanda, who grant his every wish. 

However, his wishes often cause more trouble than they solve, and he has to deal with various enemies, such as his evil babysitter, Vicky, his crazy teacher, Mr. Crocker, and his wealthy rival, Remy Buxaplenty. The show was created with slight inspiration from anime in its visual style, humor, and references to pop culture. It’s well-known because of its humor, creativity, and references to pop culture.

2004—2019 | RAI channels; Nickelodeon | 8 Seasons
 
If you grew up loving all things supernatural, you must blame this one! Winx Club is about a girl named Bloom, who leads a perfectly average life until she meets Stella, a princess from the planet Solaria. While saving her, Bloom discovers that she has magical fire powers. Stella offers to bring Bloom to a school called Alfea, where fairies learn to control their powers.

When Bloom meets Flora, Musa, and Tecna, they join together to form the Winx Club to fight against Icy, Darcy, and Stormy, the witches from Cloudtower. At the school, Bloom starts to uncover her past secrets and realizes that things aren't always as they seem. It’s one of the most nostalgic 2000s cartoons, bringing the most thrilling memories from childhood. Can’t be the only one who wants to play a fairy in the school’s play because of this show!

2006—2008 | Cartoon Network | 2 Seasons
 
Class of 3000 is a Cartoon Network show—an animated series telling the story of a recent graduate of an Atlanta performing arts school who decides to give up a lucrative singing career to become a music teacher. This is arguably one of Cartoon Network’s best shows, along with Johnny Bravo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Codename: Kids Next Door. The songs are enjoyable to listen to, the theme tune is really catchy, and the characters are masterfully illustrated.

Even though the show was set, unfortunately, it was canceled after two seasons for unknown reasons. However, many assume that the lawsuit the creator of the cartoon, André 3000 of the hip-hop group Outkast, faced in December 2008 may have contributed to it. In the lawsuit, Timothy McGee claimed André had stolen his idea for a similar cartoon. Even though the case was ultimately dropped, Cartoon Network canceled the show and has since erased all references to it. It’s very unfortunate, considering what a great series it was.

2001—2011 | ABC Kids | 3 Seasons
 
The show centers on a young fourth-grader, Tracey McBean, who keeps inventing new things to escape tricky situations. Tracey also has a helper to assist her; that is her friend, Shamus Wong, an enthusiastic gardener. Tracey often spots an issue and attempts to solve it with an invention. Still, everything always goes wrong to some extent before she can fix the problem.

It also doesn't make it easier for her that the McConnolly brothers constantly mock her. Tracey also needs to compete against Lazlo, another boy scientist. However, she knows Lazlo isn't playing a fair game. In a nutshell, it’s about a girl who just loves science and tackles her problems by finding scientific solutions to everything. You just have to love the humor and the characters. And every episode is bound to bring laughter!

2002—2004 | ABC; Toon Disney | 3 Seasons
 
Animated in the limited animation style and popularized by Jay Ward, Toon Disney cartoons—2000s story of Teamo Supremo depicting the three superhero kids: Captain Crandall, Skate Lad, and Rope Girl. These three stand guard over their state against various villains like Baron Blitz and Madame Snake.

Throughout the series, they must attend school and lead typical young child lives while also fighting crime with the assistance of the city’s well-intentioned but quite incompetent leader. Although the premise sounds very familiar to The Powerpuff Girls (this was particularly what caused the most hate for this series), it’s an entertaining kids’ show to watch nonetheless. For fans of superheroes, it’s a recommended watch.