ADVERTISEMENT

Ever wondered what cartoon characters in real life would look like? Yes, they’re fictional sketches, which means we’ll never know their human looks in our world. But what if cartoon characters were real? 

The subject of cartoon characters IRL is fascinating, so Bored Panda’s pro member Hidreley delved into experimenting with AI-generated cartoon characters. That’s what digital art is about—blurring the lines between fantasy and reality on screen!

Surprisingly, some cartoon characters as humans look even better than the originals. See if your favorite cartoon characters are on this list, and scroll further to witness 23 pictures of real-life cartoon characters!

Note: The original article was written by Hidrėlėy and later edited and updated by the Bored Panda team. 

More info: Instagram

#1

Moe

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Moe character from the cartoon

Report

Add photo comments
POST
christian-crisetig avatar
helenburns2006 avatar
sleepyhead_1 avatar
Sleepyhead
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How handsome. I like his energy. I am crushing on Moe, but it's possibly because he owns a bar.

annabelleborders avatar
ANNABELLE BORDERS
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please hire this dude if theres ever a real life version of the simpsons.....

cjbrenna avatar
Britches are for everyone
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"When I find you, I'm going to stuff sausages down your throat and throw starving dogs up your butt."

flanneryandruslundy avatar
ThePanInPanda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one's really good! I could totally see a real-life Moe looking like that.

bigmamabadger avatar
hannahhudson-lee avatar
Hannah Hudson-Lee
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Moe is supposed to be based on Rich Hall. Well, not on Rich as Rich, but Rich doing an impression of a grumpy Bar Keeper he knew.

Load More Replies...
christian_5 avatar
Danny Meeks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The character was based off the comedian Rich Hall (who looks exactly like this!) Screenshot...f9-png.jpg Screenshot-2023-03-27-at-182213-6421d0d2d54f9-png.jpg

oogieboogie61 avatar
OogieBoogie
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

nickonaitis13 avatar
Norbert Edmund Charles Onaitis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are all really, really good. Suggestion: use the AI program to show what the late Sir Terry Pratchett's characters from the"Discworld" series look liflke. They only appear on the covers of the paperbacks. And yes, even after all these years, some of us still mourn his passing.

johngriffiths avatar
John Griffiths
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The AI doesn't do the pupils very well and for me it is the "tell". But still amazing.

stylishleos avatar
Style
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Subscribe Our Channel https://youtube.com/channel/UCq20vdM6Y0twFSLmb1uZwEA

firiel avatar
Elsa Prahl
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This looks great! The ears could be different though, I recall him saying he has cauliflower ears.

ilmarestellato avatar
il mare stellato
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Take away a (crazy) curiosity, but ... the baseline is Michael C Hall?

sharonbillups avatar
Sharon Billups
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is totally awesome. Very impressed with who you chose for look alike. So amazing!!

gotbigdreams13 avatar
Jaya Moss
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The AI version reminds me of actor Gregg Germann lol but not as charaturessque.

michellejanetis888 avatar
Michelle Janetis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Possibly the best likeness of all although they are all really good!!

lilyb_1 avatar
Lily B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me: well time to sleep. :him WELCOME TO THE NIGHTMARE REALM

williamtaunton avatar
William Taunton
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks like the guy from the princess bride that tries to kidnap the princess. Inconceivable!

lydia-a-gifford avatar
lydiasaur
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there was an actor in the... 80s? that looked kinda like that

cristian_3 avatar
Cris Tian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Moe is the one I like the most. Because he looks like the human version that later became a character. (not the other way around). It is perfect. I have seen other works that try to give animated characters a real look. But they are not very good. Yours is the best. Congratulations.

drolltimes avatar
Klaatu Verrata (Cough)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yikes. Definitely has a Buster Poindexter vibe...which is how I always pictured Moe, anyhow, so....accurate.

