42 Loveable 420 Cartoon Characters Who Radiate Stoner Energy
420s may come and go, but loveable 420 cartoon characters are forever.
Given that cartoons are likely to attract young, impressionable audiences, even when they’re meant for adults and restricted to late-night programming blocks, several of them tend to shy away from more blatant representations of stoner characters. To that end, a lot of cartoon characters end up on stoner lists thanks to fan theories based on subtle hints and general characterizations. Some, however, make their love of the green pretty obvious.
Here are 42 characters that radiate stoner energy with every fiber of their being.
Photo: Flickr
Norville “Shaggy” Rogers
To most stoners, Shaggy is the epitome of stoner energy. Everything about him, from his laidback attitude to his outlandish food preferences to his preference for green t-shirts. Not to mention the distinct hippie leanings that make him the quintessential ’70s stoner cartoon character.
Some may even rope in his best bud Scoob as a potential stoner since they share everything from their paranoia to their munchies. Add to that that one time they hotboxed the Mystery Van and the pup’s middle name being “Dooby,” their allegiance to the kush is pretty evident.
We would argue, however, that a club of mystery-loving teens running around solving crimes involving supernatural elements sounds almost too zany to be the antics of an entirely sober crew.
Of course, the show attempted to downplay the weed connection by later trying to imply Shaggy and Scooby were simply incredibly foolish or naive. The stoner theory stuck, though, and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Shaggy shall remain, eternally, the reigning king of 420 cartoon characters.
Michaelangelo
Of the turtles, the youngest Michaelangelo radiates stoner energy. He loves food, lives life to the fullest, and sees the joy in pretty much everything. He also has a cocky quip for every situation. It’s pretty safe to say, though, that the fearsome foursome probably all hit the bong now and then. A bunch of chill NYC surfer dude types who love pizza and television and live in a sewer with their talking rat father and sensei? Sounds like a wild trip to us!
But much like Shaggy and Scooby, Mikey and his brothers’ potential propensity for the kush or any other drug, for that matter, was shot down after the foursome were roped into an anti-drug PSA in the ‘90s with Donatello exclaiming, “Drug dealers are dorks, don’t even talk to them.”
The vibes don’t lie though!
Crush
Finding Nemo had quite the array of characters. Some of them hit emotional beats, others offered lessons and quips, and some – such as Crash and the boys (specifically, turtles) – were the embodiment of the most laidback surfer dudes you’ve ever seen. This, by extension, makes him one of the most popular 420 cartoon characters that are high all the time.
We’re not quite sure what exactly is getting all these turtles so chill but whatever it is, we’d like a gram. Or two.
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-Head featured the titular slackers often perched on their couch, watching TV, indulging in munchies, and often delivering lowbrow jokes to go with their distinct giggles.
And if that weren’t enough to cement their status as stoners, there are plenty of instances where the duo unintentionally trip on everything from peyote to gas fumes. The latter episode, however, has since been taken out of circulation. Might have had something to do with them being drug mules, but who’s to say really.
Regardless of whether their weed-themed antics are available to view or not, Beavis and Butt-Head have been and shall remain some of the most popular 420 cartoon characters.
A mention of Beavis and Butt-Head is, of course, incomplete without…
Daria Morgendorffer
Daria is the epitome of the sardonic, misanthropic teen. Everything about her screams the ‘90s, including the popular belief that she was a cannabis lover. Which makes her one of the few notable female 420 cartoon characters, if the fan theory is to be believed.
Despite the show’s ability to tackle darker themes, this Beavis and Butt-Head spinoff never approached the topic of substances in general. After all, its focus was largely on Daria’s hatred of anything mainstream.
But her general attitude and demeanor certainly indicate the possibility that she dabbled, now and then. How else could someone with an all-consuming distaste for the world and its inhabitants be able to tolerate the cursed gift of existence?
Add to that her really laidback friend Jane Lane and her chill slow-speaking musician brother Trent, and the regular consumption of large amounts of pizza, and there’s definitely something in the pipe.
Matthew “Canada” Williams
Hetalia: Axis Powers saw overnight fame in the 2010s, and it isn’t hard to see why. The anime, adapted from a webtoon, is based on the often hilarious and odd relationships between countries and world powers. It showcases the precariousness as well as the ridiculousness of these equations.
