Cartoon Classmates: Digital Artist Gives Iconic Animated Characters Realistic High School Yearbook Photos

Just a few decades ago, people imagined that the world would have flying cars by now. We have not gotten to the point yet, but another invention straight from science fiction books has dominated the world: artificial intelligence. AI can teach you languages, do your homework, and even drive cars for you. However, not everyone is happy with the arrival of AI.

Artists all over the world are especially sick of AI, and you can’t blame them for it. AI is basically stealing their work to craft something new. To celebrate those artists, we wanted to highlight one digital artist who makes stunning art using Artbreeder and Photoshop. Daniel Voshart made realistic versions of our favorite cartoon characters in a series called Saturday School. They look so realistic, in fact, that you might not be surprised to find them in your yearbook.

Lois Pewterschmidt

You either love Lois Griffin or you hate her; there is no in-between. However, you cannot deny how iconic she is. Lois is undeniably one of the most recognizable characters in modern pop culture. Her distinctive nasally voice makes her so recognizable.

However, the version of Lois makes her seem like your average jolly history teacher rather than a housewife. If it weren’t for her signature turquoise shirt and her large nose, we wouldn’t have recognized her. In our opinion, her hair should’ve been redder.

Peter Griffin

There is no way you don’t know Peter Griffin. Family Guy has most certainly created some of the most recognizable characters in animation history. The series uses dark humor and satire fearlessly in this age of cancel culture, and we applaud them for their unceasing audacity.

He is possibly the most infuriating yet entertaining man you have ever met. Peter is what kids like to call a “menace to society.” However, you can’t tell how annoying he is just from this realistic version. He looks like the classic funny kid that every high school has.

Daria Morgendorffer

Many cartoons will come and go. However, ’90s kids like us will always have a special place in our hearts for Beavis and Butt-Head. Daria Morgendorffer was one of the best characters from the series. Intelligent introverts will probably never find a better representation in the media than her.

Clearly, we weren’t the only ones, since she got her own spin-off show! Her thoughts were perfectly aligned with teenagers of the ’90s. Our adolescence was hard, but she made it easier. Look at this young lady. You can tell she is an awkward yet intelligent soul.

Butt-Head

Poor Butt-Head does not have the easiest life. To put it nicely, he wasn’t going to be turning any heads on the street. And even his mother is canonically distant from him in the show. Poor Butt-Head likely has no potential of ever gaining pretty privileges.

With that being said, his face is far less unattractive than his animation counterpart. He may not be the most conventionally attractive man, but he is still much better looking in real life. Perhaps, that is because the animation art style was deliberately trying to paint him as ugly.

Beavis

It would be criminal to talk about Butt-Head without mentioning Beavis—his partner in crime. Tragically, Beavis also lacks the potential to compete in any beauty pageants. The god of beauty must be angry at them for something they did in their last life.

Sadly, not even Saturday School did them any justice. Beavis And Butt-Head are canonically less than 18, but this edit makes him look like he is an oddball 40-year-old. They could have just cast Neil Patrick Harris and called it a day.

Mandark

We hated this boy with a passion when we were kids. However, as adults, we understand why he did the things that he did. His villain origin story makes sense to us. We would also strive for world domination had we been in his position.

Poor guy was overshadowed by a newbie, and all of his inventions and research were destroyed. His unrequited love for Dee Dee only exacerbated the situation. His Saturday School version looks like he’s about to debate Newton about the laws of gravity.

Sailor Venus

Sailor Moon is one of the best shows we’ve ever been blessed to have on our TV screens. This anime shaped and inspired the next couple of decades of manga and anime. The recent hype about ’90s culture and fashion has, of course, included Sailor Moon. 

However, sadly this edit did not do this legendary anime justice. Sailor Venus is canonically a Japanese schoolgirl, despite the fact that she used to live in London. However, this edit whitewashed her. Please do not take inspiration from Netflix’s Cleopatra (2023).

