10 Cartoons of the 80s We Can't Help but Miss

The cartoons of the 1980s were bright, colorful, imaginative, and best of all, they were cheesy. Many would complain, at the time, that they were completely devoid of any educational value. Whether or not the children of the 80s learned anything from these cartoons, no one can deny that many of those cartoons still hold a special place in the hearts of the children who watched them. Here are ten cartoons that still seem to captivate the child within us all.

1. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Mention the names of "He-Man" or "Skeletor" to just about anyone who was in the under-10 set in 1983-85 and their eyes fill with nostalgia induced stars. Though the series, intended to sell Mattel's newest action figure line, only lasted two seasons, the adventures of those who inhabited the planet Eternia became an afternoon staple. The cry "By the Power of Grayskull" could be heard on just about any school playground and soon, just as Mattel had hoped, Christmas wishlists filled with requested Castle Grayskull playsets and Trapjaw action figures.

2. The Smurfs

You either loved them or you hated them. These blue, happy creatures weren't really animals, but they weren't exactly human, either. In fact, what were they? Whatever they were, they gave Saturday mornings a theme song that parents must have surely abhorred while kids loved nothing more than to ponder why Smurfette was the only girl Smurf in the village.

3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Cowabunga, dude. These muscle bound turtles became so popular that they spawned three live action films and have most recently found a new audience with the upcoming TMNT film, pairing CGI with an old 80s favorite. Though, at the time of this writing, the film has not been released, the filmmakers seem to understand one vital element of bringing back our old favorites: update the technology, but don't update the characters (if you doubt me, take a look at the latest reincarnation of Strawberry Shortcake).

4. Transformers