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"Goodnight, everybody!"
— Yakko Warner

Yakko Warner is the oldest of the Warner siblings, He is one of the three main protagonists of Animaniacs and its reboot (alongside Wakko and Dot). In-universe, he and his siblings have had an infamous film and television career.

Out of the three siblings, Yakko easily takes the role as the leader and instigator of many of their escapades, as well as a parental figure for Wakko and Dot due to being the oldest.

Yakko is voiced by Rob Paulsen.

Appearance

Yakko has primarily black fur with a red nose and white face and feet. He wears a pair of smoky topaz slack pants that go up to his waist. The pants are held up by a large black belt with a golden square buckle. He is an anthropomorphic toon of indeterminable species.

In the reboot, his face and feet are a warmer color, with his feet now having one spot instead of two. Yakko's teeth, like the other Warners, now has noticeable fangs. His slacks are less baggy and were given a more saturated color. His nose is slightly triangular, and he has grown a small tuft of hair-like fur/fur-like hair on the top of his head similar to Pinky.

Species

The Warner siblings' species is never specified, much to the confusion of the other characters. When asked what they are, the Warners will never give a clear response, with their main answer simply being that they are the Warner brothers and the Warner sister; some other responses include "cute"[2] and "infested with fleas."[3]

They have explicitly specified that they are not: bats,[4][5] bees, bugs/insects, bunnies, cats, dinosaurs[2] dogs,[6] eels,[2] elephants,[4] horses,[2] monkeys,[7][4] penguins,[2] rabbits,[5] seals or skunks.[2] The siblings, mainly Wakko, do show traits of some of these animals, though; the siblings have been seen howling like wolves[8] or stretching like cats.[9] Wakko especially tends to show canine traits, such as barking, chasing frisbees,[10] or doing tricks for treats.[11]

The Warners seem to have some idea of what they are, though they also do not know entirely, as Dot questioned if their DNA test could reveal such information.[12] Wakko says that he is 5% salamander, before demonstrating an ability to remove and regrow his tail.[13] He also states that he and his siblings are infertile "like mules;"[14] the reference to mules implies that, like them, the Warners are some kind of hybrid. They also do not rule out the possibility of being related to humans.[12]

Series creator Tom Ruegger says that the Warners are simply toons, and that their species is cartoonus characterus.[15]

Description

A born leader, fast-talker and ideal big brother, Yakko takes the lead in one off-the wall Animaniacs adventure after another.[16]

Personality

Described in the theme song as the one who "yaks," Yakko is mainly defined by his irony, wit, and use of wordplay for comedy. The original series pitch bible describes him as "the glib, fast-talker and sly wise-guy[...] the thinker, the planner, the schemer, and the trio's recreation director."[17] He is indeed the talker of the group, and is playfully cocky and disrespectful, with little respect for authority, or adults in general. He is also persistent and positive, determined to complete whatever he has set his mind on. In the song "Be Like Me", Yakko describes himself as using "the pen and not the sword" and solving problems with a "clever rhyme."

Much like other cartoons of the 1930s, Yakko has a huge degree of zaniness, which often causes problems for his adversaries. He is able to manipulate "cartoon logic" to suit his needs; as he describes in his song, "I Am the Very Model of a Cartoon Individual", he is "adept at funny gags," including the summoning and use of an anvil, dynamite or mallet for slapstick gags, the changing of background sceneries, and occasional shapeshifting to suit comedic needs. He also has a hyperactive streak, as he rarely, if ever, remains still; however, he seems able to multitask while moving as such, as he is able to recite Plotz's orders in "Hearts of Twilight" despite having been shown playing paddleball while he was speaking.

While he occasionally dabbles in comedic slapstick or visual gags, his zaniness is more centered around wordplay. An example of his puns can be seen in such instances as in "La La Law," when he responds to an accusation of "badgering" the witness by tossing aside a live badger, and responds to the later accusation of leading the witness by allowing her to lead in a dance. He is fully aware of his capabilities, intentionally entering (and winning) verbal or rap battles, such as in "Morning Malaise" or "Gift Rapper," or when he showed off his fast-talking ability by listing off Dot's name when she was unable to in "Cutie and the Beast."

