If You Can Name These Famous Cartoon Characters You Had A Great Childhood
- by Ryan Carlquist
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Cartoons have been around for ages, and over the years they’ve proven that they’re for not only children, but for adults as well. Many classic cartoons, like the Looney Tunes bunch, and even modern marvels like Adventure Time have been enjoyed by every single generation, and it speaks volumes about the creators and their respective creations. It’s hard to imagine childhood life without Saturday morning cartoons (or any morning for that matter).
Many kids remember watching rag-tag animals, bright and bold superheroes, and even talking babies. Those shows helped to inform children on normative behavior, and the difference between being morally right and morally wrong. That’s a tough subject to tackle when you’re dealing with children in the height of their premature development stages. But there are hundreds of cartoons that could very well stack up against some of the greatest scripted television shows when it comes to impressive character development and overall writing.
So it’s no wonder that even as children get older, they long for the time when they were able to just eat a bowl of cereal, and squat down in front of the television to see a multitude of animated characters joking, messing around, and just having a good time. Test your cartoon knowledge, and see if you remember these famous characters.
Who Is This Rascally Rabbit?
There are few characters in the history of animation (the great Mickey Mouse withstanding) that can measure up to the popularity of this animated pioneer. Not only does this character manage to bring ample amounts of sass to the table in every episode, but he manages to teach kids about an important life tool, wit. Being able to think things through and be ahead of the curve is quintessential if you’re going to strive in life, and this little troublemaker was always several steps ahead of his counterparts. Sometimes it pays off to be a rascal.
Who Is This Noble Adventurer?
Adventure Time is a once in a lifetime cartoon program. You’d be hard pressed to find someone that isn’t captivated by the magic, humor, and self-referential humor that this program brings to the table. I’ve personally met an equal amount of adults that enjoy this show, sometimes even more than the children that watch it. It’s big, bold storytelling that is hard to produce on television, the only show with an equal scope that comes to mind is perhaps Game of Thrones. But when it comes to children, they don’t have too many options, but this adventure tale has them more than covered.
Can You Name This Evil Little Monster?
Many people would put South Park on an equal pedestal with the likes of The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Family Guy when it comes to adult entertainment, and they’re not necessarily wrong. This show reigns supreme when it comes to parody of pop-culture. No other show has been able to turn out episodes weekly that deal with new issues in a timely and clever manner with the same consistency of South Park. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are literal entertainment wizards, and this little potty-mouthed crusader might be their greatest creation yet.
Who Is This Dim-Witted Yellow Father?
Matt Groening owns the world of adult animated television. Whether or not you tend to prefer South Park or Family Guy to this famous long-running show, it still stands as the trailblazer for all future (adult-centered) animated entertainment. And a lot of the show’s charm comes from its central father figure, this donut-loving blue collar worker has been making audiences laugh for nearly 30 years now. And it’s all but guaranteed that one of these days we’ll see him on the big screen again, because The Simpsons Movie was a riot.
Can You Name This Childish Barnacle-Head?
It’s tough to name a more popular modern cartoon character than this famous and beloved yellow sponge. He managed to annoyingly laugh his way into the hearts of many kids growing up when his program started airing, and even now (even though the quality has taken a hit over the years). This little fry cook has all the makings of a great children’s protagonist, he doesn’t take situations too seriously (you’re a kid, enjoy yourself), he’s always trying to do the right things, and he (generally) ends up putting his friends needs before his own.
Can You Name This Blockhead?
The Peanuts is without-a-doubt one of the greatest published children’s books, and one of the best animated series (plus films) ever produced. It’s hard to imagine life without Lucy pulling the football away from this unfortunate hero, Linus ripping the keys on his favorite piano, or Snoopy and Woodstock going on their little aviation adventures in his signature dog house. The show is so ingrained in the minds of adults and children everywhere, that it’s actually a surprise that the surprisingly well-made animated film didn’t receive quite the recognition it deserved for being so faithful to the source material.
Who Is This Loud-Mouth From The Stone Age?
