You’re in the 1980s and it’s a hot summer day.
The 80’s cartoons are all the world that you’ve ever known. You are in school packing your bag, sitting on the edge of your seat in the classroom, waiting for the last period to end.
You hear the school bell ringing and you are on your toes to rush home. All through your way back home, you are constantly wondering what is the next adventure Scrooge McDuck would set on.
You reach home, change into your soft duck print pajamas, grab your lunch bowl of rice and veggies, hop onto your couch, and start watching your all-time favorite cartoon, Duck Tales!
Those were the golden days, right?
No matter how fast adulthood takes over your interests, hobbies, and tastes on TV shows, 80’s cartoons have made their place in our hearts which is far too difficult to be toyed with.
Whether you belong to the era of the 90s or 2000s, these cartoons that ruled television in the 1980s never fail to bring a smile to our faces. All thanks to the wonderful characters that still stay with us and remind us of our childhood.
How about taking a trip to nostalgia and visiting those evergreen characters from the forgotten 80s cartoons?
Well, let’s have a taste of the lost gems and relive the golden history. Here is a list of the evergreen 80s cartoon characters.
Best 80s Cartoon Characters
- Iconic 80s Female Cartoon Characters
- Classic 80s Male Cartoon Characters
Iconic 80s Female Cartoon Characters
10. Gadget from “Chip N’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers”
- Hair color: Blond
- Eye Color: Black
- Voice Actor: Tress MacNeille
Chip N’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers is an epic cartoon show. It has been the talk of the town during its time as it showcases a power-packed group of rodents who played the role of the modern-day CBI/FBI back in the 80s.
Amongst this group of crime scene investigators is the field mouse, Gadget Hackwrench. A clever pilot and mechanic with beautiful reddish-brown hair. She is a brilliant inventor who wore cute little aviator goggles.
With her unique ability to transform discarded soda cans into airplanes, she makes MacGyver feel ashamed several times. However, she also happens to become the dream girl of Chip and Dale. Chip wins her in the end though.
The best part about Gadget is that she is extremely focused and therefore remains completely oblivious to anything happening around her. She is highly fearless and is always bursting with curiosity.
No wonder she is one of the strongest as well as the hottest female characters in the 80s cartoons list.
9. April from “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”
- Eye Color: Brown
- Hair Color: Brown
- Voice Actors: Renae Jacobs
How many reporters do you remember meeting who refuse to wear anything other than a hot and dazzling yellow jumpsuit? Well, April is one such brave, wise, and definitely super hot reporter who loves yellow.
April is a non-typical teenager who never wanted to live a normal life. And just as she wanted, she actually never lived one.
As bizarre as it sounds, she finds herself a lot happier when in the company of turtles than her fellow teenagers.
She is bold, fierce, and doesn’t fear danger. This hot reporter is an extremely loyal friend and a forever team-green supporter. When it comes to standing up for the mutants, April knows no bounds.
After ‘The Kraang’ kidnaps her super genius father, she is all set to become a warrior like never before! April reads minds and senses upcoming danger.
Traveling through various dimensions is a cakewalk for her. She got the guts of a lion with her only weakness being, having extremely ticklish feet. Funny isn’t it?
Well, April is surely a mystery worth getting into!
8. Cover Girl from “G.I Joe”
- Eye Color: –
- Hair Color: Reddish Brown
- Voice Actors: Libby Aubrey
Looking for a real boost of motivation? Cover Girl from “G.I Joe” is one such character that will fill your gut with high spirits and inspire you to build your career with a burning passion.
After being the cover face of numerous fashion magazines, the cover girl takes the bold step of leaving the glam industry behind and walking into the world of bullets and guns.
She joins the army and takes the new challenges head-on that life throws at her!
Cover Girl takes this massive step to prove that she has a lot more to herself than just a pretty face. Apart from being a strongly opinionated female, she also is the epitome of knowledge.
And talking about Cover Girl won’t do any justice until you mention her hotness. Once a supermodel, this sexy army officer covered in grease and sweat from one of the best 80’s cartoons is sure to raise temperatures. Watch out guys!
7. Cheetara from “Thundercats”
- Eye Color: Red
- Hair Color: Blond
- Voice Actors: Lynne Lipton
An adult female ThunderCat, Cheetara, just like her name suggests, can run up to 120 miles per hour. But wait, did you know she is far better than a Cheetah?
Cheetara holds the sixth sense of peeking into the past as well as the future. So cool right? Unfortunately, Cheetara doesn’t find it cool enough. It takes a toll on her every time and she requires days or even weeks to recover from the visions that she forces on her head.
She flaunts a wild and hot look with those big black spots on her skin, an athletic body, an orange one-piece leotard with a Thundercat emblem, and orange boots. You are in for a scare if you mess with this one.
6. Tarra from the “Herculoids”
- Eye Color: –
- Hair Color: Blond
- Voice Actors: Virginia Gregg
Tarra, the wife of Zandor, is the only female character in the famous animated series and one of the most popular cartoons from the 80s, ‘Herculoids’.
