Invincible Season 2: 8 animated shows for adults you need to stream right now

November is gearing up to be an exciting month for fans of animated TV shows with several highly-anticipated shows slated to drop. First up, the critically acclaimed Invincible returns for a second season on Amazon Prime Video on 3rd November and promises to be just as compelling, action-packed, gut-wrenching, and bloody as the season one. Netflix is also releasing an adult animated series this weekend titled Blue Eye Samurai, helmed by Michael Green, the writer of award-winning films such as Logan and Blade Runner 2049. But the biggest animated release of the month is the series adaptation of Scott Pilgrim titled Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, which is set to release on November 17. So for today’s List Hai Toh Hit Hai podcast, we have curated a list of the most compelling animated shows for adults that are available on streaming platforms.

BoJack Horseman - Netflix

The first title and possibly one of the most underrated ones on this list is the dark comedy Netflix animated series, Bojack Horseman. Set in an alternate reality Hollywood, where anthropomorphic animals and humans coexist, the humanoid horse BoJack struggles with alcoholism and depression. The once-famous sitcom star attempts to turn his life around with the help of his human friends Todd and Diane, his agent and ex-girlfriend Princess Carolyn, who is a Persian Cat, and his former rival-turned-friend Mr. Peanutbutter, a cheerful Labrador. The series examines the perils of Hollywood and its toxic work environment. It also explores themes of relationships, substance abuse, mental health, and self-discovery. Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the series stars Will Arnett in the lead as the titular character, with Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and  Aaron Paul essaying other prominent roles.

Family Guy - Disney+ Hotstar

Seth McFarlane’s Family Guy is arguably one of the most popular adult animated TV shows of all time. The series tells the story of the dysfunctional Griffin family – Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, the talking baby Stewie, and the talking dog Brian. The series serves as social commentary on contemporary society. It also takes a pointed jab at socio-political themes through metafictional humour and pulls no punches when it comes to delivering jokes that often veer away from being politically correct. McFarlane voices several of its lead characters including Peter, Stewie, Brian, and Quagmire, while Seth Green voices Chris, Alex Borstein fills in for Lois, and Mila Kunis lends her voice for Meg. Arguably one of the funniest shows on TV, Family Guy lies on the cusp of sharp satire and crude humour. If this is something that floats your boat, you need to add this show to your watchlist right away.

Rick and Morty - Netflix

Few adult animated shows have had an enduring impression on pop culture like Rick and Morty in recent years. The series, which was created by Dan Harmon, is one of the most significant animated shows of the 21st century. The plot revolves around an eccentric and often psychopathic scientist named Rick Sanchez and his intergalactic and interdimensional adventures and misadventures with his teenage grandson Morty Smith. Through the duo’s various journeys across space and time, the series examines multiple themes, and like most titles on this list, serves as a biting social commentary on modern society.

Arcane - Netflix

Set in an alternate steampunk universe, Arcane tells the story of Violet and her attempts to find her estranged sister Powder. Their story is set against the backdrop of the escalating tensions between the seemingly utopian city of Piltover and the destitute underbelly of Zuan. As Plitover attempts to control a new technology that could harness magic, Zuan struggles to control a drug epidemic that is turning people into monsters. The series is loosely based on the characters of the hit video game League of Legends, and it swept four Primetime Emmy Awards for its compelling characters, intriguing story, and groundbreaking animation style. Helmed by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, the series features performances by Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, and Jason Spisak.

Castlevania - Netflix

Created by Warren Ellis, the Netflix dark fantasy horror Castlevania flew under the radar when it debuted its first season in 2017. However, it soon earned a cult following propelling it to become one of the first video game adaptations to receive universal acclaim. The story follows Trevor Belmont, a monster hunter, a mage named Sypha Belnades, and Dracula’s son Alucard, as they embark on a battle with the Dracula and other vampires across medieval Europe. The show received significant praise for its thought-provoking narrative, subtext, symbolism, and some of the most memorable dialogues in TV history. Richard Armitage, James Callis, Graham McTavish, Alejandra Reynoso, Emily Swallow, and Theo James play lead characters in the series.

Archer - Netflix

Sterling Archer is a super spy based out of New York, but unlike his more celebrated British counterpart Archer has to deal with a dysfunctional workplace, where his mother is his boss and his former girlfriend happens to be his colleague and occasional partner in espionage missions. The series follows the adventures and misadventures of the egotistical, impulsive, and frequently childish antics of Archer, a self-absorbed and relentless personality who can often get borderline annoying. Created by Adam Reed, the series is a satire on spy thrillers, western society, and civilisation.

Big Mouth - Netflix

The Netflix animated comedy series Big Mouth is set in a high school and revolves around teenagers, but it is catered to a more mature audience. The series is a satire on puberty and coming-of-age themes and it leans on fairly colourful language and visuals as a narrative tool to tell the intriguing stories of Nick and his friends. Lead star Nick Kroll also serves as the co-creator, while John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Jenny Slate, Maya Rudolph, and Jordan Peele among others voice some of the prominent characters.

Love, Death & Robots - Netflix

The acclaimed Netflix production, Love, Death, & Robots is an anthology series featuring several short stories. The series is spread across multiple genres ranging from sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and history, exploring multiple themes. The series is helmed by Tim Miller, with David Fincher serving as one of the executive producers. The series is a spiritual successor and reboot of the cult classic animated 1981 animated film Heavy Metal.

Well that's all we got for today's episode, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Aaj kya dekhoge OTTplay se poocho.

Written by Ryan Gomez

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