So following from last week's post, I'm now going to talk about not the hottest cartoon characters, but just who I think is my favourite cartoon character in general and this time, it will mostly be about male characters than females. And like with last week, this will be a list of characters that I've seen in action and one character per show or film. So let's take a look:
25 - Double D (from Ed, Edd 'N' Eddy)
So when you have a group of characters together, it often compiles the stereotypical sorts which in the case of Double D or Edd, he is the smart one of the Eds with Ed being the dimwit of the group and Eddy being the leader and mastermind behind all their scams to get money to buy Jawbreakers. Now of all the Eds, the reason why I like Edd is because he is just very different to any character that I have seen in cartoons in general. Yes he is smart, but he's also the only one of the Eds to stay mostly clothed when say they go to a pool party or something like that (though it wasn't the case in later seasons, but still), his smart thinking is always the victim of Eddy's scams and because of the way he dresses and behaves, his sexuality comes into question, but not to a great extent. But of course, the biggest mystery of Edd is the sock on his head. What's under it, does he have hair or is there something that he's hiding from us? Well whatever it is, its the thing makes Edd what he is and I enjoy every scene that he has just because of my curiosity of him.
24 - Cyborg (from Teen Titans)
Whatever version of Cyborg I see, out of all the DC heroes, he seems to always be the same character. He is highly and technically advanced compared to his team mates and is regarded as the strongest of the team and also the smartest because of him being part man, part machine. But like with the other members of the team, he is a teenager and often acts like it just for the comic relief and often has a bond with Beast Boy and I think that's just a bromance more than anything else. And with him being basically a robot, he can upgrade himself and has all sorts of weapons and tools at his disposal which would make him a formidable opponent. He is a great character no matter what version we see him as whether it be part of the Teen Titans, the Justice League or even a member of the government, he will always be there for his allies and is always ready for the good fight. But of all the versions out there, the Teen Titans one is the one for me as that show made him popular and had him in more of the mainstream DC comics as well as part of the Justice League following the New 52 reboot.
23 - Bender (from Futurama)
Whoever says that Bender is a terrible character, can bite his and my shiny metal ass. I think Bender is a great character who for the entirety of the Futurama franchise has always played a key part in the show as being a simple bending robot who does all things that Homer does in the Simpsons, but does a lot more things than him such as stealing, travelling through time and space, being the only character that can save the universe when needed and having a number of mood swings, makes him one of the best characters of the show, even being a match for Homer. The show has always been good in my books and whether the show will ever revive itself or not, I'm glad that we got a chance to meet the characters who will no doubt be our future selves and Bender is one of those characters
22 - Shaggy (from Scooby-Doo)
A dog may be a man's best friend, but its a man that will be a dog's best friend too and in the case of Shaggy, he is Scooby's best friend who has a close bond with the dog that he is. He is often partnered up with him and both have a lot in common. They love food, always very scared of practically anything and have been through all sorts of things together. However I feel that Shaggy never really gets the spotlight as much as Scooby does and is just really there to be his sidekick which he is, but surely the show makers could do more with him than just that, but that's just me. If there is anyone who will be a dog's best friend, Shaggy is your guy.
21 - Tom (from Tom & Jerry)
Before Ichy and Scratchy, we had Tom & Jerry who in my eyes, were the first cat and mouse duo to hit our screens. Not only that, but they were the ones that very quickly introduced us to the classic cartoon violence that we get little to none of today because of the age rating system and what not. It was also quite a controversial series of cartoons as it featured racial stereotypical characters, something of which I'm not bothered about personally as long as they are not treated like the makers of the cartoon clearly hated them altogether or has a dislike to them which from memory, these cartoons were very respectful of despite the stereotypes that were in the show. But enough about the show, let's talk about Tom. So out of the two, Tom in my eyes is one of those characters whom despite the amount of failures to his plans, he never gives up and has over time grown quite respectful of his rival Jerry as he has for Tom. So much so that in later cartoons, they would work together to do what they need to do and gave us one of the most creepiest of scenes in any cartoon where they both give up with their girlfriends and sit on the train track waiting for the train that would kill them and thus, have them both commit suicide. With all that said, Tom is a great character who never gives up and is always ready for anything, even if he fails almost every time at what he does.
20 - Felix the Cat (from the cartoon of the same name)
What can I say? I enjoy my nostalgia cartoons and Felix is another one that I enjoy. Unlike Tom, this is the kind of character that many of us will know as having originally be a silent character which Tom was as well, but where he came from, there was sound effects and eventually dialogue. In recent years, we have grown to seeing Felix as a more talkative character and has over the years, been shuffled around distributors until more recently, finally settling at DreamWorks Animation who acquired the rights to him last year among other timeless cartoon characters too.