He is known for most of the adult jokes of the show, and will often end accidental innuendos by blowing a kiss and saying, "Goodnight, everybody." He also has a large interest in girls in the original series, with him and Wakko calling "Hello, Nurse!" to women they find attractive (especially the eponymous character), and often jumping into their arms or onto their laps, much to Dot's chagrin. Yakko is particularly flirty, often asking said women out or attempting to kiss them. (Though, to be fair, he and his siblings also give kisses to everybody they greet, and their 'special friends' in the manner of Bugs Bunny.) Yakko also seems to recognize and make more intentional innuendos than his siblings, such as in "Chalkboard Bungle", in which he questioned "what else" Miss Flamiel had in her shirt, or in "A Christmas Plotz," telling the chorus girls to let him know "when those costumes get heavy." Despite this, he is not shown to be sexist, making several references to feminism and women's liberation, such as when questioned about usage of the term "sister" in "This Pun for Hire"; this makes it likely that his actions are more driven by a mixture of hormones, difficulty comprehending social cues, and general zaniness. This trait of his is toned down in the reboot.

Yakko is very much a child at heart, showing a distaste for adulthood and its burdens. However, he has also shown himself to be responsible in caring for his siblings, as well as sweet, loving, warm-hearted, and kind towards them. The pitch bible also says he is "very protective" of them and loves them dearly"-[17] this trait is seen mainly in Wakko's Wish, in which he is presented as the main caretaker of Dot during her illness. He often is shown guiding or teaching Wakko and Dot throughout their adventures, instructing them in multiplication or the protocol of the Wheel of Morality segment. His siblings seem to see him as their authority figure, as seen in "Bun Control", where they ask his permission to keep their bunnies. But while they do love and respect him, they also will occasionally quarrel; Yakko tends to butt heads with Dot the most, as shown in their incessant bickering during "I'm Mad" and their extended argument in "Cutie and the Beast." In the latter episode, as well as the reboot episode "Gold Meddlers", his siblings also express a bit of jealousy towards him for Yakko's World's popularity (despite Wakko's America being arguably just as iconic). In said reboot, his siblings also show a tiredness at his educational segments, though Yakko defends his position as the teacher by saying he is the "smarty pants"- and, in fact, "the only pants."[18]

While Yakko presents himself as very untroubled with how others perceive him, with a complete nonchalance when their 'special friends' become outraged with them, he appears to have some form of agitation, which he hides well. This is shown in instances such as a sleeping Yakko reciting the lyrics to "Yakko's World" and then becoming afraid that he "left one out," and in the reboot episode "Fear and Laughter in Burbank", in which he has a breakdown upon not being able to yak, and quickly looking to his siblings for assurance that he's funny. He also has a trait of falling back onto performing "Yakko's World" when stressed, pressed, or attempting to make someone like him.

Yakko also has a large degree of book smarts; he featured in the iconic song "Yakko's World" by naming every current nation of the world in song form, but he also performed similar educational songs such as "Yakko's Universe", "The Planets", "Multiplication", "Panama Canal", "When You're Traveling from Nantucket", as well as the parody of "Yakko's World," "All the Words in the English Language," and several other songs shared with his siblings. (though the Multiplication song may have been retconned in the reboot, in which Yakko's siblings state he can't do math.) He also has a deep appreciation for Shakespeare, performing and/or translating several scenes in the original show and defending the bard from rapper Jay-Pac in the reboot. Yakko takes offense to the implication he doesn't comprehend the plays, as stated by a narrator, and considering the amount of references he managed to put into a presumed impromptu rap, it is suggested that he is indeed able to grasp the material.

Moral Code

Can you add this one

Yakko's signature

As stated in the pitch bible, the Warners "are the world's answer to loony justice, when the unjust must be taught a lesson" and represent "what kids would like to do to the jerky adults in the world." Yakko is particularly described as taking "great pleasure in finding a deserving target for the Warner Brothers' patented style of mayhem and destruction."[17] He is usually the one to designate their "Special Friend", and is usually fully aware of their annoyance towards him, though he will not back off until justice is served. When people become angered at their antics, while he doesn't seem to understand why they're upset, he doesn't hesitate to ramp up their irritating behavior in order to deliver their form of karma.

The Warner siblings are known to abide by their own moral code; while their sketches mainly revolve around them tormenting an antagonist, they make it clear that they will not bother anyone who has not already provoked them. This sometimes causes issues for them when they are annoyed by someone who has not intentionally aggravated them, such as Pip or Prunella Flundergust, as they do not find it right to fight back during these occasions. However, they do seem to be alright with other characters doing the same thing, as in the latter case they simply called Slappy Squirrel in to deal with their nanny so they wouldn't be culpable.