A warrior, a wife, and a mother, Tarra, is a perfect embodiment of a courageous woman, who finds herself sufficient to fight the odds against saving her home planet.
She knows her way with the Herculoids beasts and gets protected by them in return. Her character has a lot to take from. She has a strong will and holds the true spirit of a warrior.
In this saga of the prehistoric era, Tarra pilots many interstellar spacecraft and wears a gem on her forehead. And needless to say, she rocks her look.
Though the cartoon focuses more on Zandor, she definitely can’t be ignored as she rescues him and saves his life.
Seeing Tarra’s unending quest for the welfare of her family and her planet, you would surely come to terms with that behind every successful man, there is an amazing woman.
5. Smurfette from “The Smurfs”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Yellow
- Voice Actors: Lucille Bliss
Do you have friends who get excited about literally anything and everything? This character that we are going to relive in our list of 80’s cartoon characters, is very much the same.
The very first female Smurf, Smurfette from the era of the forgotten 80s cartoon characters, is a brave, curious, smart, and capable Smurf. She has a highly adventurous spirit and is always the first one to volunteer for risky expeditions.
Smurfette is one such character that a lot of GenZ folks can relate to as she is also a bit scatterbrained. Her oozing desire to experiment with new things without the patience to complete them, leaves her messed up. She starts something new, and in the middle of the marathon, hops onto something else.
Smurfette is highly energetic and shines as a leader. She hates to fail and is always on a constant mission to prove herself.
4. Daphne from “Scooby Doo”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Orange
- Voice Actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar
When was the last time you landed yourself in danger? For Daphne, it’s always a ‘just another encounter with danger’. Daphne is a member of the famous Scooby-Doo club from the 80s cartoons and is mostly known for putting herself into dangerous situations.
Daphne carried shoulder-length red hair and a super attractive figure! Her priorities of fashion over investigations were never hidden.
She would clean the dirt off her clothes in the middle of something big, not giving a damn about the ghosts she gets surrounded with. Now those are some serious fashionista goals fella!
It doesn’t end there, Daphne is a black belt in karate and thinks as quickly as a lightning bolt during fights.
She also got the skill of using makeup accessories for opening locked doors and cages. That’s a rare one, right? How cool would it be to open a bedroom door using mascara!
3. Teela from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
- Eye Color: Bue
- Hair Color: Red
- Voice Actors: Linda Gary
A warrior goddess, Teela is a hot-headed member of the Royal Guard of Eternia. She is a loyal friend to He-Man, and a clear stand-out in the show. Her character is bold, smart, straightforward, and courageous.
We know this of her as she is the only one in the cartoon series who got the balls of calling Prince Adam cowardly and worthless.
Teela, even with not many superpowers, beats the shit out of guys. Her fearless and hard looks are enough to run a chill down your spine.
She faces danger head-on and fights alongside He-Man and the other heroic warriors in the later parts of the show.
2. Velma from “Scooby Doo”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Brown
- Voice Actors: Nicole Jaffe
It’s time to shed light on some science geeks! One of the main characters of Scooby Doo, Velma is an extremely clever, intelligent, and sharp detective. Known for losing her glasses quite often, Velma is the smartest member of the Scooby Doo group.
She reads a lot and has a unique way with science and mysteries. Velma doesn’t believe in the supernatural and labels all monsters fake. Solving mysteries is her biggest obsession. No wonder why it’s usually Velma who unravels a mystery.
She is also a very caring friend. Velma asks her folks to stay out of a mystery just to keep them safe and protected.
Whenever she wants her way with Scooby, she offers him a ‘scooby snack’. Well, that trick works I must say, not just on dogs but people too. If you know what I mean.
1. Wonder Woman from “Super Friends”
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Black
- Voice Actors: Shannon Farnon
How long has it been since you realized that the movie adaptation of ‘Wonder Woman’ which hit the big screens a few years ago was inspired by a popular cartoon series in the 1980s?
The superhuman woman with superhuman strength and durability, was introduced to us long before her theatrical release.
Just like her name, Wonder Woman is a woman who is no less than a wonder! And that makes her land my #1 ranking!
She is faster than a deer and can make a regular acrobat feel inferior with her out-of-the-ordinary aerial flips. Also, her fashion sense is par excellence! She wears a gold and red trimmed tube top with blue and white star bottoms. Can’t forget to mention those attractive red and white boots.
Besides her superhuman senses and reflexes, she is also immortal. She doesn’t age with time and is around several centuries old. Her thoughts travel to her invisible jet, making it fly.
Wait, it’s not just telepathy that she masters but also teleportation! She spins at her super fast speed and disappears from one place, reappearing at another one.
Classic 80s Male Cartoon Characters
8. Duckula from “Count Duckula”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Black
- Voice Actors: David Jason
Duckula is the main protagonist of the hilarious animated series, ‘Count Duckula’. He is green, short-heightened with black parted hair. As his name suggests, he is inspired by the famous character of Dracula. And so Dackula belongs to the vampire family of ducks.
