RJ Writing Ink

Top Ten Animated Characters You’d Want As a Best Friend

Before we begin, I would like to give a shoutout to Karandi from 100 Word Anime for giving me the inspiration to write this.

Admit it, at some point in your life you saw a character in a cartoon and you thought “Wow. I wish they were real so they could be my best friend.” Having spent much of my life watching good cartoons, I’ve seen tons of characters that make for awesome friends. They can be the characters who make you laugh from their antics, or put stars in your eyes from being so cool. I’m Roderick Jay Fritz, and these are my picks for the ten animated character’s you’d want as your best friend.

For this list, I will be including characters from animations regardless of who made them. That means that anyone from western animation and anime is open for this. No CGI characters, though.

Ed, Ed Edd n’ Eddy

He’s big, he’s yellow, and he’s the glue that holds his friends together; his name is Ed. As part of the titular trio, Ed’s a good-natured guy who will do anything for his friends. Too bad he’s not very smart, though; whenever his friends come up with a plan, they pick him to do the heavy-lifting. Ed never seems to mind though, and considering he’s strong enough to lift a house, it’s not much of a problem.

When I saw Ed on tv as a kid, I thought that he was the funniest person I had ever seen. I even considered him my spirit animal for a while, until my parents tried to make me stop watching the show. Constantly spouting out non-sequitours and obscure sci-fi references, Ed’s the goofball that you can’t help but love. While his hygiene’s non-existent and his stupidity may get on people’s nerves at times, I can’t help but love the big guy. Plus, since we both love comics and sci-fi stories, I could spend hours enjoying the subjects with him!

Genie, Aladdin Franchise

How many people do you know that have a song about how awesome a friend they’d be? One of the main characters from Disney’s Aladdin franchise, Genie’s one of Aladdin’s closest friends and the source of much of the humor in the film and its tv follow-up. While his cosmic powers are amazing to behold, what makes him so endearing is his compassion and willingness to help others out.

Having a friend who can do the things Genie can is awesome, but that’s not why I want him as a best friend. It’s because much of his personality stems from the man who first portrayed him, the late Robin Williams. Williams brought Genie to life with manic improv and impressions, but kept audiences glued with his sincerity and kindness. Others have played Genie since Robin, but his personality remains the same: a big-hearted goofball who can be anyone’s friend. It’s just like the song say: we ain’t never had like him.

Monkey D. Luffy, One Piece

The hero of the hit One Piece franchise, Monkey D. Luffy’s one of the most fearless people a person could ever meet. With a body that stretches like rubber and a boundless thirst for adventure, Luffy’s goal in life is to become King of the Pirates. As Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, he’s well on his way, too. His true power, though, is his infectious charisma and childlike charm, winning him friends almost everywhere he goes; even in the marines that are hunting him.

Another idol from my childhood, I loved watching Luffy’s adventures on TV; to my shame, it was the 4Kids dub of One Piece. While his fearlessness and sense of adventure are both great qualities, the reason that I’d want him as a best friend is for his loyalty. Once he calls you a friend, no matter how long he’s known you, then you’ret his friend. Time and again, Luffy’s been willing to go through hell to help the people he cares about. He’s even gone so far as declare war on the World Government to get a friend back. No matter who stands in his way, Luffy will fight past it to protect those he loves, and he almost always manages to win.

Mordecai and Rigby, Regular Show

I know this is cheating, but you can’t have one of these two without the other. An anthropomorphic blue jay and racoon, Mordecai and Rigby are the embodiments of “brother from another mother”. Lifelong best friends, these cool dudes live and work at a park; that’s what they’re supposed to do, at least. In reality, they spend most of their time slacking off, coming up with sweet songs, or getting caught in surreal misadventures.

As a 20 something young man who loves sitting around and playing video games, I can relate a lot to Mordecai and Rigby. We’re all at that age where we want to enjoy our lives to the fullest, and Mordecai and Rigby do so every day. Even if they didn’t get into all sorts of crazy adventures, they’re still two of the coolest guys I’ve seen on TV, and I’d hang with them in a heartbeat. Plus, I’m a huge fan of their crazy songs.

