Cartoons have always played with our imaginations over the years, allowing us to see the unbelievable and question the unimaginable. While the idea of talking and walking animals might have seemed silly when cartoons got their start, picturing an anthropomorphic cat or a workaholic bunny fitting into normal societal standards doesn’t seem so ridiculous as these fictional characters are written so well and they are often times just as relatable as their animated human counterparts.
Over the years, we’ve seen more and more cartoons featuring animals with humanlike qualities. With the digital trend of computer animated films only gaining popularity with films from Pixar and DreamWorks, the film genre of talking creatures doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. It’s not even just animals that get this treatment as almost anything could get the animated humanlike treatment whether it be talking toys (Yes!) or digital emojis (Groan).
Cartoons over the years have painted what feel like realistic depictions of these nonhuman characters over the years, allowing us to sympathize and strangely relate to a lion trying to gain his kingdom back or a homeless mutt trying to get the girl, almost to a point where we could easily imagine them as being human. And what if they were? Would their stories not be just as worthy to tell? While animated animals might appeal more toward kids, these drawings remind us that plenty of cartoon characters might work just as well being human. Besides, who hasn’t imagined their favorite furry characters as human?
25 These Two Might Make A Good Item
Arthur and Francine are both pretty young to ever really consider dating from the show Arthur, but I know I can’t be the only one who can’t help but think that Arthur and Francine are going to get together in their later years.
They’re pretty much an even more kid friendly version of Arnold and Helga from Hey Arnold.
Sure, Francine can have a pretty decent mean streak against Arthur as she is constantly teasing him (though never to the extent that Helga did to Arnold), but I can only imagine that Francine’s teasing came from a place of love. And hey, if they do happen to date, these human versions of them don’t have to worry about interspecies dating. An aardvark and a monkey certainly would look strange together holding hands.
Art by InCaseYouArt.
24 A Human Spy Might Be More Believable
I don’t think we’ll ever truly know why Major Monogram hired animals to work as spies during the run of Phineas and Ferb, but we’re not mad that he did. Hiring all animals gave us one of the most adorable (and of course hardcore) characters in recent animation history. Even though Perry the Platypus is more than capable in his animal form, we can’t help but think he’d be an even better secret agent if he had more human qualities. This human version of him might not fit the tone of the show as it is a more anime style, but even with the obvious tale sticking out from behind him, the colors of his clothes, the orange tie, and the hat make it more than obvious that this platypus has gone human.
Art by Chibi-Mieko-Sama.
23 These Bros Have No Worries
Growing up, I usually thought that animals had it so easy. They didn’t have to worry about school, dating, growing up, getting a career… they just kind of lived in freedom. So I can understand why “Hakuna Matata” was their motto. Then of course, watching The Lion King turned that idea on its head and showed me the true stresses of growing up in the animal kingdom. Simba might have gotten off easier being human, however.
Telling by this picture, human Simba and his bros definitely have no worries.
The whole crew looks great in human form and most of the detail is very subtle without going overboard on just making the clothes match the characters skin. Although with the way Timon is standing, you can tell that’s the famous prairie dog in human form any day.
Art by Chacckco.
22 This Hairstyle Would Take Forever…
It might not be too surprising that there is actually a plethora of human versions of Rainbow Dash fan art on the web among all the other characters from My Little Pony. Besides, the show kind of became a phenomenon with its fans and has an extreme cult following. Heck, we wouldn’t even be surprised seeing cosplays matching up to the picture in this fan art. It certainly works, though. Just by putting on a blue tank top, dying her hair in rainbow streaks and showing off her signature tattoo, there is no doubt that this is a human Rainbow Dash in the flesh. That hairstyle would be an absolute nightmare to maintain, however. Who has the time to dye their hair in that many layers and keep up with it?
Art by Ann4rt.
21 Not So Scary Anymore
So here is a human version of some popular cartoon characters that probably wouldn’t work too well stepping away from the source material. Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan, or Sully, are known for being “terrifying” monsters in the Pixar film Monsters, Inc. Because their city of Monstropolis is powered by the screams of children and they get those screams by scaring little kids, they might want to think twice before going human. These guys look like they are more ready for a varsity football game than terrorizing little kids. The two look great as humans though and it looks like they are gearing up for another day at school at Monster University. They’ve definitely got their work cut out for them though because they will probably have trouble scraping by with those handsome looks.
Art by Sounf.
20 He Still Makes A Monkey Out Of Himself
Oh, Mojo Jojo. Rarely is there a villain who is constantly so easily foiled, but what can you expect with the likes of the Powerpuff Girls? Afterall they do have crazy speed, super strength… and they play with dolls.
It certainly is embarrassing always being thwarted by three little girls.
