My personal list of best cartoons, mostly based on my perceptions of character development and universe development. I give extra weight to creativity, complexity of universe, and humor type.
1. Daria - All around sublime character development and truthiness. Heaps of satire and sarcasm. Incredibly strong story arcs. Dealt with real issues in real ways. Does not sugarcoat anything.
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender - Amazing universe creation, development, and maintenance. Unique and clever. Strong character development. Characters "real" and address real issues.
3. Archer - One of the smartest shows on TV. Outrageously funny with smart jokes. Superbly postmodern humor (mix of high and low brow). Clever time-mixed universe. Characters developed well and are relatable. Everyone is wholly dysfunctional.
4 (tied). Futurama - Brilliant universe. Absurd without being stupid. Relatable characters who deal occasionally with deep stuff. Hidden math jokes.
4 (tied). Gravity Falls - Sublimely creative universe and premise. First season's story arc solid, with much forethought put into the story. Relatable characters with solid personalities. Many episodes carefully toe the line between deep and bubbly.
5. As Told By Ginger - Similar to Daria in many ways, but less sarcastic. Perhaps the most well developed characters out of any series. Tackles tough, real issues. Treats kids like the complex beings they are and does treats childhood like the hell it is (see this quote).
6. South Park - Satire at its finest.
7. 6Teen - Cute. Relatable characters that deal with some real issues.
Note: List subject to change.
What are your favorites and why?