But one character, in particular, stands out to many folks, namely Canada, or as he later came to be known, Matthew. On the show, Matthew is often “invisible” to other characters, a running gag based on Canada’s low profile and lack of representation in historical records. But some fans have crafted an AU where Matthew might actually just be really stoned all the time, owing largely to how chill he always seems to be. The theory adds that he isn’t actually invisible, he’s just so high he thinks no one can see him.
Given that France, who just this year dipped their toes into marijuana legalization with the authorization of medical cannabis, is the only one that can consistently see Canada, it does add an interesting layer to the “Canada is a stoner” fan theory.
Additionally, we know he has smoked up at least once, thanks to confirmation on page five of the 2010 Christmas Event in the manga. Making Matthew one of the few canon stoner cartoon characters.
Grandpa Phil
“You still have plenty of brain cells.” “No, not since Woodstock.”
The adventures of young Arnold who lives with his grandparents Phil and Gertrude amused audiences for nearly a decade. A simple, loveable lead and the general antics he gets up to proved to be just what audiences needed.
But when Arnold tries to encourage Grandpa Phil to go back to high school and earn his diploma, we get a brief glimpse into what he got up to in his youth.
Towelie
Conjecture aside, there is one character that everyone can confidently say is most definitely a stoner. South Park’s very own Towelie. A genetically-engineered talking towel that hates being called a towel and loves getting high.
Towelie is, without question, the poster child for stoned 420 cartoon characters.
Randy Marsh
Of course, with a show like South Park, there’s bound to be more than just one stoner. And it should surprise no one that the other one is Randy Marsh. The dude is wild in every possible way and is somehow always one of the first to undertake outlandish, immoral, and illegal feats for seemingly no logical reason.
One of his more outrageous escapades is giving himself testicular cancer from a microwave oven so he can acquire a medical marijuana card. He also runs his own weed farm. Make of that what you will.
Brian Griffin
Family Guy hit the scenes only a few years after South Park, but it was equally comfortable with being bold, subversive, and crass.
So, naturally, it features an incredibly articulate pot-loving dog. And that isn’t even a casual running gag. Brian is frequently seen hitting a bong on the couch, and on one occasion even finds himself behind bars for drug possession. He responds to this little setback by running a campaign to legalize cannabis.
Brian is, therefore, one of the few and most well-known 420 cartoon characters that actually smokes up on-screen.
Garfield
Dogs aren’t the only ones that get up to mischief, of course.
Now one could easily make a case for Garfield NOT being a stoner because his penchant for eating and sleeping all the time is basically what most housecats are like. But when you add in his cynicism and his general disdain for a variety of things including Mondays, you start getting a slightly different picture of what our favorite tabby does off-camera.
Patrick Star and SpongeBob Squarepants
A hopelessly-optimistic yellow sea sponge in square pants that lives in a pineapple with his pet snail? A child-like silly starfish who lives under a rock and spends his days eating and sleeping? A hilarious duo that spends their days working at an underwater fast food restaurant when they’re not embarking on a series of misadventures?
Yeah, there’s nothing suspicious about that at all.
Speedy Gonzales and Slowpoke Rodriguez
The Looney Tunes’ target audience makes it pretty clear they weren’t going to outright endorse weed, ever. But Speedy Gonzales’ flawless delivery of the La Cucaracha lyrics that translate to “The roach, the roach, can not walk anymore. Because it needs, because it needs, marijuana to smoke,” and his cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez’s eternal lethargy and wandering mind, it does appear the familia was dabbling in something behind the scenes.
Bobby and Goofy
If Looney Tunes is unlikely to blatantly endorse weed, Disney is probably even less likely to do so. And yet, we have Goofy.
A fun-loving, human-like dog full of love and hearty chuckles and the occasional tendency to forget things certainly gives out the occasional stoner vibes. His son Max’s pal Bobby, however, is a certified stoner. He has the vibes, he has the sound, he has the hair. And he has a severe case of the munchies. He fully embodies any 420 cartoon character trope you could possibly find.
Sabba Malouki
This is the one character on this list that only appears in comic form and hasn’t received the distinction of an animated version yet. But Dreamland’s Sabba is just too much of a stoner to not include in a list of 420 cartoon characters.
The weed-addicted art student is most notoriously known for having sold a part of his own soul for some dank weed. The French manga itself offers some pretty trippy adventures, centered around lead high school student Terrence’s double life: one out in the real world and one in the supernatural Dreamland.
