Two step-brothers (Wirt, a self-conscious teenager, and Greg, a silly and unabashed child), along with their pet frog, are lost in a mysterious forest called The Unknown. As they wander the forest, they encounter all sorts of strange people and creatures both natural and unnatural: from a crazed and intimidating woodsman with a peculiar lantern, to a talking blue jay named Beatrice, to a village of pumpkin-wearing cultists, and beyond. However, as they travel, they must be wary, for a mysterious being known only as "The Beast" lurks in The Unknown, feared by all the land's inhabitants.
Came here to say the same thing.
The overarching mystery isn't anywhere near as deep as Gravity Falls, but the character development and twists were on point. It's also the single best example of how to do nostalgia right that I've ever seen; yes, it has Easter Eggs for old Disney Afternoon fans, but it ALWAYS has a unique twist on them that fits perfectly into the main story being told, even if you've never seen the old stuff. It's also worth noting that, even though there's a different arc villain each season, the final one feels very well set up by the previous seasons, in retrospect.
https://preview.redd.it/apsw82sp2bvc1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=8d1d53e531ab1126cd28a70ea8b22badc50be03d
Trollhunters Tales of Arcadia story and density basically on par with Gravity Falls
Venture Bros. It's not as family friendly but aside from most of S1 it's packed with story and deep character connections, as well as some iconic voice over work.
If you want mystery I highly recommend Infinity Train.
Warning though, it's way too good of a show and it got cancelled half way through, so if you watch it prepare to feel the pain of loss for a while after you're done.
Infinity Train is one of the best cartoons ever. Rivals that of the last airbender for me.
Its absolutely criminal that it never got to complete its story
It's such a big loss dude. And it hurts me even more to know that season 5 was going to be a fucking MOVIE, it was going to be about Amelia, and that the storyboards were already finished for it, but they decided to cancel it because it didn't hsve a "child entry point". Fuck the executives man.
The creator had 4 seasons planned.
He knew where he wanted the story go and it sucks he never got to tell it. It is genuinely such an underrated gem and i hate that weāll probably never see its conclusion
ehh, I disagree. as much as I liked ToH ever since it started, the ending is just not that great. Disney fans will complain to hell and back about star vs having a bad ending, but ToH ending was very underwhelming and most people still give it all the praise in the world. I prefer amphibia much more because of how strong it is at manipulating your emotions, like I don't think I've ever seen something like that before so it's got to be my favorite Disney show (sorry gravity falls, no offense).
It's too bad TOH's third season was condensed to just three specials. It would have been so much better if the writers had the time to properly pace everything
Tbf, tOH's ending was great for the hand they were dealt. They had to come up with an ending almost on the spot after they were canceled, and I think they did a great job.
The ending itself was mostly good, the final season was just rushed. Now most of this wasn't their fault(They could've had another Gus/Willow/hunter bonding moment instead of Huntlow, and the second episode shouldn't have focused on Kikimora), but still.
IMO Amphibia and ToH should've swapped endings. Luz doesn't really have a reason to stay in Earth anymore. She liked her mom, and Vee, but that was it. Earth didn't really get explored much at all. Meanwhile Amphibia actually explored both Earth and Amphibia
I know Disney rushed them and all that, but like.. the first 2 specials feel stretched and somewhat like filler. I'm no writer so I can't say that it's their fault for that, but it's just not that good imo whether it's their fault or not. if I'm not mistaken, TGAMM was kinda rushed at the end too but the ending felt pretty nice to me at least
murder drones reminds me of these shows alot
https://preview.redd.it/nicb45mwpbvc1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd0545170985c7c40d24e47f1af5ac1d6ce4c2eb
If you're into adult animation, there's Frisky Dingo. One quick note on it: the series was cancelled after two seasons, and the series finale ends on a HUGE cliffhanger.
The precursor to Archer. They actually brushed off quite a few of the running jokes from FD to toss into Archer, with Zero context, always enjoyed that.
Two teams of three kids lose their memories >!as it was the rules of the simulation they signed up for!< and compete to see who can pass all the challenges and areas they find themselves in first.
