5 Forgotten Retro Action Cartoons Every Gen-X Fan Needs to Rewatch This Weekend!
If you grew up during the golden age of Saturday morning television, there was nothing quite like waking up, grabbing a bowl of cereal, and planting yourself in front of the television for a morning filled with robots, spaceships, monsters, dinosaurs, and larger-than-life heroes.
Everybody remembers G.I. Joe, Transformers, ThunderCats, He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But the 1980s and early 1990s produced an unbelievable number of action cartoons that don’t receive nearly enough attention today.
That’s exactly what we’re digging into this week.
For this week’s Serpentor’s Lair Retro Rewatch, we’re heading deep into the toy aisle and Saturday morning archives for five forgotten retro action cartoons that deserve another look.
1. Mighty Orbots — 1984
If you loved giant robots but somehow missed Mighty Orbots, this one needs to go directly to the top of your retro watchlist.
Premiering in 1984, the series followed young inventor Rob Simmons and a team of powerful robots called the Orbots. Individually, they were formidable. Together, they could combine into the enormous Mighty Orbots to defend civilization against the evil computer intelligence known as Umbra and the forces of SHADOW.
What makes Mighty Orbots especially interesting today is its visual style. The series combined American Saturday morning storytelling with gorgeous Japanese animation influences, giving the action a look that frequently feels closer to classic anime than many of its American contemporaries.
And unlike many cartoons from this period, it didn’t run forever. Mighty Orbots lasted just 13 episodes, making it an incredibly easy weekend binge.
Why rewatch it: Beautiful animation, giant combining robots, terrific science-fiction designs and one of the great overlooked cartoon openings of the 1980s.
Where to watch: The complete 13-episode adventure is currently promoted through the official Mighty Orbots site and its official YouTube presence.
2. Dinosaucers — 1987
Dinosaurs. Spaceships. Transformations. Alien technology.
Honestly, what more could an ’80s kid ask for?
Dinosaucers debuted in 1987 and introduced viewers to intelligent dinosaur beings from the planet Reptilon. The heroic Dinosaucers, led by Allo, arrive on Earth and join forces with four human teenagers known as the Secret Scouts.
Unfortunately, their enemies aren’t far behind.
The evil Tyrannos, led by the wonderfully named Genghis Rex, also arrive on Earth with plans of their own.
The concept was pure 1980s insanity in the best possible way. Several Dinosaucers could even temporarily “Dinovolve,” reverting into more primitive dinosaur forms while retaining their intelligence.
The series produced 65 episodes, yet somehow Dinosaucers frequently gets left out when fans discuss the decade’s big action cartoons.
That’s a mistake worth correcting.
Why rewatch it: It’s one of those concepts that could only have come from the 1980s: space-faring dinosaur warriors mixed with human sidekicks, sci-fi weaponry and colorful villains.
Where to watch: Dinosaucers is currently available free with ads on The Roku Channel in the United States.
3. The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers — 1986
Imagine taking an old-fashioned Western, launching it into deep space, adding cybernetic abilities, alien worlds and an absolutely killer 1980s soundtrack.
You’d have The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers.
The 1986 series takes place in the distant year of 2086, where humanity has gained hyperdrive technology and expanded into interstellar space. To protect Earth and its allies, a special group of enhanced heroes operates across the new galactic frontier.
Zachary Foxx, Shane “Goose” Gooseman, Niko and Walter “Doc” Hartford formed one of the decade’s most memorable teams, even if today’s casual cartoon audience doesn’t talk about them nearly enough.
Galaxy Rangers mixed science fiction with the imagery of Westerns long before the idea of a “space Western” became commonplace. Laser weapons could exist beside horses, dusty frontier settlements and outlaw-style villains without the show ever feeling confused about what it wanted to be.
It also arrived 40 years ago in 1986, making 2026 the perfect year to rediscover it.
Why rewatch it: Great character designs, surprisingly ambitious science-fiction storytelling, Japanese-influenced animation and one of the most unforgettable rock-inspired cartoon themes of its generation.
Where to watch: A major U.S. subscription streaming service is not currently carrying the series, so availability remains more limited than some of this week’s other selections.
4. Bucky O’Hare and the Toad Wars — 1991
By 1991, Saturday morning cartoons were changing, but Bucky O’Hare and the Toad Wars arrived carrying plenty of the DNA that made the previous decade so much fun.
Created from the comic-book universe developed by Larry Hama and Michael Golden, Bucky O’Hare takes place in an alternate dimension called the Aniverse.
Captain Bucky commands the wonderfully named spaceship Righteous Indignation alongside characters including Jenny, Dead-Eye Duck, AFC Blinky and Willy DuWitt.
Their enemy?
An enormous imperial army of evil toads controlled by the computer intelligence KOMPLEX.
Yes, it sounds completely ridiculous.
That’s also precisely why it works.
The series combined space opera, comedy, colorful alien worlds, memorable villains and a cast practically engineered to become action figures.
Only 13 episodes were produced, which makes Bucky another ideal weekend rewatch — and makes you wonder what the series might have become had it received several additional seasons.
Why rewatch it: If G.I. Joe, Star Wars and Saturday morning cartoons somehow collided in another dimension, the result wouldn’t be far from Bucky O’Hare.
Where to watch: Individual episodes are currently available as digital purchases through Neal Adams’ official Bucky O’Hare site.
5. The Pirates of Dark Water — 1991
If there’s one show on this week’s list that deserves to be rediscovered by an entirely new generation, it may be The Pirates of Dark Water.
The series takes place on the alien world of Mer, a planet slowly being consumed by a mysterious substance known as Dark Water.
Young Prince Ren learns that his world’s salvation depends upon finding the legendary Thirteen Treasures of Rule. His journey brings together a fantastic adventure party including the pirate Ioz, the powerful Tula and the monkey-bird Niddler.
Standing in their way is the monstrous pirate lord Bloth.
What followed was one of the most imaginative animated fantasy adventures of the early 1990s. Strange creatures, bizarre islands, enormous ships and a completely original fantasy mythology gave the series a world unlike almost anything else airing at the time.
There was only one frustrating problem:
The story was never fully completed.
That unfinished adventure has helped turn The Pirates of Dark Water into a cult favorite among viewers who still wonder what might have happened next.
Why rewatch it: Rich world-building, genuinely memorable villains, excellent voice work and a serialized quest that feels surprisingly modern more than three decades later.
Where to watch: The Pirates of Dark Water is currently streaming free with ads on Tubi in the United States and is also available to purchase digitally through several services.
Which Forgotten Cartoon Deserves Another Shot?
That’s what makes digging through the animated archives of the 1980s and early 1990s so much fun.
For every Transformers or G.I. Joe that became a permanent piece of pop culture, there were dozens of strange, ambitious and sometimes downright incredible cartoons fighting for our attention.
Mighty Orbots gave us giant robots. Dinosaucers gave us intergalactic dinosaurs. Galaxy Rangers took the Wild West into space. Bucky O’Hare declared war on an empire of toads. And The Pirates of Dark Water transported viewers into one of the era’s most imaginative fantasy worlds.
Not bad for a weekend of retro television.
Now we want to hear from you: Which one of these did you watch growing up? And what’s the forgotten ’80s or ’90s action cartoon that absolutely HAS to make our next list?
Drop your pick in the comments and see how many fellow Gen-X fans remember it!
And be sure to follow SerpentorsLair.com for more G.I. Joe, Transformers, classic cartoons, toys and Gen-X nostalgia every week!
