Mask & Dino Riders were created with the same thought process as transformers: make a show to sell toys...
That shit worked, lol! I had the motorcycle helicopter & a pterodactyl with missile launchers. I wanted that T-Rex so bad, but that was like $100 in 80's money and was not happening.
For the wacky antics it'd definitely be a tie between Ed Edd n' Eddy and Codename Kids Next Door. What other shows can you get a cursed telephone that causes suffering and an elevator made of junk that leads to the moon for EEnE? Or for KND have a whole zoo filled with kids as the exhibits so childless parents can throw peanuts at them while also having an episode where a man who looks like a baby use his cigar to connect to a global satellite web to try and turn everyone else into babies?
Samurai Pizza Cats. My grandma would have tapes of it so whenever I went over to my grandma's house, chances are this show would be playing at some point haha. The episode I remember the most is the one with the dragon.
This shouldn't be the answer because it's not really for kids. But it is, and will always be, The Simpsons.
Every evening at 6pm on UPN I would watch the Simpsons with my dad. I went from watching and understanding Bart to now watching with my daughter and seeing it through Homer's eyes.
A documentary was released on the show last month. During production they were given the original master tapes for the show and have been slowly releasing all of the episodes in glorious 4k for free on YouTube. Check them out - they hold up to nostalgia better than you'd expect.
As a kid in the '70s, all the cartoons on Wednesday afternoons kids matinee...Vicky the Viking, Maya the Bee, Heidi, Remi, Pink Panther & Hong Kong Phooey.
This is a very big franchise in Asia but rarely mentioned in the west, so let me introduce it to (most of) you :>
Doraemon is a robot cat from the 22nd century who has gone back in time to help a kid named Nobita. He has a lot of wacky gadgets to offer. Each episode is basically a story about one of these gadgets. They also pump out a new movie every year.
Doraemon is incredibly popular in Spain, to the point that basically everyone no matter the age knows at least the premise and the main characters. It baffled me when I found out that it was largely unknown in other western countries.
Edit: I just remembered Shinchan, another anime that is huge in Spain but not very popular elsewhere.