Animation , or cartoons , as they are often called , werefirst created to keep company   moviesin the early days of Hollywood . Since then , vitality has moved to the video landscape painting make up quite an impact on audience around the world .   And whileanimated   moving picture   still remain heavy commercialize towards children , animated television set is quite the opposite . In fact , many of the longest - running revive shows of all meter are n’t baby ’s shows in the slightest .

One of the many benefit of animated show is that the characters do n’t age which take into account the series to stay on the breeze much longer than live - action show would be capable to . And they definitely take advantage of this with some liveliness prove spanning multiple decades and hundreds of episodes .

Updated May 15th , 2021 by Kristen Palamara : There are several classic shows that most sports fan will recognise and most in all likelihood grew up watching on Saturday mornings since these show have been on the tune for years . The display follow animated animal , new children in show directed toward younger audience , or one-time protagonists in more grownup animate appearance . Here are the longest - linear liven tv set shows , some of which are still on the aura , concord to how many episodes have aired so far in these longest - go animated cartoon .

Bella Ramsey as Ellie in the Last of us Season 2 Pointing a Gun in the basement of a hospital

Check out the original 15 Longest Running vitality Shows video on YouTube here .

Rugrats - 172 Episodes

Rugratsis an iconic Nickelodeon show that started in 1991 and run for 9 seasons that followed a group of babies , led by Tommy Pickles , on their various fantastic adventures . The serial also had multiple movies that followed the same type and a spin - off show , All Grown Up!,that follow the baby as stripling .

The animation style of the show was more hand - draw which made the show unparalleled and each episode escort the rugrat characters going on a unexampled adventure which was always engaging and exciting .

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 193 Episodes

The originalTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesanimated series started in 1987 and ran for 7 seasons . It ’s a definitive series for any fan of the franchise as the criminal offence - fighting turtles Raphael , Leonardo , Michelangelo , and Donatello have appeared in several other series and movies .

The serial trace the four mutant turtleneck who are masters in martial arts as they taste to protect anyone and everyone and shoot down any villain they find .

Beavis And Butt-Head - 222 Episodes

Beavis and Butt - Headis an adult animated serial from Mike Judge that started in 1993 and ran for 8 time of year with multiple twisting - offs attributed to its original run on MTV includingDariaandKing of the Hill .

The serial was purposefully rude as it followed the two titulary character reference plump to school , make adventuresome havoc , or would be sitting on the sofa and make any type of comment they require as they watched music videos .

Arthur - 249 Episodes

Arthuris an educational tike ’s show that has been on the air since 1996 and is one of the longest - running American children ’s enliven serial .

The series follows a world of invigorate animal - human hybrids and centers on the main character , Arthur , as well as his family and friends . The series stay one of the highest - rated shows , mostly due to its approachable yet important plot line that rival on series topic like cancer , autism , and dyslexia in a way that children could understand , airing on PBS and will have a total of 25 seasons .

King Of The Hill - 259 Episodes

magnate of the Hillis another long - running animated adult serial publication from Mike Judge that begin in 1997 and ran for 13 season .

The show follows the Hill family head by the conservative propane salesman Hank Hill ( vocalise by Judge himself ) , his mob , and his friends as they sail their personal and do work lifetime in the fictional township of Arlen , Texas .

Regular Show - 261 Episodes

Regular Showmade its debut onCartoon Networkin September 2010 . The animated tyke ’s show series conform to two good friends Mordecai , a puritanical jay , and Rigby , a raccoon , as they go about their lives and endeavor to solve simple problem in   over - the - top style .

These job often go further   skew-whiff coerce Mordecai and Rigby to ask for help from the various friends including Benson , Pops , Skips , Muscle Man , and Hi - Five Ghost . Regular Showended its eight - season run in January 2017 with a total of 261 episodes aired on Cartoon connection .

SpongeBob SquarePants - 268 Episodes

SpongeBob SquarePantshas earn its seat   in the animation hall of fame -   if that was a thing . The animation   child ’s series first premiere onNickelodeonin 1999 and iscurrently in its thirteenth season . The series revolves around its deed character who lives in Bikini Bottom and   works as a fry Captain James Cook at the Krusty Krab .

SpongeBob SquarePantshas been on the air for so long , the liveliness style has literally transformed as technology became more approachable moving from hand - draw animation to CGI animation in its newest seasons . With over 286 episode to date , the series isNickelodeon ’s longest - running serial .

Adventure Time - 283 Episodes

Adventure Timegot its start as a shortproduced for Nickelodeon ’s Nicktoonswhich went viral on the internet . After becoming democratic , Cartoon web greenlit the show for a full - distance serial and the rest is account . The series   centers around Finn and his adoptive pal Jake who are tasked with fight evil in the Land of Ooo .

Adventure Timeaired from April 2010 until September 2018 cross ten seasons and 283 episode . This was an impressive effort give the fact that one episode of the series could take 8 to 9 month to finish .

Teen Titans Go! - 313 Episodes

While Cartoon connection already had an exalt series centered around theTeen Titansthat did n’t block them from rebooting the series with a unlike invigoration panache in 2013 . While the vivification and tonicity of the show might be different , the voices of the master characters are the same as the anterior revive series .

Teen Titans Go!premiered on Cartoon internet in April 2013 and is presently in its 6th season . With 296 aired episodes , Teen Titans Gois one of Cartoon connection ’s tenacious - running play shows in terminus of sequence tally .

American Dad - 302 Episodes

American Dadfirst found a home on the program web Fox in 2005 . The serial publication stayed there until 2014 before Fox canceled the adult inspire serial publication . Not quick to give up on their show , the writers found it a young home base on TBS where the serial publication continues to vent today .

With both channels immix , American Dadhas been on the air for 299 episodes . The grownup animated series centerfield on Stan Smith , a homeland security system CIA agentive role who is adjudicate to beguile his job with his rambunctious family .

Star Wars Stormtrooper

A closeup of Nathan Fillion as John Nolan from the Rookie season 7

Longest Running Animated TV Shows Featured Image

Title sequence of Rugrats featuring Tommy, Angelica, Chucky, Phil and Lil

Original poster for animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show

Beavis and Butt-Head sitting on a couch

Arthur TV Show Mr Ratburn Wedding Gay

King of the Hill

The Regular Show main characters eating a sandwich

SpongeBob and Patrick in the back of a car

Finn and Jake eating a pie in Adventure Time

Teen Titans Go! cast riding a tricycle

The Smith family in the car in American Dad