This prehistoric father managed to elevate his show, The Flintstones, to new animated heights when it first premiered on ABC in 1960. He loves sliding off the tails of dinosaurs, bowling with his best buddy Barney, and yelling his wife’s name whenever she locks him out of the house for a multitude of reasons. It would be easy to think that a premise such as this would start to wane, and that audiences would get tired of the whole prehistory shtick, but the writers kept everything fresh enough to keep the series running for quite a long time.
Can You Name This Spinach-Loving Sailor?
It’s hard to even think about this character without humming his theme song in your head. Much like the tune we associate with the program, the character and his friends are just as infectious and enjoyable. Watching this romantic sailor fight tooth and nail for the woman he loves every episode never seemed to get boring, and that’s because he’s an easy character to root for (anyone is when compared to Bluto). And it was hard not to get excited when he broke open a can of spinach, because he was moments away from opening up a can of whoop ass.
Can You Name This Spikey-Haired Trouble Maker?
This character is yet another mainstay on The Simpsons, and he just so happens to be as iconic as his father. Any fan of the series will be able to guess this character rather easily, as he’s the most obnoxious prankster in all of Springfield, and he’s pretty much always in detention via Principal Skinner. This character also happens to an arch-nemesis of his dad, Homer, as the two of them are always at each other’s throats (literally). His wisecracking catchphrases, “Aye, caramba” and “Eat my shorts” have been immortalized in animated entertainment history.
Who Is This Christmas Hating Cave-Dweller?
There is probably only one character as synonymous for Christmas hatred as this character (and that’s Ebenezer Scrooge). This character was first introduced in literature, and was later translated on screen via a 1966 animated film. He was also later portrayed by Jim Carrey in a woefully underrated live-action film. His redemption story is one of the most heartwarming Christmas stories of all time, and it’s hard to find someone that doesn’t absolutely melt when his heart grows until it breaks the scale containing it.
What Characters Make Up This Famous And Unexpected Duo?
It’s hard to imagine one of these characters not alongside the other, so they will be combined on this quiz (because I’m writing it and I make the rules). These two characters are ingrained into popular culture. And even though they had a less than stellar live-action film years ago, they are still just as beloved by their faithful fans. These two were initially introduced on television in 1959, and the flying squirrel and his best moose buddy have seen endless runs of syndication since their series came to a end in the mid 60’s.
Can You Name Bugs Bunny’s Best Friend And Comedic Enemy?
This loud-mouthed black duck has been trying to best Bugs Bunny for years, but he somehow always manages to come up short. Of course it’s tough to attempt to match wits with a comedic whiz like Bugs, but eventually you would think he would learn to just give up, or make nice. But luckily for all of us die hard fans, that never happened, and the two have been squabbling like a married couple for generations. From movies (Space Jam) to television, this counterpart to the greatest cartoon character of all time has always managed to some how stand his ground.
Who Is This Crime Solving Mut?
This character and his group of crime solving companions have been ripping masks off “ghosts,” “goblins,” and “creatures of the night” for years. He is inseparable from his best friend Shaggy, and the two of them are pretty much quintessential stoners (not a new realization). They both eat to no end and get themselves in the worst scenarios possible, but they’re always crucial when it comes to the eventual capture of whatever criminal they’re hunting down. And pretty much every villain would have gotten away with their master plan, had it not been for this character and his friends.
Can You Name This Futuristic Patriarch?
The Jetsons was the futuristic counterpart to The Flintstones, but it never seemed to gain quite the popularity. And this is pretty surprising, because even though the concept was nothing new (even back then) it’s still pretty intriguing, and the cast of characters in the show are pretty spectacular and varied. This poor father wants nothing but safety for his family, and the ability to be able to hang on to a few dollars before his daughter and his wife end up taking his wallet for themselves.
Who Is This Speedy Daredevil?
This question is going to be pretty easy to solve, in part due to the giant clue hidden within the question itself. This character has been parodied constantly over the years, but his show was revolutionary (and quite incredible) for its time. And the Watchowski siblings even attempted to bring the material to live-action (which seemed impossible) and did a pretty decent job at it (the internet seems to be coming around on the film). And this character is always up for a race (a situation that conveniently ends up coming up in every episode).
Can You Name This Lovable Bear?