History

Family

Warnerbabies

The Warners as infants in Wakko's Wish.

The full history of the Warner Siblings is shrouded in mystery, starting from the very beginning; for starters, their parents are unknown. The original pitch bible claims that "they have no parents. Or at least, no one will admit to being their parent."[17] While it is likely they were simply drawn as orphans, the Warners seem to be under the impression that they do have existing parents, though they don't appear to have any memories of them, as Yakko speculated they may be pencils. He appears to trace a family tree in "King Yakko", though that may have been for the sake of the cartoon. In a similar situation of canon ambiguity, in the sketch "Turkey Jerky," he claims that they were lost in the wilderness and raised by wild turkeys, and in "This Pun for Hire", when Wakko misses Dot's reference to "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves", he states he doesn't remember those events occuring and asks Dot for clarification. In the comic series, the siblings have a cousin named Sakko Warner.

The Warners have been implied to be or directed as royalty several times, implying they may belong to an aristocratic family; Yakko is in line to rule the kingdom of Anvilania in "King Wakko" (though, once again, that may have been for the sake of the cartoon), and Dot's full name includes the title of Princess. The Warners are also canonically royalty in the continuity of Wakko's Wish.

They were shown with parents solely in Wakko's Wish; see that section for more information.

Creation to Tower

The Warners' creation was described in detail in "The Warners' 65th Anniversary Special," though some facts contradict the repeated opening introduction, "Newsreel of the Stars"- this is either a simple production error or an intentional misdirection to shed more mystery on the Warners' origins.

Yakkoanvil testimonials

Yakko dropping an anvil on Milton Berle.

The Warners were "discovered/created" in 1929 at the current animation department, Termite Terrace. After the cartoon Outback Buddy failed to entertain its director, Weed Memlo, he ordered the lead animator, Lon Borax, to add more characters. Borax, driven insane by the overwork brought on by the crunch time, drew these "weird characters" at 2:43 am on the morning of "February 30th." He eventually fled the studio by breaking through a wall, but not before drawing the Warner siblings into the cartoon, which then ended with the siblings crushing Buddy with a mallet. Though confused, CEO Thaddeus Plotz ordered the Warners to be put into the rest of Buddy's cartoons, which would end with the same slapstick gag. The siblings appeared notably in Postman Buddy (1930), Gardening Buddy (1931), Baker Buddy (1932), and Busdriver Buddy (1933). Besides appearing in those shorts, the Warners also starred in their own cartoons, with known ones being 1929's Ragamuffins, 1930's Babblin' Bijou, followed by Krazy Kiddos, Pipsqueeks, Nutty Newsies,[19] Oy! My Rash!, Misbeehiving, Foot Foot Footsy You Smell!, and Globos De Carne.[20]. The Warners were also loaned out to the Fleichman's studio for Little Red Riding Goop in 1931, which was their first known cartoon to feature voice lines- interestingly, Dot also mentions living in the water tower at that time, despite the fact they wouldn't be locked up for another three years.

The Warners gained popularity, stated to be "the biggest things to hit Hollywood," and so Buddy was fired despite the siblings' protests. Plotz gave the Warners their own series of cartoons, which he later lists as the "biggest mistake" of his life. Taking advice from Bugs Bunny, they hired an agent by the name of Irving "Swifty" LaBoo, a "shrewd negotiator" and Chicken Boo in disguise, and the Warners signed a four-cartoon deal.

It should be noted that, contradictory to what was stated in the 65th anniversary, it was claimed in Episode 26 that the Warners were not created but "discovered" at Schwab's pharmacy when a Warner Bros scout spotted Wakko eating an entire milkshake and gave them a contract. They were also stated to have been in Vaudeville with Sy Sykman, Jack Benny, George Burns and Milton Berle, the latter of which was given the Special Friend treatment, particularly by Yakko, who loved to torment the man and help/ruin his standup. The Warners also appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies.

Their first director, Memlo, hated working with the Warners, and the children often reminisce about how angry he would get at them. He directed at least two major cartoons with them, Flies in the Ointment and Kitchen Krazy. Flies in the Ointment in particular became a notable failure, due to its unedited nature giving it an eight-hour length, though it was later acclaimed by Mr. Director.