Rainbow Dash, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It was a tough choice between her and Pinkie Pie, but I had to go with Rainbow Dash. Ponyville’s resident athlete and daredevil, Rainbow lives for adventure and thrills. She’s the fastest in the world, able to reach speeds that exceed the sound barrier, and a member of the prestigious acrobatics team the Wonderbolts. Don’t let her competitive and brash demeanor fool you, though. She represents the element of loyalty, and won’t hesitate to help her friends when they need it.

I never thought much of My Little Pony until the current iteration. Then I saw Rainbow Dash beat the snot out of Starscream on the web show Death Battle, and I realized they’re awesome, especially Rainbow Dash. She’s the kind of friend that would feel at home joking around or on some high-flying adventure. She may get brash and cocky at times, but her loyalty to her friends means she learns her lesson in the end. If I had to pick anyone in the group to be my best friend, I’d go with Rainbow Dash.

Star Butterfly, Star vs. The Forces of Evil

Mix Mabel from Gravity Falls with Usagi Tsukino from Sailor Moon, add a dash of Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and you get Star Butterfly. In her own words, she’s a “magical princess from another dimension!” Sent to Earth to learn how to use her family’s magic wand, Star’s like a living sugar rush, always looking to have fun. Since she can travel the multiverse and fights the forces of evil on a daily basis, she has a lot of fun!

Star Butterfly’s the living personification of fun, able to make people smile just by showing up. Even without magic, she’s the super awesome girl that everyone wants to be friends with. As we see with her close friends, she manages to bring out the best in them and help them grow as people (i.e. Marco). While she starts out as hyperactive and reckless, by the end of the show, Star’s pretty much an example of what it means to be responsible while still knowing how to have fun. While it may seem a little extreme to do so, the fact that she willingly destroyed the source of all magic, something she loved using, so people wouldn’t abuse it anymore, shows how far she’s come. While we may have to wait until a potential sequel to see the official, canon consequences of this, fans can be happy knowing that she can spend the rest of her life going on adventures with her best friend/boyfriend, Marco.

Spongebob Squarepants, Spongebob Squarepants

Absorbent, yellow, and porous is he, and we all love him for it. Spongebob Squarepants stands among cartoon icons like Mickey Mouse, Popeye, and Bugs Bunny. Making generations of kids laugh, this happy-go-lucky sponge spends his time flipping Krabby Patties at his job, hanging out with his friends, or just being a virtual embodiment of optimism. With his infectious laughter and smile, it’s no wonder kids have loved him for twenty years and going.

As a kid growing up, Spongebob was one of my childhood heroes. I admired the way that he always saw the good in the world over the bad, and gets the most out of life as a result. I admit, sometimes his naivete and obliviousness to how annoying he can get makes me wanna throttle him. Most of the time, though, I spent my childhood wishing he was real so he could be my best friend. Looking back, I still want him as a best friend.

Team Four Star Nappa, Dragon Ball Z Abridged

Team Four Star took a one-dimensional brute like Nappa and turned him into the breakout character of Dragon Ball Z Abridged. Their version of Nappa’s essentially an idiotic man-child with the ability to blow up the planet, yet is more interested in playing pattycake and Pokemon. The character proved so funny that TFS chose to ignore his canon death. After spending time as a ghost haunting Vegeta, Nappa came back for real, moved to Hollywood, and became a major film producer. He continues to make cameos in various Team Four Star media to this day.

My reasoning behind wanting the Abridged Nappa as a best friend can be summed up with this quote:

I am hilarious and you will quote everything I say.

I can’t remember the last time that I laughed as hard as I did when I first saw Abridged Nappa. From treating his fight with Goku’s friends like a game of tag to driving Vegeta insane with his antics, this guy’s a barrel of laughs. I’d love to hang out with him an play video games any time, if he wasn’t so busy doing it with Vegeta.

Wander, Wander Over Yonder

An orange, furry creature of undetermined origins, Wander is friendliness personified. Optimistic and lovable, Wander’s only goal in life is to help anyone who needs it. With his best friend Sylvia, he travels across the galaxy to see new worlds, make new friends, and spread joy to all. Much to the annoyance of Lord Hater, who can’t stand his upbeat attitude.

