Red Cartoon Characters: My 24 Favorites

Clifford is the friendliest giant on this list, a dog the size of a house with a heart to match. He has been a bedtime-story staple since 1963.

• The enormous red dog from Norman Bridwell‘s book series
• Owned and loved by a little girl named Emily Elizabeth
• Grew huge, the stories suggest, thanks to how much she loved him
• Later the star of a long-running PBS Kids cartoon

Elmo is the giggly little red monster who took over Sesame Street. He talks about himself in the third person and somehow makes it adorable.

• A small, furry red monster on Sesame Street
• Covered head to toe in bright red fur
• Curious, sweet, and endlessly excited
• A merchandising giant after the Tickle Me Elmo craze

Gossamer is a walking mountain of red hair with sneakers and giant hands, and he is one of my favorite Looney Tunes designs. He looks terrifying and acts like a big baby.

• The towering red hair monster from Looney Tunes
• Debuted in the 1946 short “Hair-Raising Hare”
• Usually sent after Bugs Bunny by a mad scientist
• All bulk and red fur, with two tennis shoes underneath

Mr. Strong is a big red square of pure muscle. In a series of simple little characters, he is the one who can lift a barn.

• A bright red, block-shaped character from the Mr. Men series
• Roger Hargreaves started the books back in 1971
• Defined entirely by his enormous strength
• Shaped, fittingly, like a solid red brick

Mr. Incredible is the super-strong dad at the center of The Incredibles, and his red suit is one of Pixar’s best costume designs.

• Bob Parr, the powerhouse hero of The Incredibles
• Wears the family’s sleek red-and-black supersuit
• Super strength, speed, and a soft spot for the glory days
• Voiced by Craig T. Nelson

Anger is the short, red, brick-shaped emotion inside Riley’s head, and he might be the funniest of the five. He is one bad moment away from boiling over at all times.

• One of the five core emotions in Pixar’s Inside Out
• A stout red figure in a shirt and tie
• Quick to explode, but means well
• Has a real sense of right and wrong

Iago is the loud red parrot who serves as Jafar’s sidekick in Aladdin. He gets most of the best lines in the movie.

• Jafar’s sarcastic red parrot henchman
• Can mimic human speech with perfect timing
• Steals scenes with nonstop complaining
• Eventually switches sides to help Aladdin

Lightning McQueen is the cocky red race car who learns to slow down in Cars. That glossy red paint job is the whole brand.

• The hotshot rookie racer of the Cars films
• Bright red with lightning-bolt decals and the number 95
• Sponsored by the fictional Rust-eze
• Learns about friendship while stranded in Radiator Springs

Sebastian is the fussy red crab tasked with keeping Ariel out of trouble, a job he is doomed to fail. He is also the best singer in the ocean.

• The red crab and royal court composer in The Little Mermaid
• Constantly stressed about Ariel’s choices
• Leads the show-stopping musical numbers
• Loyal to a fault, even when he is panicking

Mr. Krabs is the money-obsessed red crab who runs the Krusty Krab. He loves a dollar more than just about anything, and it is always good for a laugh.

• Eugene H. Krabs, owner of the Krusty Krab
• A bright red crab driven entirely by profit
• Schemes constantly to save or make a penny
• Soft underneath it all, especially about SpongeBob

Alvin is the troublemaker of the Chipmunks, instantly recognizable by his big red sweater and cap. If something goes wrong, he probably started it.

• The leader of the chipmunk trio
• Always in his red hoodie with a yellow “A”
• Loves the spotlight and rock and roll
• The reason Dave is always yelling “Alvin!”

The Crimson Chin is the comic-book superhero Timmy Turner idolizes on The Fairly OddParents. His superpower is, essentially, his enormous chin.

• Timmy’s favorite red-suited comic-book hero
• Defends the city of Chincinnati from chin-themed villains
• His everyday identity is mild writer Chuck Indigo
• A loving parody of Superman

Dr. Zoidberg is the broke, clueless lobster-alien doctor on Futurama. He is barely employed, deeply unlucky, and weirdly lovable.

