Top 10 Cartoon Characters Hated for Stupid Reasons

Dang, these toons cannot catch a break. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the "Top 10 Cartoon Characters Who Are Unfairly and Harshly Hated."

For this list, we’re looking at animated TV characters that generate undeserved ire from other characters within their respective shows. As such, fan hatred will not be taken into account, as that’s a list for another day.

You gotta admit, it’s hard to win respect when you spend every waking moment swimming around a bowl. Such is life when you’re a goldfish, but the thing is, Klaus wasn’t always a goldfish. He was once an accomplished Olympic skier, whose consciousness was transferred into the body of a goldfish by the CIA to keep him from winning gold. If being made into a house pet isn’t the lowest insult, we don’t know what is. And it’s not like he’s without his merits. He’s actually rather intelligent and offers good advice, but the Smith family is often quick to dismiss him—mostly because they can.

Now here’s a guy—er, a duck—who really deserves some slack. The Straw Loser of the Looney Tunes crew, Daffy is put down at nearly every turn, be it intellectually, physically, or both at the same time. Sure, he’s got a massive ego and more quack than bite, but that’s only because he desires respect and admiration, which are always just out of reach. Hell, even the animators seem to have it out for Daffy. Fortunately for him, he finally got to be the hero in Looney Tunes: Back in Action up on the big screen.

You’d think that being the Avatar would be a more thankful job, what with bringing peace and harmony to the entire world being part of the job description. Turns out that people aren’t so grateful, however, especially in the steampunk-esque future society of this sequel series, where the notion of an Avatar has become an antiquated one. Korra may not be the most eloquent diplomat, but what she lacks in tact she more than makes up for in heart. She’s saved the world on multiple occasions, and deserves to be regarded by its leaders as more than a sociological placeholder. Sadly, she seldom is.

When you’re the ninth of eleven siblings, all of whom go by the surname Loud, it can be pretty difficult to stand out. Not for this beauty queen, however. Thanks to her troublemaking behavior and obsession with her looks, she’s seldom not on people’s nerves in the household. Sure, being around someone who can’t go a full minute without whipping out a mirror and praising their allure will naturally elicit some eye rolls, but what do you expect from a six year old who hasn’t been taught about the pitfalls of vanity? Plus, there’s more to Lola than meets the eye, as she can also be compassionate to the ones she loves.

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Only Bikini Bottom’s most reviled denizen, that’s who. In all seriousness though, we can see why certain people could find him annoying; most notably his neighbor Squidward, whose disagreeable disposition could warrant his own inclusion on this list. But SpongeBob, on the other hand, is good-spirited to a fault, and can be incredibly loyal to his friends and coworkers. Sure, his hyperactive behavior often results in mayhem, but it comes from the best of intentions, naïve though they are.

Aw, geez. Poor Butters. The guy just wants to be liked, often going out of his way to please his classmates. Truth is though, they just use him, particularly Cartman. Sure, Butters spent some time as the supervillain Professor Chaos, but that was only because he felt spurned and unloved when the primary trio rejected him as their fourth friend. Speaking of which, we could have included Kyle Broflovski, who often induces eye rolls for his didactic nature and self-righteousness, but we decided to go with Butters, whose own parents seem to be convinced that he’s a criminal deviant. If it’s any consolation, Butters, we appreciate you.

“Hooray! It’s Zoidberg!”... said pretty much no one ever. But you know what? WE say that he gets a bad rap. Sure he disgusts nearly every member of the Planet Express crew with his general appearance and strange eating habits, but if you were basically homeless, you’d probably eat anything in sight, too. And while he may not be a very good doctor, he IS always willing to help when and if he can. Regardless, people tend to take him for granted, even though he likes just about everybody. Except for Bender, but that makes sense.

Boy, being the most talented denizen of Springfield is a pretty thankless job. With an IQ of 159 at just eight years old, the middle child of the Simpson clan has just about got it all figured out, often acting as the moral and rational center of the show. And while she’s often right, she’s largely viewed as something of a know-it-all by her peers. Who needs friends though when you’re also a master of the saxophone? Fortunately, her genius won’t go unnoticed forever, as she’s destined to become President of the United States. As it should be.

Courage is not a stupid dog, no matter what Eustace says. But he is easily scared, in case the title wasn’t an indication. Which is why the cranky farmer’s favorite pastime is donning a spooky mask and scarring the bejeezus out of the poor mutt. Sure, Muriel treats Courage with respect, but that hardly makes up for the endless amount of abuse he endures at the hands of Eustace—and a whole slew of supernatural creatures. We can’t help but feel bad for him, because at the end of the day, all he’s trying to be is a good dog.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

• Clover—Totally Spies!
• Double D—Ed, Edd & Eddy
• Jade—Jackie Chan Adventures

Three words: Shut up, Meg. This saying has become the quintessential mantra for those dealing with the eldest Griffin child. So much so, that nearly her entire characterization can be boiled down to how much others abuse and belittle her—to the point that her being the butt of the joke IS the joke. She may not be a saint, but like as not, she rarely ever deserves the torment thrown her way. She finally stood up for herself in the bottle episode “Seahorse Seashell Party,” but ultimately accepted her role as the family lightning rod. Come on, Meg. Don’t sell yourself short.