14 Facts That Prove Cartoons Were Better In The ‘80s

The '80s revolutionized cartoons, paving the path to a bright future. Make your future brighter by seeing if you could save hundreds on car insurance with GEICO.

1. G.I. Joe was created to sell children's toys.

Marvel Productions/Hasbro / Via makeagif.com

That's right: The toys came first, and the G.I. Joe cartoon series was created to promote the line of action figures!

2. Nobody ever died in Voltron.

World Events Productions / Via gph.is

Due to American network standards, no "living" creatures were allowed to be killed on-screen. Mechanical creatures, however, were fair game.

3. Slimer didn't have a name until he appeared in The Real Ghostbusters.

DIC Entertainment / Via 1980s-90sgifs.tumblr.com

Due to the popularity of the "Green Ghost" character in the original Ghostbusters film, the character was included in The Real Ghostbusters and given the name "Slimer."

4. Thundercats takes place on Earth but in a distant future when humans are already extinct.

Rankin/Bass Productions / Via tvneon.tumblr.com

The Thundercats' arch-nemesis, Mumm-ra, describes himself as being "from a time when this was still First Earth." He is believed to be a survivor from Ancient Egypt who outlived the entire human species!

5. DuckTales was the most expensive animated series of its time.

Disney Television Animation / Via gph.is

In 1987, it was unpopular to produce a high-budget animated series. But Disney's gamble paid off big time, paving the way for high-budget animated series like Talespin, Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers, and Gargoyles.

6. In Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip and Dale's costumes were modeled after Indiana Jones and Magnum P.I.

Disney Television Animation / Via amazinglyanimated.tumblr.com

The show was originally intended as a TV series for characters from the Disney film The Rescuers, but the head of Disney suggested they feature more recognizable Disney characters, so Chip and Dale were added later!

7. Muppet Babies was an hour-long cartoon!

The Jim Henson Company / Via 1980s-90sgifs.tumblr.com

Episodes were originally 30 minutes. Then, they were extended to a full hour, and finally they became 90-minute-long episodes!

8. Alvin and the Chipmunks was originally created as a gag musical album.

Bagdasarian Productions / Via summerstarkiss.tumblr.com

In the late '50s, creator Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., recorded a collection of pop-song covers, then sped up the playback to create a high-pitched voice effect. He then created the chipmunk characters on the album to justify the silly voices, and a franchise was born.

9. The backstory of She-Ra: Princess Of Power is eerily similar to Star Wars.

Filmation Associates/Mattel / Via gifsoup.com

After being separated from her long-lost twin brother, Prince Adam (who is also He-Man, btw), Princess Adora (aka She-Ra) leads The Great Rebellion to liberate her home planet of Etheria from the evil space warlord Hordak. Sound familiar?

10. Inspector Gadget was supposed to have a mustache.

DIC Entertainment / Via gph.is

MGM complained that Inspector Gadget too closely resembled their own bumbling detective, Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther series, so the mustache was dropped, giving Inspector Gadget the look we all know and love today!

11. Every female character in The Smurfs is magical.

Hanna-Barbera Productions / Via 1980s-90sgifs.tumblr.com

The only female Smurfs are Smurfette and Sassette, and they were created by magic! All of the other Smurfs are bald and male.

12. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was once the longest-running cartoon in TV history!

Murakami Wolf Swenson / Via gph.is

It was dethroned only two years later by The Simpsons (which is still on the air today).

13. Famous professional wrestler Lou Albano played Mario on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

Via gph.is, DIC Entertainment / Via darkarfs.tumblr.com

Each episode featured a live-action Mario and Luigi introducing cartoon segments.

14. The first and only season of the original Robotech series ends on a cliffhanger that wasn't resolved until over 20 years later.

Harmony Gold / Via gph.is

Robotech was only on the air for one season in 1985. The cliffhanger ending wasn't resolved until 2006, when Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles was released.

Additional thumbnails from iStock.

Hey, '80s cartoons may be gone, but they're not forgotten! Check out what He-Man and Skeletor are up to now:

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