List of The Powerpuff Girls characters
The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated franchise that takes place in the fictional city of Townsville and stars the titular Powerpuff Girls — Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup — who appear in the original TV series, the anime adaptation, the 2016 reboot series, and the upcoming second reboot series.
Secondary characters include Professor Utonium, the Powerpuff Girls' creator and father figure; The Mayor, the kindhearted, but dimwitted mayor of Townsville, who often calls upon the Powerpuff Girls for help defending Townsville; Ms. Bellum, the mayor's secretary, who serves as a voice of reason; and Ms. Keane, the Powerpuff Girls' kindergarten teacher at Pokey Oaks. Primary villains include Mojo Jojo, an intelligent, megalomaniacal ape; HIM, a demonic being; Fuzzy Lumpkins, a Bigfoot-like hillbilly; Princess Morbucks, a wealthy, spoiled girl; the Gangreen Gang, a group of green-skinned hoodlums; Sedusa, a Gorgon-like seductress; the Amoeba Boys, a trio of dimwitted amoebas, and the Rowdyruff Boys, the Powerpuff Girls' evil male counterparts.
Series creator Craig McCracken originally conceived the Powerpuff Girls while attending the California Institute of the Arts in 1991, later expanding upon the premise in a short pilot called The Whoopass Girls in Whoopass Stew. After a name change and character redesigns, a new pilot, "The Powerpuff Girls: Meat Fuzzy Lumpkins", aired on Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons animation showcase in 1995. High viewer approval ratings convinced the network to approve a full series, which aired from 1998 to 2005.
Origin
In June 1991, Craig McCracken, then a student of the animation program of CalArts, created a drawing of three girls on a sheet of orange construction paper as a birthday card design for his brother. The following year, he made the characters protagonists of the short film Whoopass Stew! The Whoopass Girls in: A Sticky Situation. Though it was intended to be the first part of four Whoopass Girls shorts, only one short was produced. McCracken felt that he wanted to make a superhero student film, but that the muscular guy standard was already played out. After coming up with the concept, he started imagining them in superhero situations. McCracken's Whoopass Girls short was picked up for a series by Cartoon Network in 1993, with the Powerpuff Girls appearing in two What a Cartoon! shorts before receiving their own series.Main characters
The Powerpuff Girls
As depicted in the opening sequence of each episode, the Powerpuff Girls, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, were created by Professor Utonium in an attempt to create the "perfect little girl" using a mixture of "sugar, spice and everything nice". However, he accidentally spilled a mysterious substance called "Chemical X" into the mixture, creating three girls instead of one and granting them superpowers, including flight, superhuman physical abilities, x-ray vision, super senses, heat vision, and energy projection. In the original pilot, the substance was a can of "Whoopass".The Powerpuff Girls have large eyes, inspired by Margaret Keane's art, with stubby arms and legs with no visible digits. McCracken preferred that they appear symbolic of actual girls rather than having a "realistic" look, meaning fewer body parts were needed.
Blossom
Blossom is one of the three main protagonists and the self-proclaimed leader of the Powerpuff Girls; as the most level-headed and intelligent of the group, she also serves as strategist. Her personality ingredient is "everything nice" and her signature color is pink. As shown in The Powerpuff Girls Movie, she was named for having spoken freely and honestly to the Professor shortly after her creation. Her unique power is ice breath and, in the reboot, she possesses the ability to generate pink energy constructs.Bubbles
Bubbles is one of the three main protagonists and the "softest and sweetest" of the three. Her signature color is light blue and her personality ingredient is "sugar". Though kind, she is a capable fighter and can understand various languages, including that of animals, and create powerful sonic blasts. In the reboot, Bubbles possesses the ability to generate blue energy constructs.Buttercup
Buttercup is one of the three main protagonists, who is described as a "tough hotheaded tomboy". Her signature color is lime green and her personality ingredient is "spice". According to The Powerpuff Girls Movie, Buttercup disliked the name she was given. Her unique power is curling her tongue. In the reboot, Buttercup possesses the ability to generate green energy constructs. McCracken originally wanted to name the character "Bud" until a friend suggested the name Buttercup.Secondary characters
