Take a look at some of the most iconic cartoon characters with big eyes, from Bugs Bunny, Anna, and Goofy to Garfield and Mickey Mouse.
For decades, cartoon characters with big eyes have captivated audiences with their adorable and innocent appearances.
These oversized peepers are a powerful tool for animators, allowing them to convey a wide range of emotions and imbue their characters with a sense of wonder and awe.
Big eyes have become a staple in animation, from anime and manga to beloved classics like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.
Whether expressing a character’s kind and gentle nature or creating a sense of mystery and wonder, big eyes have a universal appeal that continues to charm audiences of all ages.
Cartoon Characters With Big Eyes
Step into a world of wonder and awe as we take a closer look at the beloved and iconic big-eyed cartoon characters that have captured our hearts for decades.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the world of big-eyed characters, come along on a journey as we explore the fascinating history and enduring appeal of these beloved characters.
1. Garfield
Launch date: June 19, 1978
Author: Jim Davis
I have Garfield as #1 because this was one of my favorite shows growing up. Garfield Christmas is still one of my favorite seasonal cartoons. Garfield is on the list as a cartoon cat with big eyes.
The Garfield TV show is a popular animated series aired on CBS from 1988 to 1995. Garfield is a lazy and overweight orange cat who appears in the show.
Garfield is often seen getting into mischief and causing trouble for his owner, Jon Arbuckle.
The show also features other famous characters, such as Odie, Garfield’s canine friend, and Nermal, Garfield’s arch-nemesis.
2. Pluto, The Pup
Pluto didn’t stand out too much for me as a kid; it wasn’t until I had kids of my own that the character became familiar.
Playful and cuddly, Pluto, the pup, enjoys cuddling and playing with other dogs. His cartoons and books are a favorite among children, and he’s sure to make you smile.
He is one cute dog with big eyes and black ears; he is a yellow-orange, medium-sized, short-haired dog.
Unlike most Disney characters, Pluto does not show anthropomorphic characteristics other than facial expressions.
3. Scooby-Doo – Big Eye Cartoons
Original work Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969–70)
Scooby was another favorite show of mine. My parents introduced me to it. I don’t remember this being a Saturday morning favorite; it was more of a mid-week watch.
There have been countless generations of children and adults entertained by Scooby-Doo.
He is known for his large, expressive eyes, a signature feature of his character design.
As well as conveying a sense of innocence and wonder, the large eyes help the audience connect with the character emotionally.
4. Jerry Mouse
Author(s): Fred Quimby (1950–52); Kelly Jarvis (1989–94)
Like Scooby-Doo, Jerry’s large eyes are a vital aspect of his character design and convey emotions such as surprise, mischief, and fear.
The large eyes also help to make Jerry look more cute and appealing to the audience.
In the original Tom and Jerry cartoons, Jerry’s eyes were white with black pupils, which gave them a distinctive and exaggerated appearance.
In later versions of the show, Jerry’s eyes were animated with more detail and became more lifelike but remained large.
5. Goofy
I used to be afraid of Goofy, believe it or not. I remember running and screaming when he came up to us at Disney World. Disney created the cartoon character Goofy.
Goofy’s big eyes are an important part of his design, as they help to convey his playful and light-hearted personality.
They also make him instantly recognizable and help to endear him to audiences of all ages.
In addition to his eyes, Goofy’s distinctive look includes his tall and skinny body, wide grin, and trademark hat and pants.
6. Stewie Griffin
In the animated television series Family Guy, Stewart Gilligan Griffin plays the role of Stewart Gilligan.
As part of the Griffin family, he first appeared on television in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998, voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane.
Stewie’s big eyes are an essential part of his design, as they help to convey his intelligence and mischievous personality.
They also make him look more like a baby, even though he acts like an adult.
The use of big eyes on Stewie is a stylistic choice and helps emphasize the contrast between his advanced intellect and physical age.
7. Minnie Mouse
Mickey Mouse’s sweetheart, Minnie Mouse, is one of the most popular Disney characters.
Minnie’s character design is characterized by her large, round head, big eyes, and long eyelashes.
Her eyes are usually black and have a white highlight to make them look more expressive.
Minnie usually wears a pink or red dress, white gloves, and a large bow on her head that matches the color of her dress.
8. Elmer Fudd
Bugs Bunny’s archenemy Elmer Fudd was one of the most famous characters of Looney Tunes. One of the show’s recurring villains, he plays various roles.
His way of speaking (rhotacism) is well known; he replaces R’s and L’s with W’s. Throughout the show, Elmer wears a brown derby, a baggy suit, and a high-collared shirt.
