Could a character as big as Mickey/Bugs, come around?

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BisSee

New member
Mickey Mouse dates back to the late 20s, and Bugs back to about a decade later. Even in 2009, with all the technology and cartoons that have come onto the scene since then, Bugs and Mickey remain the biggest. Do you think that a character could ever be created that would challenge Bugs/Mickey, as biggest of all time?

I mean, is one of the main reason that Bugs/Mickey were so big for so long, the fact that in the early days there was less technology, less competition, etc.? Nowadays, there is so much out there, I don't see how a character could ever come around to challenge these characters for "biggest of all time." Even hugely popular recent characters like Homer Simpson and Spongebob SquarePants, even Scooby-Doo himself...maybe top 10 of all time, but not big enough to topple Bugs/Mickey.

Could it happen, or is it impossible at this point?
 
I think it's impossible, during this time, mostly for one reason: Mickey and Bugs are both logo's for their specific companies. Mickey's ears can be seen on anything remotely affiliated with Disney, and Bugs is still in the Warner Bros. logo, eating a carrot. Although their popularity as characters certainly helped, it's their popularity as Icons that made them famous; Mario can make a similar claim for his popularity.
 
Bugs and Mickey are in their own league. There will be some that are definitely going to be huge classics like Spongebob. It will probably touch Scooby's level, but I don't think any cartoon will even come close to those two. After all, if other classics never beat them it's extremely unlikely that newer cartoons will be able too.
 
Spongebob's only been around a decade; Let's see if he has the staying power to last another 20 + years or more to stay fresh in people's minds, or if he joins the Rugrats and Doug in Nick obscurity.
 
The only way to know for certain is to check back in 10, 20 years time and see which characters from this era are still on peoples' lips.

Of course, even a character who achieves a phenomenal level of popularity still has a long way to go before they can challenge Mickey or Bugs. By this time, those two are in a league of their own.
 
I thought that was Doraemon.

lrg-576-doraemon-anime-cat-japan.jpg
 
At one point, possibly.

Nowadays, all I see is "Pikachu" this and "Pikachu" that. Heck, he's so famous, that there's a protein named after him.
 
Actually both Astro Boy and Doraemon are popular characters in Japan that are in a league of their own, just like Mickey and Bugs. Though Mickey's a higher ranking character since he's more universally recognizeable than Bugs.
 
Japan's Spongebob, maybe, but Astro Boy's Japan's Mickey Mouse. Doremon is Japan's Simpsons.

Spongebob Squarepants is this generation's Scooby-Doo, attracting college-aged viewers just as much as kids. There's a reason the show has been around for over a decade.

I doubt there will be any character will be as universally accepted and popular as Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. Of course, other countries will differ and will have their zeniths in the medium.

Pity many folks this side of the Atlantic are unfamiliar with Asterix and Marsupilami.
 
Eh, was just stating some comparisons I've read online from Japanese culture experts :sweat:

The star of Japan's longest-running anime series.
 
I'm guessing a cat given the whiskers and the bell.

But back to the topic, it's possible for a character like Spongebob to reach some comparable height to Mickey and Bugs. However, it'll take some time.
 
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