jonathanwarren avatar
Jon Warren
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

stewiem_void avatar
Stu Mitchem
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who is the guy who plays Buster Poindexter, bc that's who could play Moe

mykaelnyx avatar
Mykael Nyx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a '90s movie starring hulk Hogan I think it's called Mr nanny. The bad guy in that movie, except for having a messed up top of the head and long hair always reminded me of Moe

odzial avatar
Paweł Kudliński
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder did gonna work on video game charachters ;) i just wanna know how gonna look Ky Kiske from Gultiy Gear games.

datarigg avatar
Glenn McHenry
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's supposed to have "cauliflower ears" from his boxing days.

johnpowers_1 avatar
John Powers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I swear I've met this "person" before. Owns a local dive bar near me

fapase5049 avatar
fapase
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

My Uncle Brayden just got a new cream Chevrolet Camaro Convertible by working part time off of a macbook air... view  https://www.rich.slate74.com

hya40 avatar
Deja Katz
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

The hair is wrong. Where are the sideburns?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Hidreley did all the work on AI-generated cartoon characters by himself: “I’ve done some similar posts by other authors here on Bored Panda. I wanted to try something out myself, and so I dove into the world of AI. This time, I challenged myself to try to do one on the theme of cartoon characters. For this project, I used Photoshop and three mobile applications, FaceApp, Gradient, and Remini.

The Simpsons were the most challenging when making realistic cartoon characters. “In terms of how they all turned out, I’m more and more pleased with the results with each post I make. I really liked how Moe Szyzlak, Ned Flanders, and Milhouse Van Houten turned out because initially, I thought that the Simpsons drawing style would be very hard to emulate on ‘real life’ terms. Still, they are actually very easy to recognize,” Hidreley explains. 

#4

Moana

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Moana character from the cartoon

Report

Add photo comments
POST
gabrielshultz avatar
Orange Is Aging
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“I am Moana of Moto’nui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te’fiti.”

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

“This post inadvertently brought back some good memories from my childhood. Like every kid in my generation, I loved watching cartoons. I really loved the Simpsons and Hanna Barbera classics, and I can safely say that they’ve made a huge impact on my life,” adds Hidreley. 

“I’ve been exploring the world of artificial intelligence recently, and I can tell you, it’s a world without limits! With the rise of AI-assisted art generation, there are virtually (no pun intended) no boundaries for digital art; you just have to be creative and know how to guide the blind hand of the machine,” explains Hidreley. 

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Ned Flanders

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Ned Flanders character from the cartoon

Report

At some point, we’ve all wondered if cartoon characters were real. Were they inspired by celebrities or real-life events? Hidreley explains that he’s also intrigued by this concept: 

“I don't want to tease anything too early, but currently, I’m working hard on a project where I’m trying to show what some prematurely deceased celebrities would have looked like if they were still alive. I hope it will turn out great, and I’ll be able to share this with you soon!”

ADVERTISEMENT
#10

Milhouse

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Milhouse character from the cartoon

Report

Add photo comments
POST
kristina_meyer avatar
Kristina Meyer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He looks like a guy I went to elementary School with (except the haircolor). His Name was Sten.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

Rapunzel

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Rapunzel character from the cartoon

Report

See Also on Bored Panda
#16

Lady Tremaine

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Lady Tremaine character from the cartoon

Report

Add photo comments
POST
gabrielshultz avatar
Orange Is Aging
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wrong hair. Her butt hair has always been very important to me

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

Kristoff

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Kristoff character from the cartoon

Report

Add photo comments
POST
gabrielshultz avatar
Orange Is Aging
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He kinda looks like some kind of 2000’s Disney Channel character from a show that takes place in a summer camp

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

Isabela Madrigal

ai recreation of appearance in real life of Isabela Madrigal character from the cartoon

Report

Add photo comments
POST
gabrielshultz avatar
Orange Is Aging
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY MADRIGAL! THE HOME OF THE FAMILY MADEIGAL! WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE ARE fAnTaStIcAl AnD mAgIcAl!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu