With the holidays approaching, most of us are going to find that we will have a lot of spare time to watch stuff. And I’m certain we’ve all got our Christmas staples to watch for the holidays (We’ll have Muppets Christmas Carol on queue for it). But let’s be fair. You don’t want to watch christmas specials forever and sometimes you want to watch something brand new. So, I want to share with you all, what I think were some of the best new animated shows and films of the year that you should certainly catch up on over the holiday period if you haven’t seen it.

Some things to note about the list first.

- This list is just Animation, both western and japanese varieties
- Of those, the list will contain both films and TV Shows.
- Everything listed here has to have started in 2020, so whilst there are shows that had great final seasons this year like Bojack Horseman and She-Ra: Princesses of Power. I want to put the spotlight on the new that 2020 brought us.
- Reboots are totally fair game for this list.
- This is my own list and I haven’t watched everything this year, be it that it’s not available in my region like the new Animaniacs Reboot or I just haven’t had the time to watch it yet like Central Park (I’ve heard good things about both though.)
- Obviously I’m posting this at the beginning of December and there is still a month left, so um… I guess Soul and Lupin the First are like an honourary number 11 and 12 I guess.
- If there is an easy way to watch the show, I will also tell you where you can watch it as well.
- l will also provide a Teaser Trailer for what the show is like too, because knowing what the show looks like certainly helps in a visual

So with that all said, here’s a list of 2020 shows to check out.


10: 101 Dalmatian Street - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-pf-A44cX8 Dog puns galore in this show that’s gone to the dogs, a highly energetic show with a lot of dogs, Doggy doomsayer Dante feels like an omen for how 2020 turned out overall which might be why he became my favourite of the bunch. Though I certainly like Dylan and Dolly and their sibling relationship and rivalries as well. You can find 101 Dalmation Street on Disney Plus.

9: The WIlloughbys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnG4ag3Nkes From one large overly large family, to one that wants to shrink there own one. The Willoughbys is a quirky film based of the childrens book about kids trying to get rid of their parents because they believe they can raise themselves on their own better. I like this films visual style which certainly makes it stand out compared to many other films out there and all the kids are fun as well. Even the parents and their survivals through doom is great to watch as well. You can find The Willoughbys on Netflix.

8: My Life as a Villainess: All Paths Lead to Doom! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QriYDN3KmQs Speaking of doom (I promise all of these won’t be linked) imagine you got yourself isekai’d into a visual novel dating game you’ve beaten, problem is, you aren’t the protagonist, you are the antagonist of the game, and you know that your ending is going to be a Bad one, can you re-write your destiny? The cast is certainly the standout here with all the characters being great fun, with Katarina being the standout star. You can find My Life as a Villainess: All Paths Lead to Doom! On Crunchyroll.

7: BNA: Brand New Animal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2o1uGlCK90 Hey, are you, ready to go? It’s Studio Trigger flexing their great animation skills yet again with an absurdly fun world with anima city with some great characters with Michiru, Ogami and Nazuna, it gets a little lost in the story at the end but it’s a hecka lot of fun. And that soundtrack is quite the boop. You can find BNA: Brand New Animal on Netflix.

6: The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lnw6DFZTYo The spiritual successor to the great Mickey Mouse shorts. A lot of the same team is at work on this show and the vibrant bouncy world is back. This show has a joke that I have laughed the hardest at all year long in it, that alone gives it a place on this list. And this is still on-going! We’ve still got 4 more episodes in the current season yet to air. You can find The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse on Disney Plus.


5: Glitch Techs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1KxIfcd8dI Who knows what really happens, when a video game starts the glitch? Well here comes the glitch techs, they know what to do! If you like videogames old or new, this show is for you to watch, with a great duo lead of Miko and Hi-5 (alongside that jerk rival Mitch) Glitch Techs is a fun action show that hopefully can get another season perhaps? Season 2 ends on a cliffhanger but it’s unsure if it’s going to continue further. You can find Glitch Techs on Netflix.

4: Harley Quinn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT7A5-oxR3o ...Waddya mean this started in 2019? November 29th start date? C’mon, over half it’s first season was in 2020, so I say it counts for this list. As someone who hasn’t liked most of DC output for the last 5 years (I only really like Lego Batman and Shazam!) Here’s a great take on Harley Quinn that caught me off guard. The characters carry this show, it’s crass, it’s vulgar, and also hilarious, with some surprising heart tugs at times as well. Whilst I caught Harley Quinn on E4 over here in the UK, you can find it more easily on HBO Max.

3: Kipo: Age of the Wonderbeasts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25UHUbpFTtY Here’s an Apocalyptic world that actually isn’t super depressing for once. Kipo is full of Mega Mutes, animals that have evolved to be smarter than humans, and boy are there some great animal designs here with the Timber Cats, the Rocker Snakes, The Exercise Raccoons, Newton Wolves. I can go on, Kipo, Wolf, Scarlemagne also make for some great lead characters. The soundtrack for this show may actually be the best soundtrack for a show of the whole year. If you aren’t going to check out the show, at least check out the soundtrack. You can find Kipo: Age of the Wonderbeasts on Netflix

2: The Owl House - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W1FFiT51lg Welcome to the Boiling Isles. We have magic and we have terror around every corner. But if you are a bit odd, weird and strange then maybe you’ll survive. And Luz is the champion for the outcast. Eda the owl lady is a great mentor figure with a fun mystery as well. King is an adorable goof that needs more hugs and pamperings. And Amity is one of the most interesting character growths I’ve seen all year. Not to mention the great animation, the constant digs out harry potter, the Grom episode, the finale. Oh please don’t end up like Star Vs. Owl House, you are the one show I have the most hope in for having a great run with Season 2 and beyond. You can find The Owl House on Disney Plus.

...And Number 1? Well, I’ll hold off that one for now. I’ll keep you waiting a little longer. What could it be. Could it be something I’ve been hyping to heck since I watched it 2 months ago? Could it be something that’s already entered my favourites list? Is it something I’m getting a few characters inspired by it with Tato tomorrow? Is it Pony LIfe? Ok, it’s not Pony Life (Pony life is worth a check, though I still rate it behind everything else on this list). But I’ll give you more information on it next week.