We've long since blown past the notion that cartoons are "for kids." Not only are there animated shows that both kids and adults can enjoy together, but there are animated TV series specifically aimed at adults - ones that formative youths should stay far, far away from.

The 25 Best Adult Cartoon TV Series 26 IMAGES

Some are long-standing institutions that have been rocking our primetime world for decades, like The Simpsons and South Park, while others are momentary marvels, like Gravity Falls and The Tick.- from Rocky and Bullwinkle to Rick and Morty - or check out our picks below for the 25 best adult cartoon TV series...[Note: This list does not contain anime.]

25 Aqua Teen Hunger Force

24 Daria

23 The Boondocks

22 The Tick

(See it on Amazon) managed to create iconic characters out of a dim-witted ball of beef, a pompous container of fries and a shrieking, selfish milkshake. The series started out with the premise that the trio were actually a crime-fighting detective squad, but that quickly fell by the wayside and was replaced with adventures spanning from the mundane to the surreal to the horrifying. Throw in gruff, Foreigner-loving neighbor Carl and you had the perfect recipe for absurd mayhem and unnecessary bloodletting. (See it on Amazon) centered on the irreverently banal existence of Daria Morgendorffer, as she and her BFF (an acronym Daria would hate!) Jane Lane faced pungent suburban mediocrity at every turn. No one in the town of Lawndale was safe from Daria's aggressive apathy and on-point one-liners. (See it on Amazon) was first developed as a series for FOX before being rejected for its non-network appeal. Then it was picked up by Adult Swim with the directive that it not try to appeal to a network audience at all. What remained was a potent, poignant, sometimes controversial look at politics and race as brothers Huey and Riley Freeman (both voiced by Regina King) and their grandfather addressed hot button issues in unconventionally humorous ways. (See it on Amazon) gave us a lovable hero whose bombastic rhetoric knew no bounds. Whether it was "Mucal invader! Is there no end to your oozing?" or "Evil is out there making hand-crafted mischief for the swap meet of villainy!" we got our first taste of a mighty hero who was - erm - a well-spoken doofus. Before superhero movies were a staple of every multiplex, The Tick parodied the entire genre, offering up a brigade of misfit heroes and villains fighting absurd battles in a nameless city.

21 The Ren & Stimpy Show

20 Samurai Jack

(See it on Amazon) , wowed the college crowd with gross-out humor, sexual innuendo, and crude scenarios. And the craziest part was that it was part of a block that also featured Rugrats and Doug. So yeah, there were plenty of back and forth battles between the writers and the Standards & Practices division.The animated style involved body distortion and grotesque close-ups while the humor ranged from whimsical to deranged, with the writers constantly refusing to create the "educational" show that the network wanted. (See it on Amazon) landed an intense, bloody, and emotionally devastating conclusion to what was already a masterwork of animation and storytelling. Genndy Tartakovsky’s superb saga of an unnamed samurai sent through time to a dystopian future garnered critical acclaim as viewers were left stunned by jaw-dropping visuals.

19 Gravity Falls

(See it on Amazon) , from Alex Hirsch (Flapjack, Fish Hooks), may have closed up shop after only two beloved seasons, but the story of twins Dipper and Mabel (Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal) and their "Grunkle" Stan's Oregonian Mystery Shack was a quirky and gently twisted heart-warmer for all ages. Smart, satirical, and sweet, Gravity Falls was a one-of-a-kind gem.

18 Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender (See it on Amazon) boasted well-crafted storytelling and crisp, beautiful animation set in a fantastic, immersive world centered around a dynamic cast of characters. It also spawned the sequel series The Legend of Korra, which should also be on this list if we had the room!

The

Puns, political humor, self-deprecation, meta moments - quite a leap for an animated "variety" show from the early '60s. Rocky and Bullwinkle (See it on Amazon) were gloriously ahead of their time, influencing everything from The Simpsons to Supernatural (where do you think Crowley's "Moose and Squirrel" references come from?). In between thwarting the plots and schemes of Russian spies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, Rocky and Bullwinkle led us through an assortment of supporting serial segments, such as Dudley Do-Right, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and Fractured Fairy Tales.

16 Beavis and Butt-head

(See it on Amazon) were given their own MTV series in which they would loaf on their couch, dream about "scoring" with chicks, harass their neighbor (proto-Hank Hill) Mr. Anderson, ignore their teacher Mr. Van Driessen, torment Winger tee-wearing classmate Stewart, and occasionally watch snippets of music videos. It was a disarmingly smart series about two dummies. Pop culture stardom then took hold as Beavis and Butt-head eventually got their own merch and movie. They also garnered enough controversy with their fictional antics that MTV put up the following disclaimer at the top of each episode: "Beavis and Butt-Head are not role models. They're not even human. They're cartoons. Some of the things they do could cause a person to get hurt, expelled, arrested, possibly deported. To put it another way: Don't try this at home."

15 Adventure Time

(See it on Amazon) roared onto the scene and became, in short work, a cosplay-worthy hit. The never-ending adventures of Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the dog (John DiMaggio) might seem aggressively random to the untrained eye, but for those who watch, there's a method, and sadness, to the madness. Part of it feels like a dream, the rest a nightmare - like a child trying to make the best of a post-apocalyptic world. Plus, there are Ice Kings, Bubblegum Princesses, evil gnomes, Vampire Queens, Rainicorns, and giant slugs voiced by Biz Markie.

14 SpongeBob SquarePants

(See it on Amazon) . As Nickelodeon's highest rated show of all time, SpongeBob is a media giant. TV specials, merchandise, a big screen movie...the show's done it all over the past two decades, with barely a change to its basic formula. SpongeBob is a naive, bright-eyed fast food cook and his friend, Patrick, is dumb and short-tempered. Together, they make SpongeBob's pretentious co-worker, Squidward, miserable. Oh, and Mr. Krabs loves money.