While YouTube tends to be more commonly known for creators who vlog adventures to different places, review cuisines or certain products, create a wide variety of tutorials, or make informational and entertaining video essays, we all know there’s plenty more to see. There are numerous channels where creators have an outlet to let their animation prowess flourish. While some channels like Cartoon Hangover have been a bit more on the professionally established end of the indie animation spectrum, others have risen in ranks from humbler beginnings to become popular to the point of being picked up by larger animation studios and streaming services.
Others still have yet to be acknowledged for the recognition and backing they truly deserve to not only continue creating these absolutely fantastic indie animations, but perhaps one day ascend to become full-fledged, full-length, well-established animated shows. So, while some of these creators may appreciate help with backing their projects via merchandising or Patreon supporters, the best way to begin is to watch the content they’ve worked so hard on to create!
1) Ena
Created by Joel Guerra, this surrealist avant-garde animated comedy series follows the titular protagonist character, Ena (pronunciation varies), through various whimsical, nonsensical adventures. Set in a strange, post-apocalyptic 2D/3D animated virtual world, Ena often meets many other bizarre characters and creatures such as Moony and Froggy. While originating from Peru, the series borrows international cultural and lingual inspiration, notably especially from Japan. Although Ena varies in episodic formats, the series tends to include some elements and animations reminiscent of vaporwave aesthetics, first-person computer games, and The Legend of Zelda CD-i games.
With the character design for Ena described as “inspired by the painting ‘Girl Before A Mirror’ by Pablo Picasso and the art of Romero Britto” by creator Joel G, since the first conceptual animation in 2021, Ena as an animated series has grown in such popularity with four episodes that, with such amazing backing, has also been able to create an entire video game, Ena: Dream BBQ, that currently has the first part released on Steam and the rest currently in production.
2) The Amazing Digital Circus
When timid newcomer and series protagonist Pomni finds herself trapped in the virtual reality game the Amazing Digital Circus, all she and the six other trapped souls can think about is how to escape. Alongside cynical troublemaker Jax, optimist Ragatha, emotionally fragile Gangle, moody Zooble, and paranoid veteran Kinger, the group try to maintain sanity as they’re relentlessly sent on various adventures directed by ringmaster Caine and assistant Bubble. Although each character faces their own personal issues through the traumatic events Caine inflicts upon them, they also face the uncertainties surrounding the conspiracy behind the entire existence of the Amazing Digital Circus itself.
Created by animator/composer Gooseworx and produced by independent animation studio GLITCH in 2024, “The Amazing Digital Circus is a psychological dark comedy about cute cartoon characters who hate their lives and want to leave.” Composed of four episodes, The Amazing Digital Circus as an Australian-American computer-animated comedy web series became popular to the point of being picked up by Netflix.
3) Bee and PuppyCat
“Bee is a young lady trying to make her way in the world. She often acts before thinking, which can lead her into trouble (and adventure!). She also has a strong, nurturing personality, and doesn’t think twice about taking in Puppycat when he needs help. Although her laid-back-space-casey attitude and lack of skills tend to keep her from maintaining a job for long in the real world, she isn’t someone who easily gives up, and with the experiences she gains at the magical temp agency she stumbles on, she’ll finally have the chance to find out what she’s meant to do with her life.”
Created by Natasha Allegri, Bee and PuppyCat began as a short created for Too Cool Cartoons! on Cartoon Hangover, a channel operated by Frederator Studios, which is an independent animation production company. The animated web series debuted in 2013 and, upon gaining popularity, had a Kickstarter in order to make more episodes. In 2020, Netflix had picked up the second season, Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy in Space.
4) Hazbin Hotel
Charlie Morningstar, the princess of Hell and daughter of Lucifer, empathizes with her citizens’ plight of not just being condemned to the dominion of Hell but with the annual purge led by Adam, the first human, and his bloodthirsty angelic army to exterminate the overpopulation of sinners. And so, as the proprietor of the Hazbin Hotel, Charlie seeks to find a more peaceful solution. With a somewhat capable staff, including Charlie’s manager and girlfriend Vaggie and the hotel’s host Alastor the Radio Demon, they face a myriad of challenges of not just getting sinners in the door and keeping Heaven locked out, but underlying plots within.
The 2020 Pilot episode for Hazbin Hotel can not only be viewed on Vivienne “VivziePop” Medrano’s YouTube channel, but has since been picked up by Prime with the first season released and more to come! With amazing animation, an incredible soundtrack, and eccentric characters to match a unique take on a narrative set in Hell with a redemption arc twist, this series deserves all the praise it has grown to receive.
5) Helluva Boss
The business carried out by I.M.P., the Immediate Murder Professionals, isn’t just messy, but so are the employees themselves. Following their myriad of misadventures, the homicidal staff find their way in not just making a living off killing the living, but navigating their personal lives living in literal Hell. Or, as the founder and manager of I.M.P., Blitzo, explains: “Thanks to our company’s special access to the living world, we can help you take care of your unfinished business by taking out anyone who screwed you over when you were alive!”
