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).

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.

Role in the series

## 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." 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"- 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."

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.