The Top 50 Cartoon Characters - They Aren't Your Favourite, They're Just Drawn That Way

[Issun]

Homer was not surprising at all, considering that, after video games, the mindshare of Talking Time is majority Simpsons. I'm trying to remedy the fact that I've not seen very much of the show, though even when I do, I'm pretty sure it's too late for me to develop the love of the show to where it becomes a part of my subconscious. These lists wouldn't be as fun if we all consumed the same stuff anyways.

The only no-show I'm genuinely surprised by is The Monarch.

My List:

1. Strong Bad (Homestar Runner)
2. Darkwing Duck
3. Chihiro (Spirited Away)
4. Mable Pines (Gravity Falls)
5. Scrooge McDuck (Duck Tales)
6. Jay Sherman (The Critic)
7. Sadness (Inside Out)
8. Lilo (Lilo & Stitch)
9. Butters Stotch (South Park)
10. Rocko (Rocko's Modern Life)
11. Nausicaa (Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind)
12. Winnie the Pooh
13. Mojojojo (The Powerpuff Girls)
14. Charlie Brown
15. Moana
16. Brock Sampson (The Venture Bros.)
17. Madame Mim (The Sword in the Stone)
18. Wall-E
19. Homestar Runner
20. Daffy Duck
21. Mrs. Brisby (The Secret of N.I.M.H.)
22. Miguel (Coco)
23. Ren Hoek (Ren and Stimpy)
24. Fluttershy (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
25. Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

 

[Peklo]

Thanks for running the list, Johnny. My votes, unranked in bold.

1. Haman Karn - Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985)
2. Entrapta - She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
3. Ami Mizuno - Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (1992)
4. Oscar François de Jarjayes - The Rose of Versailles (1979)
5. Karla the Grey Witch - Record of Lodoss War (1990)
6. Youshi the Blue Beast - Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1992)
7. Yumi Fukuzawa - Maria Watches Over Us (2004)
8. Pearl - Steven Universe (2013)
9. Kanuka Clancy - Mobile Police Patlabor (1988)
10. Bright Noa - Mobile Suit Gundam (1979)
11. Reika Ryūzaki - Aim for the Ace! (1973)
12. Miyako - Hidamari Sketch (2007)
13. Grandis Granva - Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990)
14. Mirai - Mama wa Shōgaku Yonensei (1992)
15. Nanami Kiryuu - Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
16. Mimi Tachikawa - Digimon Adventure (1999)
17. Ernest Mecklinger - Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988)
18. Balsa - Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)
19. Pekora Usada - hololive (2019)
20. Korone Inugami - hololive (2019)
21. Okayu Nekomata - hololive (2019)
22. Botan Shishiro - hololive (2020)
23. Marine Houshou - hololive (2019)
24. Nene Momosuzu - hololive (2020)
25. Watame Tsunomaki - hololive (2019)

Nothing surprising to me in the results, really, except maybe the total nonpresence of Sailor Moon, which I take as a major and collective societal failing.

 

[Kirin]

Ooh, Oscar from RoV and Clancy from Patlabor are both great picks.

 

[Violentvixen]

Butters Stotch (South Park)

It turned out not to be true, but a kid I TA'd at grad school at CU Boulder claimed to be the inspiration for Butters. His last name had butters in it, damned if he didn't look and sound exactly like you'd think an older Butters would sound. He claimed to be a family friend, and dates, location, etc all lined up so it's plausible. Also knew a lot of random things about Matt and Trey so while they've said someone else was Butters I do think he knew them.

He was also the one who informed me Casa Bonita was real which resulted in me going so I have to at least give him credit for that.

High-five for the Danger Mouse, VV!

Yay!

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Thanks again for everyone who took part. This was a lot of fun and finished JUST as things got busy at my new job. And it took forever for my second time to do one of these lists and you all made it worth it!

I'll post the full FULL list in a little while but here's my own personal list for now.

1. Daffy Duck
2. Bugs Bunny
3. Homer Simpson
4. Wile E. Coyote
5. Ice King - He is one of the wackier of the show's characters but I love the show took what was a wacky villain turned wacky neighbor and turned him into one of the shows most deeply sad characters. *
6. Bart Simpson
7. Garnet
8. Lisa Simpson
9. Marc Antony - To my memory, he only appeared in only one of the original Looney Tunes cartoons but his cartoon is definitely one of the most memorable, a sweet beefy pooch who, despite early attempts to appear threatening, is one of the most purely sweet Looney Tunes characters. **
10. Goofy - A good dog with a memorable holler.
11. Donald Duck
12. Strong Bad
13. Woody - This one surprised me appearing on my list but the more I thought about it, he is a complex character. He is very much a guy who wants to be an intrepid and stalwart leader and he is but... he's also kind of messed up. Though Buzz in the first movie is the most Quixotic character, Woody is the one who is often a little too hardcore about his calling, sometimes to an unhealthy degree and the series tends to be about him overcoming one of his flaws. It's easy to forget because America's dad gives him a warm quality but there's a lot going on with this guy.
14. Marge Simpson
15. Foghorn Leghorn - Obnoxious dummy who just tries to bulldoze anyone in a conversation under a veil of southern friendliness and false patriachalness, only usually to be humiliated and yet never learning his lesson? Works for me.
16. Yosemite Sam - Can't quite explain the high placement on my list of this guy who is clearly insecure about his height and tries to make up for it in antagonism but... I dunno, he just makes me laugh.
17. Tina Belcher
18. Mabel Pines
19. The Brain
20. Homestar Runner
21. Marvin the Martian - I often gravitate to the trope of "villain who doesn't act like you expect of a villain". In terms of scope, he is literally Bugs' most powerful and potentially effective villain in that he completely has the capability to blow up planets and is somewhat more of a threat to him than the animals and people with guns that he usually face. But his soft nasally voice and Ned Flanders-like inability to be truly angry beyond having to say it and mildly fume as if waiting for a late bus works to sell this guy as completely unready for any actual resistance, let alone Bugs Bunny.
22. The Tasmanian Devil (Taz) - I mentioned him before. I think there are probably stronger characters who could have made my list but he captured my imagination as a kid because even though he was constantly defeated, he seemed like an unstoppable force. And he spoke to my childhood obsession with eating non-edible things. For some reason, I never liked calling him "Taz". I think it feels too... brand-y? Like "that's an easy name to put on a t-shirt". Not that I blame anyone for shortening it.
23. Grunkle Stan
24. Mr. Peanutbutter - Maybe this speaks to how privileged I am but maybe this is the character who speaks to me in this show. Not just because he is voiced by the great Paul F. Tompkins but because he's a guy who is mostly good and certainly thinks of himself as such but dumbly walks through life without a plan and things work out mostly OK but also he's trying not to be oblivious to how he might hurt the people he loves or contribute to systemic problems and often not succeeding. But for his flaws, he's a good (and hot for his age) boy. Mr. Peanutbutter; a better Ned Flanders who is also basically what I imagine Dave Coulier is like in real life.
25. Mojo Jojo