Professor Utonium
Professor Utonium is a scientist who is the Powerpuff Girls' creator and father. Though he can be strict and easily manipulated, he is caring and fatherly.The
The Mayor of Townsville is the mayor of Townsville. Though dimwitted and cowardly, he cares deeply for his city. He loves pickles. In What a Cartoon!, the Mayor is depicted as younger, taller, and more competent.Ms. Bellum
Ms. Sara Bellum is the Mayor's secretary, who often handles issues that he cannot. Her face is never seen on camera, due to it being obscured by over the top edge of the screen and/or camera angles in which her voluminous curly hair prevents a clear view of her face, sometimes her neck is drawn two inches taller while obscuring her face in the earlier episodes. She is absent in the reboot due to concerns over her sexualized design.Ms. Keane
Ms. Keane is the kindergarten teacher of Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. She is well-liked among her students for being patient and understanding. Keane is named after Margaret Keane, the main influence behind the design of the Powerpuff Girls.Narrator
Narrator is the unseen voiceover narrator of the show. He serves as comic relief and occasionally becomes involved in the series' events.Talking Dog
Talking Dog is a small white dog who serves as comic relief.Mitch Mitchelson
Mitch Mitchelson is a bully at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. He was the host of "Mitch Rocks", a segment on Cartoon Network where he looked at various things and determined whether they "rock" or not.Stanley Whitfield
Stanley Whitfield is a Townsville anchorman.Villains
Mojo Jojo
Mojo Jojo is a highly intelligent chimpanzee and the Powerpuff Girls' archenemy. He was formerly Professor Utonium's lab assistant before being exposed to Chemical X and gaining intelligence in the same accident that created the Powerpuff Girls. His plans often end in failure due to the Powerpuff Girls' intervention or flaws that he overlooks.Fuzzy Lumpkins
Fuzzy Lumpkins is a pink, furry hillbilly monster who speaks in a southern accent and lives in the woods neighboring Townsville. Fuzzy has limited intelligence and is not as ambitious as other villains, as he usually targets those who trespass on his property.HIM
HIM is an effeminate demon whose plans are usually psychological in nature, as he often attempts to manipulate events to drive the Powerpuff Girls insane or drive a wedge between them. HIM possesses various supernatural and demonic abilities, including shapeshifting, mind control, and manipulating reality and energy. Craig McCracken has stated that "HIM" was inspired by the Chief Blue Meanie from Yellow Submarine.Princess Morbucks
Princess Morbucks is a spoiled, rich, and bratty young girl who hates the Powerpuff Girls due to a rebuffed attempt to join them. Her father, "Daddy" Morbucks, dotes on her and indulges in her whims, but it is implied that his patience is limited and Princess fears truly angering him. Because of him, she has access to virtually unlimited financial resources.The Gangreen Gang
The Gangreen Gang are a gang of five green-skinned teenage hoodlums who, despite not having powers and often not posing a threat, can be dangerous when motivated. They delight in vandalizing and tormenting those weaker than themselves, especially children and the elderly. The Gangreen Gang lives in an old shack in Townsville's junkyard.- Ace : The Gang's leader, who is mean-spirited and opportunistic and manipulates others with his charisma. In 2018, Ace joined the virtual band Gorillaz while Murdoc Niccals was in prison.
- Snake : The Gang's second-in-command, who speaks with a sibilant hiss. It is revealed in "School House Rocked" that his real name is Sanford D. Ingleberry.
- Lil' Arturo : A diminutive Mexican boy who seems to take the most amusement from the Gang's activities. His full name is Arturo de la Guerra.
- Grubber : A disfigured, barefoot hunchback who communicates by blowing raspberries. In "School House Rocked", he forcibly contorted his body into an upright manner and briefly spoke coherently before reducing back to his deformed manner.
- Big Billy : A hulking, dimwitted colossus who serves as the Gang's muscle. Though possessing a childlike innocence, he mostly does the Gang's bidding. It is revealed in "School House Rocked" that he is a cyclops and his real name is William W. Williams.
The Amoeba Boys
- Bossman: The Amoeba Boys' leader. In the pilot, he is depicted with a cigar in his mouth.
- Junior: The smallest of the Amoeba Boys. He wears a black hat. In What a Cartoon!, he was named Tiny.
- Slim: The tallest and most incompetent of the Amoeba Boys. He wears a brown fedora. In What a Cartoon!, he was named Skinny Slim.