THE POWERPUFF GIRLS (1998)

 

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS (1998)
(Cartoon Network, November 18, 1998-March 25, 2005)
 
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons (season 1-4), Cartoon Network Studios (season 5-6)

 

 

            While attending CalArts, Craig McCracken wanted to produce an animated short film based on a wrestler-type character he called “El Fuego”. However, after drawing three large-eyed little girls on a birthday card for his brother in 1991, he decided to turn them into superheroes and center the short around them. He would end up producing the short Whoopass Stew! The Whoopass Girls in: A Sticky Situation, and showed it during film festivals. McCracken had intended to make three more shorts in the series, but ended up only doing the one. After going to work for Hanna-Barbera, McCracken pitched the short as an entry to the upcoming What a Cartoon! showcase anthology series and was selected to fill one of the 48 slots.

Bubbles, Blossom, Buttercup and Professor Utonium.

            Renamed The Powerpuff Girls as Cartoon Network executives felt nobody would make a kids’ show with the word “ass” in it, McCracken produced a new short called “Meat Fuzzy Lumpkins” that aired as the first entry in what was then-called World Premiere Toons during the February 20, 1995 episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast. McCracken introduced the short on the episode wearing an elaborate swimsuit. Unfortunately, the short proved to not be as popular as another he worked on, Dexter’s Laboratory, and in particular performed poorly in test audiences comprised of 11-year-old boys who didn’t buy girls as superheroes and found the designs disturbing. McCracken considered redesigning them, but executive Mike Lazzo convinced him to stick to his vision and allowed him to produce another short, “Crime 101”.

            Cartoon Network greenlit the series after the second short, and The Powerpuff Girls made its debut on November 18, 1998. The series centered on three kindergarten-aged girls with an array of superpowers protecting the city of Townsville, led by the cowardly diminutive Mayor (Tom Kenny in the series, Jim Cummings in the shorts) and his assistant, the buxom Ms. Sara Bellum (Jennifer Martin), whose face was never shown. They were created by Professor Utonium (Tom Kane) who sought to create the “perfect little girl” with a mixture of “sugar, spice and everything nice” (inspired by the 19^th century nursery rhyme). However, he ended up accidentally adding the mysterious Chemical X into the mixture, giving them super strength, speed, senses, flight, limited invulnerability, x-ray vision, heat vision, energy projection, super durability and the ability to survive in space, along with unique individual powers. Blossom (Cathy Cavadini), adorned in red, was the self-appointed leader embodying the “everything nice”. She was the most level-headed and composed member with strong determination. Bubbles (Tara Strong in the series, Kath Soucie in the shorts), adorned in blue, was the “sugar” that gave her a sweet, innocent personality that hid the extreme rage she could be capable of. Buttercup (E.G. Daily), adorned in green, was the “spice” represented by her being a tough, hot-headed tomboy prone to playing hard and dirty and wanting to pound on an assortment of colorfully goofy bad guys. The animation style was flat and simplistic; reminiscent of classic UPA shorts and early Hanna-Barbera. The girls’ fingerless, big-eyed design was inspired by Margaret Keane’s paintings of children from the 1960s, opting for the “symbolic” look of children over realism. Animation was hand-drawn and handled by Rough Draft Korea; eventually switching to digital ink and paint for the 4^th season and film.

The Powerpuff Girls' villains.

            Upon its premiere, The Powerpuff Girls was the highest-rated debut for the network and consistently scored high each week through various demographics. McCracken was surprised at its wide appeal, having intended it just for children. The series ran for 6 seasons and three specials, racking up several award nominations and wins along the way, as well as a prequel film in 2002 released by Warner Bros. Pictures. Since its conclusion, there have been multiple attempts to continue on with the franchise, including the 52-episode anime series Powerpuff Girls Z; a full reboot in 2016 that, despite being poorly received, ran for 3 seasons; and a pilot for a live-action sequel series in 2021 that ultimately went nowhere.