Villain Bracket Fifth Round Breakdown

 Please note, the names in italics are the movie/comic/cartoon/game that the villain appears.

Shredder Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3) vs. 

Joker Batman (2) –

Matt- I like Shredder, but I think his villainy is a little uneven.  Sure, in the original comics and the movies he’s pretty badass, but in the 80’s cartoon series he’s a shell of his former self (it was a kid’s show after all, so I get that).  However, if you look across all of the various iterations of Joker, he’s pretty much a homicidal maniac in all of them.  While the fact that Uncle Phil was the voice of the Shredder, and that is a big plus in his corner, Mark Hamil’s Joker work, as well as the live action movie versions by Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger really cement Joker’s place in the final for me.  Joker is the quintessential villain.

Nik- Cannot agree more. Shredder put up a helluva fight to get here. He gets credit for that much. But, like Matt said, the Joker has had much more in history to prove how awesome he is. There are very few iterations (and there are so many) where he's kinda lame. And even when the Joker's lame, he's still one of the coolest Batman villains comparatively. So I'm thinking Shredder has lasted as long as he could here.

Darth Vader Star Wars (1) v. 

Ganon Legend of Zelda (2) –

Matt-  Fresh of dispatching the Predator, I anticipate Vader keeping up his momentum.  I know, you have a soft spot for Ganon, Nik, and I would have been more inclined to pick him as well, but just having finished A Link Between Worlds and seeing that he is not the big bad guy kind of cemented Vader’s status here.

Nik- This isn't fair. I want a recount. Hanging chads! I call hanging chads. Needless to say, I think this may be the end of Ganon. Vader is just too cool, too mainstream, too BA to not keep going here. I kind of knew he'd have a huge steamroll party, and I'm just pickled tink that Ganon has made it this far. Even though I'm thinking that Vader will win, my vote still goes to Ganon here. I think that he just may have a slim chance to get by the Darth here and get walloped by Joker next week.

Villain Bracket Third Round Breakdown

Please note, the names in italics are the movie/comic/cartoon/game that the villain appears.

Comic Book Region:

Galactus Fantastic Four (5) vs. 

Loki Thor (9) –

Matt- Call me flabbergasted at the development here, but Dr. Freaking Doom, my pick to come out of the comic region hasn’t even made it to the Sweet Sixteen.  With Loki’s momentum I wouldn’t be surprised if he easily takes out Galactus the same way he did Doom, through name recognition and the apparent acting prowess of Tom Hiddleston.

Nik- I’m going to have to agree here. I didn’t think the movies would have that much clout here. Galactus is pretty badass. If it came down to the two in the comics, I think Gal would rock the snot out of Loki. But Loki seems to be doing pretty damn well for himself. I think we’ll see Loki triumph on this one.

Joker Batman (2) v. 

Lex Luthor Superman (3) –

Matt- This is the match-up everyone wanted here, right?  Superman’s villain vs. Batman’s villain?  The big bad guy of the DC Universe?  Luthor is formidable, and probably the most formidable that Joker has faced to this point, but I can’t pick against the Clown Prince of Crime in this spot.  Joker wins.

Nik- Epic match-up. Kevin Spacey vs Mark Hamill. Weird.  I can’t not pick the Joker on this one, for many reasons. But, what it all boils down to for me, is that the Joker is much more likeable a villain in my eyes.

Cartoon Region:

Megatron Transformers (1) v. 

Mumm-Ra Thundercats (5) –

Matt- We have Megatron’s narrow victory over Mr. Burns vs. Mumm-Ra’s convincing trouncing of Skeletor (much to my chagrin).  In terms of overall scariness, I would have to go with Mumm-Ra, but I’m sticking with Megatron, my fandom fully intact.

Nik- Mumm-Ra FTW. I’m not surprised to see Megatron here, I knew it’d be super close, even though I put Mr. Burns to move on, but I think this may be where Megatron fails. Mumm-ra’s just cooler, I think. Sorry Matt, I never was that big of a Transformers fan.

Shredder Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3) v.  

Krang Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (7)  –

Matt- It’s a Ninja Turtle showdown.  I’m going to have to go with Shredder here based more on his presence in other media.  Krang was only in the cartoons (and a couple video games) but Shredder’s movie roles were expertly handled to make him seem like more of a threat than the cartoon ever did.   

