The X-Men have been a popular flagship franchise for Marvel since the team's debut in 1963. They have been a part of the comics ever since, starred in their own film franchise with multiple timelines and character portrayals, and have had several animated shows based on them.

The X-Men have had several guest star appearances in Marvel animated shows, both old and new, but have also starred in many of their own X-Men cartoons. Each series features not only different styles of animation but drastically different tones, stories, and character interpretations. While some became all-time fan-favorite classics, others have been forgotten over the years.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on March 21, 2024: X-Men '97 has finally hit Disney+, reinvigorating interest in Marvel's animated X-Men properties. Which X-Men animated series are the best so far — and can the new series live up to its predecessors?

1 The X-Men Appeared as the Allies for Peace in 1966's The Marvel Super Heroes

The first animated appearance of a few different Marvel heroes came in 1966 with the release of The Marvel Super Heroes. The show featured lightly animated cartoon panels of heroes like the Avengers and Namor the Sub-Mariner.

The X-Men made their animated debut in the "Dr. Doom's Day" episode which adapted an early issue of Fantastic Four. The X-Men were used instead of the FF, but their team name was changed to the Allies of Peace. The original line-up of X-Men appeared in their earliest costumes but wouldn't reappear on TV for over a decade.

2 The X-Men Appeared on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends in the '80s

Iceman was one of the founding members of the X-Men, though his first animated starring role was on a different series. Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends starred the titular web-slinger as he formed a crime-fighting team with Iceman and Firestar. The X-Men appeared twice on the series in versions of their costumes from the '80s.

Their first appearance in the series came during a flashback that explored Iceman's origins with the X-Men in their original costumes. They starred in a reunion at the X-Mansion with Iceman and his former teammates that was crashed by the Juggernaut. The final appearance featured Spidey and his friends training in the X-Men's Danger Room before an enemy took it over.

3 X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men Was a 1989 Pilot for an Unaired Series

"Pryde of the X-Men" was the aired pilot for an animated series that never got off the ground due to financial issues with Marvel at the time, which is hard to believe when compared to their financial situation today. Pryde of the X-Men the show would have focused on Kitty Pryde, AKA Shadowcat, as the newest member of the team, hence the pun-tastic title.

With a cast comprising Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Cyclops, Storm, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, and more going against the likes of Magneto and Pyro, it wasn't a bad pilot and could have led to something special. Alas, one episode was all fans got. Not to worry, however, for it was the seeds for a flower much more special.

4 X-Men Starred in a Hit Five-Season Series That Launched in 1992

X-Men: The Animated Series is the show most Marvel fans think of when it comes to a cartoon about the X-Men, or even what they think when the name pops up in general. It was the beginning of the animated Marvel universe that would last through the late '90s, including Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and the often forgotten Iron Man series.

With progressive writing that was ahead of its time (often compared to Batman: The Animated Series), respect for the characters, still impressive animation, and a theme song that will never leave one's head for the rest of time, it is understandable to see why X-Men: TAS lasted as long as it did. Nowadays, X-Men is still available on Disney+, allowing a whole new generation of fans to enjoy it. As a testament to its popularity, Disney+ released a direct sequel, X-Men '97, in March 2024.

5 X-Men: Evolution Reimagined the Team as High School Kids in 2003

More akin to the visual and atmospheric tones of the popular movies at the time, X-Men: Evolution lasted four seasons. It was effective at putting more emphasis on other characters besides the main A-list X-Men members. While the show never reached the same heights as the '90s series, it had enough fans to make it last a few years before cancelation.

Evolution even brought about the creation of a now-famous Marvel character. Much like DC's Harley Quinn debuted in a cartoon, X-23, AKA, Laura Kinney, was introduced in the series. She would go on to become a character in the comics and then a major player in 2017's Logan, which many consider the best Wolverine film.

6 2009's Wolverine and the X-Men Reimagined the Team in a Dark Future

The same production team behind X-Men: Evolution brought Wolverine and the X-Men to Nickelodeon. This show took a darker and even more mature approach to the X-Men. With some iconic characters dead, others retired, and mutant-kind being hunted down by the Mutant Response Division and their Sentinels, Wolverine reunited the X-Men and became their new leader.

Wolverine and the X-Men was a mature series that was still meant for the whole family, which led to the show getting a ton of praise for the first season. Unfortunately, due to Disney buying Marvel properties, the latter's relationship with Paramount ended. This led to the cancelation of Wolverine and the X-Men after only one season and the planned Age of Apocalypse storyline was scrapped.

7 Marvel Anime: Wolverine Was a Dark Brutal Adaptation of the Comic

Fans of 2013's The Wolverine and the Chris Claremont Wolverine comic series by Marvel Comics should be familiar with this story of Logan returning to Japan only to be swept up in another deadly mission. Though the Hugh Jackman movie was mostly a loose adaptation, the anime follows the comic much closer by comparison.

Wolverine featured the same stunning animation used for the other Marvel Anime mini-series by Madhouse. Starring Milo Ventimiglia as the voice of Logan, Marvel Anime: Wolverine was dark, brutal, and provided the best anime experience for Marvel fans by far.

8 The X-Men Traveled to Japan to Star in a Marvel Anime in 2011

Marvel is no stranger to venturing into anime, as shown with their productions of Blade, Wolverine, and Iron Man anime shows and the Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher movie. The rest of the X-Men followed in the path laid out by Wolverine in a mini-series aired on G4.

Marvel Anime: X-Men was twelve episodes long and focused on a grieving team of X-Men investigating a strange case in Japan featuring a mutant named Armor and individuals known as the U-Men. Fans of anime and Marvel alike should give a watch as it features stellar animation quality and care for the X-Men property.

9 X-Men '97 Is a Revival Series That Picks Up Where X-Men: TAS Left Off

The characters from the '90s X-Men continued to appear in comics like X-Men '92, though fans were still hoping to see a revival of the animated series. It was finally announced that a revival series called X-Men '97 would carry on the comic storylines adapted by X-Men: The Animated Series.

The series, which is now streaming on Disney+, continues the epic storyline that the original series began. Though it hasn't been without its controversies, X-Men '97 is one of the most highly anticipated series of the year, as audiences finally get to reunite with some of their favorite mutants. So far, the series has been exceptionally well-received and praised for being able to recapture the magic that made its predecessor so beloved.