Summary

• '90s animations were led by Cartoon Network & Nickelodeon, creating timeless characters like SpongeBob & Powerpuff Girls.
• Dee Dee, Pinky & Brain, Blossom, Spinelli, & Rocko are memorable characters from the golden age of '90s cartoons.
• Characters like Chuckie Finster, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Arnold, & Arthur remain beloved icons in pop culture.

The '90s were an amazing time for animation. Led by huge networks Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, this decade is known for its wholesome, quotidian, and insightful animated series for children. A lot of the characters from these cartoons are still very well known today, and they have become staples of television.

Characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and the Powerpuff Girls are widely known by almost every alive generation today. They are iconic and timeless. In fact, a lot of the most beloved '90s characters continue to receive TV adaptations, comics, and even movies. Millennials were lucky to live through such a golden age for cartoons.

10 Dee Dee Is Dexter's Energetic Older Sister

• Dee Dee is voiced by Kat Cressida and Allison Moore.

A fan-favorite show from the '90s, Dexter's Laboratory follows the eponymous character as he concocts multiple highly advanced projects in his secret laboratory. However, most of Dexter's ambitious projects tend to go wrong, whether because of Dexter's own hubris or because of his sister Dee Dee's lack of care and great amount of energy.

Dee Dee is basically the opposite of Dexter: she's relaxed, careless, and charming. However, she's not dumb, and she often helps her brother. Still, Dee Dee has a nag for destroying most of Dexter's projects, especially since she loves pushing big red buttons. Everyone can agree Dexter's Laboratory wouldn't be nearly as funny and wholesome without Dee Dee's character, who has a special place in television history.

9 Pinky and the Brain Are the Most Hilarious TV Duo

• Pinky and the Brain are voiced by Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche.

Pinky and the Brain are two lab rats who develop human-like intelligence, but one of them happens to be a tad more intellectually developed than the other. The characters first appeared in Animaniacs, a highly popular Warner Bros. animation. Pinky and the Brain were such beloved characters that the network soon released a TV series surrounding these rats' shenanigans.

The duo is particularly funny because while the Brain, as his name suggests, is a genius, he's also evil. On the other hand, Pinky is a well-meaning yet dim-witted rat. The two characters balance each other, and it's hilarious to see the Brain's plans fail time and time again while the naive Pinky tries his best to lend a well-intentioned yet misguided hand.

8 Blossom Is the Leader of the Powerpuff Girls

• Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup are voiced by Tara Strong, Cathy Cavadini, and Elizabeth Daily.

Few cartoon characters are as recognizable as The Powerpuff Girls. These badass girls with superpowers go around Townsville fighting criminals in between their stressful kindergarten studies. The three sisters -- Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom -- had extremely different personalities, reflected by their individual colors and personal style. This means most people have a favorite Powerpuff Girl.

Bubbles is sweet and kind, Buttercup is ruthless but loyal, and Blossom is the level-headed one on the team. However, as the team leader and the one in the middle of all the posters, Blossom is undoubtedly the most iconic of the three—still, all the Powerpuff Girls are incredibly awesome, especially when taking on their unique villains.

7 Spinelli Is One of the Coolest Characters in Cartoons

• Ashley Spinelli is voiced by Pamela Adlon.

Recess is one of the most beloved cartoons from the '90s, and Ashley Spinelli, with her badass attitude, quickly earned the hearts of all viewers. Better known by her last name only - to not be associated with "the Ahsleys" -, Spinelli is the toughest member of the group, but she also has a heart of gold.

From her hilarious yet lovable personality to her iconic look, Spinelli remains a prevalent character. While T.J. is the gang leader and the show's protagonist, Spinelli rises above because she's one of the most interesting characters of the decade. Spinelli is simply a feminist icon. She taught many girls that tomboys were really cool characters, and she quickly became a role model for Millennials.

6 Rocko Was a Hilarious Character from the '90s

• Rocko is voiced by Carlos Alazraqui.

No one can deny the impact Rocko's Modern Life had on the '90s. The show was loved by both children and adults thanks to its unique humor that catered to both audiences. In fact, Rocko's Modern Life is so relatable that, even nowadays, it sustains a loyal cult following. Rocko's Modern Life is such a good show that most fans still rewatch it all the time.

While not as iconic as characters like Chuckie from Rugrats or SpongeBob SquarePants, Rocko is tremendously recognizable. People love the adorable wallaby because he portrays real-life issues in a quotidian environment. The show has remained so successful that in 2019, Netflix released a movie called Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling.

5 Arthur Is a Staple of Little Children's Cartoons

• Arthur is voiced by Michael Yarmush.

Arthur left such an impact on popular culture that people still use plenty of stills from the show for memes around the internet. Even people who didn't watch Arthur surely have stumbled upon the meme of Arthur clenching his fist or the one with Arthur's little sister, D.W., saying that a sign won't stop her because she can't read.

Arthur is still an amazing character nowadays. The show follows his and his friends and family's regular lives. This animated '90s series, which was aimed at children 4-8, can be compared to a modern show like Bluey. Arthur was a wholesome show with hilarious situations and nice lessons, and most people aren't likely to forget the main character soon.

4 Arnold's Football-Head Shape Is Hard To Forget

• Arnold is voiced by Lane Toran.

Hey Arnold! was a popular series that followed the eponymous character and his everyday life with his friends and his grandparents. However, while Hey Arnold! occurred in a quotidian setting, the show wasn't afraid of dappling into certain magical surrealism to tell complex and insightful stories, such as the iconic "Pigeon Man" episode.

His football-shaped head got him the nickname "Football Head" and has made Arnold a truly recognizable character. However, people mostly love Arnold, the main character of the series, because of his heroic, intelligent, and kind nature. He's the reason the series has such a nostalgic, philosophical, and thought-provoking tone.

3 Chuckie Finster Was the Most Adorable Character from Rugrats

• Chuckie Finster is originally voiced by Christine Cavanaugh and later on by Nancy Cartwright.

Rugrats followed the imaginary adventures of a group of babies and toddlers led by the 1-year-old but courageous baby, Tommy Pickles. While all of the Rugrats characters are incredibly iconic, none of them have remained as relevant in popular culture as Chuckie Finster, the frightful, adorable redhead of the gang.

Chuckie was the most anxious member of the gang despite being one of the oldest ones. However, Chuckie was adorable and funny and easily earned the love of the fans. Still today, there are many collectible items with Chuckie's memorable planet t-shirt and green stripey shorts. It's simply impossible not to love that affable and clueless face.

2 Courage Faces His Worst Fears Despite His Anxiety

• Courage the Cowardly Dog is voiced by Marty Grabstein.

Courage the Cowardly Dog revolves around the eponymous dog, who lives in a faraway farmhouse with his owners, Muriel and Eustace. While Courage is apparently a very frightful dog, in truth, he's very valiant. He's constantly facing supernatural events and fighting against evil creatures to protect his family.

Unfortunately for Courage, most of the time Muriel, the one who truly cares about the dog, doesn't notice something is wrong in the farmhouse. What's worse, Eustace is less than kind to him. However, the kind, courageous, and adorably anxious dog became a fan-favorite character. Courage reminds the audience that it is okay to be afraid.

1 SpongeBob SquarePants Is the Most Iconic '90s Character