Nik- What a great match here too! I love the results thus far. This is a fun one, but based on sheer bad-assery, I’d have to say Shredder here. Krang was too bumbling for me, too much like the Claw or whatever his name was from Inspector Gadget. I seem to remember him always cursing the Turtles as the camera pulled out from the Chrome Dome (that’s what his base was called, right?), each episode.

Movie Region:

Darth Vader Star Wars (1) v.

 Sauron The Lord of the Rings (4) –

Matt- Sauron squeaked out a win in the last round, but his luck runs out here.  Vader pretty much has everything Sauron has…and he’s mobile!  Vader takes it convincingly.

Nik- Absolutely. Sauron goes down. We’re not talking whiney Hayden Christianson Vader here. This is James Earl Jones-powered awesomeness. Sorry Sauron, but the Force is strong with this one.

Predator Predator (2) v. 

Alien Alien (3) –

Matt-  The age old question, Alien vs. Predator.  It’s like picking a favorite child.  I’m going with The Predator but I’m fully aware that this could easily go the other way.

Nik- Oh lordy no. The Predator is the poor man’s Xenomorph. He’s still awesome, don’t get me wrong, but the Alien is ridiculously. The stuff nightmares are made of. Alien takes this one.

Video Game Region:

Bowser Super Mario Brothers (1) 

v. Ridley Metroid (5)  –

Matt- Bowser has steamrolled the competition so far, and as formidable as Ridley is, I don’t see this as the round Bowser goes home.  The king of the Koopas keeps on rolling.

Nik- Bowser it is. Ridley is too niche to withstand Bowser’s might.

Ganon Legend of Zelda (2) v. 

Dr. Wiley Mega Man (3) –

Matt- I like Dr. Wiley, I do, but there aren’t many video game villains that are as evil as Ganon, and I can’t look past that when I’m making my pick.  Ganon wins easily.

Nik- You all know how I feel about Ganon. I’m very pleased to see him go this far. And expect to see him go the rest of the way.

March Madness Cartoon Bracket: The Winner is...

It was close, but The Simpsons took it.  In a strangely related note, I watched both Looney Tunes and the newest episode of The Simpsons last night, and was laughing my ass off at both.  I know many have said that The Simpsons has fallen off in terms of quality (and in general I would have to agree) but while last night's premise was tired and overused (Homer is a bad husband - and in other news grass is green), the execution was spot on and hilarious ("You can't spell lousy without 'us'" being one of my favorite lines).  

In short, there may only be one winner here, but if you are depriving yourself of either of the two cartoons in the championship round, you are the one that has lost.

I would like to thank Nik for not only agreeing to do this in  the first place, but for providing great analysis and commentary.  I would also like to thank everyone that voted, your support and interaction made this quite the enjoyable experience.  If you have any suggestions for the next bracket, leave a comment here or on my facebook page.  If you have any ideas for things you would like Nik and I to provide a back and forth commentary for, let me know that as well.

And finally, a look at the complete bracket:

The Cartoon Bracket Final Four Breakdown

Final Four!  This wasn’t too surprising in terms of who advanced, but most of the matchups came down to the end and were a lot closer than expected.  I think that trend will continue as everyone’s favorites from each round go head-to-head.  Let’s take a look at the matchups.

Looney Tunes (1) vs. The Flintstones (1)

Matt:  Both Looney Tunes and The Flintstones were slightly challenged during the last round.  They wound up prevailing, but that puts this round in a little more jeopardy.  I originally thought that Looney Tunes would roll here, and I still think they win, but I’m not nearly as confident now.  I will make the case for Looney Tunes by saying that after watching some of the old cartoons recently, these were edgy before anyone knew what edgy was.  Half of the cartoons, or at least the jokes in the cartoons would not be acceptable today.  They are hilarious, but a little too controversial for this day and age.  This goes for not only the racial jokes that we as a society have grown out of, but also gun-related jokes that would be incredibly out of place in this society.  It’s a time capsule of where we were and where we are now.  To me, The Flintstones (aside from that cigarette commercial) was a lot more vanilla.  This isn’t to say that it was a bad cartoon, as we can attest by their placement in the final four, but it was definitely not as memorable in my eyes as Bugs and friends.  This may have to do with the Bugs Bunny and Tweety show that was popular on Saturday mornings in the early and mid nineties that kept it relevant for our generation.  Watching the episodes with my kids now, it just brings back all of the good memories of that time, while still holding up as solid cartoons today.  That’s a true test of a good cartoon in my opinion.

