Cowabunga! Cartoons From Your Childhood
Cartoons have come and gone, but the ones that colored my younger years will always remain in my heart. Each of the following cartoons was a favorite of mine, in its own particular fashion. So without further ado, I'm traveling back to those days when the cartoons on TV were the highlight of my day.
Captain Planet
Being environmentally conscious had never been so cool! As corny as this cartoon sounds now I'm grown up, if you weren't down with Captain Planet as a kid, then even Ma-Ti with the “heart” ring was way cooler than you (and we all know he got shafted in comparison with his friend's ring superpowers). Bringing Captain Planet back to kids today might be a good idea. Today, when we're facing the biggest environmental crisis and global warming in the earth's history, it looks like we're the ones who killed Captain Planet. But if you lean in close to your heart you might still be able to hear him say “The power is yours!”
Darkwing Duck
Normal resident by day, superhero by night, who could he be? He is the terror that flaps in the night, the onion that stings in your eye…the wrong number that wakes you at 3am… the skunk that pollutes your air… the itch you cannot reach… the, um, you get the point. He is Darkwing Duck! With his witty catchy phrases before battling any bad guy, his satirical personality was always a reminder that his strength was not being a superhero, but rather a loving and caring father. This cartoon was a spin-off from “Duck Tales,” but it was funny and memorable enough for me. [Photo courtesy of Something Wicked]
Dragon Ball Z
Ah, Dragon Ball Z, the telenovela cartoon. The prolonged fights when it took several episodes just to get through the trash-talking dialogue between opposing villains Goku and Vegeta before their fight (which then took another several episodes to conclude). What made this cartoon special for me was that it truly did make me believe I could “kamehameha” anything and blow it up... even those annoying kids who pretended to be Power Rangers.
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
Ch-ch-chip 'n Dale, rescue rangers! Two of the cutest chipmunks (yes, even cuter than Alvin and gang) to come out in a cartoon! Although Chip tended to save the day, Dale was always more fun to watch with his innocent curiosity and mischievousness. There was also Monty, whose addiction to cheese was so loony it was hilarious. I always suspected that if he ever had to choose between cheese and his friends, he'd probably end up alone with a happy stomach. Fortunately, there was also Gadget—the super attractive female mouse sidekick, and Zipper—the housefly only Monty could communicate with. [Photo courtesy of TVTropes]
Doug
If Doug Funnie was online today, he would have more blog subscribers and twitter followers than any other 11-year-old kid on the planet. Doug's social commentary intrigued me. His life mirrored mine. But most of all, his imagination spoke for me. Yet, he was so… normal! How many times did Quailman come to the rescue with his clean whitey-tighties, belt around his head, and those “quail-eyes” to make any enemy surrender? Whether he was hanging out with his best friend Skeeter, taking care of his dog Porkchop, or maneuvering around the bully Roger, nothing was going to keep Doug from falling for sweet Patti Mayonnaise.
The Simpsons
After a long day of school and a good dinner, it was only a matter of time before I ran into the living room and turned on the TV to watch the Simpsons. Bart's mischievous adventures, Lisa's intellect and savvy saxophone playing, Marge's sweet motherly touch, and of course, who could ever forget Homer? Fun and good-spirited, and with a brain the size of a peanut. Given his love for donuts, it was surprising that his job was not in law enforcement. Imagine the possibilities…ay caramba! It was always fun to watch the edgy cartoon within the cartoon, too: The Itchy and Scratchy Show. The Simpsons taught me to laugh at family dysfunction. With just the right blend of characters and adventures, it's not surprising this cartoon has survived all these years and is still very funny today. [Photo courtesy of TallHorseWines]
Rugrats
When you were a baby, the world seemed harmless. Any object within reach instantly became a toy. Today, looking at babies babbling and drooling on each other, you can't help but wonder, “what is going on in that baby's head?” The adventures of Tommy Pickles and company provide several answers. Whether fighting the forces of the parents, or the bullying of Angelica, Chukie's insecurity was always a chance for learning, growth, motivation, and inspiration from Tommy. That is, of course, if a diaper rash or naptime did not get in the way.
