Television series
Conan the Adventurer
Other titles called Conan the Adventurer: the 1997 series (Syndication).
A spirited 1992 animated series that treats sword-and-sorcery with playful seriousness, balancing genuine adventure stakes against cartoon charm. Conan gathers a ragtag fellowship to fight a dark sorcerer across a vividly rendered fantasy world. It's Saturday-morning escapism with real character moments—perfect for anyone who wants their action with humour and heart, without apology.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you want a sword-and-sorcery romp in bright, episodic cartoon form, the kind that sends a hero wandering from one strange adventure to the next.
Skip it if you need serious, gritty swordplay, since this is a children's-rated cartoon with the violence softened and the stakes kept safely light.
What it asks of you: Sixty-five episodes of about half an hour each, across two seasons, played at an easygoing pace, one episode at a time.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe1983
The spiritual ancestor of this entire tradition: a hero and his rotating band of allies defending a magical realm against an obsidian villain. Beautifully animated, endlessly inventive, and funnier than its reputation suggests.
But Episodic structure means no serialized payoff. Some episodes are thin, and the animation is frankly cheaper than Conan's.
Thundarr the Barbarian1980
Post-apocalyptic sword-and-sorcery with the same DNA—a barbarian hero, a loyal crew, weekly quests across a ravaged world. Visually distinctive and genuinely cool, with a real sense of peril beneath the cartoon polish.
But Only two seasons before cancellation. The pacing can feel slack, and some episodes prioritize silly comedy over the premise's darker promise.
Black Clover2017
A young man outcast by magic society joins a motley crew of misfits to grow stronger and prove everyone wrong. Same underdog energy as Conan, with better production values and a story that genuinely escalates.
But Fifty-plus episodes before things get really good. The protagonist's screaming can grate, especially early on.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Conan the Adventurer
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Castlevania: Nocturne2023
Both follow a warrior gathering allies to fight an ancient evil across a richly imagined realm, but Nocturne shows what happens when you commit to serialization and adult stakes.
Serialized vampire-hunting action with the scope and darkness Conan hinted at—a man leading a band of misfits through gothic horror against an immortal foe. Animation that looks like ink and blood, with real narrative weight and genuine character arcs.
But Significantly more violent and sexual than Conan, with a tone that's Gothic noir rather than adventure-romp. Also still unresolved after two seasons.
More like this (5)
She-Ra: Princess of Power1985
Conan's spiritual sister show—a fighter leading a coalition of specialists in episodic quests against a dark empire. Bright animation, witty banter, real emotional weight woven through the action.
But Explicitly didactic in places, with occasional very-special-episode energy. Some stories feel like they're teaching a lesson rather than telling one.
Gargoyles1994
A team of outsiders fighting to protect a city they don't belong in, mixing mythology with serialized drama. Serialization done right, with character arcs that matter and genuine stakes accumulating across seasons.
But Sometimes gets bogged down in its own mythology. The later seasons chase too many threads at once.
Exosquad1993
A military resistance fighting an invading alien force, with serialized storytelling that actually payoffs and character deaths that matter. Took the Saturday-morning adventure seriously and built something genuinely compelling.
But The animation is uneven, and early episodes are rougher than later ones. You have to commit past the first few to find the good stuff.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers1990
Five young heroes of different backgrounds band together to fight an ancient ecological force of evil. Earnest without being preachy, with solid action sequences and genuine chemistry between the team members.
But The environmental messaging sits pretty heavy throughout. Some episodes feel more like public service announcements than stories.
Moana2016
Both are adventures about assembling a team to fight cosmic wrong, but Moana shows what happens when you give the genre a 24-year leap forward in craft and budget.
A lone hero gathering companions—a demigod, a rooster, a pig—to restore balance to a broken world. Gorgeous animation, adventure that actually means something, humor that lands, and genuine emotional stakes. It's a complete story.
But Computer animation rather than the hand-drawn tradition Conan belongs to. Deliberately lighter in tone, with a Disney polish that might feel too smooth.
