Top 10 Anticipated Netflix Cartoon Seasons of 2021

Hailing from the mind of Elizabeth Ito, a creator with plenty of credits on "Adventure Time" and who also directed 2015’s “Welcome to My Life” short, "City of Ghosts" looks set to be an intriguing examination of city life and the stories that shape it. While animated, the Netflix series has also been described as a documentary, albeit one that uses cartoon ghosts to convey stories of the past. Fueled by Ito's experiences as a Japanese American living in LA, "City of Ghosts" will explore the generational growth of communities defined by diverse backgrounds.

Based on Dr. Seuss's 1960 book with the same name, "Green Eggs and Ham" expertly adapts a children's story into an endearing road trip series. The first season chronicles Sam-I-Am and Guy-Am-I's unpredictable journey to return Mr. Jenkins, a Chickeraffe, back home. Expertly balancing laugh-out-loud humor, pop-culture references, and life lessons, "Greens Eggs and Ham" is a fantastic show for children that should also entertain adults. As the first season ended on a cliffhanger and Netflix renewed the show for 10 more episodes, 2021 looks likely to be the year when Sam and Guy set off to East Flubria.

An adaptation of Max Brallier's book series, "The Last Kids on Earth" is a colorful post-apocalyptic cartoon about a group of teens trying to survive in a world filled with zombies and monsters, not all of which are villainous. Though Netflix has yet to announce a renewal as of early 2021, the quick turnaround between the previous two seasons and the last episode of Season 3 concluding with an introduction of seemingly a new villain suggests Jack and his friends will be back sooner rather than later. The cartoon has dedicated plenty of time to developing the relationships between the four main characters, a family dynamic that might be disrupted by the introduction of new humans.

A haunted house substitutes fake skeletons for ghoulish entities from the underworld in Netflix's exciting adaptation of Hamish Steele's "DeadEndia" graphic novel. Produced by Blink Industries and with heavy involvement from Steele, "DeadEndia" looks primed to be an imaginative adaptation of the highly-rated comic. The story follows two teenagers who learn that the haunted theme park they work may also be a gateway to hell, setting the stage for plenty of spooks and laughs. "DeadEndia" features a diverse roster of characters, including a trans protagonist, and is just as interested in exploring its humans as it is its demons.

The brainchild of Tim Miller and David Fincher, "Love, Death & Robots" took a long time to become a reality but it was worth the effort. Through its 18 standalone episodes, 2019's first season delivers plenty of memorable stories highlighting different animation styles, creative talents, and genres. While not every short hits the mark, segments such as the philosophical "Zima Blue" and the gripping "Good Hunting" present "Love, Death & Robots" as the provocative series it clearly seeks to be. Netflix renewed the show back in 2019, so it should hopefully only be a matter of time before season 2 drops.

Following two decent batches of episodes, Matt Groening's "Disenchantment" returned in January 2021 with "Part 3," although a "Part 4" has also been announced. Compared to "The Simpsons" and "Futurama," "Disenchantment" concentrates more on its lore and story, all the while still including plenty of funny gags. After initially limiting itself to Dreamland, Princess Bean's home, "Disenchantment" eventually broke free of its restrictive setting and set out to explore the larger world. "Part 3" introduces plenty of new characters and divides its three primary leads to allow for some introspective exploration. This all culminates in a mass shake-up of the status quo that suggests an exciting future awaits "Disenchantment."

Exploring coming-of-age themes through fantastical monsters and plenty of adult humor, "Big Mouth" has produced four great seasons, with a fifth already confirmed to be on the way. Each batch of episodes tends to focus on specific themes, be it anxiety, shame, and trauma. The fourth season was especially intriguing, with the main trio's trip to Camp Mohegan Sun serving as a trigger for plenty of personal conflicts and the biracial Missy going through a wonderful arc. "Big Mouth's" seasons are usually separated by around a year, so there is a good chance season 5 will be out by the end of 2021.

Despite Book Three ending on an episode called "The Final Battle," Callum, Rayla, and Ezran's story has four more seasons left in the tank. Over the course of 27 episodes, "The Dragon Prince'' spun an engrossing web of adventure, character development, action, and romance, transforming villains into heroes and forming allegiances between different species. While "Book 3" ended on a somewhat satisfying note that saw the central heroes seemingly complete their journey, seeds were also planted for the future as Aaravos looks set to take a more active role as the main antagonist. "Book 4" cannot come out soon enough.

The Murphys will be coming back for one last run of episodes, with Netflix confirming that season 5 will be the cartoon's last. Bill Burr's "F Is for Family" has repeatedly proven itself to be apt at balancing complex characterization with hilarious moments. Season 4 added Frank's father to the mix, presenting a fascinating dynamic as the lead faced his cruel parent who has softened with age. While it is unclear what the end will look like for the Murphys, it is safe to assume that the journey will be funny and insightful.

Warren Ellis's adaptation of Konami's iconic video game series has been nothing short of phenomenal. Following two magnificent seasons highlighted by the show's sympathetic portrayal of Dracula, "Castlevania" split itself into distinct storylines for season 3, weaving plot threads that broke or significantly altered many prominent characters. Season 4 will likely revolve around Carmilla and her sisters' plan, while Alucard should continue his descent into solitude as he rejects humanity. As this is "Castlevania," the future seems grim and full of tragedy, with season 4 hopefully providing payoffs for various character arcs and plot ideas.