25 Most Popular Cartoon Characters with No Necks

When it comes to cartoons, the rules of anatomy are more like vague suggestions. Legs can stretch like noodles, eyes can pop out in surprise, and necks? Well, sometimes they just don’t exist at all.

In the universe of animated TV and film, some characters are designed so exaggeratedly—or so simply—that the neck is completely left out of the picture. And yet, these neckless wonders have become some of the most beloved icons in animation history. Whether it’s for comedic effect, stylistic choice, or just plain laziness on the animator’s part (we see you, early 2000s TV!), these characters prove that you don’t need a neck to have a personality.

From classic mischief-makers to modern meme-worthy mascots, this list celebrates the most unforgettable cartoon characters who skipped neck day… permanently.

Let’s meet the legends who connect head to torso like it’s nobody’s business.

1. Patrick Star

There’s a reason Patrick lives under a rock—thinking isn’t his strength. His entire body resembles a plump pink cone, with his head merging seamlessly into his torso. Neck? Never needed one to be SpongeBob’s sidekick.

2. Grim (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy)

When your job is reaping souls, who has time for anatomical accuracy? Grim’s floating skull rests directly on his shoulders, making him a perfect blend of creepy and comical—no neck required.

3. Fred Flintstone

Yabba Dabba Don’t expect a neck here. Fred’s thick Neanderthal frame, complete with a stone-age tie and five o’clock shadow, makes it clear that his design was all about sturdy, simple shapes.

4. Barney Rubble

Barney is like Fred compressed into a cheerful nugget. Short, round, and constantly smiling, his head flows right into his chest like a boulder balanced on another boulder.

5. Peter Griffin

Few chins in animation are as memorable as Peter’s. With shoulders perpetually hunched and a giant jawline that doubles as a chest buffer, Peter’s neck was never part of the blueprint.

6. Wreck-It Ralph

Ralph wasn’t designed to be graceful—he was made to smash. His head sits on shoulders as wide as the arcade cabinet he lives in, built like a wrecking ball with arms.

7. Mr. Krabs

Mr. Krabs sees the world through eyes on stalks, perched atop a solid, armored shell. His rigid body design skips the neck entirely, focusing instead on money and menu prices.

8. Eric Cartman

Winter coats do wonders for hiding anatomy, but in Cartman’s case, it’s all fluff and face. His pudgy cheeks rest right on his collar, giving him a perfectly round silhouette.

9. Gru (Despicable Me)

Gru is all hunched menace and elongated limbs, except where his neck should be. His head practically leans into his shoulders like a plotting vulture—fitting for a former supervillain turned dad.

10. Patrick’s Dad

Imagine Patrick Star, but bulkier, balder, and somehow even less alert. His dad is essentially a pink fridge with eyes—no curves, no neck, just solid cluelessness in a starfish suit.

11. The Minions

These banana-loving blobs are basically sentient Tic Tacs with goggles. Their cylindrical shape means their heads and bodies are one continuous curve, perfect for slapstick but not for neckwear.

12. Moe Szyslak

Years of bartending and bitterness have compressed Moe into a hunched, growling figure. His elongated face stretches right to his shirt, as if life literally pressed the neck out of him.

13. Fat Albert

“Hey hey hey!” booms from a face nestled into a red sweater. Fat Albert’s giant, warm-hearted presence leaves no room for a neck—just a round, inviting shape built for hugs and laughter.

14. The Mayor of Townsville

This tiny man with a giant head spends more time picking candy than running a city. His oversized noggin sits directly on his suit jacket, neckless and constantly confused.

15. Chowder

Marzipan City’s most chaotic apprentice is all belly and cheeks. Chowder’s hat seems to levitate above his head, while the space between his mouth and torso is purely decorative—no neck needed in this food-fueled fantasy.

16. Uncle Grandpa

Everything about Uncle Grandpa is surreal: the name, the rainbow suspenders, the talking fanny pack. A neck would only get in the way of the strangeness, so his head simply sits where it lands—directly on weirdness.

17. King Dedede

Pompous and powerful, King Dedede waddles around with a mallet bigger than his castle. His head-to-body transition is as smooth as his arrogance, forming one continuous puffball of royal fluff.

18. Meatwad

Meatwad is pure absurdity—a ground beef glob with the voice of a 5-year-old. He shapeshifts occasionally, but in default form, he’s a squishy sphere. No bones, no limbs, and definitely no neck.

19. Cleveland Brown Jr.

Cleveland Jr. is calm, nerdy, and incredibly round. His face rests directly on his ample frame, giving him a gentle, marshmallow-like appearance that’s completely neck-free.

20. Biggie (Trolls)

Biggie is a gentle giant troll with a big heart and even bigger hugs. His stout build and oversized head make him a cuddly cylinder of joy, with no room for a neck between all that fluff.

21. Stimpy (The Ren & Stimpy Show)

Stimpy is a blissfully clueless cat with a face that takes up 90% of his body. His head melts into his torso like wax, creating one lumpy mass of nonsense and nasal laughs.

22. Zoidberg (Futurama)

Zoidberg’s crab-like anatomy ditches the neck altogether. His head bulges out of his doctor’s coat, complete with tentacles, eyes, and medical incompetence—all stacked in one neckless, lovable mess.

23. Richard Watterson (The Amazing World of Gumball)

As the world’s laziest dad, Richard is a pink rabbit with the body of a beanbag. His head perches atop his massive stomach like frosting on a cake, bouncing with each clueless step.

24. Heffer Wolfe (Rocko’s Modern Life)

Heffer is a gluttonous steer raised by wolves, with a body shaped like an upright sofa cushion. His head juts out from his overfed frame with no separation, adding to his goofball energy and clueless charm.

25. Clarence Wendle (Clarence)

Clarence is the ultimate awkward kid next door—loud, friendly, and shaped like a potato. His head melts into his round body, with facial expressions that stretch across where a neck might exist in more anatomically accurate cartoons.