Television series

Steven Universe

Name: Steven Universe
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Released: 2013
Cast: Zach Callison, Deedee Magno Hall, Michaela Dietz, Estelle, Tom Scharpling

A pastel-bright fantasy about a boy raised by three alien warriors who once fought wars with their own bodies. It's silly and squishy on the surface, then suddenly devastating underneath — songs about grief sit next to gem-fusion battles, and its handling of trauma, identity and found family is disarmingly serious for something sixteen minutes long. Great for anyone, but best for people who like cartoons that ambush them emotionally.

TVMaze rating

8.1

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A mystery-driven family adventure with real heart, tight long-game mythology, and a sibling bond standing in for Steven's found family of guardians.

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She-Ra and the Princesses of Power2018

Another team of magical women fighting a cosmic war, with queer romance woven in plainly and the same appetite for emotional catharsis after action.

But Brighter, more traditional hero's-journey pacing, with less room for quiet or contemplative episodes.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender2005

Epic serialized world-building and a morally complicated war seen through a young protagonist growing into difficult power, with the same faith in mercy over violence.

But Longer episodes, more martial-arts action focus, and none of the musical whimsy that colours Steven Universe.

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Iron Giant1999

Both centre a powerful, potentially destructive body learning restraint and love through a child's care — pacifism as the actual plot engine, not a twist ending.

A giant built as a weapon chooses tenderness instead, guided by a small boy who refuses to see him as a monster — ninety minutes, no filler, all heart.

But No music, no ensemble, and an older hand-drawn look that some viewers find slow to warm to.

Over the Garden Wall2014

A short, melancholic miniseries with gorgeous folk-art visuals and a similar preoccupation with growing up, letting go, and gentle dread.

But Only ten short episodes, more ambiguous and less character-driven than a full ensemble show.

Bee and PuppyCat2013no page yet

Made by a fellow Adventure Time alum, it's whimsical sci-fi slice-of-life with the same tender, homemade emotional core in miniature.

But Much smaller in scale, slower plotting, and far fewer episodes with none of the cosmic stakes.

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Childhood trauma processed through surreal, self-contained adventures, with the same fearless emotional writing dressed in stranger, colder imagery.

But Chillier tone with less comedy, and each season resets its cast, so continuity investment doesn't carry over.

The Owl House2020

A found-family fantasy explicitly inspired by Sugar's work, blending witchy horror-tinged whimsy with a queer teen lead and real warmth.

But Leans harder into Halloween aesthetics, is less musical, and its early cancellation leaves the pacing uneven.

Star vs. the Forces of Evil2015no page yet

A magical princess with a habit for chaos slowly reveals surprising emotional depth, echoing Steven's own journey from goofy kid to something heavier.

But Starts much sillier and takes a long time to find the emotional footing that makes it worthwhile.

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon1992

Same shape entirely — a Guardian team, a buried cosmic legacy, and a soft protagonist held together by fierce found family. Different costume, magical-girl anime instead of Cartoon Network fantasy, identical machinery underneath.

The original team of magical guardians defending Earth: transformation sequences, a hidden royal legacy, and fierce women protecting a gentle-hearted lead at the centre.

But 90s monster-of-the-week pacing, campier tone, and a real time commitment across two hundred episodes.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?2018

Both treat gentleness, patience, and taking children's emotions seriously as a moral stance rather than softness — the same worldview wearing an entirely different genre.

A documentary about Fred Rogers' quiet, radical insistence that children's feelings deserve total seriousness — the exact ethic Steven Universe smuggles into cartoon form.

But No fantasy, no plot, no music — just a real man's philosophy and life, a full tonal departure from anything animated.