5 Animated Shows for Fans of Bee and PuppyCat

Bee and PuppyCat was created by Natasha Allegri—better known as the character designer behind Adventure Time’s Fionna and Cake. If those names sound familiar, they’re gender-swapped versions of the show’s main characters, Finn and Jake.

The new characters immediately became fan favorites, and HBO Max is currently producing a 10-episode Fionna and Cake spinoff series. (At least, we hope it’s still in the cards—HBO Max has been canceling a lot of projects lately.)

Adventure Time’s creator, Pendleton Ward, wrote a couple of episodes for the upcoming Bee and PuppyCat reboot, so expect some stylistic similarities. (He also created Netflix’s surrealist show The Midnight Gospel, if you want to check that out too.)

Catch Adventure Time on these platforms:

If you’re looking for something with the same pastel color scheme and intergalactic drama, look no further than Steven Universe. This show premiered on Cartoon Network around the same time as Bee and PuppyCat and shares some design sensibilities.

Steven Universe began as a lighthearted fantasy adventure about a boy with magical powers, but it turned darker as the series progressed. Eventually, it culminated in a film and a timeskip spinoff series before ending in 2020.

This recommendation is especially for fans of Bee and PuppyCat’s Kickstarter–supported first season: Lamar Abrams storyboarded for both Bee and PuppyCat and Steven Universe.

Catch Steven Universe on these platforms:

While you’re on Netflix rewatching Bee and PuppyCat, give the theme park horror-comedy Dead End: Paranormal Park a try.

It shares some roots with Bee: both started as Cartoon Hangover originals. However, while Bee and PuppyCat produced a full series on a Kickstarter budget, Dead End took a different path.

Cartoon Hangover’s pilot, Dead End, was created for adults, with lots of NSFW jokes. But the pilot’s creator, Hamish Steele, eventually retooled the story into a webcomic called DeadEndia, which then became the more family-friendly Netflix show Dead End: Paranormal Park.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Bee and PuppyCat received similar edits in the jump from Cartoon Hangover to Netflix.

Catch Dead End: Paranormal Park on these platforms:

Infinity Train is a good recommendation if you miss campaigning for Bee and PuppyCat to get a second season and want another cause to pick up.

Infinity Train is an anthology about the computer-generated worlds inside an impossible train. Like Bee and PuppyCat and many other shows, it started as a pilot with a drastically different art style. Eventually, it became a full show on Cartoon Network and, later, HBO Max.

However, HBO doesn’t have the greatest track record in understanding its audience. Infinity Train’s ride ended after season 4, despite its critical acclaim and the creator’s plans for future seasons.

If you want to petition Netflix or Disney+ to buy the rights from Warner Bros. Discovery, now is the time.

Catch Infinity Train on these platforms:

Bee might not be your typical magical girl, but magical girl series like Sailor Moon inspired Natasha Allegri to create Bee and PuppyCat. Just look at Bee’s outfit transformations or her chatty animal sidekick.

Sailor Moon is the oldest title on this list (having debuted in 1992), but it’s been rebooted and repackaged a lot over the years. You can find the original series on Hulu and the Sailor Moon Eternal movie on Netflix.

You can also find the Sailor Moon Crystal reboot on Netflix, Hulu, or free on Tubi.

Catch Sailor Moon on these platforms: