List of Animaniacs characters explained

This is a list of characters in the 1993 animated series Animaniacs, and its 2020 revival.

The Warner Siblings (Animaniacs)

See main article: Yakko, Wakko, and Dot. The Warner Siblings (also known as "the Animaniacs" by fans and the media) are small, silly, mischievous, anthropomorphic toon siblings of unknown origin and the central titular characters of the series; they generally introduce and identify themselves as "the Warner Brothers (and the Warner Sister)". Their species is never made clear: this has been satirized several times, most prominently in the song "What Are We?".[1]

Supporting characters

Pinky and the Brain

See main article: Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain are two anthropomorphic white mice kept in a cage at ACME Labs, voiced by Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche, respectively. The Brain is serious and devious, the leader, and constantly devising plans to conquer the world. He resembles and sounds like Orson Welles. Pinky is eccentric and simple-minded but loyal to the Brain. In 1995, they were spun off into a cartoon series of their own. As of now, they are the only non-Warner Siblings segment to regularly appear in the 2020 revival series where Brain appears as more villainous. The revival revealed that the reason why Brain wants to take over the world is that he was frustrated and angered by how the scientists mistreated him when they demonstrated his helplessness during his youth, and since then, he vowed that he would be in control of what happens around him.

Supporting characters

The Goodfeathers

The Goodfeathers are an Italian American trio of anthropomorphic pigeons: Squit (gray), Bobby (turquoise), and Pesto (lavender), who were voiced by Maurice LaMarche, John Mariano and Chick Vennera, influenced by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci's roles in Goodfellas.[13]

Supporting characters

Slappy and Skippy Squirrel

Supporting characters

Rita and Runt

These segments, along with "Minerva Mink", were discontinued at the end of Season 1 (in part, because of Bernadette Peters' salary). Welker remained a series regular, voicing other characters. Rita and Runt returned as minor characters toward the series' end, and also appeared in the feature-length direct-to-video animated film Animaniacs: Wakko's Wish.

Rita and Runt are a vagabond stray duo that get into many scraps and adventures. They are often searching for a home, but are back as strays by the end of the episode. In Animaniacs: Wakko's Wish, they are shown finally being accepted into a home, a result of Wakko's wish for two ha'pennies, which caused several characters to receive their heart's desires.

Supporting characters

Buttons and Mindy

Buttons is a German Shepherd Dog who watches Mindy when her parents are away. He also has some rarely shown anthropomorphic traits. His vocal effects are provided by Frank Welker. Mindy, voiced by Nancy Cartwright, is a young girl who constantly wanders into trouble without even being aware of it. Buttons haplessly struggles with various dangers and narrowly rescues Mindy, only to be blamed and punished for his misbehavior. There is no consistency or continuity in the storytelling; most episodes each feature Mindy's family living in a different setting and portraying them as different sorts of people. In Animaniacs: Wakko's Wish, Buttons is rewarded with some good steak instead of being punished.

Supporting characters

Katie Ka-Boom

Katie Ka-Boom is a teenage girl voiced by Laura Mooney,[16] who morphs into various violent, destructive monsters when things do not go her way. She lives with her parents and her little brother named Tinker. Writer Nicholas Hollander based Katie on his own daughter, who, at the time, was going through a similar tantrum phase.

In the reboot episode "Good Warner Hunting", Katie is seen with the previous cartoon characters and her appearance suggests that she is now an adult.

Supporting characters

Minerva Mink

Minerva Mink is a curvy young anthropomorphic mink, voiced by Julie Brown, who was called Marilyn Mink in pre-production.[17]

Supporting characters

The Hip Hippos

Flavio and Marita, also more commonly known as the Hip Hippos, are a wealthy, Spanish, anthropomorphic hippo couple voiced by Frank Welker and Tress MacNeille (singing voices done by Wendy Knudsen for Marita and Ray McLeod for Flavio).

Supporting characters

Guest characters

Notes and References

  1. What are we? (episode 6) . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/UHqWPnv5EKQ . 2021-12-15 . live. 20 September 1993.
  2. [Animaniacs (video game)|Animaniacs]
  3. De-Zanitized . Animaniacs . FOX Kids . 1993-09-13 . 1 . 1.
  4. Web site: 10 Most Intelligent Animaniacs Characters, Ranked Dumbest To Smartest. November 10, 2020. ScreenRant.
  5. Web site: 15 Times Animaniacs Snuck By Censors (And 1 Time They Got Caught) . . Cronin . Brian . 2018-03-25 . 2019-06-19.
  6. Web site: Tweet . twitter.com . 2020-12-02.
  7. Hindenburg Cola. Animaniacs . Hulu . 2020-12-06 . 1 . 13.
  8. A Christmas Plotz. Animaniacs . FOX Kids . 1993-12-06 . 1 . 49.
  9. Suspended Animation. Animaniacs . Hulu . 2020-12-06 . 1 . 1.
  10. Pinky and the Brain…and Larry . Pinky and the Brain . Pinky and the Brain . 1997-09-13 . 3 . 28.
  11. The Pinky and the Brain Reunion Special . Pinky and the Brain . Pinky and the Brain . 1998-09-21 . 3 . 61.
  12. Web site: Platypus Comix article on Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain. Platypus Comix. 2006-06-16.
  13. Web site: The Animaniacs Revival Needs to Leave THESE Characters in the '90s. August 23, 2020. CBR.
  14. http://toonopedia.com/slappy.htm Slappy Squirrel
  15. Web site: 'Animaniacs': The 12 Characters Who Need to Return to the Revival, Ranked. Hanh. Nguyen. May 31, 2017.
  16. http://www.toonopedia.com/ka-boom.htm Katie Ka-Boom
  17. Web site: The Animaniacs Character Deemed Too Sexy for the 1990s Cartoon Classic. August 29, 2020. CBR.
  18. Episode 5: Good Warner Hunting / No Brainer / Ralph Cam. 2020-12-30. Animaniacs. Animaniacs (2020 TV series). Hulu. 2020-11-20. 1. 5. en. mdy-all.
  19. Web site: CULTURAL REFERENCES GUIDE for ANIMANIACS (CRGA) . Geocities . 2015-05-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050316085040/http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/2636/crga.txt . March 16, 2005 .
  20. Web site: sfan64 Added Jul 25, 2007 All my reviews . Meatballs or Consequences Season Episode Guide on . Tv.com . 2007-07-25 . 2010-04-15.