Ed, Edd n Eddy
This fever-dream of a show really needs absolutely no explanation but just for the sake of making it abundantly clear, one of the trio’s friends is named Jonny 2×4 and his closest friend is Plank. As in, a plank of wood. That he seemingly communicates with. Fluently.
Bender and Fry
Futurama’s Bender is known to dabble in all kinds of vices, true to his name, so it’s certain he has given the ol’ devil’s lettuce a puff, puff, pass at least once in his life. But he isn’t the only one who may have dabbled.
From his stint in a breakdancing crew to his part-time job delivering pizzas on a bike, Fry is the quintessential ‘80s NYC stoner kid. For added reference, watch any iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and peep the pizza delivery guys that drop by and never question the shady voice from the sewers that always orders the pepperoni. Fry is a 420 cartoon character, confirmed? We’ll let you decide.
Popeye the Sailorman
Popeye’s distinctly vintage style and old-school slapstick comedy make it trippier to watch with each passing decade. But the wildest part of the cartoon is the popular theory that the titular sailor’s obsession with spinach was actually an allegory for a different kind of green.
It certainly helps to know that “spinach” was a code word for marijuana back in the ‘20s and ‘30s, when the comic was first created. And if that weren’t enough, Popeye is known to pop some spinach into his pipe and smoke it.
Marceline the Vampire Queen
Adventure Time’s Marceline was an instant hit when she showed up. She’s fun-loving, she’s warm-hearted, she’s cool, she’s goth, she’s queer. Anything you could possibly associate with a stoner girl, she embodies.
But what really makes us think she indulges in more than her regular menu of the color red is her musical gift which includes top-tier lyricism and god-level guitar skills which she displays on an instrument fashioned from her family’s battle-ax. You’d have to be on some wild trips to be able to draw out that level of creativity from deep within your 1000-year-old soul. Plus, the dearth of female stoner cartoon characters makes Marceline a good enough candidate, for now.
Chad
Cartoon Network’s late-night programming block, Adult Swim, shies away from absolutely nothing. But its daytime counterpart often walks a tightrope by balancing child-friendly content with wit and humor.
Clarence’s Chad is depicted as being a stoner. But unlike other shows that hint at characters’ affinity for weed by pointing to their dimwittedness, Clarence’s take is far more wholesome. As a father figure, he offers calm wisdom and life lessons and does a stellar job keeping his stash hidden out of reach. Even the audience only ever got a glimpse of it in his glove box just once.
Regardless of how well he hides the stuff, though, Chad’s entire being radiates stoner energy and he’s a classic 420 cartoon character.
Ice Bear
There’s a lot to love about We Bare Bears, a show about three bears adjusting to human society. Caring, fun-loving Grizzly, awkward Panda, and chill Ice are the perfect trio through which to learn some valuable life lessons. Or just get a good laugh.
Ice Bear, however, has earned the attention of some for being as badass as he is chill. His monotonous delivery coupled with his ability to take life as it comes gives off some pretty dope vibes. He also encourages personal growth and therapy and is one of the most meme-able characters of all time.
Otto Mann
Let’s call it for what it is. If you’re a chill surfer dude in an adult comedic animated show, you’re probably going to be a stoner favorite. In the case of The Simpsons’ bus driver, though, he’s way more than just your average 420 cartoon character. When he gets a urine sample tested, it reveals trace amounts of human urine and a cocktail of so many illegal drugs it beaks a striking resemblance to The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine.”
Homer and Bart Simpson
The father-son duo is most iconic for their tussles, usually ending with Homer strangling Bart. But perhaps if they talked it out they’d realize they share some things in common.
Homer’s absent-minded debacles and his love for donuts and Bart’s general Bart-ness definitely point to both of them indulging in weed when the other isn’t watching. Several episodes of the show confirm Homer’s indulgence, but it is the episode “Bart to the Future” that gives us a glimpse of Bart’s leanings. Specifically, when he cheekily asks President Lisa to “legalize it.”
Outside of that, Bart is a popular muse for stoned cartoon character drawings and even has a strain named after him!
Manic the Hedgehog
Sonic Underground never made Manic’s vices canon, but both fans and critics have long been in agreement that the character is most likely a stoner.
He generally talks and acts like he’s stoned, but apart from that, his status as a full-time pickpocket who trawls the streets has led many to believe he would, at the very least, be exposed to drugs if not actively take them.
Besides that, his character design makes him look like a large green leaf and his powers pertain to the earth. Manic most definitely puts that skill to good use.