Nik:  I’m inclined to agree. I think that Looney Tunes has much more to offer, much more appeal to current generations, and our generation even, than Flintstones does. If you have a hankering for Flintstones, you can just watch King of Queens or Honeymooners, or even the Simpsons. Fat dumb guy, wife who puts up with crap, throw some kids in there, a wacky neighbor, some tertiary characters and they all fit the same cookie cutter. Looney Tunes is not so easily pegged down. And because it’s having more of a nostalgic, original feel, I think that it’s got this one.

Matt:  It’s amazing how many shows are just an iteration of the fat guy-hot wife Honeymooners theme.

The Simpsons (2) vs. Animaniacs (5)

Matt:  The Simpsons is the only contender last round that won by a large margin, blowing Transformers away.  I think that they continue that dominance here.  I like the fight that Animaniacs has put up, continuing its run as the “giant killer” but I think that it ends here.  There is no doubt in my mind that The Simpsons has fallen off a bit in the last few years, but it’s hard to keep up the quality over a multi-decade span.  The fact that they are still going, and that at times there are still some very funny moments, at least one per episode, proves to me that it is one of the best cartoons of all time.  Like Looney Tunes, the older episodes, before they were really heavy into the pop-culture, still hold up pretty good.  Sure, the animation is not as crisp back in the late eighties, early nineties, but the way they were written and the significance of the cartoon makes it better than many that just fizzled out after a year or two.  Animaniacs was great, but The Simpsons was transcendent in terms of its cultural importance.  By The Simpsons winning, it would set up a final between the two most multi-generational cartoons of all time. 

Nik:  It is very difficult to add much more to what Matt said. Frankly these two don’t even belong in the same category of cartoon. Simpsons is a multi-generational titan of the animated world. Animaniacs was cool, and is fondly remembered back with Bobby’s World and Tiny Toons, but cannot begin to compare in terms of cultural relevance and over-all staying power. The Simpsons has had a movie, several music albums (Do the Bart Man), thousands of t-shirts, video games and who knows what other crap that has seeped into an everyday way of life. You could ask an 18 year old kid about the Simpsons. You can’t ask them about Animaniacs. While I really dig a ton of the voice work from Animaniacs (Maurice Lamarche, Rob Paulsen, Tress Macneil, to name a few), The Simpsons has also had tons of powerhouse voices as well. So it really seems that there is nothing that Animaniacs has over the Simpsons in terms of strong points. Simpsons it is.

Matt:  Ha!  Do the Bart-Man!

March Madness Cartoon Bracket Fourth Round Breakdown

It’s Elite Eight Time!  The regional championships to see who goes on to face each other in the Final Four.  This has been an interesting round as we have had a lot of close victories and our first number one went down.  Let’s keep up the excitement and finish strong!

Pre-1960 Region:

Looney Tunes (1) vs. Tom & Jerry (6)

Matt:  So I guess Moose and Squirrel weren’t as invincible as I thought.  The mighty power that is Tom & Jerry beat them pretty convincingly.  This sets up a matchup against tournament number one, the gang from Looney Tunes.  Tom & Jerry surprised me a couple times, but I think Bugs & Co. take it here to advance to the final four.

Nik:  Shocked to see T&J make it this far. Not upset, though, honestly. They’re classic. However, I think Looney Tunes has way more hitting power here. I think they’ll rock Tom & Jerry this time. It’s been a nice and surprising run thus far, but it’s time to move on.

1960s/1970s Region:

The Flintstones (1) vs. Pink Panther (6)

Matt:  I’ll be honest, I thought last round would have been the end of Bedrock’s first family.  They prevailed by a slim margin and now have to face a cartoon that probably has the most momentum in the tournament.  The Pink Panther has been the giant killer so far (except for Jabberjaw, because, well it’s Jabberjaw).  To beat both The Jetsons and Scooby Doo is no small feat (especially since I had Scooby advancing to the final four), but a win here will be much more difficult to come by.  There’s only so far a catchy theme song and being the face of insulation will take you.  Flintstones squeaks it out here.

