The 1980s was a vibrant decade for animated television, marked by a surge in colorful and imaginative cartoons. Popular shows included Transformers, My Little Pony, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Many of these series were tied to toy lines, creating a new trend in marketing that appealed to children and encouraged playtime engagement with characters. This era also saw the rise of Saturday morning cartoons, where networks dedicated time slots for animated programming. Iconic characters like DuckTales’ Scrooge McDuck and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became household names, influencing pop culture and leading to merchandise, comic books, and even movies.