The 1980s is known for many things, including bizarre hair and fashion, campy teen films, and corny music. Some of that music was heard every week when kids gathered around the TV for Saturday morning cartoons. The Nerd Stash is proud to celebrate the era by ranking the 10 best cartoon intros of the 80s. While this decade is known for wackiness and over-the-top behavior, it’s also an era that gave rise to cartoons and cartoon intros that remain popular today, thanks to reruns and reboots. That is an achievement worthy of some honor. And so, without further ado, here are the top ten cartoon intros of the 80s.

10. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

He-Man’s intro features campy music, a generic plot description, and lackluster voice-acting. These are some of the hallmarks of a great 80s cartoon intro.

Like many cartoons on this list, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was mostly a marketing ploy to sell toys. Regardless, it worked beautifully, boosting action figure sales big time and launching a media franchise. The series was a big success and has been rebooted several times. It even got a live-action film panned by critics but is now a cult classic. We will see how the upcoming live-action film does in comparison.

9. Alvin and the Chipmunks

It’s been a while, but we’re back in style.

Don’t deny it. No matter how irritating their voices are, you couldn’t get enough of Alvin and the Chipmunks as a child. No wonder the show was able to last for eight seasons. This catchy intro features the chipmunk brothers letting the viewers know that they are back in style and ready to offer a laugh and a song. The theme song is so iconic that it became the theme song for the Nick Jr. reboot that premiered in 2015 and continues to this day. This shows that while Alvin and the Chipmunks was an 80’s cartoon, its intro still has significant staying power.

8. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo has had several spin-offs, movies, reboots, etc., some of which were entertaining and some we wouldn’t touch again with a ten-foot pole (hello, live-action films from the 2000s). However, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo was one of the more fun and memorable ones, featuring the famous dog as a puppy and the Mystery Inc. crew as ACTUAL kids (we all know how much Freddy hated the “meddling kids” line). Aside from some fun storylines and running jokes, one of the best parts of this cartoon was its catchy, fast-paced theme song, letting kids know they could help solve the crime. No Scooby-Doo theme will ever live up to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? but this show and its theme did a pretty good job.

And as a little bonus, this show was entirely Scrappy-free.

7. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

It may be pure propaganda, but it’s catchy and exciting. Hasbro’s line of toys has been since the 1960s, and even when anti-war activists harmed their sales, the franchise thrived and lived on to this day. So much so that it eventually became a cartoon in 1983. The theme of that series remains popular to this day, and it’s almost synonymous with the franchise. The lyrics celebrate fighting for freedom worldwide before famously describing G.I. Joe as “the codename for America’s daring, highly trained special missions force. Its purpose? To defend human freedom against COBRA, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.” That description may be the most memorable part of the theme song.

6. Inspector Gadget

The Inspector Gadget theme song doesn’t have much going for it lyrically, but it’s so synonymous with the character that the Netflix reboot got backlash for not including it. The song came courtesy of composer Shuki Levy, who composed the themes for Digimon and Power Rangers. Based on Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” the Inspector Gadget theme has a mysterious, eerie, and exciting tone that made 80s kids excited to see Gadget (or in reality, Penny and Brain) foil Dr. Claw’s evil plans. This is one of the best 80s cartoon intros and one of the most recognizable ones of all time.

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Like many shows on this list, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon was created to promote action figures, which were themselves inspired by a comic series. Regardless, it was this show that launched the turtles into mainstream success. The theme alone introduced many youngsters to the crime-fighting heroes in half-shells, with the lyrics describing all four members of the fearsome and hip fighting team. This fast-paced 80s cartoon intro got kids pumped to see the turtles fight off Shredder while still having time to knock off a pizza.

4. Transformers

Yet another show designed to sell toys, this show could have been a lame commercial-style show. But as the lyrics of the intro suggest, Transformers was “more than meets the eyes.” The show had a good run of four seasons and even had a theatrically-released movie that is still beloved 35 years later. The lyrics to this theme are pretty basic, essentially the show’s title with one-sentence descriptions of the Autobots, who “wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons.” Regardless, this theme has been redone many times, as it is basically the theme Transformers is forever linked to. Think about it. When you think about the series, does any other song come to mind other than “Transformers: robots in disguise; Transformers: more than meets the eyes?” That memorability and iconic status make this one of the best 80s cartoon intros.

3. Thundercats

Once again, we have an 80s cartoon intro that lyrically doesn’t get too creative, with most of the lyrics being “Thunder” and “Thundercats.” Regardless, children of the 80s (and Toonami viewers of the 2000s) were singing along excitedly, and the Thundercats intro is one of the most recognizable of all time. The show ran for four seasons and remains a classic. It’s even undergone the reboot treatment, and a live-action film is in the works. The show is still iconic after nearly 40 years, and this intro is genuinely unforgettable.

2. The Real Ghostbusters

Even if you never saw this show or didn’t even know that Ghostbusters was ever a cartoon, there is a good chance that you will recognize this famous song.

Cartoons based on hit movies are hit or miss, but The Real Ghostbusters was outrageously successful, running for seven seasons between 1986 and 1991. And one of the best moves they made was picking Ray Parker Jr.’s theme from the original movies as the theme song. The song is exactly what it was for the original films: funny, catchy, exciting, and impossible not to dance to. 80s kids, be honest: how many times did you shout out the answer when the song asked, “Who you gonna call?” Many of these franchises are synonymous with their theme songs, but Ghostbusters is at a whole other level. Even those who haven’t seen the films know this song, as it’s one of the most famous 80s songs. For their upcoming animated series, Jason Reitman and Netflix may want to keep this in mind.

1. Ducktales

The best cartoon theme songs are the ones that transcend generations, and the Ducktales theme does that. This is why we have it listed on our top ten cartoon intros of all time, let alone the 80s. The catchy and unforgettable lyrics sum up everything kids want in a show. It promises race cars, lasers, airplanes, and opportunities to solve a mystery or rewrite history. Few people born in the 80s or after don’t have their inner child woken up by the opening bass line alone, which shows that the Ducktales theme is cemented in our hearts. That makes it the best 80s cartoon intro.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Jem and the Holograms
  • Muppet Babies
  • Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers
  • All New Pound Puppies (not to be confused with the first intro)
  • The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

What’s Your Favorite 80s Cartoon Intro?

Do you feel we missed one? What is your favorite 80s cartoon intro? Share your thoughts on The Nerd Stash Facebook page or @TheNerdStash on Twitter.