Nik:  Again, another surprise with Pink Panther making it this far. But, honestly, since PP has had *such* a ridiculously strong run, I’m really thinking that he takes it over the Flintstones. I don’t see the Flintstones having enough momentum/being strong enough to compete with what we’ve seen thus far. There’s only so much Rick Moranis, John Goodman, Rosie O’Donnell and Halle Berry can help it (1994 movie, anyone?).

Matt:  If anything is going to help your chances, it’s having Rosie O’Donnell in your movie.

1980’s Region:

Transformers (1) vs. The Simpsons (2)

Matt:  The Simpsons destroyed The Ghostbusters last round, sweeping them out of the competition.  On the other side of the equation, Transformers was almost upset by the upstart Inspector Gadget, escaping by only one vote!  I thought The Simpsons would prevail here before the tournament started, and that was only reaffirmed last round after the lack of support for the Robots in Disguise.

Nik:  Going to have to agree here. Simpsons is just too strong of a force, particularly seeing as how Transformers has been performing. I’m calling it, Simpsons takes the whole competition. (prove me wrong!)

1990’s – Current Region:

King of the Hill (2) vs. Animaniacs (5)

Matt:  The Animaniacs just keep chugging along, taking down all others in their path.  Their victims this week were the kids from South Park.  While that wasn’t too unexpected, anytime a number one goes down it is a bit of a surprise.  It wasn’t even close here though, and honestly neither was King of the Hill’s victory over Darkwing Duck.  This sets up a heavyweight fight between these two franchises that have yet to really be challenged in this tournament.  This may be the hardest for me to call, but I think the fact that the Animaniacs have rolled through the competition so far will mean an exit for Hank Hill.  Animaniacs win it and enter the Final Four as the lowest seed still alive. 

Nik:  Animaniacs all the way. The fact that they walloped South Park in the last round tells me that King of the Hill doesn’t stand a chance. If it were South Park vs. King of the Hill right now, I’d say South Park takes it. So if the Park couldn’t get this far, then their competition will move on.

March Madness Cartoon Bracket Second Round Breakdown

That first round was pretty interesting.  There were a lot of matchups that were decided early on, while a few that were decided in the wee hours by a single vote.  The only region that went “chalk” was the 1960’s – 1970’s region, with every other region featuring at least one upset (some which weren’t even anticipated).  With the amount of upsets we have seen so far, it should make the next few rounds very interesting. 

Pre-1960 Region:

Looney Tunes (1) vs. Mr. Magoo (9)

Matt:  Looney Tunes was not the clear-cut winner in the last round that we expected, but it did squeak one out.  As endearing as Mr. Magoo was as a character, I see the combined might of the Warners characters taking him down in this round.

Nik:  Seriously? Quick Draw McGraw gave Looney Tunes a hard time? If that’s the case, I worry about this matchup, to be honest. But I still vote Looney Tunes here.

Mickey Mouse (2) vs. Rocky & Bullwinkle (10)

Matt:  Mickey Mouse barely advanced (by one vote!) so I have no faith in him advancing further, especially against Rocky & Bullwinkle which powered through the last round like the Cinderella they may turn out to be.

Nik:  Oh snap, the Mouse is not as strong as we thought. So my vote goes to Moose & Squirrel.

Popeye (3) vs. Tom & Jerry (6)

Matt:  Tom & Jerry and Popeye both rolled over their respective competition in the first round, so I expect this matchup to be relatively close.  I think Tom & Jerry will take it, but it may be one of those “down to the wire” type victories. 

Nik:  I’m actually thinking Popeye on this one to surprise us.

Matt:  I like Tom & Jerry to win, but I wouldn’t shed a tear if the Sailor Man came out on top, both are strong candidates for advancement.

Yogi Bear (5) vs. Gumby & Pokey (13)

Matt:  The biggest upset in this region was Gumby & Pokey over Felix the Cat (just like you thought, Nik) but it was a really close victory, one that I don’t think Gumby can replicate here.  Yogi wins it.

Nik:  I’m thinking Gumby & Pokey on this one. Just like the Popeye/Tom & Jerry match up, I’m going to go against what I’d choose. I would like to think Yogi would take it, but we’ve seen enough wins that made me say “No shit” already, that I think Gumby takes it.

1960s/1970s Region:

The Flintstones (1) vs. Speed Racer (8)

Matt:  I see Flintstones taking this one pretty easily as well.  Not really much to add to that, Fred and Barney are a juggernaut.

