Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe (Zach Callison), who lives with the Crystal Gems—magical, mineral-based aliens named Garnet (Estelle), Amethyst (Michaela Dietz) and Pearl (Deedee Magno Hall)—in the fictional town of Beach City. Steven, who is half-Gem, has adventures with his friends and helps the Gems protect the world from their own kind. The television pilot was first shown in May 2013, and the series ran for five seasons, from November 2013 to January 2019. The television film Steven Universe: The Movie was released in September 2019, and an epilogue limited series, Steven Universe Future, ran from December 2019 to March 2020. Books, comics, video games and soundtracks based on the series have been released.

The themes of the series include love, family and the importance of healthy interpersonal relationships. Sugar based the lead character on her younger brother Steven, who was an artist for the series. She developed Steven Universe while she was a writer and storyboard artist on the animated television series Adventure Time, which she left when Cartoon Network greenlit her series for full production. The series adopted a storyboard-driven approach, where storyboard artists drew scenes, wrote dialogue and shaped the narrative. The design of Beach City and the Crystal Gems reflected Sugar’s personal inspirations, such as Delaware beaches and childhood experiences, while incorporating influences from anime, video games and art history. Animation was handled by Korean studios Sunmin Image Pictures and Rough Draft Korea, while the music composed by Aivi & Surasshu became an integral part of the series identity.

The series received critical acclaim for its storytelling, character development and visual design. Critics praised its exploration of complex themes like identity, relationships and mental health, as well as its prominent LGBTQ representation, which included the character Garnet, a fusion embodying a same-sex relationship, whose component characters made history in the first same-sex wedding in children's animation. The voice acting and music were also lauded, with songs like “Stronger Than You” resonating with its audience. It earned numerous accolades, including a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Program, becoming the first animated series to win the award, and a Peabody Award for Children's & Youth Programming, both respectively in 2019. It consistently appeared on “best-of” lists for animation, including being ranked #99 on BBC's 100 Greatest Television Series of the 21st Century. Additionally, its influence extended beyond entertainment, inspiring other creators and fostering a broad fanbase.