So we did kings almost 2 months ago, now it’s the princes’ turn. We will be looking at some of the most memorable cartoon princes. Like the kings, both heroes and villains will be considered. However, unlike the kings, we’ll be focusing on TV characters only. No movie characters.
#10: Prince Puppycorn- Unikitty
Puppycorn is the younger brother of Unikitty and serves as prince of the Unikingdom. He and his sister go through various hijinks and misadventures. While Puppycorn is no Patrick Star (no one can reach Patrick’s level of dimwittedness), he is shown to be kind of stupid and might possibly be the least intelligent on this list. But he’s also probably the nicest character on this list and definitely the cutest. Sure he may not be the brightest person. But what he lacks is in brain power, he makes up for with his sweet personality and I don’t think Unikitty can imagine a life without him. Overall, it is very hard not to love (or at least like) Puppycorn. Never thought I would say that about a hybrid of a dog and a unicorn, but here we are.
Dave has the exact look of the “typical prince”, but looks can be deceiving. This guy is probably the biggest wimp and the most incompetent character on this list. The fact that he’s more interested in knitting than battling evil should say a lot about his character. Dave is also kind of a coward and will run away screaming like a little girl even at the smallest of things, Hell even Puppycorn might be braver than him. It’s hilarious to see such a supposedly strong and physically buff character be so timid and pathetic. Seriously, how on earth did this even happen? I would expect Dave to be at least a little bit arrogant with his physique. But nope, he’s a pathetic little wimp, and it’s hilarious to watch. Oh Dave, never change.
#8: Sky- Winx Club
Sky serves as the leader of male warriors known as the Specialist (probably the boy version of the title characters) as well as the prince of Eraklyon and the love interest of series protagonist Bloom. Sky might be the complete opposite of Dave as in a way he kind of is the “typical prince”. He’s brave, he’s kind, and he’s loyal to his kingdom, but he does have his own personal issues that cause him to clash with Bloom and his father. But while Dave constantly lets his insecurities overwhelm him, Sky is quick to act and jump to someone’s aid when they need him. Is Sky the most memorable character on this list, no, not even a little. But when push comes to shove, he’s not a bad guy and always means well.
Kion is the second born child of Simba and Nala and the appointed leader of the Lion Guard. Along with his new job and as the second born child, Kion possesses the Roar of The Elders, a powerful roar fueled by the past kings of Pride Rock. Due to Scar being the last person who had the roar, Kion was worried that he would end up like Scar, especially after getting bit by Ushari. To my surprise, Kion went through a lot of well written growth for a pre-k series. But considering that this is part of the “Lion King” franchise (which is probably one of the only Disney movie franchises with no bad movies), I really shouldn’t be that surprised. Kion is actually a very good protagonist and has a pretty decent character arc. Definitely a worthy successor to a movie as iconic and majestic as “The Lion King”.
Tom was Star’s boyfriend before Marco came into the picture, though they broke up way before Star and Marco even met. Being a demon and the prince of the Underworld, it comes as no surprise that Tom has anger issues, which definitely did not help with his jealousy towards Marco. Tom also goes through some impressive growth, as he eventually becomes friends with Marco. And, after much drama, realizes and accepts that Star and Marco really love each other and even encourages the relationship. Tom wasn’t the easiest to deal with but he definitely wasn’t all bad. The fact that he went from a hot-head jerk to a genuine friend is very impressive. By the way, don’t be surprised if there’s another certain character like that on this list.
Phobos is the ruler of Meridian and the main villain for season 1 of W.I.T.C.H. To be honest, I don't really have much to say about Phobos aside from him being kind of a horrible brother. I know there's probably been a lot worse than him, but this is mainly because he has no respect for the fact that his sister Elyon is the main heir. Not only that, but his lust after her powers gives me kind of an uneasy feeling. Again this could be a whole lot worse, but at the same time it still gives me weird vibes from this guy. I also see this as a warning to be careful who you put in charge as you never know what true motives the person you select may or may not have.
So the prince (later High Mage) of Katolis is voiced by Sokka, did not see that coming. To end the war, Callum is on a mission to find the titular character and bring him to his mom. Some of Callum's best aspects include his kindness, determination, and sense of humor. I also admire his overprotectiveness over his brother. In a time where the media is way too focused on making strong female lead characters (which is not always bad, just overwhelming sometimes), characters like Callum are a breath of fresh air. Is he perfect, no. But lead male characters do not have to always be the blabbering arrogant idiot and I feel that Callum is a very good example of that statement.
Probably the oldest character on this list, Adam serves as the prince of Eternia. As He-Man, he defends his planet and the universe from his evil nemesis Skeletor. Like Sky, Adam is also the complete opposite of Dave. Adam not only has the physique of a "typical prince", he is one. He's strong, he's brave, and is extremely buff. The man would never back down from a fight and any villain he fights should be TERRIFIED. Also pair him with his sister, and villains are EXTREMELY screwed. Adam might also be the reason for a majority of these characters' existence. I wouldn't say that he's the first, but he's definitely one of the originals.
Raised in feudal Japan, a young prince known simply as "Jack" was trained by multiple teachers with different cultural backgrounds to become the "ultimate samurai" and battle against Aku, a powerful demon who is also responsible for capturing his father and taking over his kingdom. When Aku sends him into the future, Jack must fight Aku's forces in an attempt to get back to his timeline, and finally defeat Aku. Jack is one of the most fleshed out characters I've ever seen in cartoon television. Yes, he is a fierce warrior (seriously do not mess with this guy). But he also had a lot of intense struggles, including PTSD and a suicide attempt (he was an honorable mention on my last list for a reason). I never understood the show as a kid, but I do now and I see why the character is so loved.
Prince James- Sofia The First 
Prince Derek- Disenchantment
Shining Armor- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
I LOVE this boy so much. When we first meet Zuko, he's a spoiled hot-head prince Hell-bent on capturing the avatar, all for the sake of regaining his honor. But little did we know the beautiful journey that we were about to witness with this kid. Like my last pick, Zuko has also seen some struggles, except his was kind of worse. This dude has been through it. Scarred by his father, survived an explosion, taking a lightning strike, constant manipulation from his sister, you name it. But the deeper we got into the series, the more we saw that there really was a hero in Zuko and rooted for him to do the right thing. And though it took a while, he finally saw the light and earned true honor (we can thank Iroh for that). I said that Jack was one of the most fleshed out characters in cartoon TV, but Zuko is THE most fleshed out character, PERIOD. This boy’s arc is redemption done right and with that, he’s my #1.
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