10 Animated Shows Like Exploding Kittens You Must See

‘Exploding Kitten’ charts a unique storyline, casting God and his counterpart, Beelzebub, as its narrative’s central figures of cast-out leaders trapped on Earth in the bodies of cats. As both CEOs of Heaven and Hell continue to fail at their divine job, both realms have the same idea and exile the duo with limited access to their powers to live amongst humankind. God-cat’s mission on Earth centers around one dysfunctional family of misfits, The Higginses, whose matriarch, Abbie, accidentally sends out a drunken prayer to the Heavens for the Almighty to fix her family. In turn, Beelzebub— the devil cat— must learn better ways to torture humans and decides to prove her evil by becoming a thorn in God’s side.

Consequently, as God-cat and Beelzebub duke out their professional differences, the two cats make startling discoveries and epiphanies about their world while trying to influence The Higgins’ lives. The show’s employment of absurdist and referential humor complements its whacky premise, creating a fun, laid-back narrative despite its grave stakes. Thus, the show’s explosive ending may leave the viewers searching for other similarly comical animated stories.

10. Carol & The End of the World (2023)

‘Carol & The End of the World‘ is an existential story that brings attention to the more absurd elements of life. The show takes place in a world where humanity is awaiting its impending doom as a mystery planet hurls toward Earth, promising a destructive collision. However, as many turn to hedonistic chase after one thing or the other, Carol Kohl, a timid woman who finds happiness in regular life’s monotony, seeks out something different. Thus, Carol’s narrative presents a unique perspective against the backdrop of humanity’s looming annihilation. Even though the show tackles more poignant themes, its treatment of serious character storylines through a trademark usage of dry wit that highlights life’s bizarreness will remind viewers of ‘Exploding Kittens.’

9. Invader ZIM (2001-2006)

An animated cartoon in the more traditional sense, ‘Invader ZIM,’ is a show about an alien who arrives on Earth with the intention to overtake control of the planet and destroy humanity. On his misadventure to Earth, Zim— the resident of IRK planet— assumes the identity of a young human boy. However, while he manages to fool others expertly, one kid, Dib, sees through his facade. As such, Zim— and his helpful robot ZIR— find themselves in a rivalry with the other kid, who is hellbent on revealing the alien’s true identity. Although the nature of their visit to Earth differs drastically, Zim and God-cat hold inherent similarities as characters, exiled by their peers for their incompetency. Therefore, if you enjoyed the episodic humor in ‘Exploding Kitten,’ you should give this show a try.

8. Rick and Morty (2013-)

In the world of adult animated shows that equip absurdism to pitch offbeat adventures, ‘Rick and Morty’ remains a particular fan favorite. The show follows the titular characters Rick, a scientific genius, and Morty, his teenage grandson riddled with anxiety, as the two routinely participate in some wild undertaking or another. Frequent travelers through space and time, the unlikely duo’s adventures remain ripe with impossible scenarios only rivaled in their idiosyncrasy by the mayhem of Rick and Morty’s actions. Across its seasons-long run, the show has endeared itself to a large fanbase for its ability to mix outlandish ideas with sincerity, allowing space for both ridiculous jokes and heartfelt arcs. As such, if ‘Exploding Kittens’ has left you with a craving for animated shows geared toward the adult audience, ‘Rick and Morty’ might just be a natural addition to your watchlist.

7. Bee and Puppycat (2013-2018)

Defined by its pleasing aesthetic, charming animation, and fun plotlines, ‘Bee and Puppycat’ is the show for anyone whose favorite part of ‘Exploding Kittens’ was the quirky animal-human companionship between the characters. Bee, the human protagonist, is a woman in her twenties who struggles to find a job, compelling her friends to worry about her. Nevertheless, her life takes an unexpected turn when a grumpy, alien feline named PuppyCat arrives on her doorstep, speaking in an odd language only Bee understands. Consequently, Puppycat’s knack for adventures and Bee’s unemployment push the duo to take up whacky jobs and get up to various entertaining escapades. Like ‘Exploding Kittens,’ this show also has a mystery element that will capture the audience’s interest.

6. Gary and His Demons (2018-2023)

Gary is a demon hunter who holds the status of The Chosen One— much to his own displeasure. The aging man has been holding the position for thirty years despite fifteen years being the standard. As such, after years of struggling with loss and violence, Gary has had enough and is ready to retire. However, the Demon Ministry isn’t ready to let go quite yet. As a result, with no one left to fill in his shoes, Gary ends up backing out of his retirement again, even though he no longer cares about his responsibility to save the Earth. Despite their drastically different approaches, ‘Exploding Kittens’ and ‘Gary and His Demons’ share a very similar premise that highlights redemption at its center. For the same reason, if you enjoyed God-cat’s arc in the former but wish to watch a more mature take on it, this show might just be what you’re looking for.