9. Donald Duck
Created by Walt Disney Productions in 1934, Donald Duck is a cartoon character. It has a white body, legs, feet, and a yellow-orange bill.
With a bow tie and sailor shirt, he usually wears a cap and shirt. Donald’s most famous personality trait is an easily provoked and explosive temper as his big eyes.
Donald first appeared in The Wise Little Hen (1934), but his second appearance in Donald’s Orphan solidified Donald as a popular character.
10. Patrick Star
In addition to having olive-green eyes, Patrick Star has a coral-pink body with red dots and a red outline.
He is usually shown wearing a green and white striped shirt and is known for his laid-back and carefree personality and lack of intelligence.
Despite his lack of intelligence, Patrick is a loyal friend to SpongeBob and is often willing to help him with his various schemes and adventures.
His big eyes are used to show his innocence and lack of understanding of certain situations, making him an endearing character on the show.
He often acts as a comic relief, and his character design greatly represents his personality.
11. Scrooge McDuck
The design of Scrooge’s big eyes is a stylistic choice that helps to convey his personality and emotions to the audience. His big eyes help to emphasize his strong character and give him a sense of determination and intelligence.
His eyes also help to make him more expressive, making it easy for audiences to understand his emotions and actions.
Moreover, Scrooge’s big eyes also create a visual representation of his age and make him more relatable to audiences. They also help to make him more appealing, despite his grumpy demeanor, by showing his humanity and vulnerability.
12. Daffy Duck
Daffy’s character design is characterized by his large, round head and big, bulging eyes, which are often shown in a wide-eyed expression.
His eyes are usually black with white pupils, and thick black eyelashes often surround them.
The comically exaggerated actions of Daffy’s character are used to convey his emotions, such as surprise, excitement, and anger.
He is a very energetic and ambitious character, and his big eyes are used to show his enthusiasm and passion for whatever he is doing.
13. Tom Cat
As one of Tom and Jerry’s main protagonists, Tom is an anthropomorphic domestic short-haired cat with a blue/grey coat. Throughout the show, he is constantly pursuing Jerry.
As a result, most of his plans harm him rather than Jerry, so he rarely succeeds in achieving his goals. It is sometimes complicated for him to realize that he shares a secret bond with Jerry.
He possesses a superhuman level of elasticity for a slapstick character.
14. Elsa
Elsa is one of the most popular Disney cartoon characters with big eyes. In 2013, she played a deuteragonist in the Disney feature film “Frozen,” and in 2019, she played a protagonist.
There is a sense of calm, reservedness, and regalness about Elsa’s character. Playful and turbulent, she seems to be quite a character.
Long platinum-blonde hair, light freckles, and rosy cheeks complete her tall, slender figure with big blue eyes, pink lips, and a small nose.
15. Woody Woodpecker
In several theatrical short films, Woody Woodpecker appears as an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker. Throughout his career, he observed a steady evolution in his character design. Initially, he was portrayed as an insane bird.
The character’s design has become unusually garish in the later years.
Laughter and humor are two of Woody’s trademarks. As a result, he has become one of history’s most indicting characters.
16. Micky Mouse
Over 130 films have featured Mickey Mouse. A red shorts and white gloves anthropomorphic mouse, Mickey typically wears yellow shoes and extensive yellow bow ties.
In addition to comic books, television shows, video games, and theme parks, Mickey has also appeared in comic books and television shows.
Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks 1928 created Mickey Mouse. By far, Mickey Mouse is the most famous character and the official mascot of the Walt Disney Company.
17. Tweety – Big Eyes Cartoon Character
TV shows: The Looney Tunes Show, New Looney Tunes
First appearance: A Tale of Two Kitties (1942)
It is hard to imagine a cartoon character more recognized and imitated than Tweety. Kids in the ’90s have been hooked on Looney Tunes for a long time.
Among the other characters in Looney Tunes, Tweety is probably the cutest with his eyes. Something is charming about his sweet voice that will appeal to all viewers.
Tweety is a little yellow bird with big blue eyes and yellow color.
18. Betty Boop
In the Talkartoon and Betty Boop series, Betty Boop is one of the famous cartoon characters with big eyes. A flapper girl appeared in ten of her cartoons as a supporting character.
She is observed to have a good heart, having more heart than brain. Initially, Betty Boop was both a parody and a symbol of unabashed sexuality.
Throughout the show, she retains this combination to varying degrees. In addition to singing and dancing, she wagged her ears like an anthropomorphic cartoon character.
