These guys have been repping the color long before the world decided to go green!
However, that doesn’t mean they are the least bit interested in saving the planet. Well, some of them are into kicking evil in their own way.
And some of them are pure evil and are more interested in destroying the planet instead.
Regardless, these green characters have become an important part of animation history.
This is my homage to the best green cartoon characters we’ve come to love over the years.
Most Famous Male Green Cartoon Characters
10. Beast Boy
- Show/Movie: Teen Titans
- Voice Actor(s): Greg Cipes, Dee Bradley Baker
What’s with every superhero gang having a green guy? Think about it. Avengers have the Hulk, Justice League has Martian Manhunter, and even Power Rangers have a Green Power Ranger (Tommy Oliver). The list goes on and on.
While Beast Boy might not be the strongest green superhero, he’s definitely the most fun, especially in Teen Titans! Go!
He is a founding member of the Teen Titans and can transform into any animal he has seen alive.
9. The Grinch
- Show/Movie: The Grinch
- Voice Actor(s): Benedict Cumberbatch
This grumpy Grinch from Whoville is one of the reasons green got associated with mean.
Dr. Seuss created the Grinch as a mean character who lives all alone in a mountain cave and has a heart “two sizes too small.” He doesn’t like how happy and cheery his town gets around Christmas, so this green furball decides to steal Christmas itself.
He kind of succeeds and fails at the same time when he steals all the presents but the residents of Whoville still celebrate Christmas.
In the end, Grinch’s heart grows to normal size, and he’s no longer mean.
8. Rex
- Show/Movie: Toy Story
- Voice Actor(s): Wallace Shawn, Jeff Bennett, Earl Bowen
It was tough to choose between Rex of Toy Story and Arlo from The Good Dinosaur. But since I already featured Arlo in my best Disney characters list, Rex it is.
Rex the Tyrannosaurus is not that different from Arlo. Much like Arlo, Rex is also green and a total sweetheart. He’s poles apart from the personality traits usually associated with the color or the species.
Instead of running around chomping people’s heads off, this Rex likes to play video games and is a nicest kindest toy in all of Toy Story.
7. Rango
- Show/Movie: Rango
- Voice Actor(s): Johnny Depp
One of Johnny Depp’s most underrated performances came in Rango. As Rango.
Rango is a domesticated chameleon who gets stranded in the desert after his owners have a car accident. Walking, running, and hiding, Rango reaches a town called Dirt in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
The town is full of many animals (read townsfolk) who live mundane lives, waiting to get water every Wednesday.
Rango becomes the Sheriff of Dirt and ends up the savior of all its inhabitants.
6. Plankton
- Show/Movie: SpongeBob SquarePants
- Voice Actor(s): Mr. Lawrence
Sheldon J. Plankton, a dark-green planktonic copepod, is the main antagonist of SpongeBob SquarePants, who continuously clashes with Mr. Krabbs and SpongeBob.
With some help from his computer sidekick/wife, Plankton keeps coming up with plans to steal the recipe for Krabby Patties. He runs his own restaurant but wants the more popular Krabby Patties recipe so he can build a food chain and take over the world.
Only Plankton and his wife know how that’ll work. But, it’s entertaining to see him try and fail.
5. Mike Wazowski
- Show/Movie: Monsters Inc.
- Voice Actor(s): Billy Crystal, Noah Johnston
Mike Wazowski is one of the protagonists of the Monsters Inc. franchise who can’t do the only thing monsters are supposed to do- scare children.
Although he is the smartest monster, he doesn’t look scary in comparison to other monsters in the film.
This tiny, egg-shaped monster with one eye ain’t scaring no one. At least that’s what the movie wanted us all to believe, but Mike’s creepy design fueled my nightmares for days. Those calling him cute need to get their cuteness parameters straight.
4. Kermit the Frog
- Show/Movie:
- Voice Actor(s): Jim Henson, Steve Whitmire, Matt Voge
Hi-ho, Kermit the Frog here!
Kermit the Frog is one of the old green cartoon characters that have been entertaining us for years. He first appeared in Sam and Friends’ WRC-TV run back in 1955. Soon after, he was headlining The Muppet Show and became a regular on Sesame Street.
After countless appearances on TV and the big screen, Kermit the Frog is one of the most popular Muppet characters ever.
Did you know? Kermit was a lizard in early character designs.
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Show/Movie: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Voice Actor(s): Cam Clarke, Townsend Coleman, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen
Kicking off my top 3 are the 4 turtle brothers trained in a sewer by a rat.
Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello might just be the most loved green cartoon characters all over the globe.
From classic animated series to live-action feature films, these teenage ninja turtles have entertained us since 1984 and continue to do so.
Choosing just one was proving too hard, so I decided to list them all as the group that defines them.
For anyone asking, Mikey’s my favorite.
