Cartoon Characters In Real Life

There are a variety of Cartoon Characters that have been re-imagined in real life. Here are some realistic 3D renderings of famous cartoon characters!

August 10, 2022・

10 min read

Most of us grew up watching cartoons, stuffing our brains with mindless junk while growing to love a whole host of crazy cartoon characters from SpongeBob to Phineas and Ferb. But would you ever want to meet them in the real world?

Have you ever wondered what cartoon characters would look like in real life? Here are some realistic imaginings of cartoon characters which are true childhood-ruiners.

Peppa Pig

One eagle-eyed Peppa Pig viewer recently noticed that the friendly pink adventurer is only ever seen from the side and took to Twitter to reveal what she might look like head-on:

You won't be able to un-see it now! Brazilian 3D artist Yan Blanco takes this reimagining a step further in a nauseating peak at little Peppa all grown-up. It does look like she’s fallen on some hard times!

Homer Simpson

The Simpsons are a staple of American culture, but have you ever considered what these cartoon characters would look like in human form? Professional character artist Miguel Vasquez does just that in this nightmarish 3D model of Homer. It really draws attention to the family’s recognizable bug-eyes; the poor man doesn’t even have eyelashes.

Marge Simpson

A real-life Homer Simpson definitely needs a Marge. Thankfully Miguel Vasquez has covered all Simpsons-related bases by offering an IRL glimpse into the blue-haired TV icon.

Somehow, her towering mass of wool-like hair isn’t the most disconcerting thing here. At least she’s got eyelashes, but what is going on with the mouth? Forget the Kardashians, Marge is clearly the OG lip-filler queen.

Mr Burns, Ned Flanders & Grampa

Wrapping up The Simpsons saga, here’s the devious Mr Burns by DeviantArt user MataleoneRJ.

Somehow, the horrifyingly unnatural neck-to-head ratio of that 3D rendering is still no match for the real-life Mr. Burns lookalike below, who’s definitely rubbing his hands together somewhere in this photo.

On the topic of lookalikes, the guy below is about 10 seconds away from hopping over the fence and inviting me to the church bake sale.

And to put the icing on the yellow cake of our real-life Simpsons tour, check out this 3D-rendering of the lovable Grampa by Manosart from a "Worth 1000" contest. He looks like he’s seen some stuff.

Nigel Thornberry

The real-life imagining of Nigel Thornberry by Miguel Vasquez is borderline demonic; you could land a small helicopter on that beak. And what’s the deal with the bulging, bloodshot eyeballs? The poor guy looks like he’s desperately trying not to blurt out “smashing!” for the 100th time.

SpongeBob

How would a talking-sea sponge even look like IRL? Well, Vasquez has come to the rescue with the rendering below.

Somehow the lovable chump is staring deep into my soul, and it only gets worse in this unsettling re-imagining by DeviantArt user Bawarner. This dude looks like he’s been bathing in Krabby Patty oil twice a day. Well, at least he doesn’t have human legs this time.

Patrick

Who would SpongeBob be without his pals? First up is Patrick, who, according to Miquel Vasquez's intimidating creation, has become a pro-wrestler. Just look at those guns!

If you’re looking for a friendlier rendition of this cartoon character, how about this Mona-Lisa-like smirk by digital artist Ugly-guy-45.

Or maybe the viral meme below? Never mind.

Squidward

Squidward Tentacles is the grumpy anti-hero we all grew up to become. Naturally, it's satisfying to see his irritable energy carried over into the real world by artist Habibity Nickerson, right down to the arched eyebrow.

Remember that one episode with the handsome Squidward? Vasquez has already got you covered, and he’s as beautiful and unnervingly shiny as ever.

Beavis and Butthead

You only have to glance at these life-like sculptures by prosthetics artist Kevin Kirkpatrick to imagine how unbearably annoying a real-life Beavis and Butt-head would be.

The look on Beavis’ face is that of a total psychopath, and for a pair of delinquents with two brain cells between them, those are some pretty large foreheads. The comparison below with Benedict Cumberbatch and Neil Patrick Harris is plausible, if not entirely insulting.

Stitch

You may have already seen this real-life imagining of the lovable extra-terrestrial Stitch, which sent Twitter into a total meltdown amid rumors they were promo images from a planned live-action Lilo and Stitch movie.

People were unable to comprehend the possibility that the charming experiment 626 could look like a rabid blue koala on steroids in real-life. Alas, these were just some cool concept images created by Berlin-based character artist Boris Kiselicki. But never say never.

Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown is everyone’s favorite lovable loser and, to be honest, we all grew up to relate to his penchant for awkwardness and social anxiety. This nervous four-year-old from the Peanuts comic strip won the hearts of many, but have you ever considered the cartoon character's real-world counterpart?

The lifelike drawing by illustrator Tim O’Brien really brings out the sadness in the child’s eyes. This creepy basketball-headed freak hits you right in the feels.

Phineas and Ferb

Phineas and Ferb would have no hope of survival in the real world with their alphabet-shaped heads and ever-dangerous stunts. But Miguel Vasquez has stepped up to the plate once again with real-life renderings.

Somehow their noses seem even bigger than in cartoon form, and the mischievous stepbrothers seem to have aged considerably. Ferb is even giving off some serious math-teacher vibes.

Pikachu

Pikachu was already brought to life for the live-action Detective Pikachu movie. But the 3D concept art below by Colorbleed studios takes a more realistic approach to the non-descript fuzzy creature.

Looking far more intimidating than adorable, this rendering seems to imagine Pikachu as a rabbit-fox cross-breed with some pretty nasty teeth and claws. Alternatively, the digital painting below by 3D artist Lindsey Wakefield imagines Pikachu as some sort of oversized hamster.

