In Western culture, most animated content is widely considered to be meant for kids. Parents will often show their children colorful cartoons with whimsical characters and charming plot lines. But just because an animated show is geared toward kids doesn't always mean it's light and fluffy.
Children's cartoons can be chock-full of physical violence or dark themes. Concepts revolving around character death or mental distress aren't a rarity in this medium. Although these shows still carry valuable lessons, they pack more of a punch than traditional animated content slated for children.
10 Robin Was Severely Beaten & Traumatized By Slade In Teen Titans
It wasn't uncommon for Teen Titans to explore menacing villains and dark subjects, but the show's "Haunted" episode escalated its more disturbing themes. In the episode, Robin is infected with a hallucinogenic chemical that allows him to see, hear, and feel his deceased nemesis, Slade. He was soon driven to a mental breakdown and even turned on his own friends.
Throughout the entire episode, Slade physically beats Robin within an inch of his life. Worse, no one, not even the other Titans, was convinced what he saw was real. Although the series could be brutal with its fight scenes, this particular episode likely left some younger viewers with nightmares.
9 The Powerpuff Girls Never Held Back On Their Punches
A show with a name like The Powerpuff Girls might seem cute and sweet, but don't be fooled. The series was relentless with its aggressive battles. The opening theme song even featured the girls brutally beating villains to the point where blood and teeth were flying everywhere.
The series got particularly dark when Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup faced off against the villain HIM. In the episode "Power-Noia," HIM infiltrated their dreams with nightmarish imagery, including hellish creatures that tormented and injured the girls. The show never pulled its punches when it came to intense life-or-death situations.
8 The Legend Of Korra Had Plenty Of Character Death
The Legend of Korra always dealt with dangerous situations, but it was particularly brutal with its character deaths in later seasons. But that's not to say it wasn't violent from the get-go. At the end of Season 1, the main antagonist, Amon, is killed alongside his brother, Tarrlok, after the latter decides to explode their getaway boat.
Moreover, in a particularly disturbing scene during Season 3, Zaheer assassinates Earth Queen Houg-Ting after he uses airbending to suck the oxygen from her body. The scene received a strong response from both audiences and critics due to its highly graphic nature.
7 Courage The Cowardly Dog Frequently Had To Save His Owners From Horrible Attacks
Courage the Cowardly Dog had no qualms about scaring its younger viewers. Its evil monsters usually had malicious and gory plans for Courage's innocent owners, and Courage was always put in the position of having to defend them.
The series' first episode introduced Katz, who sought to murder anyone staying at his motel. He unleashed nightmarish spiders on Courage, and children were forced to watch their hero battle for his life. The pilot episode drew influence from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, indicating that the series had far more ferocious material in store.
6 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack Was Disturbing & Gory
With a title like The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, this animated Cartoon Network series could be far more gory than whimsical. With unsettling close-ups, mean-spirited characters, and frequent aggression, Flapjack's misadventures were far more disturbing than some fans may remember.
One example is Doctor Barber, who is frequently shown with disgusting imagery. In one instance, Flapjack finds him with his mouth frothing with a disturbing red substance while treating a patient. And no one can forget Captain K'nuckles' temper tantrums, which typically resulted in the explosion of his own face.
5 Invader Zim Could Get Nightmarish With Its Imagery
Invader Zim might have felt like a nightmare to some kids, and with good reason. The show had numerous unsettling plot lines and graphic imagery that could be incredibly upsetting. It certainly didn't help that its leading character could be relentlessly mean-spirited and maniacal.
In one episode, Zim gouges a child's eye to keep his alien identity from being discovered. In another equally disturbing installment, Zim turns Dib's body inside out, revealing disgusting organs and bodily fluids. Despite its creativity, it wasn't rare for the series to be too disturbing to delight young watchers.
4 Tom And Jerry Had Nonstop Violent Slapstick
Tom and Jerry had a consistent formula that was tried and true, and that formula also consisted of nonstop malicious slapstick. Much of the show's humor involved Tom being maimed in various ways. He was frequently blown up, shot, and even sliced into pieces.
While the series rarely showed blood, it also didn't shy away from dismembering its main alley cat. Tom would use a variety of blades and explosives in an attempt to enact his revenge on an unsuspecting Jerry. While it may not be the goriest cartoon, it was still off-putting to see children's characters casually attack each other with deadly weapons.
3 Looney Tunes Never Shied Away From Pain
Looney Tunes was known for its hilarious characters and vicious slapstick. Even during its lighter scenes, it wasn't uncommon for Daffy Duck's beak to be blown off his head.
The show was relentless with weaponry, ranging from sticks of dynamite to pistols to pipe bombs. Despite rarely killing off its characters, the show still subjected them to severe injuries and distress. Wile E. Coyote, in particular, seemed to get the brunt of the pain, as his own contraptions constantly crushed him in his efforts to capture Road Runner. Its outrageous violence is part of why Looney Tunes is so widely remembered today.
2 Batman: The Animated Series Was Wrought With Dark Themes
Batman: The Animated Series pushed the boundary on a beloved DC superhero, incorporating some immensely dark themes into its storytelling. Every time the Joker was onscreen, fans could count on a plethora of explosions, gun violence, and grisly murders of innocent people.
Moreover, in the episode "Over the Edge," Batgirl was knocked off a rooftop by Scarecrow, only to have her body smash into a moving car stories below her. Although the scene is later revealed to be a dream scenario brought about by Scarecrow's fear toxins, it is still incredibly brutal to watch a beloved hero plunge to her death.
1 The Ren & Stimpy Show Could Be Too Disturbing To Air
It's challenging to find a cartoon that relies on strange and disturbing visuals as much as The Ren & Stimpy Show. The series never hesitated to incorporate blood, gore, and even dismembered limbs into its episodes. It was so violent that Nickelodeon even refused to air the episode "Man's Best Friend" due to its upsetting nature.
Its main character, Ren, would frequently have breakdowns that led him to hurt himself and others. In one repulsive scene, he tugs out his bloody gums, and in another, he beats himself senseless with a hammer. Despite being intended for children, the show had enough gore to even make adult viewers shudder.