Nik:  True. They both hold some nostalgia for those who watched them, but I think Flintstones has a stronger presence here.

Scooby Doo (2) vs. Underdog (7)

Matt:  A little dog-on-dog action here (I felt a little weird even writing that).  I think Scooby wins big, but I was definitely a little surprised at the authoritative way that Underdog dispatched Schoolhouse Rock in the last round, so the upset is not out of the question.

Nik:  Yeah, shocked to see Schoolhouse out so soon, but Underdog vs. the Scoob? Gotta go with Scooby on this one.

The Jetsons (3) vs. Pink Panther (6)

Matt:  Pink Panther swept Jabberjaw away in the last round, but I think that had more to do with inferior competition, which is set right here as The Jetsons win.

Nik:  Yup. Jetsons are the same as the Flintstones here.

Fat Albert (4) vs. The Chipmunks (5)

Matt:  This one is really hard to call.  I would like to see Fat Albert keep going, but I think the Chipmunks will win easily here.  No amount of Jell-o pudding can save the Cosby kids.

Nik:  This would be a great sweep from behind to see Fat Albert proceed here, but I don’t think they’ll pull it off. It’ll be close, though. I’m calling it close.

1980’s Region:

Transformers (1) vs. Muppet Babies (9)

Matt:  As we thought, the Muppet Babies were big winners over Mario last round, but Transformers won just as convincingly, and I think they continue their dominance here.

Nik:  Going to have to agree. But I don’t think this one’ll be close. I think Muppet Babies will be smooshed in this round.

Matt:  All I can think of is a Kermit puppet on the side of the road with tire tracks on his stomach.  Which I guess would be rather fitting considering how this matchup should turn out.

The Simpsons (2) vs. Duck Tales (10)

Matt:  This is the matchup of the bracket in my opinion.  I see this as a one vote victory for either side, with The Simpsons coming out ahead, just barely.

Nik:  Simpsons will take it by a landslide. I think Duck Tales is too far out of culture at this point to snag votes from the Springfieldians.

Matt:  Don’t underestimate a little Carl Barks duck magic here.  All those people that fondly remember Bubba Duck from the time travel “movie” may have something to say.

Ninja Turtles (3) vs. Real Ghostbusters (11)

Matt:  Another tough one to call, but I can see the Ghostbusters, who steamrolled Thundercats last round continuing their dominance here.  The Turtles barely got by Chip and Dale last round, so they may be out on their half-shells after this round.

Nik:  Shocked to hear that it was so close with the Turtles, but I think they’ll squeak by on this one too.

He-Man (5) vs. Inspector Gadget (13)

Matt:  Gadget surprised me by winning so convincingly over the Smurfs.  I think He-Man wins here though, but it may be closer than I (as an avid Masters of the Universe fan) would feel comfortable acknowledging. 

Nik:  I’m glad to see that I was wrong about He-Man. But the resounding yes of Inspector Gadget makes me think that he may be our guy on this round. Go, go, Gadget Voting Booth.

1990’s – Current Region:

South Park (1) vs. Bobby’s World (9)

Matt:  South Park barely won, while Bobby’s World was a decisive winner in the first round.  I think it will be close with South Park pulling through in the end.

Nik:  Sad to see Doug go, but I’m glad that he put up a solid fight (one of the best opening songs in cartoons). But, despite Bobby’s World trouncing poor Rocko, I don’t think he’ll stand a chance against South Park. I’m actually thinking landslide.

King of the Hill (2) vs. Beavis & Butthead (7)

Matt:  It’s a Mike Judge showdown which King of the Hill should win handily.

Nik:  Not surprised to see either come out ahead in the last round. But I think Beavis & Butthead take this one.

Matt:  It’s slacker vs. Americana in this matchup, I wonder if the inclusion of music videos in Beavis and Butthead’s case will tip the scales in their favor…

Darkwing Duck (11) vs. Talespin (14)

Matt:  The biggest surprise so far is this matchup.  With Ren & Stimpy and Family Guy bowing out in the first round.  That makes this one hard to pick, but I think Darkwing Duck will take this Disney slugfest.

Nik:  Super shocked at these! This’ll be tough, but the Duck moves ahead. Let’s get dangerous.