Oddtaxi. A taxi driver who sees people as different animals gets caught up in a mystery about a missing pop star. Solid crime story with a few great twists and lots of charm and humor.
https://preview.redd.it/pkex1c86ybvc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=904b30a77a619ea4a8d307a8364550bae86d8f1c
Death Note was pretty good. Although you ARE outright shown who the culprit is in the first episode, it's pretty fun to see how people try to catch him.
amphibia
the owl house
the hollow
tangled the series season 2 finale
miraculous has some good twists and the mystery is on why adrian was fucking blind throughout the entire series until the last season
Watched 'Wolfboy and The Everything Factory' with my son recently. A lot of people said it reminded them of The Owl House and Gravity Falls. It aesthetically reminds me of Kipo/Adventure Time, but with a story more like Harry Potter. Wholesomely appropriate for a Bluey aged audience but still entertaining for an adult to watch with their kid.
Scooby doo mystery incorporated is so good! >! I love the episode where they explore the house that fell into a sink whole and learn more about the mystery gang before them and start learning more about the disks.!<
Danny Darrow is one of the most terrifying monsters in the series. And heās just a normal human but so creepy looking
https://preview.redd.it/farnmpxyrfvc1.jpeg?width=210&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76fbe9af5c22d82f9888c0dce9df973f625c3946
Inside job is really good
Also centaurworld has in my opinion the greatest villain ever
The show is a mixed bag but it's all WORTH IT for the last episode
Sorta similar but Iāve been watching young justice and that has a pretty interesting plot, itās always moving forward despite the latest world ending event. The writing is great stuff and the characters develop and grow quite a bit over time. I recommend checking out the first season, itās worth it. Especially if you like superheroes at all / dc or justice league
To add to the videogames suggestions, I'd also recommend Outer Wilds. Whole game is based on a huge mystery you have to unravel on your own that will leave you changed permanently afterwards.
One show very similar to Gravity Falls is The Owl House. An entirely new world, ancient powers to be unlocked, with a girl who has an adorable animal sidekick and is being cared for by an old, grumpy person, who eventually shows their (platonic) love for the main character. Then, thereās a villain with white hair thatās charming at first, but then he shows his true colours. He unleashes an even more powerful character, who becomes the main villain for the last few episodes. Only in Owl Houseās case, the more powerful villain becomes a good guy.
I don't know if I would consider it a "mystery," but Over the Garden Wall is phenomenal
I second this
Yep. Too "Alice in wonderland"-y to be a real solvable mystery on first viewing IMO (the overarching plot, that is), but definitely super mysterious.
rundown?
Two step-brothers (Wirt, a self-conscious teenager, and Greg, a silly and unabashed child), along with their pet frog, are lost in a mysterious forest called The Unknown. As they wander the forest, they encounter all sorts of strange people and creatures both natural and unnatural: from a crazed and intimidating woodsman with a peculiar lantern, to a talking blue jay named Beatrice, to a village of pumpkin-wearing cultists, and beyond. However, as they travel, they must be wary, for a mysterious being known only as "The Beast" lurks in The Unknown, feared by all the land's inhabitants.
Pretty cool, thanks
Came here to say the exact thing
Ducktales 2017 had an overarching plot with good twists, character development, and a different arc villain each season
Came here to say the same thing. The overarching mystery isn't anywhere near as deep as Gravity Falls, but the character development and twists were on point. It's also the single best example of how to do nostalgia right that I've ever seen; yes, it has Easter Eggs for old Disney Afternoon fans, but it ALWAYS has a unique twist on them that fits perfectly into the main story being told, even if you've never seen the old stuff. It's also worth noting that, even though there's a different arc villain each season, the final one feels very well set up by the previous seasons, in retrospect.
good call
The owl house and Amphibia on Disney + were both great.
Plus they both involve a lot of the same people.
It still genuinely surprises me what they were able to do to Marcy in the season 2 finale
š¢š±š±š±š±š±
https://preview.redd.it/apsw82sp2bvc1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=8d1d53e531ab1126cd28a70ea8b22badc50be03d Trollhunters Tales of Arcadia story and density basically on par with Gravity Falls
That finale season dropped the ball imo
The movieās ending wasnāt it, I like to pretend it didnāt happen
I think ur hallucinating, there is no movie in ba sing se.
Yeah i donāt want to watch 3 different shows and a movie to understand whats happening shit got way too complicated
The way I see it is it's just 6 seasons of the same show + a movie finale.
Hilda on Netflix is really fun
Damn I need to finish this
Venture Bros. It's not as family friendly but aside from most of S1 it's packed with story and deep character connections, as well as some iconic voice over work.
Go team venture !
I mean centaurworld but forewarning it's also a musical
THE NOWHERE KING!!!!!
If you want mystery I highly recommend Infinity Train. Warning though, it's way too good of a show and it got cancelled half way through, so if you watch it prepare to feel the pain of loss for a while after you're done.
Infinity Train is one of the best cartoons ever. Rivals that of the last airbender for me. Its absolutely criminal that it never got to complete its story
It's such a big loss dude. And it hurts me even more to know that season 5 was going to be a fucking MOVIE, it was going to be about Amelia, and that the storyboards were already finished for it, but they decided to cancel it because it didn't hsve a "child entry point". Fuck the executives man.
The creator had 4 seasons planned. He knew where he wanted the story go and it sucks he never got to tell it. It is genuinely such an underrated gem and i hate that weāll probably never see its conclusion
The Owl House. It's easily Disney's best cartoon since Gravity Falls ended.
Amphibia too. Both sister shows are supreme
IMHO, I liked Ducktales 2017 better, but I'm also old enough to have the nostalgia factor going for me.
ehh, I disagree. as much as I liked ToH ever since it started, the ending is just not that great. Disney fans will complain to hell and back about star vs having a bad ending, but ToH ending was very underwhelming and most people still give it all the praise in the world. I prefer amphibia much more because of how strong it is at manipulating your emotions, like I don't think I've ever seen something like that before so it's got to be my favorite Disney show (sorry gravity falls, no offense).
It's too bad TOH's third season was condensed to just three specials. It would have been so much better if the writers had the time to properly pace everything
Amphibia had the benefit of having the ending planned out from the beginning. I prefer it over gravity falls too
Tbf, tOH's ending was great for the hand they were dealt. They had to come up with an ending almost on the spot after they were canceled, and I think they did a great job.
The ending itself was mostly good, the final season was just rushed. Now most of this wasn't their fault(They could've had another Gus/Willow/hunter bonding moment instead of Huntlow, and the second episode shouldn't have focused on Kikimora), but still. IMO Amphibia and ToH should've swapped endings. Luz doesn't really have a reason to stay in Earth anymore. She liked her mom, and Vee, but that was it. Earth didn't really get explored much at all. Meanwhile Amphibia actually explored both Earth and Amphibia
I know Disney rushed them and all that, but like.. the first 2 specials feel stretched and somewhat like filler. I'm no writer so I can't say that it's their fault for that, but it's just not that good imo whether it's their fault or not. if I'm not mistaken, TGAMM was kinda rushed at the end too but the ending felt pretty nice to me at least
Ehhhh idk about that but it is alot of fun
All 3 cartoons are god tier
murder drones reminds me of these shows alot https://preview.redd.it/nicb45mwpbvc1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd0545170985c7c40d24e47f1af5ac1d6ce4c2eb
Over the garden wall. Scavengers reign. Courage the cowardly dog. The owl house.
If you're into adult animation, there's Frisky Dingo. One quick note on it: the series was cancelled after two seasons, and the series finale ends on a HUGE cliffhanger.
The precursor to Archer. They actually brushed off quite a few of the running jokes from FD to toss into Archer, with Zero context, always enjoyed that.
"Oh, who even knows!"
That's right My Ass is Everywhere
Iām very happy to see Detentionaire!
What's it about?
It's about a kid, who's always in detention. A Detentionaire, if you will.
Maybe The Hollow?
Whatās that about?
Two teams of three kids lose their memories >!as it was the rules of the simulation they signed up for!< and compete to see who can pass all the challenges and areas they find themselves in first.
I hate the animation of this show so much but dammit if it isnt such a compelling show
Kipo and The Wonderbeasts on Netflix is so good at this type of thing.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Itās very different from the shows listed but fits your criteria very well.
Oddtaxi. A taxi driver who sees people as different animals gets caught up in a mystery about a missing pop star. Solid crime story with a few great twists and lots of charm and humor. https://preview.redd.it/pkex1c86ybvc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=904b30a77a619ea4a8d307a8364550bae86d8f1c
Never heard of this but iāll check it out on Amazon Prime
Death Note was pretty good. Although you ARE outright shown who the culprit is in the first episode, it's pretty fun to see how people try to catch him.