Mike Wazowski

The popularity of Monsters Inc is down to its so-called monsters, who are far dorkier than they are scary. But what if that wasn’t the case in real life? This toothy 3D model of Mike Wazowski by Vasquez is pure nightmare fuel.

And the digital painting below by artist Dan Luvisi isn’t much better. It offers a dystopian look at a blind and homeless Wazowski complete with a genius ‘will strike fear 4 beer sign’.

Bert

Surely, no real-life reimagining of Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie could tarnish their radiant happiness and general excitement for life? Wrong. Check out this terrifying glimpse at human Bert created by an artist called Nacho Diaz using silicone.

It undeniably brings out his eyes. From the unnervingly awkward smile to the single tuft of hair sprouting from the top of his pine-cone-shaped head, thanks to this horrifying creation, I am never sleeping again.

Finn and Jake

Adventure Time is home to all manner of wacky cartoon characters, but the Finn and Jake double-act are undoubtedly fan-favorites. Finn might seem human, but have you ever taken the time to really study his cartoonish features and imagine how that might translate into real life? Let me introduce you to Finn by Miguel Vasquez.

This terrifying realistic model brings to your attention a whole host of abnormalities; why are Finn’s eyes so far apart? Why does he have no nose and an ever-missing tooth? And I shudder to think what’s under that hat.

Meanwhile, his super-powered canine companion Jake has been reimagined by digital game sculptor Thomas Lishman as a buff, tatted-up crime-buster.

Stewie and Peter Griffin

Stewie Griffin is the Family Guy character we all love, but what would he look like IRL? The blogger Pixeloo created a lifelike rendition which literally looks like the crafty kid has swallowed a rugby ball.

Meanwhile, Peter. has also been reimagined by Pixeloo as well as 3D artist Will Hughes. Neither of which were too forgiving with his unusually-shaped chin.

Mario

I know what you’re thinking: Mario is already human. Indeed, some real-life imaginings of Mario, like the one below by Korean 3D artist Soojong Kim, seem to present him as a pretty passable plumber.

But the 3D model below by Pixeloo stays truer to his original exaggerated facial features. That nose could give Nigel Thornberry a run for his money.

Hey Arnold!

Some cartoon characters bear close enough similarities to us humans that they could feasibly exist in our world. But where do you start with a boy as oddly shaped as Hey Arnold? Unsurprisingly, Miguel has given it a go, and it’s not a pretty sight.

Between his ridiculously useless cap and eyes, which seem feet apart, this is not someone I’d like to hang out with. Will Hughes’ interpretation of the football-headed freak doesn’t fare much better either. This zit-covered humanoid seems to have wheat for hair and looks more like a greasy deflated balloon than a human being.

Stimpy & Courage the Cowardly Dog

Surely these childhood-wrecking 3D renderings couldn’t do as much damage to cartoon animals as humans, right? Let me introduce you to Will Hughes’ version of Stimpy the dog from the Ren and Stimpy cartoon.

Quite frankly, it looks more like the ogre from the basement in Harry Potter than any actual dog. If that didn’t prove this point enough, here’s Courage the Cowardly Dog, re-imagined by Miguel. If there’s anything this pink pup should genuinely be afraid of, it’s his own stomach-churning appearance.

Timmy Turner

Here’s another ‘human’ cartoon character who theoretically shouldn’t look too terrifying in real life, especially as far as the awful live-action film was concerned. But the un-tooning depiction by DeviantArt’s MataleoneRJ beats all odds by giving us Timmy in full horrifying glory.

The rabbit-like front teeth and soul-seeing eyes are enough to scare off any babysitter, so it’s no wonder Vicky never stuck around.

Fry and Professor H.

This lifelike rendering of Fry from Futurama by Spanish character artist Miguel Miranda is enough to make you question what exactly is he supposed to be.

With bug eyes and over-puckered lips, he seems more fish than human, but the red human hair makes it all the more confusing. His take on Professor Hubert J. Fansworth takes the uneasy overhanging lip a step further.

On another hand, the real-life prof below by artist Carlos Lopez could pass as human.

I guess the closest we’ll come to the truth is the viral and ingenious prosthetic by Frank Ippolito below:

Bananas in Pajamas

Ever wondered what the Bananas in Pajamas have been up to since they disappeared off our TV screens in 2001? No need!

By the look of this 3D-rendering by Yan Blanco, the fruity fellas (now approaching their sell-by-date) have spent their retirement suffering from serious insomnia and smoking a 20-pack a day. Furthermore, I seriously doubt those PJs have ever been washed, either.

Rick & Morty

Let’s take a moment to imagine what the nutty scientist and his fretful grandson would look like in real life. The digital portrait below of Morty by Will Hughes shows every blackhead and pore in incredible detail. Those haunting, ghoulish eyes definitely have a touch of Tim Burton to them.

Meanwhile, Rick is looking a little burnt out. That signature spiky blue hair looks like the product of an unfortunate electrical mishap. It's so realistic we should be concerned he’s going to steal our Szechuan sauce.

Ed, Edd and Eddy

There’s no denying Ed, Edd and Eddy weren’t normal kids. Undoubtedly, their confusing names, their four-fingered hands, thinning hair, and unhealthy obsession with jawbreakers were a dead giveaway.

But nothing can prepare you for Miguel Vasquez’s rendition of the trio of Eds, which is horrifying beyond your wildest dreams.

Honestly, it looks like these kids have been hanging out on the wrong street corners, where jawbreakers aren’t the only form of currency. Ed is in the running for most chins ever recorded, ‘double D’ seems to be suffering from serious PTSD while Eddy has transgressed humankind, becoming a sugar-guzzling beast.

If you were amazed at these depictions of cartoon characters in real life, you might want to check out our article about cartoon characters reimagined as humans. Thanks for reading!