Dave
Code Monkeys is an early 2000s show that features a quirky group of game designers in the ‘80s. Together, they work at GameaVision. What’s stoner about any of this, one might ask. Well…Dave.
The show’s protagonist and GameaVision’s lead programmer, Dave is usually the cause of an episode’s problem. He also owns a massive bong he affectionately calls “Wrath of Bong” and co-founded a new company called Stonervision.
Apart from Dave, the show also featured Tommy Chong and a quest for “magic weed” in an episode titled “The Story of 420.”
Todd Chavez
BoJack Horseman doesn’t shy away from drug usage across its characters. Todd, in particular, fits the stoner aesthetic the most, though. From being the general friendly neighborhood slacker to doing an about-turn-and-exit when the drama gets too much for him, he’s a pretty standard chill dude that tries to steer clear of anything too intense.
Beyond the individual 420 cartoon characters, Netflix went above and beyond and developed several strains of weed inspired by the show.
Leigharch
An Irish driver whose line of work puts him in the company of everyone from the Triad to Liberation fronts, Black Lagoon’s Leigharch is characterized as being prone to hallucinations and saying some really trippy things. While the manga depicted him as being addicted to cocaine, the anime made him an avid pot-smoker. One that’s pretty much always high, especially when tasked with being a getaway driver.
While most other characters on this list are more positive representations of stoner aesthetics, Leigharch is one of the more unfortunate ones. His addiction lands him in an asylum following a massive overdose. Which isn’t odd in a show like Black Lagoon, but certainly adds a darker tone to this list.
Richard Watterson
The Amazing World of Gumball’s titular cat, Gumball, and the shenanigans he generally gets into with his best friend and brother, the goldfish Darwin, form the crux of the show. But the acclaimed cartoon has also drawn in fans for its array of supporting characters, including dad Richard, a rabbit.
Aside from being wholesome and a great dad, he also enjoys eating and napping everywhere. Especially when it involves melting into the couch. His chill, kind demeanor has made a few wonder if he hits the J during ad breaks. Even if he doesn’t, though, he certainly embodies the 420 cartoon character aesthetic.
Ernie and Bernie
Shark Tale is one of those cartoons that most people forget existed until something unlocks the core memory of it happening. And when it does, we inevitably remember two of the most beloved characters to ever grace the screen: Ernie and Bernie.
The Rastafarian jellyfish duo was voiced by real-life Rastafarian legend Ziggy Marley and actor-writer-director Doug E Doug. Their laidback comedic delivery made these ineffective henchmen a standout in the cartoon. Not the mention the characters were designed in a way that made them look perpetually stoned.
Fred Frederickson
The most loveable character in Big Hero 6 would naturally be Baymax. But Fred comes in a close second.
His chill demeanor despite being filthy rich and well connected enough to be able to access any resource he needs certainly points to him being a pretty cool dude. But his overall vibe has also led many to see him as being a pretty obvious stoner. Anyone who is that comfortable in a dino suit and can bust out a tune even in the worst scenarios is a candidate for a 420 cartoon character in our books.
Raymond the Bear
The Cleveland Show is beloved for many reasons. One of them is the closet pot-smoking bear, Raymond.
Neighbors to the titular family, secret smoking runs in the household of Tim and Arianna Bear. But it is Raymond’s select appearances that feature him oscillating between total awareness and not knowing who or where he is that offer some peak stoner comedy.
The Caterpillar
Also called Absolom and sometimes Russell, Alice in Wonderland’s Caterpillar is depicted smoking a hookah and speaks so melodiously you’d be surprised that his entire role is to annoy the ever-living hell out of Alice.
Naturally, his general demeanor made many assume it wasn’t just tobacco in his pipe. Even if we’ll never know for sure, the Caterpillar continues to feature in several 420 cartoon character lists.
Rick Sanchez
Rick and Morty’s zany plot that features an eccentric misanthropic grandad and his time-traveling multiverse-traveling antics with his naive grandkid already offer plenty of potential for some good ol’ fashioned stoner entertainment. Grandpa Rick is often depicted as an alcoholic who is too drunk to function or string together a full sentence.
What does make him seem like he might be a stoner are the moments of lucidity he experiences. The ones that spark creativity and last just long enough for him to draw up his latest big invention.
The ultimate stoner show, Rick and Morty’s escapades frequently land them on lists of 420 cartoon characters.
