Monday, March 4, 2013

March Madness Cartoon Bracket: First Round Breakdown


Pre-1960 Region:

Looney Tunes (1) vs. Quick Draw McGraw (16)

Matt:  Looney Tunes, no contest here.
Nik:  Agreed. It’s almost unfair, but someone had to go against the Bunny.

Mickey Mouse (2) vs. Huckleberry Hound (15)

Matt:  As much as I would like to see Huckleberry pull the upset, I’m sure Mickey will take this one pretty easily.
Nik:  Also agreed with Matt. Disney’s become something of a plague. But original Mouse work wasn’t so soul-less. So Mouse it is.

Popeye (3) vs. Snagglepuss (14)

Matt:  I don’t see Popeye having trouble here, spinach or no spinach.
Nik:  As much as I love the whole “Exit stage left” bit, most Hanna property is going to suffer from being lumped together as HB stuff. Popeye is also more known nowadays compared to Snagglepus.
Matt:  That’s true.  Most people may not realize that a lot of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons were shorts all in one show (until a character like Yogi Bear got huge and necessitated his own starring role.  I suggest you guys click on the links to learn more about the cartoons that you aren’t too familiar with.  It’s interesting stuff, especially if you like art and/or history)

Felix the Cat (4) vs. Gumby & Pokey (13)

Matt:  I can definitely see the possibility of Gumby taking this one as Felix never got as big as he was projected to be (thanks Disney) but I have a feeling that Felix the Cat wins by a slim margin.
Nik:  I’m actually going with Gumby on this one. I think he’s had a bit more staying power than Felix. Even though Felix had a brief revival back when I was watching Saturday morning ‘toons as a young pup, I think the green and red win this one.

Yogi Bear (5) vs. Casper the Friendly Ghost (12)

Matt:  This one may be pretty close as well, but when in doubt, go with the talking bear.
Nik:  I don’t foresee this one being close at all, honestly. The Christina Ricci/Bill Pullman movie will not help, the pik-a-nik baskets go to Yogi.

Tom & Jerry (6) vs. Betty Boop (11)

Matt:  I see Tom & Jerry running away with this one, regardless of the fact that they are no longer really relevant.
Nik:  As iconic as Ms. Boop is, I think that Tom & Jerry, being more recent, will have more of a presence. Hell, they still show T&J on Cartoon Network during the week days.

Mighty Mouse (7) vs. Rocky & Bullwinkle (10)

Matt:  The seven-ten matchup is built for upsets traditionally.  This time is no different as my first upset of the tournament is Moose and Squirrel over Mighty Mouse.
Nik:  I’m saying Rocky & Bullwinkle as well. But not as an upset. I think they have had as much staying power as Tom & Jerry. But what has Mighty Mouse had? You see his picture on the occasional t-shirt and Andy Kaufman’s brilliant sketch. That’s it. Moose and Squirrel.
Matt:  Agreed, it would be an upset in number only, not in pop culture importance.

Woody Woodpecker (8) vs. Mr. Magoo (9)

Matt:  This one is a complete toss up as most eight-nine matchups are.  I think Magoo takes based solely on his Christmas special.
Nik:  Totally agreed here. It’s the Christmas special vs. the laugh. The special will take it, methinks.

1960s/1970s Region:

The Flintstones (1) vs. The Addams Family (16)

Matt:  I didn’t even know there was an Addams Family cartoon until I did the research for this tournament.  Even if I did, I don’t think they would have beaten the Flintstones here.
Nik:  Flintsones will rock the Addams Family. No pun intended. It’s the first cartoon ever made in color, even though they still showed it in black and white because most tvs were black and white then.

Scooby Doo (2) vs. Groovie Goolies (15)

Matt:  While I like monsters as much as the next guy, Scooby Doo will roll here.
Nik:  I don’t even know what the hell Groovie Goolies is, but I want it to win, ‘cause I’ve always hated Scooby Doo. That being said, Scooby Doo will win, ‘cause what the hell’s Groovie Goolies?

The Jetsons (3) vs. Hong Kong Phooey (14)

Matt:  I see the Jetsons rolling here, too.  If for no other reason than on name recognition.
Nik:  Ah, the classic stereotypes of earlier times. Jetsons wins because of staying power.

Fat Albert (4) vs. Magilla Gorilla (13)

Matt:  I don’t see Magilla Gorilla as the powerhouse that will take down the Cosby kids.
Nik:  Matt put it perfectly.

The Chipmunks (5) vs. Space Ghost (12)

Matt:  Space Ghost may get a slight boost based on the 90’s cartoon, but I have a feeling that the Chipmunks roll here.
Nik:  Unfortunately, the Space Ghost: Coast to Coast will not aid in the Chipmunks reign of terror. Those piece of garbage movies not included, the ‘Munks’d still win here.

Pink Panther (6) vs. Jabberjaw (11)

Matt:  I wouldn’t put a lot of money on the Pink Panther to go far in the tournament, but I’m sure he’ll cruise through this opening round.
Nik:  Again agreed, based solely on: Jabberjaw?

Underdog (7) vs. Schoolhouse Rock (10)

Matt:  Underdog is all well and good, but you can’t beat Schoolhouse Rock, and it doesn’t hurt that there was a slight revival of it in the 90’s to keep it current.
Nik:  Even though they tried to bring the ‘dog back with a movie attempt that sucked a big one, Schoolhouse will Rock, and make him the Underdog. See what I did there?

Speed Racer (8) vs. Deputy Dawg (9)

Matt:  This may be one of the most lopsided eight-nine matchups in the tournament as I see Speed Racer blowing by Deputy Dawg with no problem. 
Nik:  Again, I can’t add anything to this. Matt’s call is correct here.

1980’s Region:

Transformers (1) vs. Snorks (16)

Matt:  While this region will be the toughest to call, this matchup won’t be.  Transformers win big.
Nik:  Transformers has had ridic staying power. Plus it’s really been formative for several generations of cartoon viewers. What’d Snorks have post-Snorks? A brief scene in Mac ‘n’ Me.
Matt:  I forgot about that.  Good thing you’re here to supplement my pop culture knowledge, and Hasbro has been doing a phenomenal job of reinventing and keeping alive the Transformers property for nearly thirty years (wow, I’m old).

The Simpsons (2) vs. Rainbow Brite (15)

Matt:  I am sure that Rainbow Brite will have an okay showing, but I expect The Simpsons to be a juggernaut in this tournament.
Nik:  Rainbow Brite affected a lot of young girls of the time, but Simpsons will steamroll for its massive fan base.

Ninja Turtles (3) vs. Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers (14)

Matt:  Chip and Dale was fun while it lasted, but the fact that the Ninja Turtles haven’t even paused to catch their breath in over twenty years makes me think they win big here.
Nik:  I have some seriously fond memories of Chip and Dale. But more people have fond memories of Ninja Turtles. The heroes in the half shell (even though they were full shells, weren’t they?) take it.
Matt:  I have better memories of the Turtles toys than the show, but it also started in the late ‘80’s so we probably weren’t really watching it until the tail end of it’s run of dominance.

The Smurfs (4) vs. Inspector Gadget (13)

Matt:  Inspector Gadget makes a good show of it, but The Smurfs win a tight one.
Nik:  Shoot. This one’s tough. I think Smurfs win by the tiniest of votes.

He-Man (5) vs. Care Bears (12)

Matt:  He-Man may have a little trouble here.  While the Care Bears have not enjoyed the recent success of other franchises like My Little Pony, they are still relatively well known.  I see He-Man winning this one but only by the slimmest of margins.  This is a matchup I would like to see actually play out on the TV screen, by the way, as long as it wasn’t all stock animation.
Nik:  Another close one. I really think it may be Care Bears here, despite how ridiculously awesome the He-Man Christmas special was.
Matt:  If only we could judge them all on just their Christmas specials. 

Thundercats (6) vs. Real Ghostbusters (11)

Matt:  I want to say Thundercats takes it, but I don’t believe that.  Maybe the Ghostbusters were a bit under-seeded here, and they make up for it by taking out the number six seed.
Nik:  Another tough one. I think Ghostbusters take this one by a little bit. I totally dug them both.