• A red, crab-like alien doctor in Futurama
• Technically the Planet Express staff physician
• Almost always broke and misunderstood
• Endlessly cheerful despite it all

Spider-Man’s suit is half the reason he is on this list, that iconic red and blue is unmistakable. He has headlined cartoons for decades.

• Marvel’s web-slinger, a fixture of Saturday morning TV
• The red-and-blue webbed suit is one of comics’ best
• Animated as far back as the 1967 series
• The 1990s series is the one a lot of us grew up on

Always There Bear is one of the red members of the Care Bears, defined by being dependable above all. He is the friend who shows up.

• A red Care Bear with a caring, steady streak
• Belly badge built around a big red heart
• Quick to help anyone who needs it
• Small, but always reliable

The Flash is the red-suited speedster of the DC universe, fast enough to bend the rules of time. The red and gold costume is pure comic-book energy.

• DC’s fastest hero, a longtime cartoon mainstay
• Wears a sleek red suit with lightning details
• Can run fast enough to cross time itself
• Powered by the Speed Force

Mushu is the tiny red dragon who appoints himself Mulan’s guardian, mostly to win back his own standing. He is the comic engine of the whole film.

• The small red dragon sidekick in Disney’s Mulan
• A demoted family guardian trying to redeem himself
• All bluster, fast talk, and big plans
• Ends up truly helping Mulan save China

Red is the grumpy leader of the Angry Birds, the round red bird with the angry eyebrows. The whole franchise is built on his temper.

• The lead bird of the Angry Birds games and films
• A red, eyebrow-furrowing ball of attitude
• Reluctant hero of the flock
• Quick to anger, slow to trust, but loyal

Hot Stuff is a little red devil from the old Harvey Comics lineup, more mischievous than evil. He is basically a toddler with a pitchfork.

• A small red devil created by Warren Kremer for Harvey Comics
• First appeared in his own comic in 1957
• Wears a diaper and carries a trusty pitchfork
• More of a prankster than a real villain

Mario is maybe the most famous red character of all, the red cap and shirt are recognized just about everywhere. The plumber needs no introduction.

• Nintendo’s mascot and the star of Super Mario Bros
• Defined by his red cap and shirt with the “M”
• Jumps, stomps, and rescues his way through the Mushroom Kingdom
• Brother to the taller, greener Luigi

Knuckles is the red echidna of the Sonic series, all muscle and stubbornness. He starts as Sonic’s rival and becomes one of his best allies.

• The red, dreadlocked echidna from Sonic the Hedgehog
• Strong fists that let him climb and dig
• Can glide through the air
• Tough, serious, and a little gullible

Hellboy is the big red demon who fights for the good guys, and he might be the most badass character on this list. He files his own horns down to blend in.

• A red-skinned demon raised to be a hero
• Summoned as a baby by occultists, then rescued by the Allies
• Works for a bureau that handles supernatural threats
• Created by Mike Mignola for Dark Horse Comics in 1994

Optimus Prime is the noble leader of the Autobots, and across most versions that big rig is painted red and blue. He is the gold standard for a heroic robot.

• The Autobot leader of the Transformers franchise
• Transforms into a red-and-blue semi truck
• All about courage, duty, and protecting others
• The booming voice of reason in every battle

Carmen Sandiego is the master thief in the red coat and red fedora, always one step ahead. That silhouette is one of the most iconic in all of edutainment.

• A globe-trotting master thief in head-to-toe red
• Red trench coat, red fedora, red boots
• Brilliant, mysterious, and never quite caught
• Star of games, books, and a recent Netflix series

A Few Red Cartoon Facts I Like

A handful of extras that did not fit above:

• Clifford is the official mascot of Scholastic, the publisher behind his books.
• Lightning McQueen’s last name honors Glenn McQueen, a Pixar animator who died during the studio’s early years.
• The red monster Gossamer went years without an official name, billed in his early cartoons as just “the monster.”

That is my tour through the best red cartoon characters, from a giant friendly dog to a horn-filing demon. Did I leave off a red favorite of yours? Drop it in the comments.