SpongeBob

SpongeBob is arguably the most famous cartoon series in the world, aside from Tom & Jerry. Even if you did not watch a single episode of the series, you’d still know all the characters’ names and faces by heart. They are just that iconic.

Also, this is how you appropriately cast a character without offending any ethnicity. Since SpongeBob is literally an underwater sponge, the artist has the liberty to be inclusive and do something different from the expectation that diverges from their animated appearance.

Son Goku

Speaking of iconic anime, it would be criminal not to discuss the Dragon Ball Z series. This legendary anime made history by revolutionizing what shounen anime could do. The animators used hand-drawn visuals to create the most epic fight scenes in anime history.

Almost all ’90s kids have grown up watching Dragon Ball. Hence, Son Goku was like a god to us. This naive sweetheart could not tell men and women apart, but he could beat you to the next planet after going Super Saiyan. His realistic version looks like he could do the same.

Chuckie Finster

Watching Rugrats was essential to becoming one of the cool kids back in the ’90s. It was a wholesome cartoon that depicted real-life struggles that most children faced. While all the tots had something viewers saw in themselves, Chuckie Finster was always the most relatable.

Chuckie was an anxious soul who always second-guessed the actions of himself and those around him. Hence, his signature catchphrase was, “I don’t think this is such a good idea.” We’re glad that Saturday School was able to capture his timid nature in the realistic version.

Dot Warner

Just mentioning her name sends us back in time. Dot Warner was stamped on almost every piece of merch when Animaniacs became popular in the ’90s. Dot Warner was especially a hit among young girls. From school bags to T-shirts, Dot’s cute face was everywhere.

We are glad the artist managed to translate Dot Warner’s jolliness and adorableness in their edits. Her human version looks like that one eccentric art teacher that everyone adores. Our regret is that Saturday School missed Dot’s signature “cutie Mark.”

Marge Bouvier

Even if you have never laid your eyes on a TV screen, you still know what The Simpsons is. This series is the longest-running show in animation history. Hence, chances are you are already aware of who Marge Simpson is.

Before she gained her iconic tall stack of blue hair, Marge used to have regular straight hair that fell down past her shoulders. Marge’s realistic version makes her look like the rebellious artsy girl that everyone in art school secretly had a crush on.

Thomas The Tank Engine

Even if you weren’t born in the ’90s, chances are you have already seen Thomas The Tank Engine due to the meme “Thomas had never seen such BS before” becoming popular in recent years. We are happy about Thomas’ recent clout.

However, that doesn’t change how terrified we were of his face during our childhood. The moon face of the train seemed so lifeless and creepy that it made Pennywise look friendly. It’s amazing how the Saturday School was able to portray the eeriness of Thomas in this edit. He looks like he knows something about you.

April O’Neil

The kids these days are way too obsessed with Tiktok and Instagram. Only kids of the ’80s and ’90s will understand the serotonin and adrenaline rush that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles could give you. They also understood why April was the best girl.

This sweet lady has been a recurring character in every reincarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Aside from being the unofficial older sister to the titular turtles, her romance with Casey Jones was also the cutest. We’re glad that April is finally getting the recognition that she deserves.

Ash Ketchum

Great anime have come and gone over the years. However, perhaps nothing will ever reach the worldwide recognition that Pokémon has garnered. You may think people are crazy these days because they still play Pokémon GO and buy Pokémon cards. 

However, that’s probably because you never saw a day in the ’90s. Back then, Pokémon was at its prime, and having a Pikachu was the ultimate goal of every child. We are glad to see some representation of our childhood hero. He looks like a gamer boy that every high school has.

Vegeta

We have already talked about the divine blessing that is Dragon Ball. And you cannot discuss the anime without discussing our favorite antihero, Vegeta. Initially, he was the bane of our existence. He caused trouble for Goku wherever he went.