Spoiler: *

Spoiler: **

 

[Bulgakov]

Thank you Johnny! Here's my list, with the unpicked ones in bold:

Rank	Character	Film/Show	Notes
1	The King	Double King	Surreal animation and simple storytelling - together at last
2	Homura Akemi	Puella Magi Madoka Magica	The greatest tragic figure is the kind that tortures themselves with a purpose or drive that actually justifies all the horrors they're putting themselves through.
3	Pearl	Steven Universe	This is a character who's done a lot of work on herself, needs to do more work on herself, and knows herself more than she lets on.
4	Toph	Avatar: The Last Airbender	A confident earthbender who learned her trade from badgermoles. What's not to love?
5	Elias Ainsworth	The Ancient Magus' Bride	A great example of a character where you know exactly how much you need to know about him, despite the fact that you'd desperately love to know more about him.
6	Aeon Flux	Aeon Flux	Young Bulgakov found this show amazingly transgressive.
7	Marceline the Vampire Queen	Adventure Time	A charactter who has learned to live with immortality always checks a box in the back of my brain.
8	Kyoko Sakura	Puella Magi Madoka Magica	Some charsimatic jerks just like to watch the world burn.
9	Princess Caroline	Bojack Horseman	I found this character to have a much more engrossing arc than the title character of the series.
10	Prismo	Adventure Time	A character who presents as slacking off as a way of intentionally undermining his cosmic power always checks a box in the back of my brain.
11	GIR	Invader Zim	I can deeply relate to this unleashed id.
12	The Maxx	The Maxx	Sam Keith built an incredible hunk of meat out of this rabbit.
13	Soos	Gravity Falls	The heart of the show, and an amazingly relatable schlub.
14	Daria	Daria	Excuse me.
15	Dr. Orpheus	The Venture Brothers	Master of Foreshortening
16	"My Spoon is too big" guy	Rejected	One of the simplest visuals that I can conjure up when I think about cartoons.
17	Xanatos	Gargoyles	Plans within plans is always a great archetype. So is a villain who looks forward to the next fight after a loss.
18	Professor Zoidberg	Futurama	The best lobster
19	Captain Hazel "Hank" Murphy	Sealab 2021	Move over, Pointy Haired Boss, Scott Adams wishes he had created a supervisor this dumb.
20	WALL-E	WALL-E	Some charismatic robots just like to re-home a dormant humanity from space.
21	Muttley	Wacky Races	"Snazza frazza rashin' fashin'" is the platonic overdone mumble.
22	Strongbad	Homestar Runner	How often does a cartoon make their own cartoons? Teen Girl Squad was a jam.
23	Pandimensional Spacecraft Computer	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Someday I hope to be able to project a digitized body from my head
24	Orin	Starchaser: The Legend of Orin	To this day "You don't need the hilt. There never was a blade." still echoes in my mind everytime a character has a significant moment of growth in a fantasy series.
25	Shriek	Skeleton Warriors	Tragic backstories in the 80s cartoons are the best: "I was beautiful, but now I'm an EVIL SKELETON"

 

[Falselogic]

My list

1. Samurai Jack (Samurai Jack
2. Patrick Star (Spongebob Squarepants)
3. Scooby Doo (Scooby Doo)
4. Baloo (Tailspin)
5. Daria (Daria)
6. Archer Sterling (Archer)
7. Bender (Futurama)
8. Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)
9. Meatwad (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
10. Grr (Invader Zim)
11. Marvin the Martian (Looney Tunes)
12. Grim Reaper (Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy)
13. Henchman 21 (Venture Brothers)
14. Star Scream (Transformers 84)
15. Mojo Jojo (Powerpuff Girls)
16. Terry McGinnis/Batman (Batman Beyond)
17. Mumm-Ra (Thundercats)
18. Fry (Futurama)
19. Pinky (Animaniacs)
20. Michelangelo (original 90s cartoon)
21. Dale (Rescue Rangers)
22. Hank Venture (Venture Brothers)
23. Brock Samson (Venture Brothers)
24. Captain Hank Murphy (Sealab 2021)
25. Big Chungus (Looney Toons)

There were quite a few on my list that I was sure were going to show up but didn't.

