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In addition, Batman has made appearances in several animated properties over his seventy-five years, some that have redefined the universe, others that have added to the core of the character. These animated marvels have gained massive popularity and acclaim that have made them syndicated classics that will be celebrated for decades to come. Here are some of the best Batman cartoon series, ranked.
7 The New Adventures Of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman was a silver age interaction of the character in animated form. The series was created and directed by Don Towsley and spanned a single season of sixteen episodes.
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The series was an episodic adventure with the caped crusader, his sidekick Robin, and even batgirl making regular appearances. The voice cast of the show featured portrayals by the live-action counterparts resuming their roles as Adam West voiced the dark knight and Burt Ward gave his vocals as Robin.
6 Beware The Batman
Beware the Batman is one of the most recent installments in Batman’s animated library. The series debuted in 2013 and was directed by Sam Liu, who is known for his work on Planet Hulk and All-Star Superman.
Beware the Batman features a drastically different art style than what fans were used to, leaving behind the traditional animation and leaning into computer-generated graphics. Anthony Ruivivar took the reins as the world’s greatest detective, joined by JB BLanc as Alfred Pennyworth and Kurtwood smith as Commissioner Gordon. The show lasted one season and went on for twenty-six episodes.
5 The Batman
The Batman was the fifth animated installment to explore the character’s mythos and place them on the screen; the series followed a younger Bruce Wayne in a much more unique version of Gotham City. In addition, each character that made an appearance in the show had a complete redesign that gave the series a breath of fresh air into the character’s appeal.
The Batman was highly celebrated and went on for five seasons, appearing on both Kids WB and Cartoon Network. Rino Romano stepped behind the cowl to play Batman and was joined by a highly talented cast, including Evan Sabara as Robin and Jerry O’Connell as Nightwing, with Danielle Judovits playing Batgirl and Kellie Martin voicing Oracle.
4 The Batman: The Brave And The Bold
The Batman: the Brave and the Bold took Batman to his golden age heroics and lighthearted themes. The series was an episodic adventure that placed the dark knight in a number of whacky and whimsical situations.
Filled with righteous monologues and one-liners, Batman: The Brave and the Bold was incredibly well received for its innovative take on the characters and the plethora of characters that made appearances. Diedrich Bader would voice Batman this time around for the entirety of the show’s three seasons.
3 Batman Beyond
The animated iterations of Batman are commonly known for bringing to life new characters that had never appeared in the comic book universe before. In one of the most radical concepts in Batman’s history, Batman Beyond took the character and told a story of passing the torch where a now one-hundred-year-old Bruce Wayne played Alfred and mentor to a young delinquent, Terry McGinnis.
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Set in a distant future, Gotham had now been overtaken by crime and corruption due to Batman’s disappearance caused by Bruce Wayne’s declining health. Terry takes up the mantle as the dark knight and dishes out a more aggressive form of justice. Will Friedle would voice the juvenile caped crusader, while Kevin Conroy would return to the ranks as Bruce Wayne.
2 The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures was a direct sequel to the Batman: The Animated Series cartoon; it featured the original cast of characters returning but in a more grouped relationship. Batman would be joined by his new protégé Robin, Time Drake, and Dick Grayson, who would now go by the moniker Nightwing.
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The series would take place two years later after Batman: The Animated Series, where a split had occurred between the original bat family members, but they continue their vigilante adventures as crime in Gotham city never sleeps. Kevin Conroy would return for the series and continue to define the legacy of the character.
1 Batman: The Animated Series
No other Batman cartoon hits the spot quite like Batman: The Animated Series. Developed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm, Batman: The Animated Series paved the way for the way the character is portrayed today.
The founding voice of Batman, the late great Kevin Conroy, was first cast as the dark knight in this series and set the highest standard for what fans expect from the voice of Batman. Batman: The Animated Series was a spectacular cohesion of storytelling and traditional animation that has stood the test of time for thirty years as one of the best DC animated properties.
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