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'Powerpuff Girls'

'Powerpuff Girls'

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Powerpuff Girls

Powerpuff Girls

Cartoon Network
The Powerpuff Girls premiered on November 18, 1998 on Cartoon Network. The Powerpuff Girls follows the adventures of three super-powered sisters, named Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, who frequently ask to be excused from Pokey Oaks Kindergarten so they can save the world, or more specifically, The City of Townsville. Created accidentally through an experiment by Professor Utonium, the sugar-coated superheroes are united in their life's mission, which typically alternates between delivering justice to all bad guys and playing tag.

Creator and Origin

Whenever you think of The Powerpuff Girls, you probably think of those big, big eyes. The bright color scheme, the pointy appendages and the big eyes come courtesy of creator Craig McCracken.

Craig McCracken, who went on to create another Emmy-winning animated series, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, brought the property to Cartoon Network based on his 1994 student film, The Whoopass Girls, which he produced and directed during his second year studying character animation at California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) in Valencia, California.

"Where Professor Utonium used sugar, spice, everything nice and an accidental dose of Chemical X to create his Girls, we used artists, writers, actors and an intentional dose of creative freedom to create a show, that to my humbled amazement still resonates with audiences a decade later,” said series creator McCracken in a press release from Cartoon Network.

The Powerpuff Girls earned awards during its six season run. In 2000, Art Director Don Shank won the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation "Twisted Sister/Cover Up." In 2001, The Powerpuff Girls won the Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music Score an Animated Television Production for "Meet the Beat Alls." In 2005, Background Key Designer Frederick J. Gardner III won the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for "West In Pieces."

During its run, the carton was honored with four Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour or Less).

The Good Guys (and Girls)

The Powerpuff Girls and the Professor

The Powerpuff Girls and the Professor

Cartoon Network

Blossom is a combination of brains and beauty. Her quick wits have gotten the girls out of many a tight squeeze, though she can be a victim of sibling rivalry.

Cathy Cavadini (Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Ben 10) lends her voice to Blossom.

Bubbles is the picture of innocence with her blond pigtails and happy disposition. She is the most emotional of the Powerpuff Girls. Her big weakness is "stray" animals. She also has the ability to talk to squirrels.

Tara Strong (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends and The Fairly OddParents) is the voice of Bubbles.

Buttercup likes to strike first and ask questions later. Her fearlessness makes her the most courageous of the Powerpuff Girls. Her brave attitude, however, sometimes pushes her to rush into a crisis, then depend on her sisters to save the day.

E.G. Daily (Rugrats and Pee-wee's Big Adventure) is best known as the voice of Buttercup in The Powerpuff Girls.

Professor Utonium is a genetic engineer and the creator/father of the Powerpuff Girls. He tries to raise his girls properly, in spite of their world-saving activities, and he's always there with fatherly advice when emotions get the best of the girls. He cooks a mean chili.

Tom Kane (Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Wolverine and the X-Men) lends his voice to Professor Utonium.

The Mayor is a lovable but dimwitted city official is only good at cutting ribbons and calling the Powerpuff Girls to save the day. Plus, he loves pickles.

Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) is the voice of The Mayor, as well as The Narrator.

The Bad Guys

Mojo Jojo used to be Jojo, Professor Utonium's trusted assistant. During the explosion that created the Powerpuff Girls, Jojo was doused in chemicals that warped his brain and turned him into Mojo Jojo, one of the most sinister of criminals. However, it was sibling rivalry that drove Jojo to madness. Infuriated at being relegated to "second place" behind the girls, Jojo transformed into Mojo Jojo and devoted his life to crime and the destruction of his half-sisters.

Fuzzy Lumpkins is much like a bull who sees red. Whenever he encounters the Powerpuff Girls, he is blinded by the compulsion to charge at them with unstoppable furry. Portrayed has a hick with a shotgun, Fuzzy is always guarding "his prop-er-tay."

Him is the embodiment of evil. Him has the power to warp space and time, which makes the twisted situations he creates much more difficult for the Powerpuff Girls to overcome.

The Amoeba Boys are wannabe criminals who are in awe of Fuzzy Lumpkins and Mojo Jojo. The Powerpuff Girls think the Amoeba Boys are cute and commend them for trying, but must remind them that ripping the tags off mattresses isn't really a crime.

The Gangreen Gang are no-good hoodlums named Ace, Arturo, Big Billy, Snake and Grubber. Crank calls, graffiti and vandalism are their crimes of choice.

Princess Morbucks, a spoiled little rich girl, can't buy the one thing she really wants: to be a Powerpuff Girl.

The Rowdyruff Boys are created by Mojo Jojo as the ultimate weapons against the Powerpuff Girls.

My Two Cents

Mojo Jojo

Mojo Jojo

Cartoon Network

The Powerpuff Girls is one of those rare cartoons that draws audiences from children and adults alike. Some jokes, such as the entire episode devoted to the "Beat-alls," are parodies that appeal to grown-ups, but are still silly enough and packed with enough action to amuse kids.

The characters are inventive and hilarious, with much of the show focusing on the unique villains of the series. Mojo Jojo has a redundant way of speaking; Him is devilish with a dash of epicene, and The Gangreen Gang boys each have their own accents and personality.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

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