Before we had talking stages and situationships, there were two-dimensional heartthrobs, virtually captivating our underdeveloped brains.
From unbelievable face cards like Prince Zuko from “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and Tadashi Hamada from “Big Hero 6” to confident queens like Starfire from “Teen Titans” and Meg from “Hercules,” the list of cartoon crushes could go on for days.
Opinions on these characters range heavily as well, and it’s safe to say it’s a great lunch table discussion. But the presiding question here is who should be crowned king and queen?
On the girls’ side of the clash, the prevailing figures seem to be Raven from “Teen Titans,” GoGo from “Big Hero 6,” Zoey from “KPop Demon Hunters,” Ty Lee from “Avatar: The Last Airbender,”, and Lola Bunny from “Looney Tunes.”
“I think they’re bad (beautiful) because they have good hair,” said freshman Nicholas Thomas, who has fondness for GoGo, Zoey, Lee, and Bunny. “And I’m into Asian girls.”
Though these characters were popular choices, they were only the runner-ups. We have narrowed it down to our top two.
Of course, we can’t forget about the animated men either. From brooding emo boys to confident golden guys, competition could get heated.
“It’s just something about the vibes that they have that is impossible to replicate,” junior Brynn Long-Greeley said about her choices of Prince Zuko, Nick Wilde from “Zootopia,” and Chris Kratt from “Wild Kratts.”
She also pointed out their smooth talk and charisma.
“They could say things that if someone in real life said to me, I would punch them in the face,” Long-Greeley said.
As for our favorite big bro, Hamada earned himself many votes as well because of different aspects of his charisma.
“Oh yeah, Tadashi for sure. He’s just so tough,” Thomas said. “And he’s smart because he made Baymax.”
Though Hamada was a desirable victor, his caring and intellect weren’t enough to pull through to the finalist stage.
Now, for crowning our king and queen, we move to our finalists, where we must make the toughest calls yet.
Of 48 responses to a Google form emailed to Cal High students, the female character at the top was Raven from “Teen Titans Go.” The most prevalent reasoning referenced Raven being “hot,” “fine,” or a “baddie.”
“[Raven is] careless, but cares about their friends,” senior Alvera Llorente said.
“Teen Titans Go” fans can generally agree that Raven’s laid-back personality makes her attractive, though some view this as emotionally unattached.
The other popular female character was the traitorous Meg from “Hercules.” Meg is the classic “I can fix him” girl.
Senior Alyssa Reyrao described Meg as sassy, while others used terms like fierce or independent.
After considering multiple perspectives, some excessively more passionate than others, we can bestow the crown of Cartoon Crush Queen to Raven from “Teen Titans Go.” She edged the competition, earning 44.9% of the vote compared to Meg’s 42.9%.
Now, we look at the finalists for Cartoon Crush King.
After being banished by his father, the Fire Lord, Zuko, turned to winning the hearts of this generation. Long-Greeley said the effect of Zuko’s character development added to his charm.
“It’s just the reformed vibe,” she said.
Speaking of 2-D aura, the quick-witted fox Nick Wilde also advances to the finals using his sarcasm and street smarts to his advantage.
Similar to Zuko, Wilde is set up to be a hustler and con artist, but he ends up as a hero. He follows Disney’s blueprint redemption arc, a snarky criminal turned somewhat responsible cop, while keeping his trademark wit and attitude.
Freshman Aadi Naik said Wilde has a clever personality and admired the way he gets out of trouble scot-free.
“Nick Wilde just has that rizz,” Naik said. “I think he could scam me, too, and I wouldn’t even notice.”
Though most comment about Wilde’s sly personality, others note his image too. Despite his furry appearance, some students find his body language and actions attractive. His dangerous combination of looks and humor is enough to sweeten the deal.
Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the brooding firebender or the shady fox?
The results are in, with Wilde getting the final crown. Though Zuko had 34% of the votes, he was narrowly surpassed by Wilde, who received 36%.
Wilde and Raven take their thrones and claim their rightful places as Cartoon Crush King and Queen.
In the end, these animated idols remind us why cartoons hold special places in our hearts. They make us laugh, they make us swoon, and they even start a war in our friend groups. But the bottom line is they prove 2-D charm can go a long way.
