History Main / AnimatedAdaptation

* ''Series/SesameStreet'' regularly features animated versions of their Muppets sharing airtime with their original versions. ''Abby's Flying Fairy School'' and ''Bert & Ernie's Great Adventures'' (airing separately in the UK) are among the most notable.

* Creator/{{Filmation}} adaptated their 1975 live-action series ''The Ghost Busters'' as ''[[WesternAnimation/FilmationsGhostbusters Ghostbusters]]'' in 1986.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfKidDanger'' is crazier, animated version of the ''Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}'' sitcom ''Series/HenryDanger''.

** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' is the most successful and high quality example of the Animated Adaptation. It spawned [[Franchise/{{DCAU}} seven in-continuity spin-off shows]] that lasted from the early 1990s right through to the early 21st century, as well as computer games and movies. It kept the Creator/DannyElfman theme, some of the character designs and all of the tone of Creator/TimBurton's movies (though not quite to Burton-levels of darkness), but took place in an AlternateContinuity. It also originally placed a moratorium on death, although this was relaxed for the spin-off movies and the rest of the ''Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse'' in general, including ''The New Batman Adventures''. Also, several characters were popular enough to become {{Canon Immigrant}}s to the mainstream [[Franchise/TheDCU DC Universe]], most famously ComicBook/HarleyQuinn.

** Then came ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', which was an AdaptationDistillation of both the ''Teen Titans'' and the original ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' comic series. The series was much darker than its predecessor, and won accolades for having a mature storytelling style evocative of the 90's Franchise/{{DCAU}} shows.

** The first ones, produced in the 1950s-1960s by Belvision, kept almost none of the plots from the comics.
** ''Temple of the Sun'' is an amalgamation two albums from the same story arc, ''The Seven Crystal Balls'' and ''Temple of the Sun''.
** ''WesternAnimation/TintinAndTheLakeOfSharks'' is an original story.
** ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTintin1991'' from Canadian studio Creator/{{Nelvana}} was TruerToTheText and more of an AdaptationDistillation.
** ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTintin2011'', the CGI film directed by Creator/StevenSpielberg, amalgamates ''The Crab with the Golden Claws'', ''The Secret of the Unicorn'' and '' Red Rackham's Treasure''.

* ''Franchise/TheSmurfs''. AdaptationDisplacement means that few in North America are aware of [[ComicBook/TheSmurfs the original]] FrancoBelgianComics by Peyo. In addition to [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981 the Hanna-Barbera series]], there are several animated Belgian shorts produced in the 1960s, a Belgian feature film in 1976 (''La Flûte à six schtroumpfs'', later dubbed to English and released in the United States in 1983 as ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsAndTheMagicFlute''), and animated features co-produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Duck Studios (''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsAChristmasCarol'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsTheLegendOfSmurfyHollow''). And there's the upcoming [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs2021 2021 CGI-animated series]] that will be broadcast on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}.

* The Youtube animation ''WebAnimation/{{Lackadaisy}}'' is an adaptation of the long-running [[https://lackadaisy.com/comic.php webcomic]] of the same name, which went on hiatus for three years as the planned short blew so far past its Kickstarter goals that a full-length {{Pilot}} went into production. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vffu6FG4YP4 This pilot]] has, in turn, proven so wildly popular that it fueled a massive, server-straining NewbieBoom causing AdaptationDisplacement so total that the comic is routinely presumed to be designed as a {{prequel}} to the animation, rather than the [[LooseCanon other]] way [[StealthSequel around]].

* A brief "animated tribute" to the webcomic ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyFRBjhqZRg fan-produced]] and put on Website/YouTube.

* Similar to the ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' example above, ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' has had [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwyRvcGY4I a fan video]] made from certain strips adapted to animation and put on Website/YouTube.
* ''[[VideoGame/SupraMayroBross Supra Mayro]] Kratt'', or should we say the {{WebVideo/Vinesauce}} stream, was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsVqZqmR-Qs adapted into Source Filmmaker.]]

* The fourth season of ''WebAnimation/BravestWarriors'' manifested itself as a traditional television series co-produced by Creator/{{Nelvana}} and broadcast on Creator/{{Teletoon}} in Canada. (The Cartoon Hangover section of the Creator/{{VRV}} streaming services airs it in the U.S.)
* ''WebAnimation/SSSWarriorCats'': An animated adaptation of ''Into the Wild''.
* ''WebAnimation/SonicRebound'' acts as a fan made one for [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW the Sonic IDW comic series]].
* ''Webcomic/PvP'' got a one-season animated series on the web, culminating in a Christmas special adapting a popular storyline. The one season was made available on DVD.