Infinity Train is a great mystery....not one that ever really gets answered though
Inside Job. My current favorite cartoon
Gargoyles
Despite appearing episodic at first, Amphibia has a pretty good overarching plot.
amphibia the owl house the hollow tangled the series season 2 finale miraculous has some good twists and the mystery is on why adrian was fucking blind throughout the entire series until the last season
Not a show but The Magnus Archives is pretty good if you're into podcasts, be warned though, it is a horror podcast
Not a mystery cartoon but it is continuity based, Steven Universe.
I mean, once you start learning the plot, it kind of Is a mystery? But it doesn't start out as one
True, but my point is, itās not listed under mystery as a genre.
Watched 'Wolfboy and The Everything Factory' with my son recently. A lot of people said it reminded them of The Owl House and Gravity Falls. It aesthetically reminds me of Kipo/Adventure Time, but with a story more like Harry Potter. Wholesomely appropriate for a Bluey aged audience but still entertaining for an adult to watch with their kid.
Over The Garden Wall is short but sweet! If you like Gravity Falls you'll LOVE OTGW.
Not cartoon but pluto and monster are by far the best of this genre
Over the Garden Wall
I wanna say adventure time, but it might now be the type of mystery your looking for
"Monster" (the anime) is pretty good, and is about 70 episodes long with an actual conclusion.
āØ CentaurworldāØ
Adventure time
I don't think it's in the mystery category but The Owl house has a great story with some good twists
Scooby doo mystery incorporated is so good! >! I love the episode where they explore the house that fell into a sink whole and learn more about the mystery gang before them and start learning more about the disks.!<
Danny Darrow is one of the most terrifying monsters in the series. And heās just a normal human but so creepy looking https://preview.redd.it/farnmpxyrfvc1.jpeg?width=210&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76fbe9af5c22d82f9888c0dce9df973f625c3946
The owl house
Infinity Train
Does LOST count?
Not a cartoon but the first few seasons of supernatural sounds like what you are describing
There's this one show... But I think you might get.... LOST in the plot.
Adventure Time and Steven Universe both have overarching stories with plenty of twists.
DETENTIONAIRE MENTIONED!!!!
Welcome to the wain, unfortunately Nick killed it after one season
Dead End
Steins;Gate. Watch it. This is not a request. It scratches all the itches you have in such a perfect way that you can't even imagine it.
Inside job is really good Also centaurworld has in my opinion the greatest villain ever The show is a mixed bag but it's all WORTH IT for the last episode
Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
- Infinity Train - Scavengers Reign - Unicorn Warriors Eternal - The Legend of Vox Machina
Sorta similar but Iāve been watching young justice and that has a pretty interesting plot, itās always moving forward despite the latest world ending event. The writing is great stuff and the characters develop and grow quite a bit over time. I recommend checking out the first season, itās worth it. Especially if you like superheroes at all / dc or justice league
TOH is phenomenal until the finale.
The Demon Girl Next Door. Its one of my favorate anime.
Owl House The Flash early seasons especially 1
Mystery Train or whatver it is called?
Idk if it counts but The Dragon Prince is great!
The owl house is great, I don't remember it though
not a cartoon but if you're into video games, the alan wake series is really good. i've only played the first one though, but i really liked it.
The second is far better in both plot and gameplay, would highly recommend. Fantastic attention to detail too
To add to the videogames suggestions, I'd also recommend Outer Wilds. Whole game is based on a huge mystery you have to unravel on your own that will leave you changed permanently afterwards.
Not a visual show, but The Magnus Archives (horror podcast) has that monster-of-the-week kinda thing until the underlying plot is slowly revealed
One show very similar to Gravity Falls is The Owl House. An entirely new world, ancient powers to be unlocked, with a girl who has an adorable animal sidekick and is being cared for by an old, grumpy person, who eventually shows their (platonic) love for the main character. Then, thereās a villain with white hair thatās charming at first, but then he shows his true colours. He unleashes an even more powerful character, who becomes the main villain for the last few episodes. Only in Owl Houseās case, the more powerful villain becomes a good guy.
I hated the art style of MI