2. Shrek
- Show/Movie: Shrek
- Voice Actor(s): Mike Myers, Michael Gough
This giant, green, mean, hungry, and dirty ogre is the star of one of the biggest and most popular animated film franchises ever.
While he fits the green stereotypes, he shatters another one by being the good guy. Shrek here might be ugly, but he’s a hero who’ll do anything to protect his loved ones.
You might not like his hygiene routine, but you can’t say you don’t like the character itself, especially after he falls for Princess Fiona.
1. Hulk
- Show/Movie: Marvel Animated Universe
- Voice Actor(s): Bob Holt, Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, Neal McDonough, Lou Ferrigno
Few male green cartoon characters will ever be as popular as the green and angry Avenger, Hulk.
While his alter ego, Bruce Banner, is a total wimp. Hulk is as angry as it gets because his anger knows no bounds. With every passing second this green giant will keep getting angrier and stronger.
That’s why it is advised to not look at this guy the wrong way unless you are positive that you can survive the Hulk Smash!
FYI: You can’t!
Most Famous Female Green Cartoon Characters
7. Miss Martian
- Show/Movie: Young Justice
- Voice Actor(s): Danica McKellar
Although her natural Martian form is not green, she usually takes an appearance similar to her mentor, Martian Manhunter, using her shape-shifting abilities. But, as she ages, Miss Martian’s skin is turning white as she achieves White Martian Status.
But, as the green-skinned avatar is her favorite and preferred form and is more synonymous with Martians, she’s on the list.
Besides, there’s a real shortage of female green cartoon characters, so we’ll take whoever we can.
6. Gamora
- Show/Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy
- Voice Actor(s): Vanessa Marshall
The Mad Titan, Thanos has quite a colorful family. While he’s purple himself, he has two daughters- one blue, Nebula, and one green, Gamora. Gamora is the green one, but Nebula is the meaner one.
Gamora was a bounty hunter/assassin but she later joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and played important roles in both End Games from Marvel.
Gamora has been kicking butts in Guardians of the Galaxy since 2015, long before Zoe Saldana made Gamora hers.
5. Shego
- Show/Movie: Kim Possible
- Voice Actor(s): Nicole Sullivan
Shego will always be one of the hottest Disney villains. Looking at what she was up against, she really needed to be, didn’t she?
She is a curvy brunette with waist-long hair, but her deadliest feature is her mercenary training and she will go to any limits to fulfill missions assigned to her by Dr. Drakken.
Shego has become somewhat of a pop culture icon courtesy of her style and costume, a favorite among female cosplayers.
4. Princess Fiona
- Show/Movie: Shrek
- Voice Actor(s): Cameron Diaz, Holly Fields
Fiona the Ogress is a one-of-a-kind Disney Princess thanks to her personality and her appearance.
Princess Fiona was born to Queen Lillian and King Harold. After a witch cursed her, Fiona would be a beautiful girl through the day and transform into an ogress after sunset. To break the curse, Fiona needs a true love’s kiss. You know, the usual.
She’s sent to a castle guarded by a Dragon where she waits for her charming prince, but all she got was a dirty ogre.
3. She-Hulk
- Show/Movie: Marvel Animated Universe
- Voice Actor(s): Lisa Zane, Cree Summer
Jennifer Walters was a decent lawyer before her cousin, Bruce Banner, decided to add her to the green and angry club of the Marvel Animated (& Cinematic) Universe.
In the comics, Jennifer gets shot and gets a blood transfusion from Bruce, which turns her into the She-Hulk. This story was slightly changed in the recent She-Hulk Disney+ series.
Regardless of how she got her powers, She-Hulk is now part of the Hulk Family and we’ll definitely be seeing more of her in the MCU.
2. Disgust
- Show/Movie: Inside Out
- Voice Actor(s): Mindy Kaling
This mean and green emotion inside Riley’s head is the stylist/protector that everyone needs. She’s brutally honest, very superficial, and hella sarcastic- in other words, she’s the most fun character for adults.
Disgust keeps Riley away from disgusting stuff like lunch with broccoli, pizza with broccoli, and anything with broccoli. That’s kind of ironic considering how closely Disgust resembles broccoli.
Am I saying broccoli too much?
1. Poison Ivy
- Show/Movie: DC Animated Universe
- Voice Actor(s): Peyton List, Maggie Geha, Lake Bell, Riki Lindhome
This eco-terrorist from the DC Universe is the hottest green cartoon character. Period. With her red hair, green skin, and darker green outfit, she puts her sensuality to evil use. But she’s more than just a sexy villain.
Her real name is Dr. Pamela Isley and she is a biochemist and botanist. She turned into a human/plant hybrid after one of her experiments went haywire. Now, everything she does is to protect her beloved plants.
And We’re Done!
That concludes this two-parter list of the best green cartoon characters ever.
I’d say Poison Ivy was a great character to end the list with.
Which other green characters do you think should’ve been on here? Leave comments below.
