Super Hot Cartoon Characters Who Definitely Made Girls Question Their Sexuality

Cartoon television for children is surprisingly more influential than parents may realize. Some of our earliest experiences with entertainment are often cartoons. The characters we become familiar with as children can even help us start to form opinions about what we find attractive.

School-aged boys everywhere probably count down the seconds until Lola Bunny struts on screen with her signature curvy swagger. What's less obvious for many people is how characters like Lola Bunny also have an impact on countless young girls who are figuring out their personal relationship with sexuality. Here are some of the super hot female cartoon characters that, quite frankly, made even straight girls feel some type of way.

Tinkerbell - "Peter Pan" (1953)

Tinkerbell in front of spools, buttons, and colorful threads, looking down
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures

Tinkerbell from the classic animated film "Peter Pan" is immediately attractive to the audience in her tiny green dress with bouncing blonde hair.

Though she appears delicate and cute at first, Tink's sassy personality is larger than life and she makes no apologies for her individuality. Her fiery attitude and determined heart make her one of the earliest cartoon crushes for a lot of people.

ADVERTISEMENT

Veronica Lodge - "The Archie Show" (1968)

ADVERTISEMENT
Veronica Lodge in comic sketch from Archie comics
Photo Credit: @archiescomics / Instagram
Photo Credit: @archiescomics / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Archie Bunker might just be the luckiest loser on the comic book planet, with two of the hottest (albeit very different) girls constantly competing for his affection.

ADVERTISEMENT

Veronica definitely had that snobby rich girl vibe and she leaned into it. For some reason, it was pretty attractive that Veronica could buy your love, even though she didn't need to. I mean, look at her.

ADVERTISEMENT

Betty Cooper - "The Archie Show" (1968)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Betty Cooper from Archie comics in kitchen baking and multi-tasking
Photo Credit: @archiecomics / Instagram
Photo Credit: @archiecomics / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Betty Cooper embodied the ultimate girl next door crush.

ADVERTISEMENT

She was smart, talented, friendly, and compassionate, limited only by her obsession with Archie. She was super easy to like for all the right reasons and loved a little competition with her best friend Veronica.

ADVERTISEMENT

Daphne Blake - "Scooby-Doo Where Are You!" (1969–1970)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Daphne from Scooby-Doo with hand on chest laughing
Photo Credit: @archivesblake / Instagram
Photo Credit: @archivesblake / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

It's true that some young closeted girls found themselves relating to the quirky, awkwardly styled character of Velma. But when it comes to straight-up attraction, it's hard to pass over Daphne.

ADVERTISEMENT

A quick-thinking redhead, Daphne was always ready to solve a problem. She was a fast runner in high heels and could rock the hell out of her purple dress-and-leggings combo. It's pretty evident why Fred was all heart-eyes for her.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wonder Woman - "Super Friends" (1973–1985)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Wonder Woman in cartoon
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | DC Films
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | DC Films
ADVERTISEMENT

Let's be honest, there were not a lot of female heroes to idolize back in the '70s and '80s. Wonder Woman's appearance in "Super Friends" was so popular that it created a Wonder Woman spin-off show.

ADVERTISEMENT

Importantly, the majority of the women on this list were certainly designed and animated by men, meaning a lot of women with small waists, long hair, and large breasts. Nonetheless, some of those exaggerated physical characteristics helped many young girls realize early signs of attraction to the same sex.

ADVERTISEMENT

Jessica Rabbit - "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (1988)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Jessica Rabbit in
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Touchstone Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Touchstone Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Jessica Rabbit is a lot to unpack. Seriously, can you imagine the weight she's carrying on her chest alone?

ADVERTISEMENT

Her basic instinct is seduction and she knows how powerful she is. Another redhead coming in hot, Jessica Rabbit's voluptuous body combined with her passionate personality made young viewers everywhere do a double-take.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ariel - "The Little Mermaid" (1989)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Ariel and Sebastian and Flounder In
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" was immediately loved for her bubbly and witty personality; she was friendly and relatable and also a little silly.

ADVERTISEMENT

Her seashell bra dropped impressionable jaws worldwide and her long, flowing red hair captivated both Prince Eric and the young boys and girls watching her.

ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Jasmine - "Aladdin" (1992)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Princess Jasmine In
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Princess Jasmine, the gorgeous desert Princess who stole Aladdin's heart, also made a lasting impression on young girls who both wanted to be like her and were strangely attracted to her beauty.