19 - Woody Woodpecker (from the cartoon of the same name)
While Bugs Bunny was the mascot for Warner Bros. and Mickey Mouse was the mascot for Disney, Woody Woodpecker on the other hand, serves as the mascot for Universal and as such, shared a lot of things in common with Bugs and Mickey in the sense that he is based on a real life animal, has a catchphrase that is quite well known to this day and is often spending his time doing all sorts of cartoon violence to his victims. Although he is a funny character to watch, I feel that both Bugs and Mickey are better in the sense that they have done a lot more than Woody here and to this day, are still being used as mascots for their respective distribution companies while Woody here has only been used for special occasions as well as making quite prominent appearances in Universal theme parks. Despite this, I do still like the character whenever he's around and will continue to do so.
18 - Mojo Jojo (from The Powerpuff Girls)
So of all the villains that I like in The Powerpuff Girls, Mojo Jojo is the one for me (though I don't know why I never put him on my villains list a couple of years ago, but anyway). He's the show's example of an intelligent monkey who's one goal like any villain is to take over the world. The only problem is that the titular heroines get in his way of world domination and as such, he always tries to do better each time his plans fail. A lot of the time, he is regarded as the Powerpuff Girls's main villain because he was for a time in the care of their father Professor Utonium and *spoiler alert* he is the reason why the Powerpuff Girls exist and that in turn has made him the villain that he is. Interestingly, the film has a Planet of the Apes feel to it whereby Jojo takes over the world and turns everyone into apes which isn't the case in the series finale, but anyway. He is a great villain that talks fast and is also Japanese and all those things is why I like him as a character.
17 - Pinky (from The Pinky & The Brain)
In a way, you have to feel sorry for Pinky here. He's always blamed for the failures of Brain's plans to take over the world and yet, its not always his fault. But like some sidekicks, he acts like he doesn't know a thing about the world and is often quite silly and is used as the comic relief of the duo that he is a part of. I like him for his silliness, his open minded ways and his sense of humour. There wouldn't be a Brain without the Pinky.
16 - Spongebob Squarepants (from the cartoon of the same name)
So one of Nickelodeon's longest running shows (which believe it or not, is still going to this day) is about a sponge creature as it were, who lives in a pineapple under the sea and interacts with a variety of different sea creatures (and a squirrel of all things) who act like real people with his best friend being a starfish, his neighbour being what I can only describe to be an octopus or squid of some sort and his employer being a crab, hence the name of his restaurant Krabby Patties. Anyway, so Spongebob is similar to Pinky in the sense that he is silly (but not dumb) and is always there for the comic relief side of things and nothing else. Obviously there are times when he would change his personality for the better or worse and unlike other timeless cartoons, he has had quite a successful run with films even though only one has come out so far with another on the way. There is no sponge like him and Nick wouldn't be where they are today without the success of this little sponge who was for a time, considered to be Nick's mascot just by how popular he is with children, teens and young adults.
15 - Timmy Turner (from The Fairly Odd Parents)
Like with Spongebob Squarepants, another long running NickToon was The Fairly Odd Parents which I don't know if its still going or not because I haven't seen it in a while, but is one of my all time favourite TV shows. The main protagonist Timmy is a child who like most boys his age who go to school, is unpopular and is often the victim of a bully's pranks and has a fascination for a girl which many will say is beyond his league, but in turn he has a secret admirer. Basically, Timmy is living in hell as it were and it wasn't until he got fairy god parents in the form of couple Cosmo and Wanda (followed later on in the series by Poof, Timmy's half fairy god brother and I think a dog too) which made his life more interesting and more like heaven than hell, though generally it ends up still being hell depending on what wishes he makes. I think if anything, he is kind of the reason why the world he lives in is still in one piece so if it wasn't for him and his wishes, everyone and I mean everyone would be in hell and not only him. He may not be smart some of the time and may have got all those things from the Internet, but this is one kid who knows what he wants even if many call him the devil because of it with his fairy god parents as his slaves, which is why I like him.
14 - Scrooge McDuck (from DuckTales)
Ah Scrooge McDuck. Who knew that Donald's rich and wealthy uncle would turn from being a supporting character in the comic world to one of the most recognisable and loved Disney characters of all time. Most of us will know him better as being the star of the show DuckTales as well as its comic book counterpart and has since been seen in other things too like playing a minor character in the Kingdom Hearts games and even making cameos in other big Disney projects. Best thing about him for me is that he was born in Glasgow and me being half Scottish, that is just great. I also like that despite having the Donald Duck trait of being grouchy and angry, he does have a heart of gold and cares a great deal for his family more than his gold. I even had a soft toy of him when I was little. Those were the days.