 

[JBear]

lol @ Big Chungus.

Johnny, your #15 & #16 are my dad's two favourite cartoon characters! He's been doing their voices since I was a baby. Anyway, thanks for running the list! It was a fun one!

My list, misses in bold:

1. Steven Universe (Steven Universe)
2. Bojack Horseman (Bojack Horseman) - Bojack sucks. I know it, and he knows it. He's toxic. He tries to better himself sometimes, but there's only so many times you can forgive a fuck-up. I wouldn't want to be his friend, but going along for the ride as a spectator was a wild trip.
3. Dr. Orpheus (The Venture Brothers)
4. Coach McGirk (Home Movies)
5. Takamura (Hajime no Ippo) - I had a hard time picking a single Hajime No Ippo character, but in the end, it had to be Takamura. He's a relentless asshole, but he's an amazing boxer, a fun guy to root for, and HE BOXED A BEAR AND WON.
6. Lt. Tsurumi (Golden Kamui) - If we re-did Top 50 villains, he'd probably be my #1. He's so fucking good. Enigmatic, incredibly charismatic, relentless, and willing to do whatever it takes and stomp on anything and anyone he needs to in order to get what he wants.
7. Zoidberg (Futurama)
8. Askeladd (Vinland Saga) - Another great villain that would have been high on my villains list if I'd seen the show back then. A literal pirate with his own completely fucked up but consistent code of ethics. A rich, fascinating character who ends up being a surrogate father to the main character and abso-fucking-lutely should not be anyone's father. Dies selflessly to the shock of everyone... including possibly himself.
9. Vash the Stampede (Trigun)
10. Marge Simpson (The Simpsons)
11. Asumi Kamogawa (Twin Spica) - A little girl who wants to be an astronaut, no matter what obstacles are put in her way. Gambatte, Asumi-chan!
12. Optimus Prime (Transformers)
13. Strongbad (Homestar Runner)
14. Aku (Samurai Jack)
15. Jake (Adventure Time)
16. Toph Beifong (Avatar)
17. Brock Sampson (The Venture Brothers)
18. Emma (Promised Neverland) - Cut from the same cloth as my #1 and another character further up, she's just a relentless force for good in a world that's relentlessly trying to squeeze that out of her. She's incredibly smart, willing to go to any end to protect her family, and will not take "no" for an answer, no matter the odds.
19. Megabyte (ReBoot) - This is mostly a vote for Tony Jay, who is fucking killing it here. Like another villain I voted for above, you can just hear the personality dripping from every syllable.
20. Yomiko Readman (Read or Die) - A very fun character concept: a shy book-obsessed nerd who doesn't like to fight but turns out to be an incredible badass when pushed, using her unique superpower of manipulating paper.
21. Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)
22. Hanamichi Sakuragi (Slam Dunk) - Honestly, I'm not sure I can explain why I like this guy so much. He's a jerk, and he never really learns. He's a violent, egotistical delinquent who suddenly decides that he's God's gift to basketball in order to win over a girl he's just met. He's just... fun to root for. *shrug*
23. Takeo Gōda (My Love Story) - Love this big lug. A pure-hearted walking pillar of testosterone with super-hero tier physical abilities who is only interested in making his school sweetheart happy.
24. Mabel (Gravity Falls)
25. Phil (Promised Neverland) - WHAT ARE YOU UP TO, PHIL?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW!?

Shout-out to @Kirin for the ROD vote... for the second time, IIRC? We'll get Yomiko on one of these lists someday!

Also, FWIW, since I saw him floating around, Duke from The Critic narrowly missed my list.

 

[WisteriaHysteria]

You guys are making me feel bad for not having white ppl cartoons on my list, Daria and Terry McGinnis deserved to be repped on this.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Duke from The Critic narrowly missed my list.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Homer Simpson is America

Which is why people having been getting increasingly sick of his shit since the 90s ended.

I think the only thing I'm surprised by is that there wasn't any TMNT representation

Several votes for individuals (Michaelangelo almost made it) and one vote for them as a unit but not enough to push it through.

Curious whether Iroh or One-One got any other votes...

Iroh nearly made the list. Only one character came closer...

Speaking of, here's the full list.

Spoiler: The Top 50...

