The cartoon is/was great, though I had started reading the comics a year prior(and delving into its deep history via the various card series and the Classic X-Men reprints), so it doesn't have quite the same impact for me as those for whom it was their primary or sole exposure. I remember trying to make it my business to record every episode...even had a false start a week earlier and recorded some tripe called "Solarman" before the actual X-Men premiere. The as-aired first season was rife with production errors, animation/voice glitches, etc...but i was obsessed all the same. I was upset when they re-recorded Storm's voice...in the original airings, she really went off during her claustrophobic fits. And also in the Slave Island episode, when they throw her in "The Box"..."NO PLEASE NOT IN THERE!!! LET ME OUT...LET MEEE OUUUUUUTTTT!"...they toned her down. In the Morlock episode, I think they even removed the "Hisssss" after Calisto mocks her with "What's the matter Storm? Surface life make you soft?"
Something I was always keen on with cartoons where the background music/motiffs. This show was great for that...the somber theme when Rogue remembers her power activating when she first kisses Cody...the battle theme when they team up against Juggernaut and other battle themes, Colossus' theme, Bishop's twangy harmonica, the Muir Island bagpipes, etc. And obviously the voice acting cast was top notch.
Still though, as a Jean fan, this show was poison...the worst version of the character. Like some weird mash-up of 90s era age/look, but 60s era power levels and inexperience...even worse in some ways (60s comic Jean was able to telepathically hurt Juggernaut through his helmet...90s cartoon Jean had to use Cerebro, just to implant hypnotic suggestions, and still passed out). It's not like they had to nerf her so drastically just for the sake of her becoming Phoenix...Phoenix would have been a huge boost regardless. And why the ponytail?
Speaking of Phoenix, I think the Dark Phoenix Saga was the show's most accurate comic book adaptation(besides the obvious roster line up...and the kid-friendly ending)...and in some ways even better, since it gave a visual depiction of the astral plane battle with Xavier trying to wall off the Phoenix in Jean's mind...and Jean's mind combining with Xavier's to turn the tide, which was only a thought-bubble by Xavier in the original story.
It also sucked that there were never any real roster changes..just cameos. Evolution had a ho-hum first season, but after that, I liked that there were long term changes (Beast joining, the New Mutants, Spyke's changes and leaving the main group, etc)...and some good power team-up moments (not just in sequence, but actual good combo tactics).