* ''WebAnimation/RainTheAnimatedSeries'' is an animated adaptation of the webcomic ''Webcomic/{{Rain|2010}}'' and [[https://www.youtube.com/@RainTheAnimatedSeries can be viewed]] on Website/YouTube. It originally planned to adapt the comic as a whole but has since pivoted to just doing additional entertaining shorts.

* ''LightNovel/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou''

* ''WebAnimation/RainTheAnimatedSeries'' is an animated adaptation of the webcomic ''Webcomic/{{Rain}}'' and [[https://www.youtube.com/@RainTheAnimatedSeries can be viewed]] on Website/YouTube. It originally planned to adapt the comic as a whole but has since pivoted to just doing additional entertaining shorts.

* ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' was adapted by Creator/{{Dreamworks}} from [[ComicStrip/OverTheHedge the comic strip of the same name]].

* Troll dolls inspired multiple separate adaptations under different licenses. First was the ''[[WesternAnimation/TheMagicTrollsAndTheTrollWarriors The Magic Trolls and the Troll Warriors]]'', then came ''[[{{WesternAnimation/Trollz}} Trollz]]'', which kept the magic fight against evil but shifted the setting to a modern world while also making the focus on a cast of girls. Then came the CGI movie simply called ''{{WesternAnimation/Trolls}}'' by Dreamworks, which characterizes trolls as forest dwelling beings who live a carefree lifestyle [[JukeboxMusical singing pop songs]]. This got a [[WesternAnimation/TrollsTheBeatGoesOn series on Netflix]] that went on for eight short seasons before the movie [[WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour got a sequel]] that expanded the lore by introducing tribal subspecies who prefer different genres of music, which will also get [[{{WesternAnimation/TrollsTrollstopia}} its own series]] on Peacock. A third movie is set to release in 2023.

* In the queue of Ride/{{Disneyland}}'s version of ''Ride/MickeyAndMinniesRunawayRailway'', the El Capitoon Theater in Toontown inverts Disney's current [[Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes trend of live-action remakes of animated movies]] by featuring posters for toon remakes of classic live-action Disney films such as ''[[Film/{{Newsies}} Toonsies]]'', ''[[FreakyFriday Goofy Friday]]'', ''[[Film/TheHappiestMillionaire The Happiest Scrooginaire]]'', ''[[Film/TheRocketeer The Mouseketeer]]'', ''[[Film/HocusPocus Meeska Mooska]]'', ''[[Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids Mickey, I Shrunk the Nieces]]'', ''[[Film/TheAbsentMindedProfessor The Absent Minded Professor Von Drake]]'', ''[[Film/TheParentTrap The Chipmunk Trap]]'', ''[[Film/TheMightyDucks The Feisty Ducks]]'', and ''[[Film/HighSchoolMusical3SeniorYear High School Goofical 3: Senior Year]]''.

* Creator/HarryPartridge's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDHHrt6l4w Saturday Morning Watchmen]]'': "When trouble's about, you'd best watch out for the ''Watchmen!''" This parody appeared in 2009, and highlights what may have been a (damn good) reason why ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' wasn't made into a movie way back in the 80s... It's hilarious, but the moment one realizes that, back then, this would not have been out of the question for producers in TheEighties is pure horror for many comic book nerds. Of note are the winking smiley faces, Manhattan's... furry diaper thing, and the fact that everything mentioned in the cast roll call is flat-out wrong.

* ''WebAnimation/RainTheAnimatedSeries'' is one for the webcomic ''Webcomic/{{Rain|2010}}'' and [[https://www.youtube.com/@RainTheAnimatedSeries that can be viewed]] on Website/YouTube. It originally planned to adapt the comic as a whole but has since pivoted to just doing additional entertaining shorts.

* The webcomic ''Webcomic/{{Rain|2010}}'' has an [[https://www.youtube.com/@RainTheAnimatedSeries animated adaptation]] on Website/YouTube. It originally planned to adapt the comic as a whole but has since pivoted to just doing additional entertaining shorts.

* ''LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero''

* The webcomic ''Webcomic/Rain2010'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/@RainTheAnimatedSeries animated adaptation]] on Website/YouTube. It originally planned to adapt the comic as a whole but has since pivoted to just doing additional entertaining shorts.

* ''LightNovel/DeathMarchToTheParallelWorldRhapsody''

* ''Anime/{{Free}}'' (a sequel to ''[[LightNovel/HighSpeed2013 High☆Speed!]]'')