1. Homer Simpson – 251 Points, 9 Lists, #1 The Lumber Baron
2. Daffy Duck – 199 Points, 7 Lists, #1 Beta Metroid & Johnny Unusual
3. Strong Bad – 181 Points, 7 Lists, #1 Issun
4. Toph Bei Fong – 149 Points, 4 Lists, #1 Positronic Brain
5. Samurai Jack – 144 Points, 6 Lists, #1 False Logic
6. Bender – 125 Points, 4 Lists, #2 Patrick
7. Garnet – 122 Points, 5 Lists, #2 Kirin
8. Bugs Bunny – 118 Points, 4 Lists, #1 Adrenaline & Torzelbaum
9. Wall-E – 116 Points, 6 Lists, #2 Beta Metroid
10. Scrooge McDuck – 113 Points, 4 Lists, #3 THE Lumber Baron
11. Steven Universe – 112 Points, 4 Lists, #1 JBear
12. San – 112 Points, 4 Lists, #2 RT-55J
13. Coach McGuirk – 110 Points, 4 Lists, #4 JBear
14. Optimus Prime – 107 Points, 5 Lists, #12 Daikaiju, JBear and Purple
15. Wile E. Coyote – 106 Points, 4 Lists, #2 Violent Vixen
16. Nausicaa – 103 Points, 4 Lists, #1 Wisteria Hysteria
17. The Genie – 103 Points, 4 Lists, #5 Positronic Brain
18. Lisa Simpson – 101 Points, 4 Lists, #4 Violentvixen
19. Korra – 99 Points, 4 Lists, #1 Kirin
20. Scooby-Doo – 95 Points, 4 Lists, #3 False Logic
21. Marceline the Vampire Queen – 92 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Dracula
22. Zim – 90 Points, 4 Lists, #6 Adrenaline
23. Mabel Pines – 86 Points, 4 Lists, #4 Issun
24. Donald Duck – 85 Points, 3 Lists, #1 ThornGhost
25. Vash the Stampede – 85 Points, 3 Lists, #7 WildcatJF and Wisteria Hysteria
26. Brock Sampson – 84 Points, 4 Lists, #4 Adrenaline
27. Chihiro – 84 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Issun
28. Darkwing Duck – 83 Points, 3 Lists, #2 Issun
29. Homestar Runner – 82 Points, 4 Lists, #11 Octopus Prime
30. Porco Rosso – 81 Points, 4 Lists, #11 Patrick
31. Zuko – 81 Points, 3 Lists, #5 Beta Metroid
32. Freakazoid – 80 Points, 3 Lists, #2 Torzelbaum
33. Zorak – 77 Points, 3 Lists, #1 WildcatJF
34. Starscream – 77 Points, 3 Lists, #4 Dracula
35. Spike Spiegel – 75 Points, 3 Lists, #6 ThornGhost
36. Dr. Orpheus- 74 Points, 3 Lists, #3 JBear
37. Mojo Jojo – 73 Points, 4 Lists, #13 Issun
38. The Brain – 73 Points, 3 Lists, #4 Torelbaum
39. Bart Simpson – 73 Points, 3 Lists, #6 Johnny Unusual
40. Marge Simpson – 73 Points, 3 Lists, #10 JBear
41. Tina Belcher – 72 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Patrick
42. Jake the Dog – 72 Points, 3 Lists, #7 Adrenaline
43. David Xanatos – 70 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Positronic Brain
44. Skeletor – 67 Points, 2 Lists, #2 Dracula
45. Haman Karn – 66 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Peklo
46. Totoro – 62 Points, 3 Lists, #4 WildcatJF
47. Dr. Zoidberg – 62 Points, 3 Lists, #7 JBear
48. Pearl – 61 Points, 2 Lists, #3 Bulgakov
49. Haruko Haruhara – 61 Points, 2 Lists, #5 The Lumber Baron50. Stan Pines – 60 Points, 3 Lists, #6 Octopus Prime
50. Stan Pines – 60 Points, 3 Lists, #6 Octopus Prime