Following the success of its Pilot episode in 2020, this adult animated comedy series includes two seasons and a series of shorts on VivziePop’s channel and, like its sister series Hazbin Hotel, has also been picked up by Prime and has a third season currently in production. Unlike Hazbin Hotel focusing on the chance for redemption for human soul Sinners, Helluva Boss fills in the gaps of world-building for the Hellaverse and sets the scene for what life is really like in Hell for the average native Hellborn demons.
[RELATED: Hazbin Hotel’s Helluva Boss Is Finally Coming to Prime Video]
6) Lackadaisy
1927 Prohibition-era St. Louis Café and notorious underground speakeasy Lackadaisy, established by the late Atlas May is now succeeded and run by his widow Mitzi. But when rumors of her involvement in his murder begin to spread, Lackadaisy begins losing both staff and customers. Even so, bootlegging team fiddler Roark “Rocky” Rickaby, his shy yet trigger-happy cousin Calvin “Freckle” McMurray, and Atlas’ adventurous goddaughter Ivy Pepper may be reckless on the job, but the job indeed is assured to get done.
Based on the Lackadaisy webcomic series, the animated pilot created by Tracy J. Butler, produced by indie studio Iron Circus Animation, and funded on Kickstarter premiered in 2023 for the upcoming animated web series. The comedic crime mystery series takes inspiration from the animated stylings of Don Bluth and classical Walt Disney films.
7) The Summoning
The witch Claire is attempting to create a potion to summon a demon to “eliminate certain scum from her life” and “do her dirty work”, but the potion requires troll fat — an ingredient she seems to lack. Her friend Edgar bursts through her door to seek refuge at her house after stealing the rabbit Fluff Top’s “chocolate stash”. Edgar suggests using troll hair instead, but that just summons some unwanted clown demons who give Claire a round-about way to obtain her desired ingredient. So, Claire and Edgar head straight to the ingredient’s source.
Created by Elyse Castro, The Summoning was a short created in 2017 for the GO! Cartoons shorts series on Cartoon Hangover. Eight years later, Oni Press has picked up Elyse Castro’s graphic novel series The Summoning Volume One: The Art of the Craft
expected to debut in October of this year. With stylizations and comedy reminiscent of late-2000s Cartoon Network shows like The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, perhaps Elyse Castro’s creation could become a full-fledged animated series someday, too.
8) Murder Drones
Although Worker Drones were created to serve humans and mine for natural resources, in the year 3071, on Earth’s analog planet Copper 9, owned by megacorporation JC Jenson, the planet suffered a catastrophic collapse and wiped out all biological life. As the planet is left a wasteland, Disassembly Drones aka Murder Drones are sent by the megacorp to hunt down and destroy the remaining independent Worker Drones. While angsty teen Worker Drone Uzi Doorman ventures out to scavenge for parts to help defend her colony against the Murder Drones, her father Khan makes the decision to shut her out of the bunker to protect the colony when Murder Drones attack. Feeling betrayed, Uzi befriends the Murder Drone N and banishes herself, vowing vengeance upon the humans that created the conflict in the first place.
Created by Liam Vickers, this Australian-American 3D animated sci-fi horror-comedy webseries produced by GLITCH debuted in 2021 and was eventually picked up by Prime in May of this year. Not only is this horror-comedy well-written, but actually has superb quality as an indie 3D animation.
9) Ramshackle
“Ramshackle is about the daily misadventures of three street rats — Stone, Skipp, and Vinnie — as they try to thrive on the streets of their crime-ridden town.” When the trio finds a baby while sifting through the trash in search of a misplaced can of beans, they decide to induct the newly dubbed “Maggot” into their group. Needing cash for food, the kids decide to enter their new friend into the “Next Top Sweetheart” pageant for prize money, which Maggot manages to win. Upsetting the other entries’ parents, the group stands their ground in Maggot’s defense, leading to the child revealing itself to actually be an unearthly angelic being and casting divine judgement upon those who threatened his found family.
“When I made these characters in elementary school, I never would have ever imagined I could cross ‘making an entire episode of Ramshackle’ off my bucket list,” says creator Zeddyzi in the Pilot’s description. “This project (has) been part of my identity for the better half of my time here on Earth, and I’m stoked to share the madness with everyone… As of now I’m not sure what the future holds for Ramshackle, but if you wanna see more stuff you can support me by buying merch or checking out the Patreon.”
10) RWBY
Unbeknownst to her, what lies ahead for Ruby Rose when she’s accepted into Beacon Academy to train to become a Huntress is a lot more than she could’ve originally imagined. Befriending fellow students Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, the new Team RWBY is ready to train to become the best warriors to defend the world from evil. Making friends with the other students and teams at the academy like Sun Wukong and Team JNPR, Team RWBY also endeavors to thwart enemies and villains, from individuals like Roman Torchwick or Cinder Fall to the terrorist group White Fang. But their biggest trials come when they not only confront the ancient witch Salem who plots to destroy the Kingdoms, but must confront each of their own inner struggles and turbulent pasts.
The late Monty Oum created RWBY (pronounced “ruby”), a 3D anime-style webseries, in collaboration with Rooster Teeth back in 2013 and is surprisingly still ongoing with over 100 episodes. With the shutdown of Rooster Teeth, Viz Media subsequently acquired the IP for RWBY in 2024.
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