19. Anna – Cartoon Characters Big Eyes
First appearance: Frozen (2013)
Inspired by: Gerda from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale
Frozen’s princess Anna is a fearless cartoon character. Her features include a slender figure, a fair complexion, big blue-colored eyes, thin lips, and blonde hair arranged in two pigtail braids. She is one of the female cartoon characters with big eyes.
20. Glenn Quagmire
This character always annoyed me; I’m not sure why; I think it was his voice. The fictional character Glenn Quagmire from the American animated television series Family Guy is often referred to by his surname.
His catchphrase makes him famous for his hypersexuality and friendship with the Griffin family, “Giggity.”
21. Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is one of the main characters in the show, known for his exaggerated physical features, including his large eyes.
Cartman is portrayed as a selfish, manipulative, and politically incorrect individual who often serves as the main antagonist in the series.
Despite his negative traits, he is also known for his comedic and satirical values.
22. Power Puff Girls
This show was never really for me, but these girls have huge eyes, so they are on my list. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are superpowered sisters who regularly save Townsville from evildoers such as Mojo Jojo, the Gangreen Gang, and Him.
In addition to Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are the cutest and most challenging of the trio.
23. The Ren & Stimpy Show
I remember watching this show and constantly comparing it to South Park. There are several unusual adventures that Ren, a psychotic Chihuahua, and Stimpson J.
Cat, a dimwitted Manx cat who goes by the nickname Stimpy, has together. Ren and Stimpy have iconic big eyes as cartoon characters.
24. Pinky – From Pinky & The Brain
I always wanted Brain to win and take over the world when I watched this show. Pinky is the titular protagonist of Pinky and the Brain, as well as Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain, the second antagonist of Animaniacs.
An open-minded and empathetic white lab mouse, he serves as Brain’s sidekick and foil. In addition to saying random nonsense words, Pinky enjoys having fun.
25. Sonic – Cartoon Characters With Big Eyes
Sonic the Hedgehog is a beloved cartoon character known for his big, expressive eyes. The character was first introduced in a video game in 1991 and has since appeared in numerous games, comics, and animated shows.
Sonic is known for his speed, athleticism, and adventurous spirit, and his big eyes help to emphasize these traits. They also make him more relatable and appealing to audiences, giving him a sense of innocence and wonder.
In addition, Sonic’s big eyes help to make him more expressive, making it easier for audiences to understand his emotions and actions.
26. Cartoon Turtle With Big Eyes
I was too old when this show first came out, so it was never on my watch list. An animated series based on books by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark tells the story of Franklin the turtle, his best friend Bear, and their pals as they face life’s challenges together.
With the help of his parents or other adults, Franklin and his friends learn about life in Woodland.
The Strangest Big-Eyed Cartoon Characters
When it comes to big-eyed cartoon characters, some stand out from the rest. Here are some of the strangest ones.
There are the characters from the anime show “Death Note.” They have these wide, round eyes that make them look like innocent children—even though they’re murdering masterminds.
Then there’s the “South Park” character Mr. Garrison, who has these insanely enormous eyes that practically take up his whole face.
But my all-time favorite has to be the big-eyed character from The Nightmare Before Christmas. She’s this creepy, gothic girl with giant eyes that are almost too big for her head.
Why Do Cartoon Network Characters Have Big Eyes?
Who doesn’t love big, expressive eyes? Cartoon Network characters and other animated favorites use them as a stylistic choice to make them more endearing and relatable to audiences.
With their innocent and childlike appearance, these characters create an emotional connection with viewers that makes them care about the characters’ wellbeing.
And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good cry over a cartoon character?
Besides that, big eyes make it easy to read the characters’ emotions and understand their actions, making the story more engaging and relatable.
In short, prominent eyes are the cherry on top of cartoon character design, making them more than just drawings but beloved characters with personalities that resonate with audiences.
Who Is a Big-Eyed Girl Cartoon character?
Many girl cartoon characters have big eyes, but one example is Hello Kitty.
Hello, Kitty is a fictional character designed by the Japanese company Sanrio, and she is known for her big, round eyes, which take up a large portion of her face.
Innocence and friendliness are conveyed through her big eyes.
Who Is The Most Famous Animated Character With Big Eyes?
One of the most famous animated characters with big eyes is Mickey Mouse.
He is one of the world’s most iconic and recognizable animated characters, and his big eyes are a key aspect of his character design.
His big round eyes and friendly and curious expression have helped to make him one of the most beloved cartoon characters of all time.
He has appeared in over 130 films, including “Steamboat Willie” (1928), his debut film, which was the first synchronized sound cartoon.
He is widely considered Disney’s face and an important part of Disney’s history and culture.