Animaniacs (5) vs. Tiny Toon Adventures (13)

Matt:  Much to your chagrin, Nik, both Archer and Futurama lost in the first round.  I wasn’t too surprised by Archer being sent home (as brilliant as it is) but Futurama not getting its due was shocking.  The two remaining shows here are quite similar which may just be a matter of “pick your poison” as opposed to a specific like or dislike of a certain brand of animation.  With the convincing way that Animaniacs dispatched of Archer in the first round though, I think they take care of business here as well. 

Nik:  Woof. So sad to see my two favorites destroyed so soon. Out of these two, my guess is Animaniacs. I think they left more of unique mark on cartoon watchers.

Matt:  I agree, I still look at modern day life through the lens of the old “good idea/bad idea” segments.

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.

The March Madness Cartoon Bracket

            I love March Madness.  I love filling out my bracket, and I love watching it unfold over the month.  Hell, I even love the selection show.  In the spirit of one of the best times of the year, we are kicking off the Eat @ Shrimpy’s inaugural bracket.  We start right out of the gates with the best American cartoons of all time, chosen by you.  Joining me in the analysis of this bracket is my brother Nik.

            A note about the selection and seeding process.  Cartoons were chosen on a few different criteria.  First, their longevity.  If they were only on the air for a year or two and quickly forgotten, they weren’t generally used, or if they were they were not given a high seed.  Some cartoons were only on for a short period of time but blew the doors off in terms of merchandising opportunities (as well as the fact that many of the single years of cartoons back in the 80’s consisted of at least two to three years worth of cartoons nowadays).  These were not only considered, but were given a higher seed over their weaker brethren. 

            I tried to limit using cartoons that came over from established comic book franchises like Marvel or DC.  You will see The Tick and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in there, but those properties didn’t really blow up until after the cartoons were on the air (and in many cases did so because of the cartoon).  This is also why you don’t see something like Garfield and Friends, as that started out with the comic strip and migrated over to television. 

            The cartoons were categorized in the time period that they premiered, not necessarily in the time period that they were well known for.  For example, Yogi Bear is probably more prominently known from the 1960’s, The Simpsons from the 1990’s, and yet the premiered one year before the turn of that decade, putting them in a different category.

            I tried to cut down on redundancies as well.  This is why you will see Animaniacs, but no Pinky & the Brain, Family Guy, but not American Dad, and so on. 

            Okay.  That was my thought process in terms of picking the “teams” in the tournament.  The regions were broken up chronologically.  Let’s take a look at those.

Okay Nik, before we get into the breakdown of the individual matchups, what’s your general thoughts on the bracket itself?  Do you think the seedings are accurate?  What are your predictions? We’ll pick our projected winner of each region, a big upset and a potential sleeper pick (from the lower seeds) that could come out of nowhere and shock the world. 

Nik:

I have no clue what the seedings are, so I guess that’s fine. I think, overall, it’s fine. Some seem unfair, but when you pair anything up to the really solid ones, it’s just no contest.

Region one - Pre-1960:

Matt:

            A lot of these are the classics that we know and love.  Mickey Mouse is just a general term for any of the Disney cartoons using him during this time period (Steamboat Willie, etc.) as there wasn’t a generalized title for Disney’s stable of characters like there was for their Warner Brothers counterparts. 

You could probably make the case that this will come down to Mickey Mouse vs. Bugs Bunny for the title in this region (and it still might) but there are some heavyweights here that could trip up either of our top two seeds.  Hell, after the first round, I’d say Mickey will have a hard time winning against most any of the lower seeds faced.  Looney Tunes has an easier road (as number one seeds usually do) but there is still a little uncertainty there.  I will still go with Bugs to pull it out in the end though.  You can’t beat the old Looney Tunes cartoons.

Winner:  Looney Tunes (1)

Sleeper:  Rocky and Bullwinkle (10)

Upset:  I see Rocky and Bullwinkle (10) beating out Mickey Mouse (2) in round two. 

Nik:

Winner: Mickey Mouse (2)

Sleeper: Tom & Jerry (5)

Upset: Though they’ll make it close, I see the Mouse trumping the Bunny right near the end.

Region two – 1960’s – 1970’s:

Matt:

            This can pretty much be dubbed the Hanna Barbera bracket as the majority of those characters are from that company during this time period. 