Spoiler: ...and beyond

Gromit – 60 Points, 2 Lists, #2 The Lumber Baron
Uncle Iroh – 60 Points, 2 Lists, #3 Kirin
Korone Inugami – 58 Points, 3 Lists, #6 RT-55J
Aang – 57 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Patrick
Scar – 57 Points, 2 Lists, #3 Violentvixen
Princess Caroline – 57 Points, 2 Lists, #6 Patrick
Woody – 54 Points, 2 Lists, #6 The Lumber Baron
Bob Belcher – 54 Points, 2 Lists, #9 Adrenaline and Octopus Prime
Daria – 53 Points, 2 Lists, #5 False Logic
Maximillian Jenius – 53 Points, 2 Lists, #7 Kirin
Winnie the Pooh – 53 Points, 2 Lists, #7 The Lumber Baron
Aku – 52 Points, 2 Lists, #6 Violentvixen
Yzma – 52 Points, 2 Lists, #13 Violentvixen
Phillip J Fry – 51 Points, 2 Lists, #3 Adrenaline
Jay Sherman – 51 Points, 2 Lists, #5 Issun
Charlie Brown – 51 Points, 2 Lists, #7 Daikaiju
GIR – 51 Points, 2 Lists, #10 False Logic
Arsene Lupin III – 49 Points, 2 Lists, #6 WisteriaHysteria
Master Shake – 47 Points, 2 Lists, #2 Adrenaline
Mickey Mouse – 47 Points, 2 Lists, #2 ThornGhost
Michelangelo – 46 Points, 2 Lists, #6 Dracula
Batman – 45 Points, 2 Lists, #6 Torzelbaum
Radical Edward – 45 Points, 2 List, #8 WildcatJF
Coraline – 41 Points, 2 Lists, #10 Patrick
Marvin the Martian – 40 Points, 2 Lists, #11 Falselogic
Danger Mouse – 40 Points, 2 Lists, #16 Kirin and Violentvixen
Butters Stotch – 39 Points, 2 List, #9 Issun
Big Chungus – 37 Points, 2 Lists, #10 RT-55J
Ginko – 35 Points, 2 Lists, #15 Violentvixen
Pinky – 35 Points, 2 Lists, #18 Patrick
Kiki – 35 Points, 2 Lists, #18 WildcatJF
Rusty Venture – 35 Points, 2 Lists, #18 Purple
Betty Boop – 35 Points, 1 List, #1 Dracula
The Monarch – 35 Points, 1 List, #1 Purple
Ludwig Von Drake – 35 Points, 1 List, #1 RT-55J
Yakko – 35 Points, 1 List, #1 Violentvixen
The King – 35 Points, 1 List, #1 Bulgakov
Gertie the Dinosaur – 35 Points, 1 List, #1 Daikaiju
Hank Venture – 34 Points, 2 Lists, #16 Purple
Yomiko Readman – 34 Points, 2 Lists, #18 Kirin
Noa Izumi – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Wisteria Hysteria
The Tick – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Purple
Patrick Star – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 False Logic
Jessie Bannon – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Positronic Brain
Robin Hood – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 WildcatJF
Entrapta – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Peklo
Homura Akemi – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Bulgakov
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Daikaiju
Bojack Horseman – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 JBear
Lionel Hutz – 34 Points, 1 List, #2 Octopus Prime
Franklin Sherman – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 Purple
Ezran – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 Positronic Brain
Mighty Atom/Astroboy – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 Daikaiju
Anna Sasaki – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 RT-55J
Ami Mizuno – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 Peklo
Youko Nakajima – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 Wisteria Hysteria
EVE – 33 Points, 1 List, #3 Beta Metroid
Goliath – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Purple
Ranma Saotome – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Wisteria Hysteria
One-One – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Kirin
Rocky and Bullwinkle – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Daikaiju
Eek the Cat – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Patrick
Baloo – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Falselogic
Oscar François de Jarjayes – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 Peklo
Sylvia – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 RT-55J
Dr. Katz – 32 Points, 1 List, #4 ThornGhost
Ice King – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Johnny Unusual
Karla the Grey Witch – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Peklo
Grimlock – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Purple
Cobra Commander – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Octopus Prime
Jiji – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 WildcatJF
Gaston – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Violentvixen
Elias Ainsworth – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Bulgakov
Takamura – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 JBear
Utena Tenjou – 31 Points, 1 List, #5 Kirin
The Tasmanian Devil – 30 Points, 2 Lists, #20 Beta Metroid
Robin – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 Positronic Brain
Duke Phillips – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 Purple
Dola – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 RT-55J
Lt. Tsurumi – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 JBear
Youshi the Blue Beast – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 Peklo
Aeon Flux – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 Bulgakov
Rhinox – 30 Points, 1 List, #6 Beta Metroid
Captain Murphy – 29 Points, 2 Lists, #19 Bulgakov
Garfield – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Torzelbaum
Sadness – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Issun
Kronk – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 RT-55J
Dr. Mrs. The Monarch – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Purple
Rei Ayanami – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 ThornGhost
Ida the Owl Lady – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Octopus Prime
Dipper Pines – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Beta Metroid
Jack Skellington – 29 Points, 1 List, #21 Patrick
Peridot – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Dracula
Yumi Fukuzawa – 29 Points, 1 List, #7 Peklo
Ninja Turtles – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 ThornGhost
The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Purple
Tom – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Torzelbaum
Mr. Freeze – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Positronic Brain
Princess Bubblegum – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Dracula
Askeladd – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 JBear
Kyoko Sakura – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Bulgakov
Dinobot – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Beta Metroid
Squidward – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 The Lumber Baron
Milia Fallnya Jenius – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Kirin
Lilo – 28 Points, 1 List, #8 Issun
Marc Antony – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Johnny Unusual
Demona – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Purple
Cartman – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Violentvixen
Char Aznable – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Kirin
Kanuka Clancy – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Peklo
The Cheat – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 The Lumber Baron
Meatwad – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Falselogic
Fred Flintstone – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Daikaiju
Kim Possible – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Positronic Brain
Ashitaka – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 WildcatJF
Catra – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Dracula
Loran Cehack – 27 Points, 1 List, #9 Wisteria Hysteria
Duckman – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Torzelbaum
Goofy – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Johnny Unusual
Wendy Cordoroy – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Beta Metroid
Kanuka Clancy – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Peklo
Basara Nekki – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Wisteria Hysteria
Disco Stu – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Purple
Mulan – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Violentvixen
Shinji Ikari – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 ThornGhost
Heffer Wolfe – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Adrenaline
Prismo – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Bulgakov
Elastigirl – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Positronic Brain
Rocko – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Issun
Blackarachnia – 26 Points, 1 List, #10 Dracula
Shaggy – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 WildcatJF
Asumi Kamogawa – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 JBear
Troy McLure – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Purple
Beast – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Torzelbaum
Bagheera – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Beta Metroid
Towa Higurashi – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Wisteria Hysteria
Road Runner – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 RT-55J
Faye Valentine – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 The Lumber Baron
April O’Neil – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Dracula
Reika Ryūzaki – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Peklo
Satsuki – 25 Points, 1 List, #11 Violentvixen
The Grinch – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 Torzelbaum
Hank Hill – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 RT-55J
Grim Reaper – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 Falselogic
Harley Quinn – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 Adrenaline
Linda Belcher – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 ThornGhost
Miyako – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 Peklo
Birdy Cephon Altera – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 Wisteria Hysteria
The Maxx – 24 Points, 1 List, #12 Bulgakov
Soos – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Bulgakov
Goku – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 ThornGhost
Roger Smith – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Adrenaline
Master Asia – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Wisteria Hysteria
Grandis Granva – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Peklo
Henchman 21 – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Falselogic
