10 Cartoons From The 1990s That Had A Horror Feel (2025)

The 1990s were an incredible time for spooky horror cartoons for children and adults. Cartoons and animated TV shows serve as the perfect medium for horror, as animation has unlimited potential for creating terrifying creatures. 1990s horror cartoons left a mark on young audiences due to their paranormal and bone-chilling nature. Cartoons with a horror feel diversified the content available for children and teenagers, and slapstick comedy and superhero cartoons were no longer the go-to favorite cartoons.

From horror shows dealing with paranormal life-threatening situations to zany ghouls, ghosts, and fun antics, the 1990s had a variety of horror shows that audiences could sink their teeth into. With cartoons like Scooby Doo, Where Are You! popularizing mysteries with ghouls and ghosts, the 1990s saw a rise in spooky cartoons for children. Saturday morning cartoons in the 1990s terrified and captivated young audiences and still send shivers down spines to this day.

10 The Addams Family: The Animated Series

Creepy, Kooky, Mysterious, and Spooky!

The Addams Family: The Animated Series revolves around the spooky Addams Family who are blissfully unaware and indifferent to the fact that their gothic interests frighten other people. While the closely-knit Addams family terrify their neighbors due to their behavior and appearance, it was obvious that the strange and unconventional family cared for each other. The matriarch and patriarch of the Addams family, Morticia and Gomez Addams' passionate and sweet relationship was a highlight of The Addams Family: The Animated Series.

The Addams family has a penchant for getting into bizarre situations that had surprisingly heartwarming conclusions. One notably heartwarming episode of The Addams Family: The Animated Series featured Wednesday Addams getting fed up by her brother Pugsley and creating "improved" versions of him, before realizing that her brother was perfect and eliminating the different versions of him. While The Addams Family: The Animated Series wasn't a terrifying cartoon and didn't have a scary premise, the nature of the Addams family ensured that each episode was a spooky, creepy, and hilarious journey.

9 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters

Three Young Monsters Learning To Terrify Humans

In a premise that is similar to the movies Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, the cartoon Aaahh!!! Real Monsters tells the story of three monsters attending a school for monsters and learning how to scare humans. The three non-frightening but creepy young monsters, Ickis (Charlie Adler), Oblina (Christine Cavanaugh), and Krumm (David Eccles) take part in comical and wacky adventures as they venture into the world of humans.

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters

Animation

Comedy

Family

Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm are young monsters studying at a school located beneath a city dump, where they learn how to scare humans. Their headmaster provides strict guidance as they navigate through various humorous and spooky adventures.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
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Not available

*Availability in US

Cast

Charlie Adler , Christine Cavanaugh , David Eccles , gregg berger , Tim Curry , Xander Berkeley , Dorian Harewood , Cynthia Mann

Release Date

October 29, 1994

Seasons

4

The forgotten 1990s showAaahh!!! Real Monsters is filled with humorous hijinks as the three monsters attempt to scare away their problems when they reach the world of humans. Scary monsters are at the core of Aaahh!!! Real Monsters' premise, however, the children's show is more focused on family-friendly humor and shenanigans. The viscerally disturbing character design of the monsters is the scariest aspect of the comedy horror cartoon Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. However, despite the three monsters' odd appearance, their attempts at scaring humans were more endearing than frigthening.

8 Freaky Stories

Anthology Series About Urban Legends

This aptly named anthology series Freaky Stories tells the tales of mythological creatures, myths, and urban legends in the form of frightening campfires or bedtime stories. Freaky Stories stood out from other cartoons as it incorporated unique animation styles for each short story, making each episode a visual treat. The horror cartoon series featured original stories along with stories based on popular classic legends like the Hookman, the killer in the backseat, the babysitter, the sewer alligator, and the doggy lick.

Freaky Stories started off each episode with the phrase, "This is a true story, and it happened to a friend of a friend of mine," which helped instill a sense of fear and paranoia in the audience. The combination of various animation styles, a mix of original stories and well-known urban legends, and telling stories in the form of campfire or bedtime stories made Freaky Stories one of the scariest kid's shows of all time.

7 Toxic Crusaders

Superheros Battle Pollution

The superhero animated series Toxic Crusaders isn't a horror TV show, but the premise fits the horror genre. Toxic Crusaders was based on The Toxic Avenger movies and was a tamer and more child-friendly version of the source material. Toxic Crusaders starred Toxie (Rodger Bumpass), a mutant who becomes deformed and gets superpowers after being exposed to toxic waste. The characters in Toxic Crusaders were often being exposed to toxic waste which could transform them into grotesque creatures.