However, as the series progressed, Vegeta grew on us. A bloodthirsty killer became an emotionally constipated, lovable man in our eyes. He is also a fine representation of all short kings. This Vegeta made by Daniel looks like the president of the martial arts club from our former high school.

Kenny McCormick

South Park is proof that not every cartoon series needs a gorgeous art style to be successful. Good writing will take you to fame just as easily. For example, South Park had us in stitches despite having arguably the lamest art style in television.

Kenny McCormick is the one we relate to the most. We may lack the power of immortality like him, but we are often ignored by our friends and our plight bears no significance to them. It seems even the Saturday School series had done him dirty, though.

Dexter McPherson

There are times when you think Dexter McPherson is the sweetest dumpling to ever walk this earth. Other times you would feel incredibly tempted to smack this child upside the head for his callousness. However, you have to admire Dexter for his genius abilities.

Dexter’s realistic avatar looks just as menacing as he does. Although, we anticipated his hair to be more orange looking. Regardless, this person looks like they would be voted as “the most likely to achieve world domination.” And he’d probably happily have his face in the yearbook for that.

Doug Funnie

In our humble opinion, Doug Funnie is probably the most accurate representation of a child on a TV show. He is such a sweetheart that you wish you could reach out through the screen and adopt him. He is a shy and timid boy.

However, despite being very kind, he can also have moments of weakness in which he feels jealousy, anger, or naivety. But that is what makes him such an accurate representation of a child. Also, we applaud the artist for not downsizing his nose. We big-nosed people need to be normalized.

Professor Farnsworth

Professor Farnsworth is an example of why humans should never live more than 100 years. Once you cross the three digits, it’s all fair game. Had Professor Farnsworth been real, he would have earned more than a few restraining orders for his misconduct.

The realistic avatar of Professor Farnsworth looks like our former lab technician who was so annoying that they made us contemplate arson. This man also looks like he has an illegal under a laundromat. Knowing him, it’s not too impossible.

Arthur Read

Say what you will about Arthur, but he’s one of the best animated characters in cartoon history. Ironically, what makes him so special is his average personality. Then again, most of the people in the world are average, so he’s especially relatable.

That is what makes Arthur Read so relatable. His skills are mediocre at best, and he is desperate to be popular one day. Deep down, most of us want that too, which is why the average-looking avatar suits him well. 

Gerald Martin Johanssen

As a kid, we were not sure how we felt about Gerald Martin Johanssen. He seemed to be a good friend, but he had his unkind moments. Unlike his friend Arnold, he was more cautious and less prone to jump in to help others. 

However, as an adult, we can definitely say that we all need a friend like Gerald. People like Arnold, who has a heart of gold, are less likely to survive in the world. Hence, they need a rational friend like Gerald who will make them see reason. 

Eric Cartman

Many say that Eric Cartman is the forefather of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy. This little boy has such an uncouth mouth that it could make a sailor blush. However, that’s not what makes him so interesting. He is unapologetically evil.

Yet he is still in a friend group with those who do not share his views. He is probably the most hateful character in this listicle. However, he is strangely very entertaining to watch. Is it just us, or does Eric’s realistic avatar look like Vince Vaughn?

Pinky

It is such a shame that many have no idea about Pinky and the Brain. In our opinion, this show was highly underrated. Each episode has the same plot and outcome—two white rats trying to achieve world domination and failing miserably.

Yet this trope never got old as there was rarely a dull moment in the show. Pinky especially has our hearts. The poor guy is a loyal assistant, yet he gets yelled at for Brain’s failure. Everyone who worked in corporate knows this feeling. Hilariously, his realistic avatar looks like Jack Frost as a nerd. 

Brain

If you can’t already tell, we are not the biggest fan of the Brain. He reminds us too much of our capitalist boss to like him. He is hilarious; we won’t deny that. However, realistically, we could never be friends with him. 

His single-minded obsession with world domination is absolutely ridiculous. Brain even drove his perfectly sweet wife insane. Therefore, we do not like this mouse. To make matters worse, he looks like our former math teacher who made us miserable every day of high school. 