Phil Ken Sebben – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 The Lumber Baron
Ghandi – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Positronic Brain
Greg – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Dracula
Lina Inverse – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Octopus Prime
Carl Frederickson – 23 Points, 1 List, #13 Beta Metroid
Molotov Cocktease – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Purple
Inspector Gadget – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Torzelbaum
Mirai – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Peklo
Splinter – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Violentvixen
Sully – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Violentvixen
Finn – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Patrick
Judge McBride – 22 Points, 1 List #14 Positronic Brain
Space Ghost – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 WildcatJF
Gadget – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Rt-55J
She-Ra – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 ThornGhost
Serval – 22 Points, 1 List, #14 Wisteria Hysteria
Rogue – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Torzelbaum
He-Man – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 ThornGhost
D’Compose – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Purple
Winston – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Positronic Brain
Moltar – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 The Lumber Baron
Foghorn Leghorn – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Johnny Unusual
Moana – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Issun
Wander – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 RT-55J
Nanami Kiryuu – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Peklo
Hitomi Kanzaki – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Wisteria Hysteria
Webby – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Positronic Brain
Amity Blight – 21 Points, 1 List, #15 Beta Metroid
Yosemite Sam – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Johnny Unsusual
Mimi Tachikawa – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Pekl
Teddy – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Octopus Prime
Akane Tsunemori – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Wisteria Hysteria
Xavier – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Adrenaline
Nick Wilde – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 WildcatJF
Waspinator – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Beta Metroid
Archer Sterling – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Falselogic
Shaggy Doo – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 RT-55J
Terry McGuiness – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Falselogic
My Spoon is Too Big Guy – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Bulgakov
Bill Cipher – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Daikaiju
Giant – 20 Points, 1 List, #16 Dracula
Truckules – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Purple
Mentok the Mindtaker – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Torzelbaum
King Shark – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Octopus Prime
Madame Mim – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Issun
Lord Hater – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 RT-55J
Sheryl Nome – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Wisteria Hysteria
Ernest Mecklinger – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Peklo
Lana – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Violentvixen
Heinz Doofenshmirtz – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Positronic Brain
Peter Venkman – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Dracula
Shere Kahn – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Beta Metroid
Mumm-Ra – 19 Points, 1 List, #17 Falselogic
Emma – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 JBear
Lady Eboshi – 18 Points, 1 List, #1
Joseph Joestar – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 Torzelbaum
Balsa – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 Peklo
Pam – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 The Lumber Baron
Mr. Poopybutthole – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 Adrenaline
The Flying Carpet – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 RT-55J
Professor Farnswoth – 18 Points, 1 List, #18 ThornGhost
Ratigan – 17 Points, 1 List #19 Violentvixen
Ed Wuncler Sr. – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 Purple
Sailor Moon – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 RT-55J
Chip n Dale – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 ThornGhost
Myron Reducto – 17 Points, 1 List, #19Torzelbaum
Megabyte – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 JBear
Velma Dinkley – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 Octopus Prime
Pekora Usada – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 Peklo
José Carioca – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 The Lumber Baron
Tom Peters – 17 Points, 1 List, #19 Adrenaline
Wakko Warner – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 Torzelbaum
Vegeta – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 ThornGhost
Ponyo – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 WildcatJF
Ensign Mariner – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 Octopus Prime
Scratch – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 Dracula
Rapunzel – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 The Lumber Baron
Sakata Gintoki – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 Wisteria Hysteria
Ursula – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 Violentvixen
Mouse Fitzgerald – 16 Points, 1 List, #20 Adrenaline
The Question – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Purple
Dale – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Falselogic
Okayu Nekomata – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Peklo
Jerry – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Torzelbaum
Ben Katz – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 ThornGhost
Hades – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Dracula
Mrs. Brisby – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Issun
Nakiami – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Wisteria Hysteria
Linka – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Violentvixen
King – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Beta Metroid
Muttley – 15 Points, 1 List, #21 Bulgakov
Mako Mankanshoku – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Torzelbaum
Hanamichi Sakuragi – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 JBear
Buzz Lightyear – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Dracula
Hedonismbot – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Octopus Prime
Spongebob Squarepants – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Patrick
Botan Shishiro – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Peklo
Courage – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Beta Metroid
Miguel – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Issun
Starlite – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Violentvixen
Arataka Reigen – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 Wisteria Hysteria
Ein – 14 Points, 1 List, #22 ThornGhost
Major Makoto Kusanagi – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Purple
Underdog – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Torzelbaum
Marine Houshou – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Peklo
Pandimensional Spacecraft Computer – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Bulgakov
Pero – 13 Points 1 List, #23 WildcatJF
Orko – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 ThornGhost
Marsala – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Dracula
Tarantulas – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Beta Metroid
Princess Sylvia – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Violentvixen
Ren Hoek – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Issun
Jeremy the Nowhere Man – 13 Points, 1 List, #23 Kirin
Mr. Peanutbutter – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Johnny Unusual
Dynomutt – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 WildcatJF
Takeo Goda – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 JBear
Ukyo – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 The Lumber Baron
Orin – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Bulgako
The Vandal Vipers – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Dracula
Fluttershy – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Issun
Nathan Explosion – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Octopus Prime
Rick and Morty – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 ThornGhost
Dot Warner – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Patrick
The Count of Monte Cristo – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Kirin
The Chippettes – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Violentvixen
Iria – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Wisteria Hysteria
Nene Momosuzu – 12 Points, 1 List, #24 Peklo
Skeeter – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Purple
Brak – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 WildcatJF
Doctor Weird – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Torzelbaum
Phil – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 JBear
Shriek – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Bulgakov
Egon Spengler – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Octopus Prime
The Wonderbird – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Dracula
Raphael – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Issun
Watame Tsunomaki – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Peklo
Bob a Bobek – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Violentvixen
Pingu – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Beta Metroid
Link – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Kirin
Lego Batman – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 The Lumber Baron
Sasuke Furuta – 11 Points, 1 List, #25 Wisteria Hysteria