After these, Memlo was taken off the Warner cartoons, but no director would go near them, so Plotz allowed Wakko to direct Yankee Doodle Warners (1934), in which Wakko performs "Yankee Doodle" with his armpits while his siblings hum along.

Infuriated, Plotz cancelled the Warners' contract and kicked out LaBoo, insisting that the children would never make another cartoon at his studio. Now with no work to do, Yakko and his siblings began to run amok throughout the studio, causing chaos; Yakko and Wakko were noted to pop out of items and greet chorus girls with "Hello, Nurse!", while Dot would do the same to attractive male actors. The siblings would appear everywhere, especially at the commissary, despite everyone fleeing in terror when they asked to eat with them. Other instances of their antics include putting bean dip in the saddle of The Gipper, trying to straighten Porky Pig's tail, and calling Yosemite Sam "itty bitty baby man."

Crew members became afraid to walk around the lot, particularly ones that drew the siblings' ire. The final straw for Plotz occurred when the siblings made film star Jimmy Cagney their "special friend" and pantsed him in public. Following that incident, the Warner siblings were captured by a guard (either Ralph T. Guard or an ancestor of his) and thrown into the studio Water Tower, while their films were hidden away and their existence went unacknowledged by the studio.

The tower was perma-sealed in order to prevent their escape, to Plotz's delight, as he hoped that the Warners would spend the rest of time isolated inside. However, the Warners could not be contained forever; and they were released both accidentally and intentionally throughout the years.

Known Escapes

Every few years, the tower had to be emptied in order to fumigate for termites, and the Warners would routinely escape for a day. However, each time they escaped, they would eventually be recaptured and locked back in the tower.

1942 was the Warners' earliest known release, as they were freed in order to star in a propaganda film, Warners Take the Home Front. Three years later, during a fumigation, it is known that they went to the American Delegation in 1945, where they jumped on Winston Churchill's stomach.

In 1962, Termite Terrace closed its doors due to a financial shortage. With no more cartoon department, the Warners were once again thrown into the tower with the intention to perma-seal the door a second time. However, after Plotz bet the studio's future on Youngblood Squack, a film that flopped, he began to lease the Warners out to other studios for quick cash. The Warners did not seem to consent to this, as they were dragged off set in a net while screaming and attempting to escape. However, the Warners soon became known for being bad at playing second fiddle, and would end up taking over the episodes they were tasked to guest star in.

That April, the Warners were first put into an episode of Hoo Hoo Hooey, where they complained about the flat animation and burnt the script while leading the star, Calhoun Capybara, off a cliff and into a water main. The Warners then guest starred as themselves in Uhuru, Where Are You?, in which they terrorized the cast by playing cheesy fake rock songs and riding the title character around the set, the latter of which resulted in several injuries. Following this, the upset Warners were once again trapped on the Warners lot and remained off-model for months, and their loaning status was changed to an episode-by-episode basis.

Following another flop with Freebie and the Boo, the Warners were lent to Thunderdog. However, they stole the title character's magic feather, causing a million-ton weight to drop on him, flattening him. The Warners were then lent out to Obese Orson, which they ruined by insisting on having fun on Saturdays instead of teaching lessons.

Though the studio once again regained money, Plotz continued to lend out the Warners until they appeared in a boy band's cartoon and saw a newspaper revealing the studio's profits were "through the roof." Upset, the Warners demanded they never be loaned out again, ripping up their contract and retreating into the tower. They had to remove Chicken Boo from the premises, as he had taken up residence in their absence.

On January 21, 1968, The Warners escaped during a tower fumigation and performed as "a family of dancing bears," singing "Make a Gookie."[21] In 1972, they were released in order to star in a public service announcement, "Wipe Those Feet," though they later had no memory of said short.[22] All of their following escapes appear to have occurred solely during fumigation instances. In 1977, the Warners appeared at the Disco Championships, where they won the dance and received a prize of an 8-Track tape player, a mood ring, and a copy of "Muskrat Love." And in November of 1989, the Warners provided the mallets used to knock down the Berlin Wall, though they charged money for the tools in order to buy themselves candy.

The Warners did spent most of those sixty years isolated in the tower; however, it is unknown precisely what they did while inside, though they are briefly seen playing cards in "Back in Style." The Warners notably do not talk much about their time in captivity; when prompted about it in "Fair Game", Yakko simply says that they "live in a tower." They do seem to consider the tower their home, often returning there of their own volition; however, when escaping, they become very upset and sometimes fearful when caught.