13 - Gromit (from Wallace & Gromit)
When you have someone who is smart but quite dimwitted as Wallace, you need a dog like Gromit. He may be one of a handful of silent dogs, but this dog is very loyal to his owner and would do anything to protect him just like any dog would. Some say that because he tends to do things that humans would normally do, he could be a dog with a human brain or some other thing. Anyway, we may not be getting another short or feature film any time soon with this duo, but I still admire Gromit who went through hell to save his best buddy and will continue to do so as long as the franchise still lives (though that will depend because of Wallace's voice actor's declining health).
12 - Garfield (from The Garfield Show)
One of the things that I like about Garfield is that in a way, he lives the good life. He has lasagna and while the looks can be deceiving, he is quite a mischievous cat. Always disturbing the neighbours and acts like he's done nothing wrong, but we the viewers and readers know what you get up to Garfield. You don't get off the hook that easily. Pranking neighbours, mocking dogs and even pranking his own owner and known for his uncaring and selfish attitude, this cat is hated by all, but loved by all too.
11 - Jack (from Samurai Jack)
It was a real shame that the show ended abruptly without any satisfactory conclusion which I believe is a fault from Cartoon Network's side (or more specifically, Toonami). However, the good news is that Sony have recently bought many of Genndy Tartakovsky's work so it is possible that we will see the return of this time travelling hero. Destined to defeat the great Aku, Jack has been time travelling to get to fulfil his destiny, but is foiled by Aku at every turn and as such, is ready for a fight at any turn. The show as a whole was great and pretty solid (except for how it ended of course) and the titular character is a great character who knows how to fight.
10 - Zuko (from Avatar: The Last Airbender)
So in a way, Zuko, the Firelord's son is near identical to Aang in both story and how they both fight with honour (though in the case of Zuko, he fights with honour later on). I know last week I put Azula down on a list and I know it might be me cheating here, but I can honestly say that Zuko is a great character. He starts off not knowing his true destiny, can often get mixed up with who his allies are and its not until the third and final season where he finally finds out what his destiny is. He sees his uncle as more of a father figure than his actual father and Aang as his student and even though he may be confused and angry all the time, he knows he can't help it because of how he was bought up and eventually realises that the fire benders, bend fire wrong and that they should take note of it. Regardless of what you think, Zuko is a great character who has a very tragic backstory and may start out as a complete a**hole to those around him, but you eventually will get to like him.
9 - Woody (from the Toy Story films)
Both Buzz and Woody are great characters, but if I had to pick out of them, Woody would be the one for me. He is Andy's favourite toy and vows to never give up on him and keep his toys calm and orderly when a crisis arises like more toys coming or a yard sale is going down. Whatever the cost, he has been through thick and thin to remain as part of Andy's family of toys and often has himself as the leader with Buzz being second in command. He even has the power to convince other toys that life is worth living and being a toy is great because you get played with by kids (just so as long as the child is the right age) and they give you just the right amount of attention that you need. He's a great character, a great leader and an overall great toy even if he's just a cowboy doll who says different phrases whenever his string is pulled.
8 - Genie (from the Aladdin films and TV series)
It is a real shame about Robin Williams who to me, is one of the greatest actors that ever lived, but many people who know him for the many voices he can make which was especially helpful for the character of Genie who be default, has to be mad, over the top and there for the comic relief, but also has a bit of heart for him as well as a bit of drama too. Anyhow, there is no friend that's quite like him and no matter what wishes you make, you're guaranteed to have a good time with him (though not in the sense that some of you may be thinking off) so enjoy it while you can.
7 - Dexter (from Dexter's Laboratory)
Before the serial killer Dexter, there was only one Dexter that everyone knew and that was the cartoon character who unbeknownst to his parents, has a secret laboratory (though its not made clear as to how his laboratory exists because of his house not having anything fancy or what not behind or underneath it) and with that lab of his, a whole lot of mayhem and chaos goes around. Dexter is known for his high IQ, but is often over minded by his sister Dee Dee who Dexter despite having some hatred of her, has grown quite respectful of her over the years. He has robots, weapons that would otherwise be banned because of them possibly being for mass destruction and even shows love for his voice commanding computer. Whatever he does, this is one boy genius who can kick some ass as well as invent and anyone would do anything to be like him.
6 - Popeye (from the cartoon of the same name)
So back when I was little, there would be a time where channels like the BBC would put something on that normally they wouldn't put on and this was Popeye, a show about a sailor who thanks to the power that is spinach, will grow strong and will get the girl. Believe it or not, this was actually a role that the late Robin Williams did for a very unpopular and not very well known film of the same name which I think he regrets doing. Despite this, the character of Popeye is an interesting one because while normally it would be superheroes that would get the girl, he changed the rules by saying that anyone can get the girl as long as they put their mind to it. I do enjoy seeing this character whenever he comes on the screen and I hope he gets done right in Sony's upcoming film (though that being said, has anyone noticed that DreamWorks and Sony are getting the rights to all our childhood memories or is that just me?)