They seem to always make a monkey out of Mojo Jojo, so perhaps he’d be better off in human form? Sure, monkeys are pretty intelligent beings, but maybe Mojo Jojo would be less prone to getting his butt kicked if the girls could sympathize that he is a human. Hopefully, he has still got that giant brain of his under that hat. Then again, that brain never really did him too much good to begin with.
Art by W-i-s-s-l-e-r.
19 A Little Role Reversal
We’ve definitely got quite the swap going on in this picture! Even though this list is focusing more on animal cartoon characters turned into human, we can’t help but love what the artist did in this fan art piece for The Jungle Book. Not only did he swap the characters of Baloo and Bagheera into human form, but he went as far as to turn Mowgli into one of the little wolves from the Seeonee pack.
And despite all these changes, we can’t help but think that the story would work just as well.
Why not have Baloo and Bagheera help out a little Mowgli pup while they are in human form? Baloo has always been a mentor as it is, so he’d do just as fine raising this version of Mowgli as well.
Art by Pugletz.
18 This Would Make A Pretty Good Cosplay
We really can’t talk about a “furry” list of cartoon characters without taking a look at the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Afterall, the video games, comics, and the animated series alike spawned an entire internet fan base of furry loving fan art and fan fiction, so it is no wonder Sonic is on this list. The outfit design for this human version of Sonic is absolutely incredible though and feels pretty realistic. The red shoes and white gloves were a good starting point, but the gold rings dangling from his shorts are an extremely nice touch. This would actually make for some pretty great cosplay. That hair would be a nightmare to pull off though, but it definitely conveys a Sonic vibe with its length and spikey style.
Art by Arvalis.
17 Their Future Looks Bright
It looks like we might need to change Jake the Dog’s name to Jake the Human after this piece of fan art. What’s so great about this piece of work is how closely it actually resembles the art style of the show Adventure Time, especially since many other pieces on this list usually go in a completely different style.
We could easily see the show depicting Jake and Lady Rainicorn in this style in an alternate reality.
Besides, the two of them both being human would certainly have its own set of advantages. We can only wonder if Jake still has his shapeshifting abilities in human form, even though it certainly would look strange. Maybe Lady Rainicorn speaks English now as well, not that the language barrier has ever been an obstacle between the two love birds before.
Art by Dettsu.
16 Still Donning The Sailor Suit
Donald Duck is definitely one of the more iconic cartoon characters on this list, joining the ranks of Mickey and Goofy of course as he is one of the original Disney characters. Donald’s sailor outfit was always a bit of a strange choice for his costume as he wasn’t originally conceived as a sailor, though Walt Disney claims it was given to him due to both the Navy and a duck’s relation with water. Strangely enough, Donald did join the Navy originally in the show DuckTales, which is why his three kids were left under Scrooge McDuck’s care. While I’m more than willing to give a cartoon duck wearing a sailor suit a pass, it certainly would be strange seeing a human version of Donald wearing the suit without actually being a sailor.
Art by Ninfidel.
15 Imitation Is The Best Form Of Flattery
This is certainly an interesting take on everyone’s favorite Pokémon critter. Even though Pikachu is technically a video game character, you really can’t ignore the creature’s widespread success through the anime series and just simply for being the franchises head mascot.
He might be the only other mouse to give Mickey a run for his money.
This human variation certainly is different, however, not only placing the popular electric rodent as a female character but also dressing her up in a somewhat medieval and fantasy themed robe. Of course, the picture also includes another Pokémon much newer to the franchise. Mimikyu definitely isn’t as popular as Pikachu, but she naturally aspires to be. Besides, everyone knows that imitation is the best form of flattery, even if she falls a few inches short.
Art by Dav-19.
14 Hopefully They Don’t Live Underwater Anymore
SpongeBob Squarepants is one of the longest running animated shows in history and has certainly had the longest run out of the Nicktoon brand. With about two decades worth of seasons, a few movies under its belt, and now even a Broadway show (I seriously never thought I’d see the day), there’s no denying that SpongeBob will forever be remembered as one of the most important cartoon characters ever. I’m not totally convinced a human version of the cast would really work however as you’d kind of have to disregard that whole “under the sea” premise.” While I generally assume SpongeBob and friends were all adults, it is actually kind of easy to imagine him, Patrick, and Sandy as a bunch of wild kids making a much older Squidward’s life a living heck.
Art by Limey404.
13 He’s Still Man’s Best Friend
This piece of fan art comes from a web series called “Disney University” where all of the iconic Disney characters are re-imagined as college going students. While they usually maintain the same art style as their film counterparts, the more interesting pictures come from turning popular animal characters into humans.
He might not seem recognizable at first, yet the bolt on his neck is a sure give away.
Bolt released about a decade ago about an action movie dog who actually thinks his movie adventures are real. This is certainly a more down to earth (and grown up) version of the adorable pup. It is great how the artist decided to place a few other popular Disney dogs by his side as well. Now that he’s a man, he’s going to need a best friend.
