A list of animated television series first aired in 1981.
| + Animated television series first aired in 1981 | ||||||
| Title | Episodes | Country | Year | Notes | Technique | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ai no Gakko Cuore Monogatari | 26 | Japan | 1981 | [1] | ||
| Astro and the Space Mutts | 11 | US | 1981 | Space Stars segment | ||
| Beast King GoLion | 52 | Japan | 1981–1982 | Adapted into Lion Force Voltron (USA, 1984) | ||
| Belle and Sebastian | 52 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Blackstar | 13 | US | 1981 | |||
| Cocoshaker | 21 | France | 1981 | |||
| Danger Mouse | 89 | UK | 1981–1992 | Traditional | ||
| Dash Kappei | 65 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Dixie | 7 | Poland | 1981–1982 | |||
| Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds | 26 | Japan, Spain, UK | 1981–1982 | |||
| Dotakon | 28 | Japan | 1981 | |||
| Dr. Slump & Arale-chan | 243 | Japan | 1981–1986 | |||
| Fang of the Sun Dougram | 75 | Japan | 1981–1983 | |||
| Fūsen no Doratarō | 13 | Japan | 1981 | |||
| Fútbol en acción | 26 | Spain | 1981–1982 | |||
| Galaxy Cyclone Braiger | 39 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Golden Warrior Gold Lightan | 52 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Goldie Gold and Action Jack | 13 | US | 1981 | |||
| GoShogun | 26 | Japan | 1981 | |||
| data-sort-value="Gutsy Frog 2" | The Gutsy Frog 2 | 30 | Japan | 1981–1982 | ||
| Hello! Sandybell | 47 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Hero High | 26 | US | 1981–1982 | Aired as part of The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! | ||
| Honey Honey | 29 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Jarinko Chie | 64 | Japan | 1981–1983 | |||
| data-sort-value="Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!" | The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! | 38 | US | 1981–1982 | ||
| data-sort-value="Kwicky Koala Show" | The Kwicky Koala Show | 16 | US | 1981 | ||
| Laverne & Shirley in the Army | 13 | US | 1981–1982 | Spin-off of Laverne & Shirley | ||
| Little Women | 26 | Japan | 1981 | |||
| Manga Mito Kōmon | 46 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Marmaduke | 13 | US | 1981 | Segment of Heathcliff and Marmaduke | ||
| Miss Machiko | 95 | Japan | 1981–1983 | |||
| data-sort-value="New Adventures of Zorro" | The New Adventures of Zorro | 13 | US | 1981 | ||
| Ninja Hattori-kun | 694 | Japan | 1981–1987 | |||
| Ohayō! Spank | 63 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Pigeon Street | 13 | UK | 1981 | Cut-Outs | ||
| Pityke | 13 | Hungary | 1981 | |||
| Postman Pat | 184 | UK | 1981–2017 | Stop-Motion | ||
| Queen Millennia | 42 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Saikyō Robo Daiōja | 50 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Shazam! | 13 | US | 1981 | Aired as part of The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! | ||
| Six God Combination Godmars | 64 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| data-sort-value="Smurfs" | The Smurfs | 256 | US | 1981–1989 | Traditional | |
| Space Stars | 11 | US | 1981–1982 | Featured new episodes of Space Ghost and The Herculoids. | ||
| Spider-Man | 26 | US | 1981–1982 | |||
| Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends | 24 | US | 1981–1983 | |||
| Superbook | 26 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| data-sort-value="Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island" | 50 | Japan | 1981 | |||
| Teen Force | 11 | US | 1981 | Space Stars segment | ||
| Tiger Mask II | 33 | Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Tilt | 52 | France | 1981 | [2] | ||
| Trollkins | 13 | US | 1981 | |||
| Ulysses 31 | 26 | France, Japan | 1981–1982 | |||
| Urusei Yatsura | 195 | Japan | 1981–1986 | |||
| Willo the Wisp | 26 | UK | 1981 | Traditional | ||
| Yattodetaman | 52 | Japan | 1981–1982 |