My Little Pony (7) vs. Duck Tales (10)

Matt:  Even with My Little Pony’s recent return to relevance, I think the nostalgia factor of Duck Tales gets it the win. 
Nik:  I concur. ‘Cause how awesome was Duck Tales?!

Super Mario Brothers Super Show (8) vs. Muppet Babies (9)

Matt:  This one is hard to call…Muppet Babies but it’ll be close.
Nik:  Yes…. Grrr…. I want Mario so bad…. But I think the little fuzz balls take it. And I love Muppet Babies too. So I’m not that upset.
Matt:  Just a little trivia here that may push you one way or another, two of the voice actors in Muppet Babies were none other than Howie Mandel and Dave Coulier (yup, Uncle Joey was a Muppet before moving in with Danny Tanner).

1990’s – Current Region:

South Park (1) vs. Doug (16)

Matt:  Doug was fun, but South Park is one of the smartest and most important cartoons of the last twenty years in my opinion.  It rolls here, big time.
Nik:  Totally agreed. Once they got their voice and started being really poignant in their satire, South Park has been brilliant ever since.

King of the Hill (2) vs. The Tick (15)

Matt:  I loved The Tick, but it doesn’t stand a chance against Hank Hill.
Nik:  I think both of these cartoons are low under the radar. I never liked King of the Hill, but because it’s a little more recent, and on Adult Swim, I think it moves on.
Matt:  Try watching it again, Nik.  It holds up pretty well, even the first season stuff.  I wasn’t a huge fan when it first aired either but it grew on me, and like most of the Mike Judge stuff has an endearing simplicity to it.

Family Guy (3) vs. Talespin (14)

Matt:  Nothing would make me happier than to see Family Guy bounced in the first round, but I don’t see Talespin as the opponent to do that.
Nik:  *copy and paste what Matt said*

Futurama (4) vs. Tiny Toon Adventures (13)

Matt:  This may look like a no contest win for Futurama, but I fondly remember days spent watching Tiny Toons (and wearing out the VHS of the summer vacation movie) so I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it.  Futurama wins, but in a squeaker.
Nik:  As much as I want to give props to Tiny Toons, Futurama is the best, most amazingly voice-acted cartoon in the history of time. Billy West is legit my hero.

Animaniacs (5) vs. Archer (12)

Matt:  Archer got a raw deal here.  On almost any other line it might be the favorite to win, but here it’s hard to imagine a win against The Animaniacs.
Nik:  This is going to be so tough. It’s just like Futurama/Tiny Tunes. Animaniacs is so ruddy brilliant, and I acknowledge that. But Archer is on par with Futurama. Unbelievably perfect in everything it does. I think Archer takes it.
Matt:  There is a part of me that hopes you’re right.  Archer is the best cartoon on the air right now in my opinion.

Ren & Stimpy (6) vs. Darkwing Duck (11)

Matt:  Ren & Stimpy should win fairly easily here I think, and if it doesn’t I will be surprised.
Nik:  I agree. I have some nostalgic feeling for Darkwing Duck, but Billy West, again, helps this one along. Ren & Stimpy it is.
Matt:  I never realized Billy West was in Ren & Stimpy until I was doing research for this.  He, Patrick Warburton and H. Jon Benjamin should have a cartoon voice-off

Beavis & Butthead (7) vs. Phineas & Ferb (10)

Matt:  I see another upset here where Phineas & Ferb come out on top over Beavis & Butthead.  Never underestimate the power of having shows readily available on Netflix.
Nik:  Disagreed. I hate Beavis & Butthead, but I think they take this one.

Rocko’s Modern Life (8) vs. Bobby’s World (9)

Matt:  This is a tough one to call as well.  I think Rocko’s mass appeal to kids and parents alike helps it squeak out a win.
Nik:  More nostalgia for Bobby’s World here, but I think Rocko’s Modern Life, as one of the first Kid’s Cartoons with Adult Jokes, is the victor here.

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