Art by Hyung86.
12 Not Mutant, Just Ninjas
It is amazing that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have stayed as popular as they have with children over the past few decades. Growing up with the green machines myself, it makes me happy that new generations are able to enjoy this awesome quartet. While the idea of the four ninjas being mutant turtles as well has its appeal and a certain make believe quality to it, this picture makes me think that the show would be equally as fun if they were all humans as well. Give them each their staple personalities and continue on with their teenage hijinks and it would certainly work. The twist? Rather than having to keep in the shadows, they have to deal with the struggles of high school as well. These teenage ninjas would definitely work for a compelling spinoff series.
Art by 2-LettDodd.
11 Strangely, She Almost Looks The Same
Gadget Hackwrench from Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers is sort of an odd choice to put on this list because she actually looks pretty human in the show to begin with. Sure, she has the typical mouse tail, big circular ears, and tiny nose, but otherwise her bodily features pretty much resemble a human’s. Because of that, the internet really hasn’t been a stranger to creating overly sultry fan art pieces of this character to a somewhat creepy extent.
It is nice to see that some of the fan art community is willing to put out a more modest version of this awesome character.
She looks pretty similar to her mouse counterpart, but has ditched the tail and ears for more humanlike qualities. Strangely, she also got rid of her traditional jumpsuit and stole fashion advice from both Chip and Dale with Dale’s Hawaiian shirt and Dale’s hat.
10 I’m Sure They Still Get On Each Other’s Nerves
Loony Tunes is arguably one of the most iconic cartoon franchises in existence, possibly only being beaten by the head mouse of the Disney Corporation. Yet Warner Bros. managed to make a cast of memorable and hilarious cartoon characters decades before cartoons really found their footing and they have stayed popular even with children today. While Loony Tunes has quite the eclectic cast, none are quite as popular as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.
Even though the two certainly bicker with one another, they are still an awesome team.
These human versions of them are actually represented in the same art style as the show and it looks great on them. Though I never would have really pegged Bugs as a smoker, but I guess he had to substitute his carrot vice with another one.
Art by Radish-Slippers.
9 Bright Eyes For A Bright Future
Oh, Zootopia. You were such a clever movie. Disguised as a children’s film, the movie had so many underlying themes under its furry exterior relating to bigotry, facing stereotypes, and equality which is something that modern day society still struggles with today. Zootopia is a film about all animals living together in harmony, which is exactly what we try to do in society today. This film’s plot could have been done just as easily with human characters (although we might have to forego that iconic sloth scene) and it is not hard to imagine Judy Hopps as an unintimidating human cop still trying to do her best. This human variation looks pretty on point too, maintaining her small stature and bright eyes. Her holding the carrot as a pen and having a bunny tail were a nice touch as well.
Art by Miova.
8 She’s Still Going For That Tramp
Lady and the Tramp is a love story that can almost work just as well if it were to star a human cast rather than an animal one. Yet then again, if this kind of love story were to feature humans rather than a bunch of cartoon dogs, kids would probably be groaning at the movie screen.
Besides, everything is more entertaining with cartoon animals.
Still, the film shows the blossoming romance between two pets that are within different social hierarchies and this picture of them in human form certainly does it justice. Both characters are instantly recognizable together whether it is Tramp’s sly grin and poor man’s clothes or Lady with her stylish hair and well groomed demeanor. Knowing Disney these days, a live action version of this tale is already in the works.
Art by S0Alaina.
7 He Still Has Got The Moves
It is hard to believe that it has already been ten years since Kung Fu Panda graced theaters. Not only was the film a huge success with critics and movie goers alike, it also helped to spawn two more sequels which is a rarity for animated films done by DremWorks. Featuring a set of anthropomorphic characters from ancient China, it is not too difficult to imagine these characters in human roles as Kung Fu Panda is another example of a cartoon starring characters of the cuddly variety doing rather human things. Yet here, we have Po and the Furious Five all in human form, shedding their furry skin and dressed in traditional Chinese garbs. It definitely makes more sense at least. I mean, a panda doing kung fu? What will they think of next?
Art by Miaukep.
6 The Whole Gang Is Back
We’ve already taken a look at two of the lead cartoon characters from Looney Tunes with an art style that pretty closely resembles that of the show’s… now why don’t we take a look at a whole bunch more of the classic cartoons in a more realistic style?
It’s one thing to flip animal characters and turn them into human, but this more realistic approach almost makes them unrecognizable.
Thankfully, each of their outfits make it pretty easy to tell which character is which as their clothes tend to match the shades of feathers and fur that are on their animal skins. While most of them are fairly obvious, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner took me a minute. Who ever knew she was a girl?
Art by IsaiahStephens.