* ''LightNovel/InfiniteStratos''

* ''LightNovel/OcculticNine''

* The ''Anime/IronMan'' anime seems to be a spin-off from [[Film/IronMan the films]], with the opening credits suggesting the two are set within the same continuity.

* Several of the Marvel super heroes including [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/SubMariner, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]], and ComicBook/SilverSurfer have had at least one cartoon. Iron Man wins out by far, with ''WesternAnimation/IronManTheAnimatedSeries'', ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'', the ''Anime/IronMan'' anime (as well as a [[Anime/IronManRiseOfTechnovore spin-off movie]]), and the animated film ''WesternAnimation/TheInvincibleIronMan''.

* ''Tintin'':

** Speaking of [=DreamWorks=], in 2022, they also released ''WesternAnimation/TheBadGuys'', based on [[Literature/TheBadGuys the book of the same name]].

* In the queue of Ride/{{Disneyland}}'s version of ''Ride/MickeyAndMinniesRunawayRailway'', the El Capitoon Theater in Toontown inverts Disney's current [[Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes trend of live-action remakes of animated movies]] by featuring posters for toon remakes of classic live-action Disney films such as ''[[Film/{{Newsies}} Toonsies]]'', ''[[FreakyFriday Goofy Friday]]'', ''[[Film/TheHappiestMillionaire The Happiest Scrooginaire]]'', ''[[Film/TheRocketeer The Mouseketeer]]'', ''[[Film/HocusPocus Meeska Mooska]]'', [[Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids Mickey, I Shrunk the Nieces]]'', ''[[Film/TheAbsentMindedProfessor The Absent Minded Professor Von Drake]]'', ''[[Film/TheParentTrap The Chipmunk Trap]]'', ''[[Film/TheMightyDucks The Feisty Ducks]]'', and ''[[Film/HighSchoolMusical3SeniorYear High School Goofical 3: Senior Year]]''.

* In the queue of Ride/{{Disneyland}}'s version of ''Ride/MickeyAndMinniesRunawayRailway'', the El Capitoon Theater in Toontown inverts Disney's current [[Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes trend of live-action remakes of animated movies]] by featuring posters for toon remakes of classic live-action Disney films such as ''[[Film/{{Newsies}} Toonsies]]'', ''[[Film/FreakyFriday Goofy Friday]]'', ''[[Film/TheHappiestMillionaire The Happiest Scrooginaire]]'', ''[[Film/TheRocketeer The Mouseketeer]]'', ''[[Film/HocusPocus Meeska Mooska]]'', [[Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids Mickey, I Shrunk the Nieces]]'', ''[[Film/TheAbsentMindedProfessor The Absent Minded Professor Von Drake]]'', ''[[Film/TheParentTrap The Chipmunk Trap]]'', ''[[Film/TheMightyDucks The Feisty Ducks]]'', and ''[[Film/HighSchoolMusical3SeniorYear High School Goofical 3: Senior Year]]''.

* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}''

* ''LightNovel/FateZero''

* ''LightNovel/{{Overlord 2012}}''

* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}'' as ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' and eventually ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters''.
** The naming on this one is convoluted, so here goes: Filmation produced a live-action series called ''Series/TheGhostBusters''. Columbia licensed the name (but nothing else) from them for the movie. When the movie turned out to be a huge hit, Filmation wanted to do an AnimatedAdaptation of it, but Columbia didn't want to license the characters from the movie to them. Filmation then produced an animated series based on their earlier live-action series titled ''[[WesternAnimation/FilmationsGhostbusters Ghostbusters]]'', hoping to cash in on the movie's popularity despite having essentially nothing in common with it other than the name. Columbia then developed their ''own'' AnimatedAdaptation of the movie, calling it ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' to distinguish it from Filmation's cartoon.

* ''Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick: WesternAnimation/DarkFury'' is an animated film that takes place immediately after ''Film/PitchBlack'' and sets the main cast up for naturally, ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick''.

* ''WesternAnimation/MegaManRubySpears'' had an animated series by Creator/RubySpears that aired from 1994 to 1995. The character designs were modified from the original art and took some liberties with the source material (particularly with Proto Man's allegiance, who was one of Mega Man's allies in the game, became Dr. Wily's primary henchman on the show). There was also a 3-part OVA, in a separate continuity, that ''did'' use the original artwork. It was mainly used to provide basic information about Japanese culture.

* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' has an animated prequel called ''Downfall'', showing the fall of ''Ishimura'' (the game's main setting) before the game hero arrives on the scene.