Top 10 Creepy Cartoon Shows Perfect for Halloween

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - October 24th 2025, 23:45 GMT+2

Cropped The Owl House — The Owl House (2020)

Magic, monsters, and a dash of existential weirdness – *The Owl House* has it all. Luz’s journey into the Boiling Isles is equal parts charming and creepy, filled with witches, demons, and a rebellious spirit that makes the show feel like Halloween all year long. The visuals walk that fine line between beautiful and bizarre, with every corner hiding something delightfully unsettling. Beneath the spells and sarcasm, there’s also heart – a reminder that the strangest places can still feel like home. It’s the kind of series that makes you wish your local haunted house had better lighting and a witty talking owl. | © Disney Television Animation

Cropped Hilda 2018 — Hilda (2018)

There’s something oddly soothing about being scared when it’s wrapped in cozy Nordic charm. *Hilda* balances wonder and weirdness perfectly, turning mysterious creatures and ghostly folklore into bedtime stories you’d actually want to hear. Trolls, spirits, and other beings lurk just beyond the city walls, but the show never loses its warmth – even when things get a little spooky. It’s gentle, imaginative, and manages to make fear feel like part of growing up. Think of it as a cup of hot cocoa brewed by a witch in the woods – strange, comforting, and exactly what you need in October. | © Silvergate Media / Mercury Filmworks

Cropped Summer Camp Island 2018 — Summer Camp Island (2018)

Remember summer camp? Now imagine it run by witches, staffed by talking animals, and sprinkled with enough strange magic to make your marshmallows whisper back at you. *Summer Camp Island* turns childhood wonder into an eerie dreamscape, where the supernatural feels oddly normal. Every episode feels like a lazy afternoon that slowly turns surreal – a ghost in the mess hall here, a time-bending spell there. But beneath the strangeness lies a warm heartbeat about friendship and curiosity. It’s spooky in the softest way possible – like if Halloween itself went on vacation and forgot to be scary. | © Cartoon Network Studios

Cropped Over the Garden Wall 2014 — Over the Garden Wall (2014)

This miniseries is practically the definition of “hauntingly beautiful.” *Over the Garden Wall* follows brothers Wirt and Greg as they wander through a mysterious forest full of strange towns, unsettling characters, and a lurking darkness that feels straight out of an old fairy tale. The art style drips with autumn atmosphere – candlelight, fog, and faded Americana – while the writing balances melancholy and humor with eerie precision. It’s not just spooky; it’s poetic, nostalgic, and a little bit sad in that perfect Halloween way. Watching it feels like flipping through a forgotten storybook you’re not sure you were supposed to find. | © Cartoon Network Studios / Frederator Studios

Cropped Gravity Falls 2012 — Gravity Falls (2012)

Some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved – but that never stopped Dipper and Mabel Pines from trying. *Gravity Falls* is a rollercoaster of cryptic clues, paranormal shenanigans, and surprisingly heartfelt moments, all wrapped in a fog of supernatural small-town weirdness. From possessed animatronics to triangle-shaped demons, the show nails that sweet spot between laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely eerie. What makes it so addictive is how it builds an entire mythology while still feeling like a summer vacation gone slightly (okay, completely) off the rails. It’s Scooby-Doo with better jokes and actual cosmic horror. | © Disney Television Animation

Cropped Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated 2010 — Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010)

This is the version of *Scooby-Doo* that decided to grow up – just a little – and flirt with actual horror. Instead of endless one-off “man in a mask” reveals, *Mystery Incorporated* stitched its scares together into one big, eerie story about curses, ancient evils, and, of course, snack breaks. The small-town setting of Crystal Cove feels drenched in fog and secrets, and the gang’s relationships get just as tangled as the mysteries they chase. It’s smarter, moodier, and packed with atmosphere, yet still keeps the classic charm of Scooby snacks and ridiculous chase music. | © Warner Bros. Animation

Cropped The Grim Adventures of Billy Mandy 2003 — The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2003)

Only *Billy & Mandy* could make the Grim Reaper feel like the third wheel in a kids’ cartoon. What starts as a simple “kids beat Death at limbo” premise becomes a nonstop parade of monsters, mayhem, and painfully funny moral lessons. The show leans into its dark side with a wink – bloodless but biting, and somehow still heartwarming in its own twisted way. Every episode plays like a Halloween fever dream filtered through sarcasm and candy corn. Grim may hate his job, but we loved every chaotic second of watching him suffer through it. | © Cartoon Network Studios / Williams Street

Cropped Invader Zim 2001 — Invader Zim (2001)

This one doesn’t just flirt with creepy – it proposes marriage to it. *Invader Zim* was Nickelodeon’s weirdest, boldest experiment: a cosmic horror comedy about a delusional alien trying (and failing) to conquer Earth. Between Zim’s dramatic monologues, GIR’s nonsensical joy, and the disturbingly detailed art style, the show managed to feel like both a sci-fi invasion and a nervous breakdown. Every episode oozes chaos and absurdity, but buried in the madness is sharp, dark humor that still hits today. It’s gross, loud, brilliant, and exactly the kind of weird that belongs in your Halloween marathon. | © Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Cropped Courage the Cowardly Dog 1999 — Courage the Cowardly Dog (1999)

Some cartoons stick with you because they were funny – *Courage the Cowardly Dog* sticks with you because it *haunted your dreams.* Every story drops you into a pastel-colored nightmare, complete with grotesque villains, uncanny CGI ghosts, and Courage’s high-pitched panic attacks. Yet there’s something oddly beautiful about it – the loneliness of “Nowhere,” the loyalty between Courage and Muriel, the constant battle between fear and love. It’s horror told through pink fur and good intentions, and somehow that mix works. You don’t just watch it – you feel it, deep in your childhood subconscious. | © Stretch Films / Cartoon Network Studios

Aaahh Real Monsters 1994 — Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (1994)

If you grew up in the ’90s, you can probably still hear the slimy squelch of the title sequence. *Aaahh!!! Real Monsters* was Nickelodeon’s love letter to everything gross, grimy, and oddly adorable. Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm weren’t trying to destroy humanity – they were just students learning the art of the perfect scare. The underground world they lived in was all crooked pipes and gooey shadows, and somehow it still felt alive and inviting. Equal parts disgusting and delightful, it taught us that monsters weren’t always the bad guys – sometimes, they were just doing their homework. | © Klasky Csupo / Nickelodeon Animation Studio

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Halloween isn’t just about horror movies and haunted houses – sometimes, the creepiest chills come wrapped in bright colors and cartoon laughter. From eerie adventures to unsettling humor that somehow aired on Saturday mornings, these shows proved that animation could be both weirdly funny and delightfully spooky. Whether you grew up watching them or discovered them later, each one brings its own flavor of Halloween mischief.

So, grab your candy stash, dim the lights, and prepare to revisit the animated worlds that made you giggle and glance over your shoulder. These creepy cartoons are more treat than trick – though they might just keep you up rethinking your childhood bedtime lineup.