The cartoon characters we've grown up with over the course of our lives are forever etched in our hearts. But there are always those specific characters who occupy a very special place among several generations and who, even with the passage of time, don't lose popularity, becoming true classics, such as SpongeBob or Homer Simpson from The Simpsons.
With this in mind and with the aim of hitting the reader's nostalgia button, we've prepared today's article with the eleven most popular old cartoon characters of all time! Is your favorite character on this list? Follow us to find out!
Tom and Jerry
There's no arguing that Tom and Jerry are cartoon characters that have marked generations and continue to do so today. Created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the cartoon was made in the form of shorts for the cinema and tells the story of a cat who is always getting into mischief trying to catch a very clever mouse.
Tom and Jerry have had several versions over the years and one of the things that has become most iconic about them is the fact that they both didn't speak at all. Some of the surrounding characters were voiced from time to time, but the protagonists were only given lines in more recent versions that ended up not being as popular as the older cartoons in the franchise.
Donald Duck
Among the oldest Disney cartoons, Donald Duck is the one that is most present in the imagination of the Brazilian public, even more so than Mickey himself, who has become the symbol of the company. Donald was created by Walt Disney in 1934 and animated by Dick Lundy. Since then, the most beloved duck of all time has only grown.
His peculiar voice is one of the most striking things about the character, as well as his personality marked by a very short fuse. Donald has also had several versions over the years, just like Tom and Jerry, gaining nephews and even a very miserly uncle called Scrooge McDuck who is very popular among old cartoon characters.
Woodpecker
Just like the two previous characters, Woodpecker is an old warhorse when it comes to old cartoon characters that are still close to many people's hearts. His creator, Walter Lantz, brought him to the world in 1940 with short animations also aimed at the cinema.
Woodpecker is known for his mischievous personality, always getting into trouble and loving to cause chaos wherever he goes. The more modern versions of the crazy bird created by Lantz have not been as successful as the more modern versions of Tom and Jerry, consolidating the old animations as even more classic for fans.
Scooby-Doo
Another classic among cartoon characters is Scooby-Doo, the most beloved detective dog of all time. He's a German Dane and has a frightened temperament, although he's willing to bait monsters in exchange for a good portion of dog cookies, showing that his hunger speaks much louder than his fear.
Scooby-Doo was created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969 for the TV show "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?", and is the sidekick of Shaggy, a boy with a personality very similar to his own. To this day, new versions of Scooby Doo and his gang are produced, some of which are better received by the public and critics than others.
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob is just like us. The sea sponge is a young adult trying to make a life for himself living alone with his pet in a pineapple at the bottom of the sea. He works in a fast food chain and has fun with his best friend in his spare time, getting involved in various adventures. These striking characteristics make him one of the best cartoon characters of all time.
He was created in 1999 by Stephen Hillenburg and achieved worldwide fame shortly after his release in the United States. He arrived in Brazil on the pay channel Nickelodeon in 2000 and was broadcast on TV Globinho shortly afterwards. SpongeBob's voice and laughter won over audiences straight away and the whole ensemble that makes up the character made him eternal in the hearts of a whole generation of young adults.
Courage, the Cowardly Dog
Courage is a scared little pink dog who lives in a place called Nowhere with an elderly couple who have adopted him. He is very attached to the lady who took him in and is always facing the most sinister creatures to save her, showing that his love for her is much greater than his fear.
This is one of the most profound old cartoon characters, surrounded by elements that are truly frightening for a children's cartoon. Its creator is John R. Dilworth, who brought it to the world in 1999. The cartoon was shown on Cartoon Network until 2002.
Naruto
Naruto is an example of determination. The protagonist of the anime that bears his name ended up becoming an icon among the cartoon characters watched by the generation that grew up in the mid-2000s due to his willpower to achieve his goals. Phrases like "What would Naruto do?" are often used to encourage people not to give up on their dreams.
The boy created by Masashi Kishimoto in 1997 is a ninja who has always been rejected by everyone in his village. His dream is to grow up and become the most powerful ninja of all so that the people of the place where he grew up will finally recognize him as someone worthy. The main manga series came to an end in November 2014, but the adventures of his son Boruto are published as a direct continuation to this day.
Homer J. Simpson
Homer is a typical American head of household and the way he is approached, with an exaggerated humor that is not at all aimed at children, makes him one of the most popular cartoon characters of all time. The series he stars in is one of the longest-running cartoons in existence, with more than 700 chapters aired since its launch.
It was created in 1989 by cartoonist Matt Groening and since then it has remained a favorite of the public, with more than 36 seasons to date. It's the absurd situations, iconic catchphrases and distinctive tone of voice that make Homer the unforgettable character he is.
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon is the heroine name of a girl called Usagi Tsukino, whose name was changed to Serena Tsukino in the Portuguese dubbing. She's a clumsy girl with a terrible school record who one day meets a talking cat on her way to school. It is through this cat that Usagi discovers that she is chosen to be a warrior and save the Earth from various situations.
Usagi's charisma is undeniable and all her antics, which eventually become more serious, make her one of the most incredible old cartoon characters. Her creator is the Japanese manga artist Naoko Takeuchi, who began publishing her stories in 1991. Despite some extremely dated aspects of the animation, Usagi remains to this day a major milestone for the shoujo anime genre, especially those with magical girls as the main focus.
Frajola
Going back to classic cartoons, we can consider Frajola one of the most iconic old cartoon characters of all time. The cat with the black and white coat ended up becoming a nickname for real-life cats with this color pattern. The character, for his part, is marked by his obsession with capturing the canary Piu-Piu and also by the way he speaks, always half-whispering his words.
His creator is Friz Freleng and his first official appearance was in 1945 for Warner Bros Animation Studio. Frajola is part of the Warner Looney Tunes group of characters, which also includes other very popular names such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.
Goku
Finally, and perhaps the most iconic of all the cartoon characters, we have Goku, the alien created on Earth by the mangaka Akira Toriyama. Goku is an energetic, determined and rather gluttonous young man whose goal is always to become stronger and stronger in order to protect the Earth from all the problems that may plague it, even if they come from other planets, dimensions or eras.
The manga that gave rise to the animation was created in 1984 and published in Shounen Jump magazine. The success was so great that in 1986 an animated version began to be shown and shortly afterwards it gained worldwide repercussions, winning over fans all over the world. Goku is a figure that is unlikely to have been part of the childhood of today's young adults.
Conclusion
Of course, at the end of the day, the question of "marking a childhood" is extremely subjective and this list could vary greatly if asked individually to each person. However, in general, these are always the most talked about figures when it comes to characters from cartoons of all time.
But what about you? Was your favorite character on this list? Were there any others you would have liked to have seen on it? Let us know in the comments! We want to know what you think! Also check out our article on the eleven main characters in the anime Black Clover!