ADVERTISEMENT

Girls can be attracted to Jasmine too, okay? It's a whole new world.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sailor Moon - "Sailor Moon" (1992)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sailor Moon
Photo Credit: @sailormoonloveforever / Instagram
Photo Credit: @sailormoonloveforever / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Sailor Moon was many young girls' first introduction to manga and anime-style cartoons—and her group of crime-fighting bad a** friends did not disappoint.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of course, she was cute, super silly, and relatable, and she was one of the original cat ladies who prioritized her cat bestie over most things. We can totally respect that. Plus, they wore those awesome color-coordinated outfits for crime-fighting.

ADVERTISEMENT

Storm - "X-Men: The Animated Series" (1992–1997)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Storm from X-Men
Photo Credit: @animated.xmen / Instagram
Photo Credit: @animated.xmen / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

While many girls couldn't take their eyes off the shredded abs of Wolverine in the X-Men series, many others couldn't help but stare in amazement when Storm took the screen.

ADVERTISEMENT

Not only could she control the weather, but she took the men and the bad guys in her life head-on and made no apologies. She was confident, intimidating, and giving new life to white hair.

ADVERTISEMENT

Poison Ivy - "Batman: The Animated Series" (1992–1995)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Poison Ivy from
Photo Credit: @dccomics / Instagram
Photo Credit: @dccomics / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Poison Ivy is a villainess who loves to flirt with danger as much as she does with men. She's Batman's sworn enemy but also his complicated lover. Her obsession with plants, botany, and environmentalism did not go unnoticed by many young girls and women who felt an attraction to her kind of earthy, manipulative beauty.

ADVERTISEMENT

She uses powerful potions created with her plants to control people quite easily, although she hardly needs to use any magic to get her way. (P.S. point for team redheads.)

ADVERTISEMENT

Cat Woman - "Batman: The Animated Series" (1992–1995)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Cat Woman from
Photo Credit: YouTube
Photo Credit: YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

The elusive, mysterious Catwoman is cunning and curvy, duh. She's a professional cat burglar and sometimes lover to Batman. We can't help but love a villainess who knows what she wants and capitalizes both on the world of high crime and vigilante justice.

ADVERTISEMENT

She also makes it quite clear that she needs no man, which makes her that much more intriguing.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mary Jane Watson - "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" (1994–1998)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Mary Jane from
Photo Credit: Marvel Database
Photo Credit: Marvel Database
ADVERTISEMENT

There's a reason Peter Parker was completely smitten with Mary Jane, the girl next door to Aunt May and Uncle Ben's place.

ADVERTISEMENT

She was the center of his attraction, but also caught the attention of a lot of teen girls who found themselves equally drawn to the emotional redhead who dazzled everyone she met.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pocahontas - "Pocahontas" (1995)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Pocahontas, Meeko, and Flit
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Pocahontas was a native warrior princess who befriended and eventually fell in love with a white settler named John Smith. John was the euro-white handsome man who was a lot easier on the eyes than some of his fellow colonists.

ADVERTISEMENT

Still, Pocahontas's unique native beauty features like her tan skin, long black hair, and sharp jawline did not go unnoticed by young viewers. She was, in a word, majestic.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lola Bunny - "Space Jam" (1996)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Lola Bunny Space Jam 1996 / SPACE JAM, Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, 1996, (c)Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection
Photo Credit: IndieWire / Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection
Photo Credit: IndieWire / Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection
ADVERTISEMENT

Lola Bunny's personality was a collision between femme fatale and tomboy. She could hang with the boys, but she absolutely knew how sexy she was.

ADVERTISEMENT

She was always no-nonsense, able to flex her peak athletic abilities, and downright seductive. Same, Bugs. Same.

ADVERTISEMENT

Esmeralda - "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame" (1996)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame sitting in a red satin dress with a smirk
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Esmeralda was a classic Romani beauty. She loved vibrant colors, layered jewelry, and was extremely self-expressive. She made no apologies, challenged every oppressor, and was a kind, selfless soul wrapped up in a strikingly beautiful woman.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was exceptionally easy to love Esmeralda and her rebellious ways as she danced in bright dresses and gold bracelets.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mulan - "Mulan" (1998)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Mulan and Mushu
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Mulan was basically the heroic tomboy of teen girls' dreams. She chopped her hair, boldly cross-dressed, and smashed the gender norms that she was confined by.