Original Series

In 1993, the Warners managed to escape without outside help, much to the studio's chagrin. However, they were no longer able to completely contain them and resorted to simply trying to catch and lock them up as much as possible. During this time, the Warners also starred in their own show, Animaniacs, as one of six major segments; the show became popular in-universe, causing the children to receive fan mail and get swarmed at conventions.[23] The Warners also became close with the show's producer, Steven Spielberg.

YakkosWorld

One of Yakko's educational songs, "Yakko's World"

The Warners' cartoons follow a general formula of them delivering justice to someone who deserves it with their unique brand of cartoon humor, though some other shows focus more on their antics as they "run around the Warner movie lot." As the show exists in-universe, it is unknown how many sketches are scripted shows and how many happen diegetically, especially as many of the employees also act in the shorts in different roles, such as Hello Nurse appearing as a prime minister[24] or flight attendant.[25] For what it is worth, in their segments, Yakko definitely is shown as the leader of his siblings, often taking control of the situation and leading them in their escapades. He should not be confused with a responsible authority figure, though, as he is just as insane-y as his sibs, and just as fun-loving and wild. Yakko is also given most of the show's educational songs, which his siblings seem a bit jealous of due to the songs' popularity.

The Warners are assigned to psychiatrist Dr. Otto von Scratchansniff, with Plotz hoping that he would be able to de-zanitize them. At first, the Warners simply drive him insane, causing him to rip out his own hair, and he seems to be terrified of them, as seen in "The Sound of Warners" and "Anchors A-Warners." However, he warms up to them as the series progresses, becoming a paternal figure for them starting as early as "Taming of the Screwy." The Warners sometimes refer to him as their father, but only in times when it would be most inconvenient for him, such as when he's on a date and wants to be left alone.

Yakko interacts with the doctor the most, and seems to take great delight in getting him riled up, usually by ruining his psychoanalyses.[26][27] Scratchansniff, for his part, is only able to diagnose Yakko as "obsessed with girls,"[28] and never manages to completely de-zanitize him.

The Warners also become acquainted with the studio nurse, Hello Nurse. Yakko and Wakko develop an intense crush on her, and whenever she appears they will use their customary greeting and often leap into her arms and kiss her. For her part, Nurse seems to tolerate the Warners' behavior, though she does sometimes attempt to capture them with Ralph and Scratchansniff. She is one of the few characters that ever adjusts her wording for the Warners following a misunderstanding, such as in "Variety Speak" and "This Pun for Hire." She also pats Wakko and smiles while holding the boys in "Hello Nurse." The latter song also reveals the brothers are aware and in awe of her intelligence. Similarly, Yakko takes an interest in several girls throughout the series, often flirting with any adult women he finds attractive, though he never seems to succeed in getting their affection. The dirty jokes made by he and his siblings in these situations often "[made] the Fox censors cry."[29]

Intro-1572884412

The Warners in the Wheel of Morality segment.

The children make a game of terrorizing Ralph the Guard, who seems to have been at the studio as long as them and is put in charge of catching them whenever they escape; Yakko and his siblings often lead him through the sets of different segments during filming, or through different areas, letting him chase them while they have their own brands of fun. Despite this, they seem to be friendly with him when he isn't trying to capture them, as they invited him and his wife to their house party.

Plotz despises the Warners, though it's unclear how they feel about him in return; they often make fun of him and dislike when he loans them out, but also are excited to help or be around him, such as becoming his secretaries or inviting him to their house party. In "We're On Our Way to Go See Mr. Plotz," Yakko refers to him as a genius and the siblings seem very excited to show him their script, and in the second part of the episode that song appears in, "Hooray for North Hollywood", they end up missing him despite his mistreatment of them.

The Warners also seem to be acquainted with the other cast members of their show, and often cameo in their segments while running through the lot. They seem to be friendly with Slappy and Skippy, as the squirrels wish them a happy anniversary on their 65th, and the Warners go to Slappy for help in "The Sound of Warners." They also seem to know Pinky and The Brain well enough to know how to summon them to appear in "A Hard Day's Warners," and Buttons and Mindy enough to go to them in "Lookit the Fuzzy Heads."