5. Mulligan (2023-)

‘Mulligan‘ is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans barely manage to survive an alien attack. During this time of recovery, Matty Mulligan, the man who saved humanity from the aliens, earns the position of President, only to realize the position isn’t as heroically glamorous as expected. Nonetheless, the new President begins rebuilding society with a ragged team of misfits to help him in his endeavors. Consequently, as he continues to fail at his job, Matty goes from Earth’s hero to Earth’s biggest disappointment. Thus, armed with a second chance but not much else, Matty and his team can’t help but wonder if they’re doomed to repeat humanity’s previous mistakes. Similar to ‘Exploding Kittens,’ this show also centers around an incompetent leader who is somehow the only one who can rescue humankind.

4. Inside Job (2021-2022)

‘Inside Job’ transports the viewers to a world where every conspiracy theory is true and is being covered up by various organizations worldwide. Reagan Ridley, a tech genius, leads her team at Cognito, Inc., populated with various outlandish characters, such as Glenn Dolphman, the human-dolphin hybrid, Myc Celium, a psychic mushroom, and Brett Hand, a generic frat boy with a heart of gold. Yet, within this dysfunctional group of ragtag individuals, Reagan— with anti-social tendencies— emerges as the odd one out. As such, on top of fighting outrageous battles to keep humanity safe, she must also try to find a way to prove herself as a leader to land a pesky promotion opportunity.

If you’re a fan of quirky premises, treated as the baseline around which a narrative gets built, then ‘Inside Job’ is just the show for you. Likewise, Reagan’s uphill battle with her people skills in a world of much bigger trouble will remind viewers of ‘Exploding Kittens,’ where the central theme remains God’s quest to undo his devil-may-care-attitude.

3. Strange Planet (2023-)

Based on a webcomic by Nathan W. Pyle, ‘Strange Planet,’ offers a satirical take on human life that outlines the absurdities one can find in everyday existence. The show is helmed by blue blob-shaped alien creatures who live on a planet similar to Earth. Although the details of life on their planet are near-identical to humanity’s, the slight dissimilarity in their identification of regular habits and phenomena brings attention to the arbitrariness of humans’ reality. For instance, rather than kissing, these creatures engage in “mouth pushing,” instead of ordering a large coffee, they order “jitter liquid” that lasts five hours. Therefore, the show’s basic running gag of calling out the absurdity of reality will be a selling point for people who enjoyed God-cat and Beelzebub’s consistent ridicule of existence through various references.

2. Hazbin Hotel (2019-)

‘Hazbin Hotel‘ presents a devilish story about a group of do-gooders who want to change the rules of the afterlife and find a way to get souls out of Hell and into Heaven. Due to overpopulation within her realm, Charlie, the princess of Hell, comes up with the idea for a Hotel where demons can check in to be rehabilitated and ascend out of the Hellish plane. Naturally, her lofty dreams invite some ridicule from the general population. Even so, with the help of her partner, Vaggie, and one of the most powerful entities, Radio Demon, Charlie embarks on her mission.

‘Exploding Kittens’ and ‘Hotel Hazbin’ share an unconventional depiction of the afterlife, each sporting a more whimsical version of Heaven and Hell that will remain a point of attraction for fans. Furthermore, the protagonist’s character is bound to remind viewers of Beelzebub from ‘Exploding Kittens,’ despite their seemingly opposite motives to bring change in Hell.

1. Dead End: Paranormal Park (2022)

If the depiction of superpowered cats in ‘Exploding Kittens’ has left you intrigued by the idea of juiced-up pets, inviting curiosity about a story with a superpowered dog, ‘Dead End: Paranormal Park’ is the show for you. Two teenagers, Norma and Barney, work at Phoenix Park’s Dead End Attraction Theme Park. However, unbeknownst to them, the establishment actually houses a portal to Hell, inviting demons from the other side. Consequently, Temeluchus, demonic royalty, attempts to possess Barney to strengthen his presence on Earth— only to end up possessing his dog, Pugsly, instead. As a result, the two teenagers and their one talking dog find themselves fighting off demons in a quest that might just save all of humanity.