The Best Animated Series On Max

Summary

• Samurai Jack, Adventure Time, & Justice League are among HBO Max’s best animated series.
• Samurai Jack follows a samurai prince fighting evil in the future to save the past.
• Batman: The Animated Series and Harley Quinn offer top-tier animated entertainment.

HBO’s streaming service, HBO Max, has a wide selection of acclaimed series and movies to dive into, from Matt Reeves’ excellent foray into crime and familial drama, The Penguin, to the dragons and political intrigue of Game of Thrones. HBO has created and housed some of the best TV since 1972, and animated TV is no exception. With engaging stories and jaw-dropping visuals aplenty, animated series allow creatives to take bold directions in how they showcase their stories.

When it comes to animated series, HBO Max has both created and gotten the streaming rights to some of the best works of animation ever put to screen. With a plethora of titles to choose from, it’s often difficult to choose one watch. As is the case with all streaming services, giving viewers that much choice can sometimes be overwhelming and lead to viewers watching shows they’re already familiar with. With that said, these are the best animated series currently airing on HBO Max.

8

Samurai Jack

Jack Must Find A Portal To Travel Back In Time And Defeat The Villainous Aku

Samurai Jack centers around the titular Samurai as he is banished through a time portal to a dystopian future by the shapeshifting demon, Aku. Throughout the series, viewers follow Jack as he fights to find a way back home.

Loved by fans and critics alike, and sitting at over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, Samurai Jack stands out due to its engaging visuals, well-written dialogue, stellar plot, and incredible fight scenes. If viewers are looking for something to watch on HBO Max, look no further than one of the best animated series on the platform, Samurai Jack.

7

Adventure Time

The Adventures Of Finn And Jake Make For One Of The Best Animated Series On Max

Set in the magical world of Ooo, Adventure Time provides great character moments in conjunction with hilarious hijinks from its diverse cast of characters. The show follows Finn the Human and Jake the Dog as they strive to be forces for good in Ooo, protecting those who need it and banishing evil where they can.

Adventure Time shows its quality from the get-go with its engaging plots and ability to tug on viewers’ heartstrings. The character development across its ten-season arc is incredible and more than worthy of a spot on this list.

6

South Park

Foul-Mouthed, Topical, And Thoroughly Entertaining Satiric Comedy

With over 26 seasons and showing no signs of slowing down, South Park is a multimedia juggernaut. Expanding from TV into movies and gaming, viewers have been entertained by the often crude, always hilarious actions of the wide array of characters in South Park.

With so many classic episodes to dive into, like “Casa Bonita,” “Trapped in the Closet,” and often cited as the best, “Scott Tenorman Must Die,” South Park has held a mirror up to society for over 20 years and is absolutely deserving of a place on this list.

5

Justice League

The World’s Greatest Superhero Team Provide An Excellent Animated Series

For fans of superhero comics and movies, The Justice League is synonymous with great storytelling and epic efforts to save the world from threat. Justice League brings many fan-favorite characters, like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, together, and sees them dealing with other-worldly threats.

The strength of Justice League comes from the stories, telling the epic battles against Darkseid and Lex Luthor and also featuring Batman’s most famous villain, The Joker. With epic battles, stunning visuals, and great character development, Justice League is one of the best animated series on HBO Max.

4

Steven Universe

A Great Coming-Of-Age Story About Saving The World

Steven Universe tells the coming-of-age story of Steven as he works towards becoming a member of the Crystal Gems to protect the world from threats both in and outside the Crystal Gems.

Steven Universe excels in its world-building, bringing together high-concept fantasy and sci-fi elements with incredible visuals to pair with its superb writing. The show also touches on important themes of humanity, trauma, and grief. The story feels personal and makes its audience feel deeply for its characters, making it a shoo-in for this list.

3

Batman: The Animated Series

One Of The Finest Showing’s For The Dark Knight

The series that made Batman the favorite superhero of a generation, Batman: The Animated Series showcases great storytelling within the world of DC’s Dark Knight. Throughout its stellar run, fans are introduced to Batman’s rogues gallery, from Riddler to Clayface, as well as the debut appearance of Harley Quinn.

The visuals displayed in Batman: The Animated Series are top tier, full of incredible action and topped off by fantastic performances from the late Kevin Conroy as the Caped Crusader and Mark Hamill as The Joker. With a huge back catalog of content from DC Comics, Batman: The Animated Series gives viewers an incredible show to engage with and remains one of the best animated shows on HBO Max.

2

Harley Quinn

After Breaking Up With The Joker, Harley Quinn Decides To Write Her Own Story

Harley Quinn is a stellar action comedy animated series from DC Animation Studios. Detailing Harley’s life following her separation from The Joker, Harley Quinn explores Harley finding her own identity out of the shadow of the Clown Prince of Crime.

The series explores Harley’s relationships with other villains such as Poison Ivy, King Shark, and Dr. Psycho, as well as how she fits into a world dominated by male supervillains. The supporting cast is endlessly entertaining, with the comedy coming to the forefront of the series, due to its excellent writing and the delivery from its voice actors. Harley Quinn is a tour de force in the adult animated comedy genre and one of the best series HBO Max has to offer.

1

Creature Commandos

The First Project Of The New DCU Is Endlessly Entertaining

Taking an ensemble cast of less-popular characters and turning them into a pop culture juggernaut is what James Gunn does best, and once again he’s nailed it with Creature Commandos. The most recent release to appear on this list is hilarious, heartbreaking, and action-packed.

The series centers around the titular Creature Commandos as they attempt to stop the assassination of the princess of Pokolistan, offering flashbacks to each character’s origins along the way, all of which reach emotional highs and showcase that these monsters may be more human than their human counterparts. The visuals are gritty and match the tone of the show perfectly, and the plot has twists and turns along the way. The episode detailing the origins of GI Robot is a highlight, being both hilarious and moving within its limited seven-episode run. James Gunn has written an all-time classic in the superhero genre, and Creature Commandos is currently the best animated series on HBO Max.