Cartoons are a reality unto themselves. Their characters exist outside of time, and the medium itself gives creators far more control over the world than in live-action television shows. Some choose to use this to create epic action that could only exist in animation, as is often the case in anime. Others use this freedom to facilitate some deeply chaotic characters.
Chaotic cartoon characters are often used in animated sitcoms, and regularly end up being their series' most popular characters. They are often behind shows' most popular episodes, and even when in the background, add a sense of danger to an otherwise calm reality.
10 Ben Tennyson Is A Child Out Of His Depth
Though Ben 10 is deeply rooted in superhero stories, it's hard to call its protagonist a hero. He has many superheroic instincts, and certainly, the Omnitrix is worthy of a top-tier power set, but much of the young boy's success cannot be attributed to his own skill.
Ben spends most of the original series learning how ineffective he is as a hero. He is deeply immature, and his powers are almost totally out of his control, adding a distinct sense of chaos to Ben's original tenure as Earth's defender. Eventually, his personality tones down, and he learns to control the Omnitrix, but that only magnifies how chaotic the original series is.
9 GIR Is the Heart Of Invader Zim
Invader Zim is a cult classic cartoon show, following the attempts of Zim, an alien invader, to conquer Earth. Zim is aided in his conquest by his advanced alien technology, and, more specifically, his robot aid/dog GRR.
Zim's superiors despise him, so rather than providing him with an intelligent aid capable of handling complex tasks, they improvise by combining scrap parts, with a brain consisting of actual garbage. GRR likely qualifies as the least helpful sidekick in history, but he is also the show's greatest asset. His no sequiturs are hilarious, and he always adds a note of unpredictability to every scene he's in.
8 Peter Griffin Starts Most Family Guy Plots
While most cartoons relegate their chaotic characters to side positions, Family Guy puts Peter, the Griffin family's silliest member, front and center. Peter is almost completely controlled by his childlike sense of wonder, and his similarly childlike understanding of consequence.
Peter Griffin does what he wants, which is, more often than not, the impetus for whatever the episode's A plot is. The only thing that seems to be able to curb Peter's juvenile behavior is his alcoholism, which leads to more than enough of its own problems. It is only because of the outside-of-time reality of cartoons that the Griffin clan is still together, or even alive.
7 Professor Farnsworth Is A Silly Old Man And A Dangerous Scientist
There are few catchphrases as disingenuous as Professor Farnsworth's "Good news!" To the fans of Futurama, it has come to mean the introduction of some new and unusual sci-fi horror for the Planet Express crew to face.
The Professor has two basic modes, silly and destructive, which are almost completely indistinguishable at times. He speaks of a fun anecdote about a past lover with the same emotions as when describing the destruction of a planet. He has the same love for his "Smelloscope" as he has for his various doomsday devices. Farnsworth is both a doddering old man and a threat to life itself.
6 Rick Sanchez Believes Himself To Be God
Most people in Rick Sanchez's life do not like him. Most fear him, and almost everyone hates him. Rick is a pure distillation of toxic behavior in the shell of a man with zero limitations.
It would be inaccurate to say Rick is evil; he's just selfish, and a vengeful narcissist, but in the universe of Rick and Morty, that's hardly a rarity. In fact, Rick himself isn't even a rarity, thanks to his ability to travel between infinite universes. Rick can do anything he wants, and all he seems to desire is to hurt those who hurt him and to pursue pleasure in its purest form, all from his daughter's garage.
5 Louise Belcher Is A Wild Child
Every multi-child family has one kid who is just a little more daring than their siblings. This kid is the one behind all the greatest, and, often, the worst ideas. They ignore consequences and seek a greater adventure at every turn. For the Belcher family from Bob's Burgers, the wild child is Louise, the youngest.
Louise considers herself to be, basically, an adult already and the only judgment she trusts is her own. Unfortunately, she is incorrect about herself, being only nine. In a family of oddballs, Louise stands out. Where her siblings have their passions – boys and music, respectively – Louise only wants to sow chaos.
4 Bugs Bunny's Oldschool Pranks Still Pack A Punch
There are few pranksters on the level of Bugs Bunny whose material still holds up to this day. Beyond his obviously iconic status, this is because of the sheer ruthlessness of his "pranks," which seem more in line with wartime tactics than humor.
The only reason Bugs Bunny is not a murderer is that nothing can die in Looney Tunes, but that doesn't seem to stop him from trying. He regularly uses dynamite as a weapon and is known to taunt hunters specifically looking for him. Bugs has a recklessness that seems unattainable in modern cartoons, where such actions are explained through tragic backstories.
3 Harley Quinn Cannot Be Contained
Ever since Harley Quinn's creation in Batman: The Animated Series, the character has established herself as one of the most popular DC Comics characters. Her origin is tightly tied to the Joker, who she sees as her true love.
Harley is a tough character to describe simply. In many ways, she plays into the abuse victim archetype, but in recent years, she has been able to split off from Mr. J and start to create her own path. Harley may not have the same dedication to crime and mayhem as the Joker, but she is arguably more chaotic. She is cut from the same cloth, but no one can ever predict which side she'll end up on.
2 The Warner Siblings Have An Aura Of Disorder
Nobody knows exactly what the Warner siblings, the staring trio of The Animaniacs, are, nor where they come from. Yakko, Wakko, and their sister, Dot, live in the Warner Brothers water tower and reek high energy havoc on everyone they encounter.
The Warners have old souls, and their scenes are, more often than not, peppered with references from film noir, adult humor, and other jokes simply not suited for children. They create a chaotic energy that cannot be predicted, leading to much of their nonsense. The Warners always end up on top, so it's far safer to simply avoid these three.
1 Roger Is Omnipotent And Unpredictable
Roger, the alien in the attic from American Dad, starts off as a secret the Smiths need to keep, adding stakes to many early episodes. After discovering his passion for creating human personas through costuming, he develops into the show's most valuable character.
Roger is, at times, a vengeful god, going to any lengths to destroy his enemies. Other times he's so lazy he can barely move his body. It's hard to predict just how Roger will react to any situation, though his reactions, when he has them, are almost exclusively extreme. Roger will do anything for attention, and with his often spur-of-the-moment alien abilities, there's not much he can't do.