And can I just apologize to the people who I neglected to put in their commentary? It was my intent but simple failure on my part was responsible and sorry if it made you feel ignored.

 

[WisteriaHysteria]

Which is why people having been getting increasingly sick of his shit since the 90s ended.

I don’t have my finger on the pulse of Simpson’s fandom. But I wrote what I did with all of the layers of subtext implied.

 

[WildcatJF]

Johnny, this was so much fun! I had a busy couple weeks so I couldn't respond the way I wished to on some of my picks, but I was reading and enjoying seeing who would come out on top. I can't say I'm surprised Homer took the crown given how popular The Simpsons is here, lol. Here's my list (bold did not make it):

1. Zorak (Space Ghost Coast 2 Coast)
2. Robin Hood (Disney's Robin Hood)
3. San (Princess Mononoke)
4. Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)
5. Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)
6. Haruko Haruhara (FLCL)
7. Vash the Stampede (Trigun)
8. Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV (Cowboy Bebop)
9. Ashitaka (Princess Mononoke)
10. Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)
11. Shaggy (Scooby-Doo)
12. Scooby-Doo (Scooby-Doo)
13. Chihiro (Spirited Away)
14. Space Ghost (Space Ghost)
15. Daffy Duck (Looney Tunes)
16. Nick Wilde (Zootopia)
17. Wile E. Coyote (Looney Tunes)
18. Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service)
19. Nausicaa (Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind)
20. Ponyo (Ponyo)
21. Batman (Batman: The Animated Series)
22. Wall-E (Wall-E)
23. Pero (Puss n' Boots [Japan])
24. Dynomutt (Dynomutt)
25. Brak (Cartoon Planet)

Daffy landing second place seems incredibly appropriate, lol. Thanks again for running this Johnny!

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I don’t have my finger on the pulse of Simpson’s fandom. But I wrote what I did with all of the layers of subtext implied.

No, it's pretty much a spot on metaphor, one the show has often made itself. In fact, that's more or less what "Homer's Enemy" is about, to put it reductively.

2. Robin Hood (Disney's Robin Hood)

I'm shocked this one didn't make it. Shocked. He's charming and the Internet is horny for him (rightfully so).

Daffy landing second place seems incredibly appropriate, lol. Thanks again for running this Johnny!

I decided to stick with GIFs because it was most appropriate to the theme of animation itself, but I was tempted to see about commissioned art for the top three or so, with those characters getting numbered trophies. Whatever place Daffy would have gotten, his would have been the smallest and most pathetic.

 

[Violentvixen]

Thanks again for everyone who took part. This was a lot of fun and finished JUST as things got busy at my new job. And it took forever for my second time to do one of these lists and you all made it worth it!

Thank you again for running it, and for posting the full lists, always fun to look through.

 

[Issun]

Thank you for running this, Johnny. It was really fun.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Please don't compare Samurai Jack to anything Frank Miller has ever done.

I mean, I don't know if you've read Ronin, but like it or not, it is 100% a big inspiration for Samurai Jack. The premise is a samurai hunts down an evil demon and dies and must hunt him down when he is reincarnated in a dystopian future. The only difference is that... it turns out there is no ACTUAL demon and it's all a plot involving false memories, psychic powers and nanotech. As much as it was Miller trying to do Lone Wolf and Cub, it was also him doing Moebius. Genndy Tartakovsky was a Miller fan and even did a 300 episode. Still, I definitely would go with a Jack episode over a Miller work any day of the week.

 

[Daikaiju]

1. Gertie the Dinosaur
2. Oswald The Lucky Rabbit.
3. Mighty Atom/Astro Boy
4. Rocky & Bullwinkle
5. Garnet
6. Marceline
7. Charlie Brown
8. Samurai Jack
9. Fred Flintsone
10. Zuko
11. Scooby Doo
12. Optimus Prime; Generation 1
13. Steven Universe
14. Aang
15. Korra
16. Bill Cypher
17. Xanatos (Disney's Gargoyles)
18. Lady Eboshi
19. Scrooge McDuck

 

[Dracula]

JU this list was a heckuva lot of fun. I'm sad it's already over!

Here's my list, with misses in bold.