The original show ended in 1998, with the Warners' final episode being an intro to "The Animaniacs Suite."

Wakko's Wish

Yakko tells a story

Yakko and Dot in Wakko's Wish.

It is unknown exactly how the events of Wakko's Wish fit into the continuity of the series; it is presumed to be a film that the Animaniacs cast worked on, as Spielberg is referenced in the script, and the film itself is referenced in the later reboot. However, it could also be considered an alternate universe, or some other unexplained event.

In the film, the Warners are homeless orphans living in the poor town of Acme Falls, in the Kingdom of Warnerstock during the reign of the hated King Salazar the Pushy. Though Yakko and Dot are very pessimistic about their circumstances, Wakko constantly reminds them, as well as the rest of the town, to never give up hope. The three children live in an abandoned water tower, with dividers between their "rooms." Yakko takes his most paternal role in this continuity, and he often tells Dot "The Story," about how their parents picked her, their daughter, from the most beautiful flower.

Dot comes down with a mysterious illness, prompting Wakko to spend a year working in an attempt to earn the funds for her surgery; Yakko and Dot constantly wait for him at the train station. He eventually returns with a ha'penny, to the excitement of the town; however, the ha'penny is confiscated by Baron von Plotz. Yakko takes his siblings home and again tells Dot The Story before going to bed himself.

Though he's upset by the day's events, Wakko keeps his spirits high and picks a star to wish upon. By chance, he picks the exact wishing star, which falls a few miles away. After being informed that the first to touch the star gets their wish, the siblings set out, with the rest of the town following.

Warnerstockportrait

Warner Royal Family

An assassination is ordered on the Warners by Salazar, and they narrowly avoid being shot by Plotz and Ralph. However, the town is captured by the King, who orders the disrespectful siblings executed. However, Yakko thinks quickly and claims they have secret information on the Wishing Star, so they are taken to a nearby palace, where they tease the King. He then sends them through their a ride of their "worst nightmares"- Mr. Director, the bathroom from "Potty Emergency" and "Baloney." When they exit, Yakko proceeds to inflict cartoonish violence on Salazar whenever he suggests possible wishes, showing how they could easily turn into a monkey's paw situation. Angered, the King once again orders them executed by firing squad; however, Dot uses her cuteness to convince the guard to let them go.

The siblings escape across a field, until Salazar hits them with a cannonball; this mortally injures Dot, who begs a tearful Yakko to tell her The Story one last time while everyone gathers around. Her death upsets even the villains, who then turn on Salazar; however, once Salazar realizes that Wakko has reached the Wishing Star during the confusion, Dot sits up, revealing herself to have been a distraction.

Wakko then wishes for two ha'pennies, which fixes the economy of Acme Falls. Dot has her operation (plastic surgery for a beauty mark), and while at the hospital the siblings are able to trace their family line, discovering that they are the long lost children of the royal family that Salazar overthrew, having been exiled when he overtook the Kingdom. (It is also implied that he may have had a hand in their parents' death, as he refers to their parents as causing problems for him.)

The Warners then retake their throne, kicking Salazar to the dogs, and are able to rule Warnerstock. The film ends with them reiterating Wakko's mantra that they should never give up hope.

Reboot

Screenshot 20201130-025926

The Warners reanimated!

The location and activities of the Warners from 1998 to 2020 is completely unknown, as they do not seem to have been locked again in the tower. However, they also need to be caught up on 2020 technology in the first episode, implying they were still isolated from the world. The intro song shows them emerging from graves and signing a contract with a Grim Reaper-Figure, implying that they may have "died" following the original show and been "re-animated" for the reboot; however, as the Grim Reaper is shown to be terrified of them in the original show, this isn't certain. It is also possible that they were put into "suspended animation", as is referred to in the title of half of the pilot episode; in the original series's "Our Final Space Cartoon, We Promise," Wakko refers to him and Yakko being cryo-frozen by saying, "I hate being in suspended animation," implying this may be a process in their universe. This theory is also supported by Wakko's final lines in the second season, implying that the Warners were in some kind of dreamless sleep.[12]

In 2020, the Warners return to the lot excitedly, and happily greet their old home, the Water Tower, as well as Ralph. They eventually reunite with Scratchansniff, who is able to play a prank on them he'd been planning for twenty-two years. They also meet the new CEO, Nora Rita Norita, and continuously cause property damage to her office whenever they visit, usually by knocking down a wall or window. She seems to care less about their activities than Plotz, and they in turn are a little afraid of her intensity; however, they have also been placed in familial situations with her often, with Dot bonding with her daughter Cora and the siblings trying to bond with her after mistakenly believing they were related. The children also notice the absence of their fellow cartoon stars (sans Pinky and the Brain), and eventually discover that they were all hunted and imprisoned by a jealous Chicken Boo. Yakko and his siblings also eventually reunite with Scratchansniff. Yakko is at first happy to return to their role of pranksters, but when Scratchansniff appears sick, Yakko encourages his siblings to help the doctor to return him to normal. He refers to him as "a very good foil of ours."

