Were Cartoons Originally Meant for Adults?

Seeing so many inappropriate jokes in these naughty cartoons, you might be wondering whether they were really meant for kids. And you’re very right to do so! 

When animated movies and cartoons were first made in the 1920s and 30s, they were absolutely intended for adult viewers. The concept of animated movies for kids didn’t even exist at the time, simply because movie theaters showed their repertoire at around 9 in the evening, which was past kids’ bedtime anyway. Think of animations like Betty Boop, which was clearly not intended for children. 

The very first animated movie made for kids was Disney’s 1937 Snow White; after its release, animation spread in popularity and became more popular as a form of entertainment for kids. 

Now that we know all of that, it is no surprise that even later on, some dirty cartoons stuck to their adult-intended past and kept the inappropriate jokes going strong.

What Happened to Adult Jokes in Cartoons? 

If you have kids of your own or just like to catch a relaxing episode of animation in your spare time, you might’ve noticed that while the morality lessons in them are still plenty, the cartoon jokes for adults have seemingly disappeared from the air. 

And there’s a good reason for that! As cartoons and animated movies became more popular and mainstream during the ‘80s, their creators tried to find more ways to make these inappropriate cartoons more user-friendly and innocent rather than dark and grim. Besides, we as a society have evolved a lot in terms of discrimination and inclusivity, and the recent cartoons reflect that. After all, animated series meant for kids are really not the best place for adult humor! 

That said, you can still enjoy the dirty cartoons of our past and the kooky jokes hidden in them while scrolling through our list.