Hanna-Barbera has created some of the most iconic cartoons. While their style had limits, especially the earlier shows, Hanna-Barbera cartoons still had ways of cementing themselves into audiences' memories. The most significant way Hanna-Barbera cartoons retain their timelessness is through the beloved characters.
While their designs are somewhat similar, these animated characters have endearing and upbeat personalities for viewers to enjoy. They didn't have the most well-rounded or well-developed traits, but they brought unique humor that furthered their likability and made it easy to connect with fans.
10 Fred Flintstone Is A Loving Family Man Amid His Bumbling Antics (The Flintstones)
As the main character of The Flintstones and the father of the titular family, Fred is an iconic character. However, he tends to be somewhat uptight with his short temper and aggressive attitude, which can often annoy his loved ones.
However, Fred's actions come from good intentions. He repeatedly proves to be a loyal friend to his neighbor, Barney Rubble. He genuinely loves his daughter, Pebbles, going so far as to pull his get-rich-quick schemes for her. His bumbling antics and likable personality made him a fan-favorite character in The Flintstones.
9 Tom's Failures Garner Likability And Sympathy (Tom And Jerry)
Thomas "Tom" Cat, from Tom and Jerry, is often the victim of the show's violence. Outside the occasional exaggerated voice, he rarely makes a sound but had a fully formed personality. He has an angry and overconfident attitude, making his defeats more humorous and satisfying.
Most of Tom's schemes fail. However, audiences enjoy his detailed plans and refusal to accept defeat. Furthermore, there are several occasions when Tom's punishments wound up being more than necessary, earning him more sympathy than his rival, Jerry, or other characters.
8 Shaggy Rogers Shines With His Easygoing Attitude (Scooby-Doo)
Each member of Mystery Inc. in Scooby-Doo is likable, but perhaps the most popular is the gang's resident scaredy-cat, Shaggy Rogers. Shaggy possesses many likable traits that shine through all of the franchise's installments.
Shaggy's cowardly nature provides many of the show's jokes. His laid-back personality makes him an endearing character and a friend to everyone, both within and outside the gang. He also loves all kinds of tasty foods and will undergo the most fearsome tasks for it, which is a hilarious part of his character.
7 Barney Rubble Is A Loyal Friend (The Flintstones)
Barney Rubble is usually a secondary character in The Flintstones but cements himself as a significant part of the show's fun. Although the Fruity Pebbles cereal tie-in commercials portray him as less likable, this assessment couldn't be further from the truth.
In The Flintstones, Barney is far more sensible than other characters, which especially balances out Fred's stubbornness. Despite partaking in Fred's money-making schemes, Barney only does so in the name of their friendship. His optimistic personality toward his daily activities made him a quick fan favorite.
6 Jerry's Mischief-Making Makes Him Admirable (Tom And Jerry)
The Tom and Jerry shorts typically portray Jerry as the protagonist who's trying to foil Tom's schemes to either eat or get rid of him. Despite some fans growing to see Tom's side of the feud, Jerry still holds an abundance of lovable qualities.
Like Tom, Jerry is very creative and entertaining in executing his plans due to his playful and mischievous nature. Every time it seems Tom has him trapped, Jerry always figures a way out of peril that young audiences can't help but admire.
5 Space Ghost Proves To Be Engaging In Any Era (Space Ghost)
Space Ghost originally debuted in 1966 in the TV show of the same name. Space Ghost followed the titular characters and his series of sidekicks as they fought various alien-like villains across outer space. While the show is dated, Space Ghost was a big hit and still holds up.
In 1994, Cartoon Network re-imagined Space Ghost as a talk show host who would cleverly parody other popular real-life talk show hosts. He, alongside his one-time villains, had witty humor that would later inspire the first shows of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block.
4 Scooby-Doo Stands Out As A Devoted And Passionate Friend (Scooby-Doo)
The Scooby-Doo franchise always gains the most recognition from its title character. Scooby possesses some lovable characteristics and traits, like his hunger, loyalty, and humor.
Throughout the franchise, Scooby shows himself as a loyal and caring friend to his human allies. His shaky English only adds to his charm. Like Shaggy, Scooby is constantly on the lookout for food, and although the two often clash over the matter, they stand out as delightful goofballs whose charm never wears thin.
3 Yogi Bear Has More Fun Than The Average Bear (The Yogi Bear Show)
Yogi Bear was a spin-off that centered on the secondary character from The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi resides in Jellystone Park, often causing trouble by attempting to steal other people's picnic baskets, much to the dismay of Park Ranger Smith.
Yogi tends to be blissfully unaware of certain things, but fortunately, he rarely means to harm anyone when trying to steal their food. His attempts at stealing picnic baskets lead to some well-timed slapstick comedy. Yogi's antics are a beloved part of the show.
2 George Jetson Provides Relatability In A Futuristic World (The Jetsons)
The animated series The Jetsons takes place in a futuristic world that's rampant with robots, aliens, and gadgets. Young audiences can enjoy the world's aesthetic and the endearing family patriarch, George Jetson.
George has bouts of clumsiness due to his work and family-related stress. However, he means well to all his family members. He's a loyal husband to his wife, Jane, and a loving master to the family dog, Astro. On top of that, he's a victim of several amusing shenanigans that, fortunately, never go too far.
1 Bubbles Is Gentle And Kind (The Powerpuff Girls)
The Powerpuff Girls have shown themselves to be a charming trio of characters, both together and apart. However, the most entertaining member is also the most childish of the three, Bubbles.
Bubbles wastes no time establishing her endearing qualities with her gentle and kind demeanor. Despite these qualities, she can also be a terrifying threat if underestimated. Luckily, Bubbles' wholesome but childish personality gets balanced out by her sisters, Blossom and Buttercup. Furthermore, Bubbles maintains the peace among the siblings and carries the most humility, making her one of the best Hanna-Barbera characters.