5 - Eric Cartman (from South Park)
The only foul mouthed cartoon character on this list, Eric Cartman is one character that can destroy you instantly just by what his mouth says. Not only that, but he is the most popular of all the South Park characters out there and has been the main target of criticism on the show just by everything he says that makes children everywhere copy him (and yes, I've had that experience at school). However in the film, thanks to the powers of electricity, he used his foul mouth to save everyone from the enemies. Whatever you think of this guy whether you think he's funny or just cruel, I like him for what he is. Don't ever change Cartman, you're awesome.
4 - Spider-Man (from Ultimate Spider-Man)
To be honest, I would think any version of Spider-Man will work for me. I mean he's one of those characters that I guess in a way, cannot be flawed even if the makers of the films or shows that he is in, seem to have that ability to (*ahem* Sam Raimi). Unlike the other Marvel heroes, Spider-Man is a young adult compared to everyone else and as such, can behave like one. I've often preferred the cartoons over the films because in the cartoons, they tend to make Spider-Man more light hearted and full of fun while in the films, they try to make him a tragic hero, but fail at every level (well for the most part anyway). Still, if you want your Spider-Man fix, the cartoons and the comics are the way to go.
3 - Batman (from the DC Animated Universe)
So as some of you know, one of my all time favourite portrayals of Batman comes from Kevin Conroy who even though unlike other actors he only does the voice, it was his voice that gave Batman 2 distinct voices with one being for Bruce Wayne and the other being of course Batman. This then became a big deal for the character as many other actors would then try to do the same and while some would do it with success like Christian Bale (The Dark Knight), others not so much like Peter Weller (Dark Knight Returns). Anyhow, so this version of Batman was the most popular because even though the show was initially there as a tie in to the Burton and Schumacher films, the show was critically acclaimed and won many awards to such an extent that Warner Bros. decided to make more shows as such, establish the DC Animated Universe which many of the cartoons based on DC characters that were seen on channels like Kids WB! and Cartoon Network/Toonami in the 90s and early 00s, were all a part of. This Batman well and truly stays true to his comic book counterpart while Conroy throws in some ideas of his own and even after the universe ended its run on television, Conroy today is still providing the voice for the character in many other projects like the DC Animated Original Movies, the Batman: Arkham video game series and other things too.
2 - Mickey Mouse (from those old Disney cartoons)
Disney's own mascot who today still retains that title. Mickey is one of the most lovable characters that Disney has, being loving and caring for those around him, but often gets up to mischief a lot of the time. He has been the longest serving of all Disney characters out there and while many of us would look at him as a children's character, some of us know that he can be more than that just by what his role is in the Kingdom Hearts games. Disney wouldn't be where they are today if it wasn't for this little mouse and I hope he gets all the love and praise that he deserves.
As always with these lists (though I've been doing this more recently these days), here's a few honourable mentions before we look at my number one choice:
Daffy Duck - A great character who should deserve to not be in a particular rabbit's shadow.
Bambi - A lovable deer who has been hurt emotionally, but still remains positive whatever the cost.
Fievel - Just a mouse who moves to New York City and just wants to reunite with his folks.
Remy - A rat who unlike other rats, seems to fit perfectly in a kitchen.
Lumiere - Often seen as the leader of Beast's servants, he can always shed a light on the situation.
Skipper - Leader of a team who always has a plan up his sleeve and performs those plans well.
Roger Rabbit - He may be goofy and a wimp, but this guy knows how cartoon violence works.
Homer Simpson - He may not be smart, but when it comes to family, he knows what's is right to do.
And of course there are so many other great cartoon characters that animation wouldn't be at the standard that it is today without these great and sometimes not so great characters. Now onto number 1:
1 - Bugs Bunny (from Looney Tunes)
Yeah its kind of inevitable that Bugs would be put on this list and both he and Mickey are regarded as being among the greatest cartoon characters of all time so it was either going to be Mickey or Bugs that would get the number one spot while the other gets the number two spot. So why is Bugs at number one you may ask. Well compared to Mickey, I have actually seen a lot more Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies than those old Disney cartoons and I have grown a lot of love and respect for Bugs over the years as he's just a great character that no matter who voices him, he just cannot be flawed. Interesting fact, the original voice actor for Bugs did his final performance as the voice of Bugs in Who Framed Roger Rabbit which as we all know Warner Brothers only put in as long as the film makers agree to have all their characters have the same amount of lines as the Disney characters so that meant a scene shared by Mickey and Bugs was made while the two characters who follow their shadow, Daffy and Donald, were also given a shared scene too. Its interesting about the things you know and the things that you don't know. Now I'm not entirely sure of Warner Brothers's status of who the mascot is, but I hope they keep Bugs because he deserves it. What's Up Doc? What's up doc, indeed.
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