The most horrific aspect of Toxic Crusaders is Toxie's tragic and relatable backstory. Originally known as Melvin Junko, Toxie was a lonely janitor who was constantly being bullied and ridiculed. After a mean-spirited prank resulted in Toxie falling into a drum of toxic waste he transforms into the deformed mutant. While the bullying was played for laughs in the spooky cartoon Toxic Crusaders, the way Toxie was treated was truly horrific and frightening, and the consequences of pollution and toxic waste was chilling.

6 Gargoyles

Gargoyles Become Protectors Of New York City

In the gothic horror and fantasy series Gargoyles, petrified gargoyles transported from Scotland to New York City awake in a new world and become the city's protectors against supernatural threats. Gargoyles had a dark tone and was a surprisingly violent and frightening kids TV show that covered topics like gun violence. While the premise of nocturnal gargoyles fighting crime and protecting people isn't terrifying, Gargoyles' willingness to lean into dark themes makes it a memorable horror TV show for children.

8/10

Gargoyles

Gargoyles is a dark fantasy/action television series created for Disney in a major departure tonally. The series follows a group of gargoyles that lived during a time of war and were cursed by the humans they protected to live in the day in stone and take form at night. After one thousand years of imprisonment, they wake to discover they now live in New York City and eventually become the defenders of the night.

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Cast

Keith David , Jonathan Frakes , Jeff Bennett

Release Date

October 24, 1994

Seasons

3

Gargoyles, which is getting a reboot, utilized impressive animations to create fearsome action sequences that are bone chilling. The spooky cartoon had paranormal elements like hauntings, possessions, and witchcraft.Gargoyles was a uniquely dark children's show that focused more on complex plot, drama, and action rather than comedy to keep its young audiences entertained. The upcoming Gargoyles reboot has a tough act to follow as the original cartoon solidified itself as an iconic dark children's show.

5 Beetlejuice

Ghostly Prankster Explores The Afterlife And The Mortal World

Tim Burton's horror comedy Beetlejuice follows the titular character Beetlejuice (Stephen Ouimette), a ghostly con-man and his friend Lydia (Alyson Court). The TV duo of Beetlejuice and Lydia journey between the Neitherworld and the mortal world and leave chaos in their wake. The character of Beetlejuice has abilities like shapeshifting and teleportation which he uses to blend in with living people and cause mischief across the realms.

Beetlejuice features everything a good supernatural horror comedy show needs, an abundance of ghosts, mischief, pranks, and powerful abilities. The strange, spooky, and gothic duo of Beetlejuice and Lydia were an amusing, entertaining, and surprisingly heartwarming dynamic to witness on television. In addition, Beetlejuice's setting of the Neitherworld and the afterlife added to the atmosphere of the show. While the 1990s animated show was more of a comedy than a horror, Beetlejuice remains a strong contender for spookiest children's TV show due to the atmosphere of the show and Beetlejuice's abilities.

4 The Real Ghostbusters

The Adventures Of Paranormal Investigators

The supernatural sci-fi comedy The Real Ghostbusters follows the adventures of four paranormal investigators. The Ghostbusters travel around New York City and other parts of the world as they hunt down and capture spirits, ghosts, and specters as a team. The animated series The Real Ghostbusters adapted the original characters from the source material and made the show a cartoon the whole family can enjoy but was primarily geared towards younger audiences.

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The Real Ghostbusters

Animation

Action

Comedy

Sci-Fi

The Real Ghostbusters is an animated series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. It features the original team of paranormal investigators and eliminators as they tackle supernatural threats in New York City. The show delves into various ghostly encounters, highlighting the group's teamwork and use of scientific gadgets to capture and contain spirits. The series includes Egon, Ray, Peter, and Winston as they navigate their ghostbusting business.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Cast

Maurice LaMarche , Dave Coulier , Frank Welker , Arsenio Hall , Lorenzo Music , Laura Summer , Kath Soucie , Buster Jones

Release Date

September 13, 1986

Seasons

7

The long-running series The Real Ghostbusters kept audiences coming back each week with its intriguing and exciting supernatural plot. With seven seasons of the supernatural comedy, The Real Ghostbusters had many incredible episodes filled with sci-fi comedy goodness. The weekly The Real Ghostbusters episodes expanded upon the world created in the source material and the drama-filled science fiction TV show served as a worthy sequel to the original Ghostbusters movie and franchise. The Real Ghostbusters is an easily digestible and entertaining sci-fi comedy filled with paranormal occurrences and ghost hunting that had a horror feel to it but wasn't terrifying.