Inspector Gadget
Remember that clumsy police character who wore a raincoat all the time and had nifty gadgets for everything? Aside from constantly putting himself in danger, Inspector Gadget always made me feel smart—almost to the point where I wanted to jump straight into the TV and rescue him from himself. Wowzers! It sure would have been nice to have a “go go gadget common sense” somewhere in his artillery. Fortunately, he always had his niece Penny and that brilliant dog Brain. On another note, what was up with the villain Dr. Claw always hiding his face? And always petting his cat with his metallic hands… weird... [Photo courtesy of LoyalKNG]
Care Bears
Combine the cuteness and softness of a teddy bear with a mission to love and care for others, and you have the community of Care Bears. There was always that one kid in the elementary class getting bullied by another whose friend would step to his defense and declare, “care bear stare!” Of course, the absence of a colorful rainbow beaming out of his chest would invariably cause some disappointment (not to mention awkward looks from classmates). But the love and care these bears shared was like no other. Their love transformed people, solved problems, and was truly a super power. In retrospect, this must have been the most innocent cartoon of our times.
Garfield
If Garfield were human, we would probably diagnose him with permanent mono. He would be proud of it too. You could tell him whatever you wanted – good luck fazing him. The world could be coming to an end and the first thing to enter his mind would be a strong craving for a freshly baked pan of lasagna. He is a cat of very few words, who minds his own business, and likes to take a nap or two or three. After all, breathing is enough of an exercise. How was it possible that a sedentary cat and a hyperactive dog named Odie (albeit constantly physically abused by Garfield) could entertain us for hours on end? They still do even now in comic-strip form. [Photo courtesy of Game Addicts]
Smurfs
La-la-lala-la sing a happy song! La-la-lala-la Smurf your whole day long! This cartoon showed what it was like to be part of a tight-knit community. And how cute were those little white hats on little blue creatures? In a lot of ways, the Smurfs were like the seven dwarfs surrounding Snow White, with their simple names, like Lazy Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, Brainy Smurf etc. However, what made these Smurfs so special and the cartoon so intriguing was the microscopic life they found in a typical yard like the one behind our house. It definitely made a Smurf fan keep an eye out before stomping all over the schoolyard during recess.
Pinky and The Brain
It's always the smallest creatures that have the biggest hearts and goals. The dialogue between Pinky and Brain at the beginning of the intro theme song put it all in perspective—Pinky: "Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?" Brain: "The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!" Although genetically enhanced in a laboratory, something had gone wrong in Pinky's development. His thinking was always a couple of steps slower than Brain's. The most memorable episode is when Brain finally decides to take a break from planning world domination, which coincides with the day the humans vote that Pinky should take over the world. [Photo courtesy of Lesia]
Arthur
Let's be honest, not everyone had cable TV all the time. For that reason, I have to thank PBS for Arthur. Arthur was one of the most culturally and ethnically rich cartoons, and the one that reflected reality most accurately. Arthur made you feel safe. He understood your problems and the things that stressed and embarrassed you as a kid. Although he did not possess super powers to fight the pressures of elementary school life, he did have true bonds of friendship with several of his peers. Lastly, Arthur showed us that life with an annoying younger sibling (D.W.) might be manageable.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
This cartoon is to blame for a whole generation's inability to take the four Renaissance artists' names seriously. Instead, all I can think is “cowabunga dude” and “pizza time!” Despite their four different personalities and their individual personalized weaponry, each turtle held its own in the popularity stakes. You couldn't just buy one action figure. You had to get them all! You know, it made sense then, but looking back now, what in the world were those cool turtles doing listening to a big ancient sewer rat? Yet another reason why some cartoons are more appealing to kids... [Photo courtesy of Go Green Machine]