I admit, Wander’s insistence on trying to befriend everyone, no matter how bad they are, can be annoying at times. That said, it attests to the fact that Wander wants to help everyone he meets be happy, even if it means putting himself in danger. If we had more people in this world as kind and selfless as Wander, then it would be a much better place. Plus, with Wander as a best friend, I could travel the galaxy and see all sorts of amazing things.

Thanks again, Karandi. I also just realized that I forgot to include Hestia. My bad.

This is why I am such a big fan of Star and Marco. They bring out the best in each other, make each other want to be better people. They’re the best of friends and nothing can tear them apart, and falling in love with your best friend is one of the best things that can a person can experience. It’s the kind of romantic relationship that I want to have in my life someday.

Star vs. The Forces of Evil, “Cleaved” Series Finale Review

After four years of fun and weirdness, it’s over. Star vs. The Forces of Evil, one of the best cartoons of the decade, has ended its run on TV. Unless Daron Nefcy decides to make a movie, but more on that later.

I mentioned this in my review of the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones that I was now looking forward to the finale to Star more than Game of Thrones. After watching the finale on DisneyNow an hour before it ever came on TV, I think I was right to do so. I cannot remember the last time the finale to a cartoon has made me cry so much!

A Fateful Decision

After being backed into a corner by Mina’s army of Solarian warriors, Star realizes that there’s only one choice she can make to save Mewni from being destroyed: she has to destroy magic itself.

While I fear that her decision could have far-reaching consequences, it shows how much she’s grown. Whereas the hyperactive cuckoolander we first met would have balked at this plan, Star’s grown wise enough to realize that the level of power magic gives is too dangerous. Even Hekapoo supports her decision, even knowing that she, Glossaryck and the rest of the Commission will die.

And she won’t do it alone. Marco joins her for the most important mission of their lives as they head towards their destiny.

In a rather clever turn of events, the finale also shows us the real reason why Glossaryck eats pudding so much: it helps people keep their minds in the Realm of Magic. That is genius! But Star’s plan isn’t as simple as she hoped. Try though she might to use the Whispering Spell to destroy the magic, there’s just too much of it.

Meanwhile, Marco tries to fight off the corrupted Unicorns and a corrupted Tom using his karate and the wand. Yes, he’s using the Royal Wand again, which is a cool concept. Sadly, it doesn’t really do anything, as Marco’s not as good at magic as Star is. Luckily, he snaps Tom back to normal despite getting hurt pretty bad.

Our Powers Combined

At that moment, Eclipsa, Moon, and Meteora all show up after deciding that Star was right. And then the past wielders of the Wand show up and help. It may be a little fanservice-y, but it was a nice touch to see the past Butterflys show their support. Even Solaria, the one who created Mina, helps her daugther, and looks at her granddaughter with pride. When Mina tries to interfere, Solaria looks at her in disgust and shame.

“With or Without Magic…We Belong Together”

Together, they manage to destroy the magic, and the realm begins to crumble. Tragically, when Marco asks how he and Star plan to see each other, he realizes that they can’t. Star tries going back to Mewni, but the idea of a life without Marco is something she can’t deal with. She chooses to leave her home behind to be with her best friend and true love.

Turns out, Marco had the same idea, and both of them remain stranded as the Realm of Magic crumbles around them. They don’t care, though. Magic may have brought them together, but with or without it, they know their place in the universe is with each other.

A World Without Magic

And in one final flash of light, it’s over. Magic is gone from the universe, with the Magic High Commission and Glossaryck along with it. Marco, Jelly, and that eagle guy are sent back to their worlds. But without magic, the Solarian warriors return to normal, and Mina’s victims will live.

Even Mina survives, and despite Moon trying one last time to help her, she refuses her help and runs into the woods. I don’t feel bad for her: even after seeing Solaria disapprove of her actions, she won’t let her racist views go.

One Last Spell

The age of magic is over, but just as it looks like Star and Marco will be separated forever, one last act of magic plays out. I don’t know if it was because the Realm of Magic was responding to their statement that, magic or no, they belong together. Or maybe it was that old trope of “magic being born from love” being in play; or both. Whatever the reason, a portal appears on Earth and Mewni, and Star and Marco rush to it as fast they can, only for it to explode.

