Anime’s impact is global, inspiring even American animators to create works in the same style. Shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender are prime examples – they’re essentially anime made in America, clearly showing the influence of Japanese animation in both their look and how stories are told.
Many American animated series try to copy anime, but the best ones are just as captivating and well-made. The truly exceptional series are genuine works of art, proving how much anime has influenced them and establishing themselves as classics.
Exosquad Was an Early American Anime
Before popular shows like Teen Titans and Avatar: The Last Airbender, there was Exosquad. While it’s not very well known today, Exosquad was the first American cartoon to intentionally copy the style of anime. It was heavily inspired by Mobile Suit Gundam, and one of its producers, Will Meugniot, described it as being to the European theater of World War II what Gundam was to the Pacific Theater.
Although it’s not a perfect match, the influence of Gundam is clear in how Exosquad was created. Exosquad really captured the spirit of ’90s cartoons – it had exciting action, but with a level of writing that was typical for that era. The show was set far in the future, after humans had started to reshape the solar system, and depended on a genetically engineered race called Neosapiens to handle most of the difficult work.
When genetically engineered humans called Neosapiens launch a rebellion, humanity finds itself in a desperate battle for survival – and even bigger dangers lurk beyond our solar system. Exosquad was one of the first cartoons to tell a continuous story where characters evolved and changed based on what happened before, becoming more experienced or jaded as the war progressed.
The main reason Exosquad isn’t more widely remembered is because of where it aired. It ended up on the USA Network, which quickly moved away from showing children’s cartoons after picking up the series. Because of this, it doesn’t have a strong lasting impact on pop culture, landing it at the bottom of this list. However, it remains one of the best cartoons from the 1990s and a fantastic example of American anime.
Voltron: Legendary Defender Shows Voltron’s Influence Years Later
The original Voltron series arrived in the United States in 1984, based on the Japanese anime Beast King GoLion. While GoLion wasn’t particularly popular in Japan, Voltron became a classic in Western countries. Over the years, it’s inspired several sequels, like Vehicle Team Voltron, and reboots, such as Voltron Force. However, none of these achieved the same success as the more recent Voltron: Legendary Defender series on Netflix.
Voltron: Legendary Defender reimagines the classic Voltron story, diving deeper into the science behind the giant robot and explaining how it’s possible. Over eight seasons, the show develops the frightening Galra Empire and the Voltron Paladins, who are the only ones with a chance to liberate the universe from the Empire’s control.
This show successfully recreates what fans loved about the original Voltron, but improves upon it by giving more depth and complexity to all of its characters – both heroes and villains. Despite only lasting three seasons, Voltron: Legendary Defender was a huge hit and consistently received award nominations.
Voltron: Legendary Defender gained a large and dedicated following, ensuring the franchise remains popular for years to come. It was also a key early success for Netflix’s animated content, helping to establish their animation library alongside shows like Castlevania and The Dragon Prince. Beyond being a well-made anime-inspired series, Legendary Defender represents America’s breakthrough in creating its own beloved mecha show.
Castlevania Revitalized One of Gaming’s Oldest Franchises
Konami’s Castlevania is a hugely important video game series that helped inspire the popular ‘Metroidvania’ style of games we see today. However, after years of decline, the franchise was revitalized thanks to a partnership between Netflix, Frederator Studios, and Shankar Animation.
The Netflix series Castlevania centers around Trevor Belmont, a hero inspired by Castlevania III, and Sypha Belnades, a skilled magic user, as they fight to defend humanity from Dracula’s army. This reimagining of the Castlevania story has resonated with fans of both anime and video games. The show features intense action and doesn’t shy away from graphic violence, while also showcasing beautifully choreographed fight sequences characteristic of anime.
The popularity of Castlevania reflects a recent trend of successful video game adaptations. It quickly became one of Netflix’s most talked-about shows, running for four seasons before the streaming service expanded the story with a spin-off called Castlevania: Nocturne, which centers around Richter Belmont, a descendant of the original protagonist Trevor.
Teen Titans Made the Next Generation of Heroes Successful
The success of Teen Titans Go is largely due to the popularity it inherited from its predecessor. However, Teen Titans Go wouldn’t exist without the original Teen Titans series from 2003. That show ran for five seasons and four years, becoming one of Cartoon Network’s most beloved and highly-rated programs.
Back then, DC Comics was really concentrating on their biggest stars – Batman, Superman, and the Justice League were pretty much all they were doing! But then Batman: The Animated Series, created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, became a huge hit. It actually built this awesome shared universe that felt just like the comics. That success gave them the confidence to try something completely new with Teen Titans. They weren’t tied down by any existing continuity; it was a fresh start! The show took inspiration from the classic Wolfman and Perez Teen Titans comic, but did its own thing – it wasn’t a direct adaptation at all.
Teen Titans was created to attract a younger audience – those who had enjoyed shows like Batman: The Animated Series and continued watching animation as they got older. To appeal to this new generation, the show incorporated elements popular in early 2000s anime, even featuring an opening theme song by the J-Pop group Puffy AmiYumi. It ultimately resonated with viewers thanks to its unique characters and stories about young heroes dealing with villains and growing up.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Is the Most Beloved Cartoon For a Reason
Avatar: The Last Airbender remains a standout animated series. It arrived during a sweet spot in the mid-2000s, blending the best elements of popular Western animation with the influence of anime which was trending at the time. Despite not always receiving enough credit from Nickelodeon, it likely played a key role in keeping older kids and teens interested in cartoons.
Even though cartoons were already experiencing a golden age in the 2000s, Avatar: The Last Airbender stood out. It told a continuous story, with each episode adding to the overall plot and allowing the characters to grow. The series followed Aang’s journey across the world, as he worked to master his abilities and restore balance. Like other popular shows influenced by anime, Avatar also delivered exciting and well-animated action sequences, becoming known for some of the best fight scenes of the decade.
Avatar quickly became incredibly popular with viewers, growing from a single show into a large franchise. The story expanded through comic books that explored earlier periods of the Avatar world, as well as continuing adventures after Aang defeated the Fire Lord. Today, the universe is expanding again with a new TV series focused on a different Avatar, and a movie showing fans what happened to Aang and his friends as adults. The show’s lasting impact highlights how much anime has influenced Western culture.
2026-07-20 05:46