The Warners are generally the same as their 90s appearances, though there are some differences; they are drawn with more fluff, for instance. Yakko and Wakko no longer perform their "Hello Nurse" gag, though Dot does still flirt with men. The siblings are also aware that they are in a "cash-grab" reboot, often making fun of the fact they're repeating tropes and playing on nostalgia.

So far in the reboot, Yakko has been given a more clear older brother role, though his siblings do occasionally take the lead in their sketches. He is the presumed authority of the tower, with Wakko and Dot going to him for permission to keep their "buns".[30] However, his siblings also seem a bit irritated at Yakko's role as the leader, with the two of them often looking annoyed at his educational sketches and/or attempting to take them over. They also have a low tolerance for his bad puns, which they punish him for with pun guns.[31]

His lowkey anxiety from the original show also is expanded upon in "Fear and Laughter in Burbank," in which he is the only one of his siblings to fall into Nickelwise's trap; he begins to panic over fear of not being heard and not being funny. He also seems to default to performing "Yakko's World" when stressed, pressed, or in an attempt to get somebody to like him. He also can get very angry at times, for example after being overstimulated in "Warner She Wrote" and when infested with rabbits in "Bun Control;" after being messed with in "Yakko Amakko," he was very close to beating his animator with a giant pen. There is also a more prominent point of his impatience, with two separate sketches ("Hindenburg Cola" and Magna Cartoon") featuring beats while Yakko rushes the plot along, citing time constraints.

As the tower has a more consistent interior design than in the original show, it is shown that Yakko sleeps in a ballpit under Dot's loft.[31]

Appearances





In addition to Yakko's cameos in the Pinky and the Brain spin-off series, he appears in the series intro through archival footage from the Wang Animaniacs Pinky and the Brain intro; holding the magnifying glass over the mice.

Quotes

Animaniacs Wiki has a collection of quotes related to Yakko

Voices

Yakko was voiced in the original English recordings by Rob Paulsen. In the 2020 reboot, Gabriel Mann serves as Paulsen's occasional singing double.

  • Albanian: Julian Canameti[32]
  • Arabic: Rafat Bazoo
  • Bulgarian: Камен Асенов
  • Croatian: Mario Mirković
  • Czech:
    • ČT1: Libor Terš
    • Supermax: Zbyšek Pantůček, Zdeněk Mahdal (occasional double)
    • VHS: Jiří Kodeš (Volumes 1-2), Otakar Brousek mladší (3-4), Bohdan Tůma (5-6)
  • Danish: Henrik Koefoed
  • Finnish: Petteri Summanen
  • French: Hervé Rey
  • German: Frank Schaff
  • Greek: Πέτρος Δαμουλής
  • Hebrew: Alon Noyman
  • Hungarian: Zoltán Fekete
  • Italian: Massimiliano Alto
  • Japanese: Ryūsei Nakao
  • Polish: Tomasz Kozlowicz
  • Portuguese (Brazilian): Ettore Zuim (first voice), Clécio Souto (current voice)
  • Portuguese (European): Fernando Luís
  • Romanian: Sebastian Lupu
  • Russian:
    • Boomerang: Mikhail Tikhonov (speaking voice), Maxim Maminov (singing voice)
    • STS: Yuriy Malyarov (speaking voice), Petr Markin and Roman Berchenko (singing voice)
    • VHS: Dmitry Polonskiy
  • Spanish: Rafael Monsalve
  • Ukranian: Roman Chupis

Trivia

In-Universe

  • In an interview with Tom Ruegger in Talkin' Toons With Rob Paulsen episode 14, he questions that Yakko might be 14 years old in a joke.
  • Yakko is ambidextrous. In some episodes, he is seen writing with his left hand, and in others, he is seen writing with his right hand.
  • His idol is famous actress Michelle Pfeiffer (who in the series was portrayed in the Catwoman outfit she wore in Batman Returns).
  • His favorite color is lavender.[33]
  • Yakko is some level of lactose intolerant.[34][18]
  • Yakko is the same height as Bugs Bunny.