Two Friends, One World

When the dust settles, something truly amazing has happened. The last bit of magic cleaved Earth, Mewni, and possibly every other dimension into one. Where there was once many worlds, there’s now one incredible one.

None of that matters to Star and Marco, though. The only thing that does matter is the sight of each other right in front of them. Against all odds, they found a way to always be together. The two lovers walk up to each other, too overjoyed to say more than a “hey” and “hi”.

And as the credits roll and pan out to the otherworldly sky that makes up their one world, they probably leapt in each other’s arms, laughed and cried, and then kissed like it was no tomorrow.

Can’t Stop Crying

Everytime I try and watch those last few seconds, my eyes won’t stop tearing up. It’s just so beautfiul. The incredible background, and the joyful music make me start tearing up from happiness . If you read my post on Star and Marco’s relationship, then you’ll know that I think that Star and Marco’s friendship has been a central part of it. They have one of the strongest relationships that I have seen in fiction; their love was strong enough to cleave their two world’s together into one.

When I saw that “Cleaved” was only going to be half an hour, I was worried that it would end being a rushed ending like the final season of Samurai Jack. But I was wrong. While it was the final episode, it was part of nine-episode arc that, in a way, could be considered a movie finale. Some fans consider it to be rushed, and while I wish the fight in the Realm of Magic went on longer, I disagree as a whole. “Cleaved” left me feeling emotionally satisfied with the ending, and it managed to come back to the core aspect of the show: Star and Marco.

This Isn’t the End

But for those not satisified with the finale, something tells me this isn’t the last we’ll see of Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Magic may be gone, but now Star and Marco have a whole new world to live in, and new problems to face as Earth and Mewni learn to live together. There’s plenty of potential for a sequel in the form of comics, a movie, or another TV show! Daron Nefcy has even said that she’d be happy to come back to Star and Marco in the future, so there’s still hope.

In short, I loved the finale. It managed to wrap up the final arc of the show, ensured that our heroes got their happy ending, and was open-ended enough to allow for more adventures to be told. This may be goodbye for now, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of Star and Marco.

I give “Cleaved” A 5/5. Incredible ending to one of the best cartoons of the decade.

Click here to read my review of the final episode of Game of Thrones

Why I think Starco is one of the best couples in fiction

Four years ago, Disney XD premiered a quirky new show about a magical, trouble-prone princess called Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Drawing influence from the Japanese anime series creator Daron Nefcy loved as a kid, the show was a massive hit with viewers. People had already been making fan art months before it even premiered, and it became Disney XD’s flagship show. By the second season, I was a solid fan of the show, and I consider it one of the best cartoons of the decade.

Tomorrow morning, this hit show about a magic-wielding princess will air its final episode on Disney Channel. Before that happens, I wanted to reflect on one of the show’s best aspects: the relationship between its main characters, Star and Marco, and how they went from being best friends into one of the best romantic pairings I have ever seen in fiction.

Their Friendship

The first episode established Star and Marco’s characters pretty well. Star’s upbeat and has a childish enthuisaism who tries (and often does) making friends with everyone. She’s also impulsive and prone to breaking things, which is why her parents send her to Earth to learn how to use her magic. In contrast, Marco’s an insecure boy who, paradoxically, wants more excitement in his life yet is too afraid to step outside his comfort zone. So when he’s given the task of being Star’s guide on Earth, he doesn’t take well to it at first.

Despite Star turning his life upside down, it doesn’t take long for Marco to become Star’s best friend. Together, they go on amazing adventures through different dimensions, battling monsters and getting in and out of trouble, and having each other’s backs no matter what.

On Star’s part, while she seems energetic and happy-go-lucky, deep down, she struggles with the pressure that comes with being a princess. It is part of the reason why she hates following the rules and acts recklessly. In Marco, she finds someone who is willing to let her be herself without any judgement. Just as important, he keeps Star grounded, and helps her learn that just because she can do something does not mean she always should.