1. Betty Boop (Betty Boop / Fleischer): There’s nothing else like the dreamscapes of early Fleischer cartoons, where Betty lived out her adventures. Betty herself is one of those strange enduring pop culture symbols who hasn’t really appeared in media in decades, but you still somehow see her everywhere, especially in truck stop gift shops and gas stations. She seems to symbolize something to everyone, but it feels like it varies depending on who you ask. I see a lot in her: beauty, innocence, defiance of cultural norms, an adventurous spirit.
2. Skeletor (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe)
3. Marceline (Adventure Time)
4. Starscream (The Transformers)
5. Strong Bad (Homestarrunner.com)
6. Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles): Everyone at some point in their life must pick their favorite ninja turtle. Your choice says as much about you as a Myers-Briggs or Enneagram test. It took me until 2020 to admit to myself that Mikey was my favorite, and it was like emerging from a lifelong chrysalis. I am not gifted with Leo’s tactical skills, nor Raph’s all-consuming passion, nor Don’s technical know-how, but I do love my friends and a good pizza. Also, I really like Greg Cipes’ depiction of Mikey in the 2012 TMNT cartoon. Everyone should watch that show.
7. Peridot (Steven Universe): I finished up this groundbreaking show with mixed feelings. I felt the show never quite reattained the heights of “The Return” and “Jail Break.” But my feelings were never mixed about Best Gem Peridot. Nearly all of my favorite moments in the following episodes and seasons were when we focused on Peridot’s slow growth out of her servitude to the Diamond Authority and her relationship with Lapidot. She never seems to quite get it, but she’s always enthusiastic, and that’s what I love about her.
8. Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time): It was impossible to limit myself to only one character from this show. One of the things I love about this show is how it will introduce characters in a flat, simple way, then layer the depth onto them as it goes. P-bubs is one of the best examples of this - she appeared in the original short as a simple “rescue the princess” archetype with a funny name. By the end of the show, she’s had nearly as much of a focus as Finn or Jake has. The show spends much time developing her as a scientist whose ethics are never black or white. Her on and off romance with Marceline is one of my favorite bits of ongoing B-plot in the whole series. And I love how she has a different outfit in nearly every appearance.
9. Catra (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power): Noelle Stephenson’s She-Ra took the kernels of character development and worldbuilding from the 1980s Princess of Power TV show and used them to create one of the best action cartoon series of the last decade. I could have picked nearly any of the show’s characters, but Catra stands out - her friendship/romance and rivalry with Adora is the backbone of the show. And Catra herself has that same out-for-number-one, so-bad-she’s-good, but-maybe-redeemable quality that keeps people coming back to characters like Loki or Starscream.
10. Blackarachnia (Beast Wars Transformers): The first female character in Transformers to have her own character arc, and still one of the best. I love her.
11. April O’Neil (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles): April has been a lot of things in TMNT mythos. A lab assistant, a news reporter, a werecat, and sometimes even a ninja herself. I’m voting here for the version from the 1987 cartoon, who will literally warp to another dimension to out-report snotty old Vernon.
12. Mabel (Gravity Falls)
13. Greg (Over the Garden Wall): I guess I have a thing for characters like this, because I feel like Mabel and Greg would get along pretty well.
14. Lisa Simpson (The Simpsons)
15. Zorak (The Brak Show/Space Ghost)
16. Giant (The Iron Giant): “I am not a gun.” It’s amazing how the best Transformers fiction always seems to occur in things that aren’t Transformers.
17. Peter Venkman (The Real Ghostbusters): I like Lorenzo Music’s version of the character better than the one in the films.
18. Wall-E (Wall-E)
19. Mojo Jojo (Powerpuff Girls)
20. Scratch (The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog): Really this vote could be for both Scratch and Grounder, because they are a package deal. My favorite version of Bebop and Rocksteady.
21. Hades (Disney’s Hercules): James “Don’t read his Twitter” Woods took what was going to be a straightforward villain and made him into a hammy, but still threatening, jokester. I never get tired of him. “Whoa, is my hair out?”
22. Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story): I was so obsessed with this film. Buzz felt real to me, both as a character and as a child’s plaything.
23. Marsala (Exo Squad): This was a crack-of-dawn Fox Kids cartoon that few people saw, but the ones who did all remember it. Few other American kids’ shows of the day were so willing to show war and the consequences thereof. Marsala serves as the show’s Worf, a powerful but gentle presence whose actions are always suspected by those who don’t know him.
24. The Vander Vipers (Gallavants): Down here at the bottom of my list you will find this two-headed dragon-snake who sings a song about how it’s not so great to have two heads, and he’ll sing it before trying to eat you.
25. The Wonderbird (The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird): This Peter Ustinov-voiced magical bird from a criminally obscure French film should have more fans, dammit.

I get the sense TMNT would have made a bigger splash on the list if people's votes weren't so split among the different characters. Also pretty surprised at the lack of She-Ra rep. I figured Catra for a shoe-in.

Mimi Tachikawa - Digimon Adventure (1999)

If I'd expanded my criteria to include anime, Mimi probably would have been in my top three at least. As a kid I thought she was shallow and kind of annoying, but my opinion on her completely reversed the last time I rewatched Digimon. It's the fact that she is a little bit shallow, and a little bit unheroic, and yet the show takes lengths to show you how valuable a person with perceived negative personality traits can be, and does that through her beautiful friendship with Palmon...I think there's a good reason that she gets the biggest emotional moment at the very end of the first series.

13. Woody - This one surprised me appearing on my list but the more I thought about it, he is a complex character. He is very much a guy who wants to be an intrepid and stalwart leader and he is but... he's also kind of messed up. Though Buzz in the first movie is the most Quixotic character, Woody is the one who is often a little too hardcore about his calling, sometimes to an unhealthy degree and the series tends to be about him overcoming one of his flaws. It's easy to forget because America's dad gives him a warm quality but there's a lot going on with this guy.

This is really a great reading and something I hadn't really thought of until more recent viewings of the various Toy Story movies.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The first female character in Transformers to have her own character arc, and still one of the best. I love her.

I don't know how well up Beast Wars (weirdly called Beasties in Canada, where it was animated) holds up in its totality but it definitely had some memorable characters. I'm kind of hung up on Dinobot via the episode "Code of Hero" from Beast Wars but Blackarachnia was a lot of fun, too, taking a femme fatale and making her an interesting ally to the heroes. The Maximals tended to catch the most interesting defectors for sure.

Man, it's such a shame that Mainframe kind of devolved in the quality of it's following series. I crap on Canadian animation a lot but while aspects of their biggest series may seem a bit primitive today, I feel like in terms of character and ideas, there's a lot going on.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I don't get mine, which does not bode well for my literacy on this list!

Never answered this. It's Russian Winnie the Pooh. Thanks to @Bongo for introducing me.