There are few characters are adorable or genuine as this quiz entry (and few who enjoy honey to his extent). Like Rocky and Bullwinkle or Spongebob and Patrick, it is hard to see this character without his best friend, Christopher Robin. The movies based on this characters adventured in the Hundred Acre Wood never seemed to get the critical acclaim of saw Pixar or DreamWorks films, but as someone who grew up watching them, they hit just as hard (if not harder) emotionally than ever.
Who Is This Leading Baby?
There are few lead characters as strong, brave, and genuine as this infant, and he’s able to do all of that with a partially full diaper. It was a treat being able to grow up with this rag tag group of babies, constantly imagining their own adventures and braving the untamed wilds of this character’s backyard. Some of the surrounding cast of babies are a little more interesting or funny than this baby, but he was the rare mix of calm, collected, and kind that makes for a perfect lead character (and he was the lead).
Which Two Characters Are Constantly Playing A Game Of Cat And Mouse?
Like the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, these two characters were always at each other’s throats. And while the quiet and collected one always succeeded (like the previous character examples) he never did so with malice, so it was always a joy to see them match wits. Plus, the little mouse always had to best the cat at the end of the episode, because who knows how dark this cartoon could have gotten if the cat ever ended up actually catching the mouse.
Who Is This Maniacal Baby?
There aren’t many character’s that could best this character, except for his mother Lois. He may be the most intelligent character on the entire show, but this character never truly shines until he gives up on his evil persona and starts to be buddy-buddy with his best pal, Brian. The show begins to take off when the two of them begin to hang out, and this character begins to use his ingenuity to bring them on spectacular adventures, rather than using his mind to attempt to kill his mother once and for all.
Can You Name This Faithful Canine Sidekick?
This brilliant character’s best friend and caretaker Charlie Brown has already appeared on this list, but he would get nowhere without his trusted canine confidant. Whether this character is several hours into a nap, or several hours into an aerial battle with the blasted red baron, he always has time for Charlie Brown, and his little bird buddy, Woodstock. And this character is able to show a huge range of personality without even talking, which is much more impressive than just rolling over.
Who Is This Cowardly Dog?
This character’s series is certainly one of the craziest, most terrifying children’s show ever conceived. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t great, because it was, there was just something eerie about the entire program that gave kids nightmares every night following a viewing of an episode. And even though this dog was as afraid as they come, he always managed to protect his owner and friend, Muriel, even if it meant dealing with demons and numerous things that went bump in the night.
Who Is This Boy Genius?
From the way the question is worded, you would be excused in thinking that this quiz entry pertained to Jimmy Neutron, but it’s actually referring to another young cartoon scientist. This young genius is always dealing with his experiments taking a turn for the worse, but his biggest enemy is certainly his meddlesome sister, Dee Dee. The best episodes of his program always revolved around him exploring his giant laboratory, trying to find a solution to the gigantic problem at hand.
Who Is This Noble Saiyan?
Dragon Ball Z ran for years on Cartoon Networks late-night teenage centered network, Toonami. The show had a giant following in the West, and soon the Americas saw an influx of movies, games, and comics arriving for the masses to enjoy. This character is the anchor and emotional lynchpin for the show, and he’s one of the most important figured in anime history. The show is remembered fondly for it’s impressive character payoffs, and for the long battles that would run for dozens of episodes.
Who Is This Transformer In Disguise?
This autobot was able to single-handedly take hold of the animated landscape at the time. There were few animated shows as popular at the time as Transformers, and this leader of the autobots brought a strong and intimidating central premise to the show. Seeing him go toe-to-toe with the likes of Starscream and his nemesis Megatron was a sight to behold. And the original show and first movie were able to achieve heights that Michael Bay and his ‘roided out bot films could only dream of.
Who Is This Leader Of The Thundercats?
Thundercats is one of the most undervalued animated cartoons in history, and that’s mainly because it seems to always be considered an inferior version of the beloved Masters of the Universe. But Thundercats was a brilliantly executed program that was able to grab hold of kids attention spans and refuse to let go. There was even an animated reboot of the series years ago that was able to push the creative boundaries of the series even further (too bad it was unfortunately cancelled).