But hey! Ever heard of a vampire being vegetarian? Well, Duckula is! He is a vegetarian vampire duck who lands in this world accidentally. Dackula seeks no desire or lust for blood, unlike his clan. While he was reincarnated, blood was shut out and replaced with ketchup! Now that’s something quite rare for the vampire world.
He eventually does become a ‘qualified bloodthirsty vampire’ in the later parts of the show, but still, he never becomes your traditional vampire.
7. Snake Eyes from “G.I Joe: A Real American Hero”
- Eye Color: –
- Hair Color: –
- Voice Actors: Frank Welker
A ninja-like no other, Snake Eyes had a crazy fanbase. This character is no pilot, inventor, or detective, he is what was the coolest profession for a superhero in the 80s, a warrior ninja!
This ninja is mysterious and sometimes, even dangerous! He serves as the recon ranger in the jungles.
Snake Eyes has never been out of fashion ever since the 80s. The fact that movies and series are still made based on the foundation of this solid character, makes it an evergreen one.
6. Lion-O from “Thundercats”
- Eye Color: Orange
- Hair Color: Scarlet Red
- Voice Actors: Larry Kenney
The leader and the lord of the Thundercats, Lion-O took center stage throughout the insanely popular cartoon series ‘Thundercats’.
His epic journey of adventure, humor, and battles between good and evil keep you glued to the Television. Lion-O’s life is full of heroic tales and courageous deeds that make him an all-time favorite of the 80’s cartoon era.
Most importantly, he is one of the hottest male cartoon characters in the era of the 80s. He wears an azure blue armor, with blue lining alongside the shoulder straps. His outfit has a sexy abdominal opening and his left arm carries a metal lion’s glove that acts as a shield during battles.
5. Scrooge McDuck from “Ducktales”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: White
- Voice Actors: Alan Young
What if you met someone who had all the negative traits within them and still is one hell of an entertaining force? Scrooge McDuck from ‘DuckTales’ is one such iconic character.
Scrooge is the richest duck in the world and enjoys swimming in the pool of his wealth. With his three nephews, he travels the world with his fortune and keeps his hunt for bigger treasures on.
He is hardworking, intelligent, and honest. His love for money is unconditional and gets worried every time his money is in danger. You surely would want to be best friends with this one. You’ll get to travel the world for sure. Oh my, I wish I was that lucky fella!
4. Inspector Gadget from “Inspector Gadget”
- Eye Color: Brown
- Hair Color: Black
- Voice Actors: Don Francks
The clumsy inspector gadget never failed to steal the spotlight on this super entertaining cartoon of the decade. He is highly creative, determined, brave, and soft-hearted.
This character has a lot to learn from. Being the inspector on duty, he also manages to stay true to his duties as a family man. He loves Penny, his niece, and is often seen going out of the way to protect her every time she is in danger.
Inspector Gadget always fails in the judgment of characters and often surrounds himself with his enemies, thinking of them as the good guys. He is a wonderful mess to watch and surely one of the best characters from the 80s cartoons.
3. Michelangelo from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: –
- Voice Actors: Greg Cipes
Find me one person from the 80s who is not a fan of TMNT, and I’ll rest my case. This show raised the animation standards and was highly popular even in the 90s.
The character Michelangelo, often called Mike or Mickey by his brothers, happens to be the most fun, lighthearted, and happy-go-lucky turtle in the world of Turtlemania.
He wears an orange mask and surfs on the beaches of California. Enjoying water sports and surfing in California was surely a fantasy for many kids in the 1980’s and that was evoked by none other than Mikey.
2. Optimus Prime from “Transformers”
- Eye Color: Red (Sometimes yellow)
- Hair Color: –
- Voice Actors: Peter Cullen
A robot that every kid from the 80s looked up to. Optimus Prime is the protagonist of the famous animated series ‘Transformers’. He happens to be the leader of the Autobots, the last Prime, and the brother of the Decepticon leader Megatron.
This robot is skilled in using multiple swords, can instantly learn multiple languages, and is a master scientist. Optimus is the most loved character from Transformers and even today, continues to inspire the techie generations.
1. He-Man from “He-Man and the Master of the Universe”
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Blond
- Voice Actors: John Erwin
Any 80s cartoons list would be incomplete without the mention of He-Man. This hypermuscular blonde man is a treat to gaze at. His unshakable morals made him the hero that every from the 80s looks up to. He is intelligent, powerful, and definitely hot!
Apart from being the role model for the ideal superheroes, He-Man along with the other heroes, also became the cultural icons for the 80’s generations.
This muscle-bound warrior is surely one-of-its-kind and that makes him land #1 on our list of the best and classic male characters from the 80s cartoons.
Conclusion
The world is changing and so is the industry of animation, movies, and cinema. But what hasn’t changed and surely can’t change, are the memories of the golden childhood days that were made evergreen by the best 80s cartoons and the unforgettable cartoon characters.
These characters live in the hearts of people even today, and every time someone watches their favorite cartoon from the 80s, they are taken on a trip down memory lane back to the good old days.
