Eh, what's up, doc?

Who knew drawings that move can actually make the world a better place? I sure as heck didn’t know why cartoons came into my life, but I’m sure glad they did. It was as if my storybooks were coming to life right before my eyes.

Fast forward to now as I write this article at the stroke of midnight with a cup of tea as other obligations start to stress me out. I can surely escape with Netflix only being a click away, but there is something that I tend to avoid. Not once have I revisited a cartoon in its entirety. And that, my friends, is not how the cookie is supposed to crumble.

With the recent return of "The Powerpuff Girls" on the Cartoon Network channel, nostalgia is hitting me like a freight train. Their sugar, spice and everything nice is something that I yearn for in my adult life void of any cartoonish fun.

I crave those early Saturday mornings when I would sit in front of the television with a bowl of my favorite cereal and watch shows such as "Pokémon." That was when I felt pure bliss and innocence.

Without getting too wrapped up in my own emotions, let me just state that cartoons, no matter who they appeal to, do exist in a special realm of fantasy. They allow us to make fun of our own lives, but can also hold up a harsh mirror to society. Cartoons have power and that’s why some of them need to come back into our adult lives.

We have to be reminded of the child that resides within us all. It's for the betterment of our sanity as we go through life’s tough hurdles. So without further ado, let’s play.

1. "Code Lyoko"

Starting off the list is a show that definitely was way ahead of its time. Dealing with the academic and peer pressures in school may seem daunting, but also battling a venomous computer virus that wants to take over the world? No wonder these kids had lots of drama in their lives. Regardless of the wild plots that the show generated in order place their characters in danger, one can totally relate to them on a human level. This is especially true for the character of Aeilita, who was placed in cyber world by her father in order to protect her from harm. It definitely served a tearjerker.

2. "Courage The Cowardly Dog"

“Stupid dog, you made me look bad!” I can’t tell you how annoyed I was with all the stuff that this poor canine had to deal with. In end, he would always justify his precarious situations by stating, “the things I do for love.” That message still resonates with me till this day. No matter what, loyalty and love can always overcome the scary things in life. Also, it's fun to be perfectly imperfect according to a bathtub fish that talked to Courage in one episode.

3. "Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends"

This is where childhood can truly be appreciated at its core. No one can deny that they’ve had an imaginary friend in their life. Despite their imaginary state, the characters in this show were almost like one quirky family. Having to deal with their owners growing up and leaving them can be really scary for these imaginary friends. But they also found the joy in their lives. I would always want to visit such a home, especially if they had lots of chocolate milk. Hopefully you got that character reference.

4. "Rocko’s Modern Life"

There’s no denying that the misadventures of this character are true to the contemporary times that people lived through when it aired. In one particular episode, the titular character reveals that he “likes rainbows” and immediately receives backlash. I’ll just leave it at that and let you figure out the rest. Never knew you could get away with showing that in cartoons though.

5. "The Rugrats"

Ah, this was almost a given. What better way to end our list than the show that almost anyone can relate to? This is especially true for parents. The innocence that just came across the screen was clever and poignant. It almost makes you forget that Chuckie had no mom.. Oops, cue the water works.

We need them back, plain and simple.

That’s all folks!