While the show contains some questionable elements that we only notice as adults, controversial is the last word that comes to mind while watching an episode of "ThunderCats." In fact, the show's creators were so dedicated to promoting a positive message that they brought in the psychologist Dr. Robert Kuisis to analyze each script and make sure the stories contained strong moral themes. But that didn't stop "ThunderCats" from being unfairly judged by the naysayers.
The most popular kids' cartoons of the 1980s were routinely criticized by influential protest groups who argued that these shows were nothing more than violent toy ads. Naturally, "ThunderCats" caught the ire of some of these groups, resulting in a campaign to have it removed from syndication along with shows such as "He-Man" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."
Per The New York Times, Action for Children's Television led the charge in the war for the children's souls. The group even took its protests to the Federal Communications Commission. However, its censorship campaign was dismissed after the government agency deemed the cartoons suitable for public consumption, provided that they didn't advertise their own merchandise during episodes. Similarly, as ThunderCats.org writes, the series worried bosses at the BBC in the UK, who refused to air it unless cuts — including the omission of nunchucks — were made to the episodes.
