My recommendation would be Lightwave, since they have a bundle with vue 5 infinite for free right now. Something to consider, making cartoons takes a LOT of time. Let me repeat that: Making cartoons takes a LOT OF TIME. If you buy a high end 3d application like Cinema, Lightwave or Maya, you'll be looking at: 3d modelling 3d rigging uv mapping textureing scene setup rendering options editing final renders overlaying effects work sound editing sound layering voice recording, and dubbing. Each one of these tasks can takes a LONG time to learn, and years to master. Pro studios have hundereds of people working on one cartoon for years.. boil all that work down, and then add it to one person's shoulders. That said, simple cartoons can be done in poser, if you want to use pre-existing characters and content, however again you are looking at a learning curve of 2 years to get good at poser, IF you work with it daily. (There's just a lot of "stuff" to learn.) And while that might sound daunting, a child can make a simple animation in poser in a few minutes. With cartoons, it's not just playing around though, but following a script, and scene layout, which takes more time.

Way too many people take way too many things way too seriously.