Snorlax and Brock
He eats. Then he sleeps. Then he repeats. Snorlax is us, Snorlax is the dream.
Outside of the lovably chill Pokemon, though, there’s Brock. The voracious aspiring Pokemon doctor spends most of his time eating or flirting, and when he’s doing neither, he enjoys cooking. Outside of his name and favorite Pokemon type both pointing to rocks, Brock’s hippie biker outfit and the fact that he never opens his eyes have left many wondering what’s in his pockets.
Ren and Stimpy
With how many pizza-loving characters we have on this list that radiate stoner energy, you’d think pepperoni was the actual gateway drug! So much so, even the TV Tropes page on The Stoner archetype notes that the combination of TV and pizza is often meant to indicate the character is a stoner without outright saying so. And that isn’t particularly surprising, seeing as pizzas are the munchies of choice for many a stoner.
Outside of their love for the slice, though, this duo features a psychotic chihuahua and a mild, good-natured Manx cat who goes on adventures. Despite being a cartoon that a lot of kids watched, it has become far more popular as an adult stoner’s choice of entertainment. So much so that some folks are convinced the duo was high as kites when on their adventures.
Cookie Monster
Sesame Street’s characters have entertained and educated children for decades. Some of these children grew up to wonder exactly what a lot of these characters were on for them to be as chill as they were wise. One character, however, was neither of those things.
The Cookie Monster’s shtick was raging out over his insatiable thirst for cookies. Naturally, any stoner who has had a pretty intense trip followed by a case of the munchies can relate.
Outside Cookie, though, several others including Elmo have become favorites as 420 cartoon characters over the decades, regardless of whether they might actually be stoners. Sometimes, the vibes are enough.
Winnie the Pooh
Much like Cookie, Pooh also had an insatiable, unquenchable thirst. In his case, it was for honey. When he wasn’t hitting the pot, though, the absent-minded easily-distracted bear spent his days offering wisdom, love, and comfort to his friends. All while living a pants-free life. And occasionally tripping the hell out.
Dopey
Each dwarf in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had a distinct personality, represented by their unique names. Dopey, naturally, was depicted as slow, mild, often bumbling, and usually in baggy clothes. Dopey was, of course, also sometimes thought to be a reference to marijuana, especially since “dope” is common slang for the substance.
Gudetama
Gudetama is a portmanteau of “gudegude,” which translates to someone who is lazy, lethargic, or “dead drunk,” and “tamago,” which means “egg.” Depending on how you look at it, Gudetama is either a lazy dude who is melting into his bed or a really baked egg.
Puff, The Magic Dragon
The name says it.
Puff, The Magic Dragon was originally a poem by a 19-year-old Leonard Lipton before it was reworked into a song with Peter Yarrow. The song quickly became associated with marijuana, with many assuming the lyrics contained veiled references, something both artists strongly denied.
Unfortunately, their protests didn’t deter the notion that Puff was, in fact, a really high dragon. This characterization as one of the most notable 420 cartoon characters continued to the animated version of the dragon.
Sheen Estévez
Jimmy Neutron may have been the big brain energy of the show, but it was Sheen who brought the stoner energy to the table. Frequently wrapped up in his own world, easily distracted, and oftentimes rather loud, our boy didn’t need to tell us he was on something for us to know he was definitely on something. That or he has the right ideas about how to live life. Either way, he’s our kind of guy.
Jay and Silent Bob
Originally live-action characters, Jay and Silent Bob were eventually given animated avatars in projects like “Clerks: The Animated Series” and “Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie!”
The duo is most known for selling marijuana in front of a convenience store and are prominent fixtures in the View Askewinverse – a fictional universe created by Kevin Smith (who plays Silent Bob) that stretches across all of Smith’s projects. If Shaggy is the ultimate 420 cartoon character icon, Jay and Silent Bob are the live-action equivalent.
Blaze It With Your New 420 Cartoon Character Buds
“A bag of weed is a friend indeed!” Infamous words from the patron dog of kush, Brian’s legacy as the greatest pot-loving dog will go down in stoner history.
From confirmed stoners as per canon to stoner-adjacent 420 cartoon characters that radiate stoner vibes through their chill demeanors and larger-than-life personalities and worldviews, this list has a little of every kind of character that makes up the stoner aesthetic. So the next time you’re hitting the live-action buds up for a smoke sesh, try popping on an episode featuring a cartoon bud of your choice to spice things up!
