Four of my favourite 2D animated shows from the past few years
anyone can recommend something with the vibe of scavengers reign ... sci fi, no traditional story arc...
this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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OP first off Thank you for turning me on to pantheon because I did not get the memo this shit is phenomenal. Idk if it belongs on this list quite since it's a movie and not a series, but a lot of folks have not seen "Mars Express" and it was also a really good animated scifi. Has that detective noir expanse/ghost in the shell vibe.
so many for this list!
- Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
- Twilight of the Gods
- Voltron: Legendary Defender
- The Owl House
- Invincible
- Hazbin Hotel
- The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
- Harley Quinn
- She Ra
- Bojack
- Tuca & Bertie
- Hilda
- Daria
- X-men 97
- Creature Commandos
Have you seen 'Knights of Guinevere'? Same creator as owl house. Incredibly well done. Just 1 episode out currently but it was recently greenlit for a full season. Free to watch on youtube
A lot of these were very close to being in my personal top 4 of the past few years.
that's quite some variety
Dude. Pantheon blew my mind. I have several scenes burned into my mind forever (Chanda being scanned).
I love all four that you posted, but I can't remember the last time a show stayed with me as well as Pantheon did 🤯
The body horror combined with existential dread of the chanda scanning scene hits harder than anything else I've seen, it's definitely burned into my mind as well. Having experience with seeing the effects of a traumatic brain injury on a loved one made it so much more emotionally impactful as well, and anyone who has experience with neurological disorders/diseases would be affected by it as well because of the visceral realism. Whoever directed that scene has definitely seen someone with progressive aphasia before.
Pantheon is one of my favorite shows ever. It's so so good. I both want more people to watch it and for it to remain a low-key show that you have to watch the first episode to know what it's about (please just watch the first episode before even looking up the synopsis I promise you will know if it's your kind of show or not from the first episode and it's worth going in blind to experience it that way).
Fuck.
I loved Scavenger's Reign, and now you're telling me I gotta watch these ones too?
Well if I must, I shall.
I thoroughly enjoyed common side effects, and I really liked scavengers reign. Based on this thread I just binged the first season of pantheon and holy fucking shit, everyone needs to watch this.
On top of what OP said, Pantheon is incredible. It's one of the best TV shows ever, and you are required to watch it.
I think there's a lot of similarity between Scavenger's Reign and Common Side Effects. Many of the same people worked on it. Pantheon is also a great slow burn scifi.
Mighty Nein is quite different. It's fantasy, and leans into overt comedy a lot more than the other 3. But still very good.
I know this is a place for animation, but if you enjoyed Pantheon, I highly suggest checking out Hidden Girl and Other Stories by Ken Liu. The tv show is based off of loosely connected stories from that anthology and the stories are great. Another short story was turned into the episode Good Hunting on Love, Sex, and Robots.
Love, Sex, and Robots
is that the porn parody of Love, Death, and Robots? ;-P
Great list, especially Pantheon, it’s one of my favorite shows of all time. The mix of technological ethics, existential horror, conspiracy, and more are done fantastically. I just wish the voice audio mixing was better, but it gets a pass since they were doing it during COVID I believe. It got unduly overlooked due to the streaming weirdness, but I think it’s all on Netflix now thankfully.
If you liked it check out Mars Express, it’s a movie that touches on a lot of similar themes in a cyberpunk/neo-noir context with some amazing animation.
I can personally attest to Pantheon and Scavneger's Reign (although I haven't watched the newest season of SR yet).
Pantheon is very much a show of morals versus "progress". The end is a WILD ride.
Scavneger's Reign is about people on a foreign planet and using the planet's resources to survive and possibly escape. The alien fauna is downright incredible to imagine. Another stellar show.
I'm sorry, "newest season" of Scavenger's Reign? It was very famously not picked up for a second season despite winning awards and audience petitions.
If you know of more that's out there other than Season 1, please share with the class, because all I've seen so far is a short 2 minute teaser that the creator animated when trying to get season 2 approved.
Well fuck me then. I could've sworn I saw a season 2, but you're right. Only the one season.