Conversely, Star’s free-spirited and adventurous ways help Marco to do things he never would have otherwise. As the series progresses, Star’s influence sparks a noticeable boost in his confidence. On a subtler level, he also learns that sometimes following the rules in life isn’t always best, and that you need to take risks in life to be happy.

Star and Marco bring out the best possible versions of themselves, helping each other grow as people. It gets to the point where Star shows she knows Marco better than his own parents, and Marco can say the same about Star.

Just as important is the fact that when one of them gets hurt or in danger, the other will go to the ends of the universe to help them out. And unlike some other partners, Marco has the martial arts skills to back that up.

When Marco got kidnapped by monsters in the Season One finale, Star was so furious that she dropped her normal, battle-loving demeanor and went into a calm, no-nonense rage.

When everyone thought that Star was dead, Marco punched the one responsible that it left a hole the guy’s chest. He was ready to kill someone; that’s not something you do lightly!

Star and Marco’s friendship is as strong as any I’ve ever seen in fiction, and it’s half the reason why I like them as a couple.

Their Romance

Before the show even started, fans were already shipping Star and Marco as an item, and it only got stronger as the series went on. Disney and Daron even encouraged this by teasing the fans as early as the first season. They not only acknowledged the term “Starco” to describe their relationship, but even worked it into the show.

Then they put this into the teaser for Season Two, and the fans went nuts:

I’ve seen ships in fandom’s before, but Starco has stood out to me as different from most others. Most romantic pairings in fiction have two people realize their feelings, and then realize that the other person feels the same, and then they become a couple. In comparison, what makes Starco special is how realistic it portrays itself.

Starco is not as simple as “Point A to Point B”. It is complicated by many events, some of which are beyond their control. For starters, they start out the show with crushes on different people entirely. Marco had a crush on classmate and skater girl Jackie Lynn Thomas, while Star falls for this wannabe musician.

Star encourages Marco to tell Jackie how he feels, but just as they start dating, she realizes she developed a crush on Marco. She tries keeping it a secret for Marco’s sake, only for a songstrel to reveal not only in front of Marco, but all of Mewni! It was the most embarrassing moment of her entire life.

She doesn’t have time to sort it out though, as a new threat forces her to return to Mewni without Marco. They meet up again, but said threat prevents them from addressing everything before Marco returns to Earth.

Meanwhile, try as he might, Marco just can’t adjust to a normal on Earth. Realizing he liked Star (before even he did), Jackie breaks up with him, and he returns to Mewni unannounced, which leads him to realize he’s fallen for Star. By then, though, it’s too late, as she’s gotten back together with her ex-boyfriend, Tom.

Then it gets even further complicated when the two get locked in a photo booth by a goblin who forces them to kiss each other before letting them out. And since Star was still dating Tom, that led to a lot of guilt on both parts.

Point is, it wasn’t that simple and straightforward. It was like a long, twisting road that could lead to anywhere. But despite all the awkwardness, their friendship remains strong, and it becomes clear to everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, on Earth and on Mewni. Everyone on Mewni thought they were dating, despite saying otherwise. When Marco babysat his new baby sister, everyone on Earth thought she was his and Star’s kid! How they got Disney to agree to that is beyond me, but it says something about their relationship.

Future of Starco?

In the end, after many adventures, breaking with their respective other, and awkward moments, Star and Marco finally realize they love each other. Disney even released a video making a big deal of it! That can be what happens in real life: love is a complex road, but it can be worth it in the end. It’s why seeing them finally become an item is so rewarding, and why I think they’re one of the best couples I’ve ever seen in a work of fiction.

Whether they may stay a couple, though, is another thing entirely. Thanks to the actions of Star’s mom, Mewni’s on the verge of being destroyed, and the only way that Star can think of saving it is by eliminating magic from the multiverse. Doing so, though, may permanently separate her and Marco forever. Which is why fans are more worried about this than the finale for Game of Thrones.

Whatever happens, I know one thing: Starco is one of the most realistic couples that I have ever seen in fiction, and I will never forget it no matter what happens. But if they don’t end up happily ever after, I’m gonna be so mad tomorrow morning!