This region is tough because a lot of the cartoons are pretty similar and may wind up cancelling each other out in the end.  I kind of like Scooby Doo to take this region, but if something like the Chipmunks or Fat Albert picks up some steam, I could easily see them winning. 

Winner:  Scooby Doo (2)

Sleeper:  Chipmunks (5)

Upset:  Chipmunks (5) over The Flintstones (1) in round three.

Nik:

I really have to agree with Matt on this one.

Region three - 1980’s:

Matt:

            This was originally going to be a combo region but there were so many good cartoons in the 80’s.  This is really where longevity and merchandising come into play as Transformers beat out The Simpsons by the slimmest of margins solely based on the fact the Robots in Disguise series has an extra five years on Bart and Homer (1984-1989). 

This was the toughest division to pick and to seed.  There are so many good shows here and I can easily see the winner of the whole tournament coming from this region.  This is also the region that seems to be the most divided by gender.  Boys would probably lean more toward He-Man while girls would lean toward Rainbow Brite I would assume.  Conventional wisdom has Transformers and The Simpsons duking it out for the title, but this region is a toss up.  I have a feeling if Duck Tales can make it past The Simpsons in the second round, they could run the table.

Winner:  The Simpsons (2)

Sleeper:  Duck Tales (10)

Upset:  Either Duck Tales (10) over The Simpsons (2) in round two or Real Ghostbusters (11) over Thundercats (6) in round one

Nik:

Winner: The Simpsons (2)

Sleeper: Transformers (1)

Upset: I see these 2 going right to the end. And if either one loses, it’s going to be an upset.

Region four – 1990’s – Current:

Matt:

            This region features a lot more “adult” cartoons than any of the other regions as the people that grew up with all of the cartoons in previous regions started making their own, and something that they wanted to see instead of pandering to kids. 

The only thing that will disappoint me about this region is if Family Guy wins.  Other than that I’d be okay with any outcome.  I would love to see Archer go far, but it’s hard to see it even making it past Animaniacs in the first round.  This region is hard to pick just because there doesn’t seem to be a “best show”, just a lot of really good ones.  I’ll probably have to go with King of the Hill in a narrow victory.

Winner: King of the Hill (2)

Sleeper:  Animaniacs (5)

Upset:  There could be a couple early round surprises here, but I could easily see Animaniacs (5) take down South Park (1) in the third round.

Nik:

Winner: South Park (1)

Sleeper: Archer(12)

Upset: Whenever Futurama (4) loses, I will be upset.

Matt’s Final Four:

Looney Tunes (1)

Scooby Doo (2)

The Simpsons (2)

King of the Hill (2)

Projected Winner:  It’ll be Looney Tunes and The Simpsons in the final with a narrow victory going to Springfield’s first family over our tournament #1 seed.

Nik’s Final Four:

Mickey Mouse (2)

Scooby Doo (2)

The Simpsons (2)

South Park (1)

Projected Winner: I’m going with The Simpsons and South Park being ridiculously close, but Springfield beats the Park in the end.

Nik:’s note: Much to my chagrin, I did not see The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,  Chowder, or Adventure Time on the Modern Day list. If you’re looking for wacky kids’ cartoons with jokes for adults, look no further. I will seriously drop everything to watch them if any of them are on tv.

Also some honorable mentions of equally amazing caliber: Invader Zim (Matt’s note:  I kicked myself when I was doing the bracket breakdown and realized that I missed Zim, off to the Cartoon Bracket NIT for them I guess), Clone High, Pokemon and/or Digimon, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Venture Brothers, Robot Chicken (considered a cartoon?)

No joke – check them all out if you haven’t already.

Okay, that’s the initial breakdown.  To vote, just leave the names of the winners in the comments section, email me at shrimpman53@yahoo.com, or find me on facebook.  Voting will be open from Monday through midnight eastern time on Friday.  After that the votes will be tallied and we’ll get you an updated bracket with further analysis the following Monday.  Feel free to print the brackets out, ask around, poll your friends on who they think should win, or just send them here to vote themselves.  Feel free to start a rousing discussion of who should win in the comments as well, those are always fun.  Let’s just keep it civil, no one should be calling anyone else a doody-head.

            We will be back later in the day today with a matchup-by-matchup breakdown and who we think will prevail.  Until then, happy voting!