ADVERTISEMENT

She was a beautiful representation of courage and defiance, rebelling against the social expectations of a young Chinese woman at the time. Mulan was outspoken, loyal, and adorably clumsy. And when she's dressed like a soldier? Swoon.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sedusa - "The Powerpuff Girls" (1998–2005)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Side-by-side images of Sedusa from
Photo Credit: @thepowerpuffgirlsclips / Instagram
Photo Credit: @thepowerpuffgirlsclips / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Fittingly named for her seductive ways, Sedusa was one of the antagonists in "The Powerpuff Girls" series.

ADVERTISEMENT

If we're being honest, she gives off not-so-subtle dominatrix vibes that may have been as effective on teen girls as it was on Professor Utonium in the show. If you happen to have a crazy chick fetish, Sedusa is the disguise-loving villainess for you.

ADVERTISEMENT

Megara (AKA Meg) - "Hercules" (1997)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Meg from
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Meg was not the average Disney woman. Heartbroken from a former lover, she was always a bit cynical, snide, and overly cautious. She's one of the few characters who are completely free-spirited and independent.

ADVERTISEMENT

Meg has a super low opinion of men, which is rare for the doting Disney love interest. She uses her disinterest to her advantage and is able to figure out Hercules's weak spots fairly easily.

ADVERTISEMENT

Turanga Leela - "Futurama" (1999–2013)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Leela from
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Fox Broadcasting Company
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Fox Broadcasting Company
ADVERTISEMENT

If you think it's weird to include a cyclops in this list, you're totally right because this list is super weird to begin with. Nonetheless, Leela from "Futurama" makes the cut for being a certified purple-haired hottie. Voiced by the incredible Katey Sagal, Leela was the no-B.S. captain and pilot on board the Planet Express ship.

ADVERTISEMENT

Young kids were undoubtedly confused by the attraction they felt to the sassy alien woman (if they managed to stay up past their bedtimes to catch an episode).

ADVERTISEMENT

Alex, Sam, And Clover - "Totally Spies!" (2001–2013)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Alex, Sam, and Clover from
Photo Credit: @totallyspieschannel / Instagram
Photo Credit: @totallyspieschannel / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Believe it or not, the "Totally Spie!" girl gang definitely sparked a sexual awakening for some teen girls.

ADVERTISEMENT

The crime-fighting fashionistas had varying personalities so we decided to include all of them. They navigated high school, crushes, and high crime with a valley girl attitude that was quirky and cute.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nani Pelekai - "Lilo & Stitch" (2002)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Nani and Stitch in scene from
Photo Credit: drinkupmehertiesyoho / Tumblr
Photo Credit: drinkupmehertiesyoho / Tumblr
ADVERTISEMENT

The "hot older brother" trope is well-worn in cartoons and pop culture, but Nani Pelekai from "Lilo & Stitch" brought new meaning to the hot older sibling.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nani was the main caretaker for her mischievous younger sister and always managed to look great while doing it. When she wasn't showing off her killer tan and surf moves at the beach, she was wandering around in a breezy summer wardrobe and being cool.

ADVERTISEMENT

Shego - "Kim Possible" (2002–2007)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Shego in
Photo Credit: @disneyshego / Instagram
Photo Credit: @disneyshego / Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT

Of course, Kim was cute and talented. But Shego, she was downright hot and unforgiving.

ADVERTISEMENT

Shego was explosive when angry, but her fierce persona was sometimes limited by her moral compass, despite her "bad guy" reputation. Her sultry strut, green and black suit, and abrasive attitude officially make her a glowing bombshell. Something about a bad girl.

ADVERTISEMENT

Elastigirl - "The Incredibles" (2004)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Elastigirl in a promo photo for
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
Photo Credit: MovieStillsDB | Walt Disney Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Elastigirl is definitely not the first super hot Disney/Pixar mom who teenagers encountered, but she did make a lasting impression on some of them.

ADVERTISEMENT

Her tight red spandex suit and thigh-high boots are only moderately less distracting than the idea that she can wrap her limbs all the way around...well whatever she wants.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nikki Wong - "6teen" (2004–2010)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Nikki Wong from
Photo Credit: auderemadame / Reddit
Photo Credit: auderemadame / Reddit
ADVERTISEMENT

Nikki Wong had an effortlessly cool way about her. She was sarcastic most of the time and had a fairly snarky attitude.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nikki prided herself on being rebellious toward a conforming society and she rocked purple hair and facial piercings long before everyone else jumped on those trends. Nikki never dressed overly feminine, was not a huge romantic, and always kept her no-nonsense attitude which made her 100% crush-worthy.