18 Cartoons With Catchy Theme Songs and Confusing Plots
Some animated shows nailed their opening songs but left viewers scratching their heads about the storyline.
- Chris Graciano
- 5 min read
Cartoons have always been a staple of childhood. They had opening theme songs that stick in your brain forever. However, not every series made sense once the music stopped. Some shows left fans puzzled about what was actually happening. Here are 18 cartoons that had unforgettable intros but baffling, tangled, or downright bizarre plots.
1. Captain Planet and the Planeteers
vamparicstudent on DeviantArt
The theme was powerful and inspiring, but the episodes were overloaded with lectures and villains powered by pollution. It wasn’t clear if it was a superhero show or a science class. The message was great, but the execution was chaotic.
2. Animaniacs
Mike Mozart on Flickr
The theme was iconic, fast-paced, and fun, but the show itself jumped from slapstick skits to cultural parodies with little explanation. Characters broke the fourth wall constantly, making it hard to know what was “real.” Funny, yes. Coherent? Not really.
3. DuckTales (1987)
Rosnicka132 on Wikimedia Commons
The thrilling intro promised globe-trotting adventure, and while the show delivered excitement, it often felt chaotic in tone. One episode featured buried treasure, the next time-traveling aliens, making the stories feel like a whirlwind of random escapades strung together by that unforgettable theme song.
4. Thundercats
gymrat29 on DeviantArt
With one of the most dramatic intros in cartoon history, Thundercats seemed destined for greatness. However, between the mix of science fiction, ancient magic, and cat warriors from space, the show often lost track of its own logic, leaving fans both dazzled and confused.
5. Tiny Toon Adventures
Kantenflimmern on Flickr
The energetic opening set expectations for pure cartoon chaos, and that’s exactly what viewers got — sometimes too much of it. Its tone swung wildly between slapstick parody and after-school morals, creating a show that was funny, fast, and often bewildering.
6. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
redondoself on Flickr
The heroic anthem set up epic battles and moral lessons, but the storytelling was a jumble of laser cannons and sorcery. The constant mix of futuristic gadgets and medieval castles made it visually bold yet narratively baffling, like two different shows blended into one.
7. Inspector Gadget
PhotoLanda on Flickr
The theme music is instantly recognizable, but the series’ logic was anything but. Every case turned into comic nonsense as Gadget bumbled through danger while his niece and dog did the real detective work, leaving viewers to wonder how this “super spy” kept getting promoted.
8. Pinky and the Brain
JD Hancock on Flickr
The unforgettable opening made the premise simple — two mice plotting world domination — but the stories spun into all-out absurdity. Each episode threw logic aside for wild parodies, surreal inventions, and over-the-top schemes that were as brilliant as they were nonsensical.
9. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
orionpozo on Flickr
That groovy theme remains iconic, but the show’s mysteries quickly became hilariously predictable. Every monster turned out to be a grumpy adult in disguise, and despite solving the same case every week, the gang acted shocked every single time.
10. Gummi Bears
Kaisuto-Bloodcresent on DeviantArt
The idea of medieval bears bouncing around after drinking enchanted juice is as strange as it sounds. Despite its catchy song and charming animation, the combination of knights, magic, and candy physics made the show’s worldbuilding delightfully confusing.
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
~ tOkKa on Flickr
Few intros hit harder than the TMNT theme, but the show itself jumped wildly between gritty city crime and cosmic weirdness. From mob bosses to alien overlords, the tone constantly shifted, creating a fun yet unpredictable rollercoaster of mutant mayhem.
12. Digimon
Zicon on Flickr
The pulse-pounding theme made the digital world sound limitless, but the show’s own rules kept changing mid-story. Characters evolved, de-evolved, and rebooted so often that even longtime fans needed a flowchart to keep up with the chaos.
13. Voltron
Richie S on Wikimedia Commons
That theme promised heroic robot battles, and the show delivered — just not always coherently. Between reused animation, clunky dialogue, and inconsistent storytelling across translations, Voltron was thrilling to watch but often impossible to fully understand.
14. The Jetsons
nycscout on Flickr
The opening tune promised a futuristic family comedy, but episodes mixed wacky inventions with oddly mundane problems. Technology seemed advanced one moment and outdated the next. The logic of the future was never clear.
15. Pokémon
Krish1604 on Wikimedia Commons
The upbeat anthem became a global sensation, inspiring millions to “catch ’em all,” even if the show made that goal impossible. Between Ash’s eternal youth, vanishing logic, and an ever-growing Pokédex, the series thrived more on nostalgia and adventure than on consistent storytelling.
16. Sailor Moon
BrokenSphere on Wikimedia Commons
Its dazzling theme promised love, friendship, and intergalactic justice, and the show delivered all — just not always coherently. Between shifting power rules, ever-changing villains, and melodramatic romance, it often felt like a cosmic soap opera wrapped in sparkle and chaos.
17. Ren & Stimpy
Insomnia Cured Here on Flickr
The wild, jazzy intro set the tone for a cartoon that gleefully defied reason at every turn. Each episode blurred the line between humor and nightmare, creating a feverish mix of grotesque gags, surreal art, and sheer absurdity that somehow became iconic.
18. Yu-Gi-Oh!
Ricardo 清介 八木 on Wikimedia Commons
The thrilling intro made card duels look like life-or-death battles, and fans were hooked immediately. But with constantly shifting rules, mystical plot twists, and ancient spirits trapped in trading cards, logic took a backseat to dramatic flair and endless tournament suspense.