General

  • Yakko's fast-talking puns are a tribute to Groucho Marx of Marx Brothers-fame.
  • Yakko makes a cameo in the intro of the Pinky and the Brain spin-off series holding a magnifying glass, though only his arms are visible to create the illusion that he's an unknown scientist experimenting on the two mice.
  • Yakko appeared as an inflatable balloon display on top of the water tower in Burbank in real life, this was in promotion of the show before it was released. However, when Bob Daley, who ran the studio at the time, saw the balloon, he thought that a misshapen form of Disney's Mickey Mouse was sitting on top of the tower and he demanded it be removed. It was, but not before Paul Rugg took a photo. See here for more information.
  • When asked to describe his characters in one word, Rob Paulsen described Yakko as "zany."[35]

Gallery

Animaniacs Wiki has a collection of images related to Yakko Warner

References

  1. Issue 1 (DC Animaniacs): "1492: The TRUE Story"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Episode 6: Temporary Insanity/Operation: Lollipop/What are We?
  3. Episode 37: Dough Dough Boys/Boot Camping/General Boo-Regard
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Episode 15: Space Probed/Battle for the Planet
  5. 5.0 5.1 Episode 29: Draculee, Draculaa/Phranken-Runt
  6. Episode 11: No Pain, No Painting/Les Miseranimals
  7. Episode 1: De-Zanitized/The Monkey Song/Nighty-Night Toon
  8. Episode 22: Guardin' the Garden/Plane Pals
  9. Episode 89: Ten Short Films About Wakko Warner/No Time for Love/The Boo Network
  10. Episode 3 (Reboot): Gold Meddlers/Pinko and the Brain/Math-Terpiece Theater: Apples
  11. Episode 71: Variety Speak/Three Tenors and You're Out/Bingo/Finale
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Episode 26 (Reboot): 80's Cats/All About the Benjamin/23 and WB
  13. Episode 13 (Reboot): Hindenburg Cola/Roadent Trip/FLOTUS, FLOTUS: What Do You Know About Us?
  14. Episode 14 (Reboot): Rome Sweet Rome/Backwards Pinky/Wakko's Short Shorts: Now Loading
  15. Lammle, Ron (01-04-2018) - Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Animaniacs. Mental Floss. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  16. Just Toys Animaniacs Bend-Ems Box Description
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Original Pitch Bible
  18. 18.0 18.1 Episode 20 (Reboot): Yakko Amakko/The Longest Word/Happy Narfday!/Magna Cartoon
  19. Testimonials (Animaniacs)
  20. Episode 6: Temporary Insanity/Operation: Lollipop/What are We?
  21. Episode 65: The Warners' 65th Anniversary Special
  22. Episode 25 (Reboot): Warner's Ark/The Apology/Narf Over Troubled Water/The Warner's Vault
  23. Episode 73: A Hard Days Warner/Gimme a Break/Please Please Please Get a Life Foundation
  24. Episode 10: King Yakko
  25. Episode 22: Guardin' the Garden/Plane Pals
  26. Episode 1: De-Zanitized/The Monkey Song/Nighty-Night Toon
  27. Episode 23: Be Careful What You Eat/Up the Crazy River/Ta Da Dump, Ta Da Dump, Ta Da Dump Dump Dump
  28. Episode 58: Meet John Brain/Smell Ya Later
  29. Episode 40: Casablanca Opening/Fair Game/The Slapper/Puppet Rulers
  30. Episode 4 (Reboot): Bun Control/Ex Mousina/Bloopf
  31. 31.0 31.1 Episode 8 (Reboot): WhoDonut/Mousechurian Candidate/Starbox and Cindy
  32. AlbanianDubs - Julian Canameti
  33. Episode 24: Yakko's World of Baldness/Opportunity Knox/Wings Take Heart
  34. Episode 25: Disasterpiece Theatre/Hercule Yakko/Home on De-Nile/A Midsummer Night's Dream
  35. ANIMANIACS cast Q&A + SAT, JAN 16TH (2021) | 1PM PT, 4PM ET

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