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13 Bizarre 80s Cartoons
The 80s was an unforgettable era for cartoons. With creativity at an all-time high and some truly wacky ideas, it was a decade that brought us the weird, the wonderful, and the downright bizarre. These shows weren’t afraid to be strange, and that’s exactly why we love them. So, strap in and take a trip back in time with these 13 bizarre 80s cartoons that left us all scratching our heads.
1. The Snorks (1984-1989)
Remember those cute underwater creatures with snorkels sticking out of their heads? Yep, The Snorks were like the Smurfs but under the sea. They lived in a weirdly idyllic underwater world, used their snorkels to propel themselves, and constantly battled oddball villains. It was like a fever dream of aquatic cuteness with some truly odd scenarios thrown in.
2. Bananaman (1983-1986)
Imagine a schoolboy who turns into a muscular superhero after eating a banana. Yes, you read that right. Bananaman was a British superhero parody with a guy whose only superpower was… bananas. But hey, watching him defeat enemies with fruit was pure 80s cartoon gold.
3. Rubik, the Amazing Cube (1983-1984)
In the 80s, toy-based cartoons were all the rage, but Rubik, the Amazing Cube took it to a new level. A magical Rubik’s Cube with a face helped a group of kids solve mysteries. Sure, it sounds weird (and it was), but when that puzzle cube came to life, you knew something bizarre was about to go down.
4. The Adventures of the Little Koala (1984-1987)
What do you get when you mix talking koalas, surreal adventures, and a strange animal community? The Adventures of the Little Koala, of course! Roobear and his friends had some odd escapades in a forest that was both adorable and oddly dreamlike. It was one of those shows where you never really knew what to expect.
5. The Raccoons (1985-1992)
With a cast of anthropomorphic raccoons, aardvarks, and assorted woodland creatures, The Raccoons was set in a forest but dealt with real-world issues like deforestation… and whatever else Cyril Sneer, the pink aardvark villain, was scheming up. The mix of serious themes and goofy characters was certainly unique.
6. Danger Mouse (1981-1992)
A secret agent mouse? Yep. A cowardly hamster sidekick? Absolutely. Danger Mouse gave us all the espionage drama we needed—with a side of the bizarre. With plots so absurd that they became comedic gold, this British cartoon stands out as one of the oddest (yet coolest) hero tales of the decade.
7. Turbo Teen (1984)
Only in the 80s would someone dream up Turbo Teen. After a freak accident, a teen named Brett gains the superpower to transform into… wait for it… a car. His transformation sequences were as strange as they sound, and watching him navigate life as both a teenager and a vehicle? Absolutely bizarre.
8. Galaxy High School (1986)
What’s weirder than high school? High school in space, of course. Galaxy High followed two Earth kids attending school on an alien planet, complete with outlandish classmates and teachers. It was a fun mix of the familiar and the strange, making it one of the quirkiest cartoons to hit the airwaves.
9. The Wuzzles (1985)
In a world where creatures were mash-ups of two animals (a bumblebee-lion hybrid, anyone?), The Wuzzles were as cute as they were strange. These half-and-half animals lived in a world full of pastel colors and gentle adventures, but the oddity of their genetic makeups was the real head-scratcher. As bizarre as it was, it’s surprising it only ran for one season.
10. Dinosaucers (1987-1988)
Dinosaurs from outer space who could talk? Sign me up! Dinosaucers followed a group of anthropomorphic dinosaurs battling their evil counterparts on Earth. It was a mash-up of dinosaurs, sci-fi, and superheroes, making it a cocktail of 80s strangeness that we couldn’t get enough of.
11. Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light (1987)
This short-lived show gave us a strange mix of knights, holographic animals, and futuristic medieval settings. Magic and technology coexisted in a way that made you wonder how anyone thought this up. Still, the action figures were cool, and it had that classic 80s blend of high stakes and weird tech.
12. The Inhumanoids (1986)
If you ever wanted to see a cartoon that was more horror than fun, The Inhumanoids was it. With its grotesque monsters and eerie plotlines, this show felt like a nightmare come to life. Giant, creepy creatures trying to destroy humanity wasn’t your typical Saturday morning cartoon, but it certainly stuck in our minds.
13. Ulysses 31 (1981-1982)
Take the Greek myth of Ulysses and throw him into space. Ulysses 31 was a wild sci-fi reimagining of the classic tale, complete with futuristic ships, robotic enemies, and epic quests. The show’s psychedelic visuals and myth-meets-space concept made it one of the most bizarre—and memorable—cartoons of the 80s.
The complete Ulysses 31 collection is available to buy at Amazon.
Conclusion
The 80s gave us a strange but wonderful gift in the form of cartoons that defied explanation. Whether it was a superhero fueled by bananas, talking dinosaurs from space, or an actual Rubik’s Cube solving mysteries, these shows fully embraced their weirdness. And that’s exactly why we still remember and love them today. If you’re in the mood for some retro oddities, these 13 shows are the perfect trip back to an era where anything was possible—even a teenager turning into a car.