3 Tales From The Cryptkeeper

Anthology Horror Series Hosted By The Cryptkeeper

Tales from the Cryptkeeper is an anthology horror series that utilizes kid-friendly scary stories that teach a lesson to the audience. The Cryptkeeper (John Kassir) serves as the host for the anthology series and introduces the horror stories and adds an element of comedic relief to the show. The thrilling dark animated show Tales from the Cryptkeeper also subverted expectations and had retellings of classic fairytales, like making Sleeping Beauty a terrifying vampire.

Tales from the Cryptkeeper is a family and kid-friendly version of the show Tales from the Crypt and the series reworked the plot lines and gore in the original series to make it less dark. Tales from the Cryptkeeper was one of the best Saturday morning cartoons due to its blend of comedy and horror. In addition, the Tales from the Cryptkeeper did not shy away from serious topics and several episodes revolved around bullying and its impact. Tales from the Cryptkeeper managed to perfectly balance dark and enjoyable horror stories while also teaching valuable life lessons.

2 Spawn: The Animated Series

Assassin Returns To Earth After Making A Deal With The Devil

Spawn: The Animated Series, also known as Todd McFarlane's Spawn or Spawn, is a dark superhero horror TV show based on a comic series. The story revolves around former Marine and assassin Al Simmon (Keith David) who is betrayed and killed and then makes a deal with the devil to return to Earth as a Hellspawn. Spawn: The Animated Series has a dark premise filled with devil deals, vengeance, moral quandry, and trickery.

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Spawn

Animation

Crime

Drama

Adventure

Superhero

Spawn is an animated television series that follows the story of Al Simmons, a former Marine who is resurrected as a Hellspawn and battles demonic forces while searching for redemption and justice against those who wronged him.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Cast

Keith David , Richard Dysart , Dominique Jennings , Todd McFarlane , James Keane , Michael McShane , John Rafter Lee , Victor Love , Michael Nicolosi , Kath Soucie , Denise Poirier , Ruben Santiago-Hudson , Ming-Na Wen , Charlie Adler , John Hostetter , Ronny Cox , Alex Fernandez , John DeMita , Brendan O'Brien , Tony Amendola , Matthew Flint

Streaming Service(s)

Max

Spawn follows Al's journey back on Earth as he resists the forces of evil and struggles to maintain his sense of right and wrong while both Hell and Heaven attempt to hunt him down. Spawn: The Animated Series was a gritty, violent, and complex superhero horror show that did not shy away from dark themes and topics. Unlike other cartoon horror shows, Spawn is not a comedy show that uses humor to lighten up the dark tone. A much-needed Spawn reboot movie starring Jamie Foxx and Spawn video game is anticipated to revive the franchise.

1 Courage The Cowardly Dog

A Cowardly Dog Protects His Owners From Supernatural Creatures

Courage the Cowardly Dog is a terrifying horror kid's show following the eponymous dog's struggles to keep his elderly owners safe from otherworldly monsters. Courage (Marty Grabstein) is an easily frightened dog residing in an isolated farmhouse with his elderly owners. Courage the Cowardly Dog's setting in a remote farmhouse where the closest town is called Nowhere builds a sense of uneasiness and dread.

Courage faces a variety of terrifying creatures including monsters, aliens, and supernatural creatures. Courage's owners obliviousness to the danger they're in and the brave feats their dog is performing adds to the unsettling and uncanny atmosphere of the setting and the cartoon. The owner's blissful unawareness regarding the paranormal creatures results in a sense of foreboding, because it won't be long before another creature tries to attack. Courage the Cowardly Dog's scariest episodes can send shivers down the spines with its creepy visuals and unpleasant characters created by the animation.

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Courage the Cowardly Dog

Courage the Cowardly Dog is a cartoon that follows the titular pet Courage, who faces his uncontrollable fear and anxiety while fighting off countless supernatural creatures that threaten his owners, the elderly Muriel and Eustace. The Cartoon Network series aired from 1999 to 2002 with four seasons and 52 episodes.

Where to Watch

• stream
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Not available

*Availability in US

Streaming Service(s)

Prime Video , Apple TV+

Release Date

November 12, 1999

Seasons

4

Network

Cartoon Network