Unless they mean season 2 of Pantheon.
Scavengers Reign and Common Side Effects share the same creators, and are both very good! It's interesting that they both have themes related to harmony with nature and the various relationships that humans form with it, good and bad.
Pantheon is also fantastic, super heady sci-fi with a lot to say about the modern tech industry, and loads of references to sci-fi classics. It's clear the writers are huge sci-fi geeks and their enthusiasm comes through in the show.
I haven't seen The Mighty Nein but if it's being grouped with the other shows here it must be worth a watch. It does seem like the odd one out of the bunch though since it's fantasy rather than sci-fi like the other 3.
I need to go back and try Scavengers Reign again because Common Side Effects is fucking incredible.
Same here. I loved all three, though Scavenger's Reign feels like the most polished.
I'd also like to throw in
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off - anime version of the movie with all the same voice cast, with a major major twist at the first episode (hint - it's very different from the movie and much more mature while still keeping the same vibes)
Adventure Time - Fionna and Cake - an excellent follow up to Adventure Time. Idk how comprehensible it is to non-adventure time watchers, but it is it's own story that does some cool stuff.
Blue Eyed Samurai - just a great revenge story with gorgeous animation.
Blue Eyed Samurai just kept hitting in different ways. Awesome story, animation, and characters. Much more than I expected.
I think another one that's worth adding is Infinity Train. It's targeted at a slightly younger audience, but is a great sci-fi animated show.
Each season follows its own characters with a little bit of overlap.
Common Side Effects was such a stressful watch for me.
They put that turtle in mortal peril every damn episode.
Mighty Nein just began. I recommend watching The Legend of Vox Machina first so you don't have to wait so long.
I'm also looking forward to the coming Captain Laserhawk season (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)
We found Mighty Nein first and are now working backwards through Vox Machina. Looking up Captain Laserhawk now!
Is Scavenger’s Reign good? I really dig the art style. Reminds me of Moebius.
Ps: I love the character designs of Common Side Effects. Looks absolutely unhinged xD
It's breathtaking
It made me cry, like a lot.
I liked it a lot!
I just looked up the trailer and it looks pretty cool, ngl xD
Thank you for sharing, friend! 🤗
They share the same animators! Even though they went in different directions with the animation style you can see the similarities if you watch both, especially in the portal scenes of CSE.
If you haven't played Dispatch, it was cowritten by critical role, the team behind Mighty Nein and Vox Machina. Almost positive it was animated in 3D, but looks 2d through its art direction.
Common Side Effects sometimes feels like it's drawn over real footage. Not because it's super accurate but the way the camera moves
if you want another trippy show that IS drawn over real footage check out Undone, which was an amazon show.
In hindsight Scavengers Reign reminds me a lot of La Planète Sauvage.
Hmm, I might have to check out Pantheon...
Well if we are recommending 2d shows, I gotta rep up Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Season 2 came out just a little while ago and it was as fun as the first season.
I can confirm, I was terribly impressed with Mighty Nein. Really good show.
You have good taste.
Watch both Avatar series if you haven't already. The Vox Machina/Meighty Nein makers are shameless Avatar fans; you'll recognize the references immediately.
Also:
-
DOTA: Dragon's Blood
-
DCAU. I'd recommend Justice League, BTAS, and (though technically not DCAU) Young Justice, specifically.
I hadn't heard of any of these but as someone who loves Avatar and enjoyed vox machina I'll have to check them out
Pantheon is one of my favorite shows ever. It's so so good. I both want more people to watch it and for it to remain a low-key show that you have to watch the first episode to know what it's about (please just watch the first episode before even looking up the synopsis I promise you will know if it's your kind of show or not from the first episode and it's worth going in blind to experience it that way).
Replace Pantheon with The Legend of Vox Machina.
Have you seen Pantheon? I've only seen a few episodes of Vox Machina but Pantheon is legitimately great and very interesting, though also completely different tone and vibe wise.
I have the opposite taste, I like most animated shows, not any of these. Tried a few episodes of each multiple times, hasn't hit/clicked.
Don't remember scavenger's reign, might try that again