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ThunderCats

ThunderCats

2011–2012Ended1 season26 episodes~30 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

The ThunderCats are on the move! After the kingdom of Thundera is attacked by the lizard people, Lion-O leads Tygra, Cheetara and the other heroes on a quest for the Book of Omens and the magic stones of legend. But he'll have to face villains like Mumm-Ra, the ancient evil sorceror, and Slithe, the dangerous lizard general. Luckily, he has the Sword of Omens and its amazing powers at his disposal.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch ThunderCats?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists ThunderCats streaming on Crunchyroll via Prime Video and Hulu and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about ThunderCats?

ThunderCats earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is ThunderCats worth watching?

ThunderCats' Midcredits score is the 84th percentile of all shows, from 8.4K ratings across 2 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

84th percentile

Better received than 84% of shows

87th percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)81st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

78 /100

83rd percentile of all shows

85th percentile among Animation81st percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

84% liked it

81st percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Animation79th percentile among 2010s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

8.2K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Animation87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

What reviewers say

Common ground

A reimagining that modernizes the original with a darker, plot-driven narrative and anime-style visuals.

Fans praised

  • expanded mythology and serialized story arcs
  • anime-influenced animation quality and fluid action
  • mature themes balancing darker tone with source material

Detractors panned

  • pacing issues and rushed storytelling due to episode length
  • unlikeable character dynamics and forced drama
  • derivative anime clichés and forgettable soundtrack

What stands out

Cinematography78

handsome anime style with fluid movement

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

well-animated action sequences and magical battles

CharactersDivisive70

deeper backstories but divisive love triangle and sibling rivalry

Plot and storyDivisive68

ambitious serialized story with MacGuffin quest

Emotional impactDivisive68

emotionally charged moments, but overwrought for some

Originality55

derivative of anime tropes and earlier reboots

Pacing40

rushed by 20-minute format and filler episodes

Ending30

cliffhanger cancellation leaves story unresolved

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 22 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2011 · 26 episodes

  • S1E1

    Omens (1)

    Jul 29, 201122 min
  • S1E2

    Omens (2)

    Jul 29, 201122 min
  • S1E3

    Ramlak Rising

    Aug 5, 201122 min
  • S1E4

    Song of the Petalars

    Aug 12, 201122 min
  • S1E5

    Old Friends

    Aug 19, 201122 min
  • S1E6

    Journey to the Tower of Omens

    Aug 26, 201122 min

Watch experience

What is ThunderCats like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ThrillingHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Adventurous · 15% of showsEpic · 3% of shows: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe series plays its heroic fantasy adventure straight, celebrating camaraderie and courage.
The rideThe series is action-driven and exciting, with a hopeful core about the team's bond, but also carries a melancholic weight from the loss of Thundera and Lion-O's burdens, culminating in the final confrontation.
StructureThe series follows a conventional episodic structure with an overarching arc; no rel markable storyteling devices.
Episode formatMany episodes are self-contained quests or battles, but they build toward the season-long arc of the ThunderCats uniting against Mumm-Ra.
Season formatThe single season tells one continuous story of the ThunderCats' survival and fight against Mumm-Ra.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulRousing · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer feeling inspired by the Thundercats' unity and their fight against evil.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeLion-O, the chosen lord of the Thundercats, leads his team on missions to defeat the tyrant Mumm-Ra and defend Third Earth.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 9% of showsPurposeFamily bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeCentral to the series is Lion-O's struggle to grow into the leader he must become, while the team functions as a found family and each character seeks their own role.
StanceThe series celebrates courage, loyalty, and the bonds of a found family overcoming a powerful dark force; it affirms that growth and unity can defeat tyranny.

The world

TimelessWildernessFantasy
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Kevin Kliesch
SettingThe planet Third Earth, a lush fantasy world with ruins, forests, and the dark tower of Mumm-Ra.
MusicThe score blends epic orchestral themes with modern electronic elements, underscoring the heroic fantasy action.

Content guide

Is ThunderCats okay for kids?

TV-PG

ThunderCats is rated TV-PG. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at minimal (14/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (8/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UKU
  • BG14
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (19 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does ThunderCats have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in ThunderCats?

Cast

Will Friedle
as Lion-O
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Matthew Mercer
as Tygra
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kevin Michael Richardson
as Panthro
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Emmanuelle Chriqui
as Cheetara
Satomi Kôrogi
as Snarf
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Madeleine Hall
as WilyKit
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Eamon Pirruccello
as WilyKat
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Robin Atkin Downes
as Mumm-Ra
Dee Bradley Baker
as Slythe
Corey Burton
as Jaga

Crew

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What are shows like ThunderCats?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like ThunderCats include Kid vs. Kat (2008), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008) and Bakugan: Battle Planet (2018).

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