Peggy

If the vice of pride had a personification, it would definitely be Peggy. If sabotaging one’s life was a competition, the winner of it would also be Peggy. It’s a good thing that she’s fictional; because, in real life, people like her would not survive for long.

Her excessive pride and inability to take accountability for her actions have cost her handsomely many times. Yet, there does not seem to be any sign of her improving. It’s fitting that her realistic avatar looks like our high school principal; because that woman also excelled in making people around her miserable. 

Tommy Pickles

We’ve never been pregnant before, yet somehow, we felt like a proud mother when we saw this awkward baby grow up and even get a full head of hair. That’s enough to make a grown man to tears. It’s amazing how attached we are to functional characters.

Tommy may have been tiny during his infancy, but he grew up to be tall with a head full of hair in the timeskip edition of Rugrats—All Grown Up. It’s safe to say that Saturday School did him justice. He still got that mischievous glint in his eyes.

Hank Hill

Hank Hill is the average American man trying his best, and we love him for it. Some of our friends that felt lost or adrift during their childhood used to say that Hank Hill was their favorite fictional father figure.

Hank is also regarded as one of the wisest characters in animation history. Despite his avatar being dressed as a high schooler, he looks 40. We cannot even blame the artists, as Hollywood always casts older people to play high school characters. 

Philip Fry

Futurama is heavily underrated, and we consider it an injustice to mankind. Do yourself a favor and watch this series. If you can’t already tell from the art style, it was made by the creators of The Simpsons. Therefore, you should know that this series is good. 

Philip Fry will most likely become your fictional best friend because he is so lovable and entertaining. It also helps that he is the kind of guy that you share a laugh with during recess when you are in high school. 

Jane Lane

Jane Lane is the girl we hated in high school, even though, secretly, we all wanted to be her. However, the gods are cruel. Not everyone has the charm that Jane Lane has. Imagine being so cool that you make punk/emo clothes look attractive. 

She is the girl that is most likely to end up in Julliard or on Broadway after finishing high school. Meanwhile, you work a deadened job that sucks the life out of you. We must say, this realistic art of Jane is very accurate.

Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget is proof that daft people should never strive to be detectives. They should just contain themselves to reading thriller novels. Thankfully, he is in a comedy cartoon. Had he not been fictional, he would already have died five times in the real world. 

In a high school setting, Inspector Gadget would probably be the eccentric English teacher that you hate yourself for liking. They make all the classes interesting, but they also make very rude assumptions about the students. On a different note, we think the artist should have given the avatar a more prominent chin.

Misty Waterflower

Oh yes, we remember the Misty from our high school all too well. Almost every school has a Misty. She would be the “It Girl” that everyone wanted and/or wanted to be. What came to others with hardships would be a breeze for her.

Yet you can never hate her because she is the sweetest girl ever. Misty would most likely be the captain of the cheer squad. Prom season would end in a fistfight because everyone wanted to be her date. We should know since we also fought for her.

Turanga Leela

Sorry not sorry for saying this again, but you really should check out Futurama. Just make sure you don’t look up any spoilers or even watch episode promos. Just watch it blind and enjoy it to the fullest. You can thank us later.

If you need a reason to watch, we have two words: Turanga Leela. This iron lady will ironically melt your heart. The mild issue of her having only one eye won’t even be something you notice any more. Get to know her and you’ll want to continue binge-watching the show.

Hamato Yoshi

Hamato Yoshi is a key character of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In every edition of the series, he always played a crucial role—sometimes as a good guy, sometimes as a bad guy. Hamato was definitely on our list of childhood crushes.

Tang Shen is such a lucky person to have Hamato. If Yoshi was a high schooler, we would probably be a jock. If he wasn’t the football team captain, he might be the star martial artist of the school who brought in several gold medals.

Pepper Ann

It is such a shame that Pepper Ann was discontinued so quickly. The series had so much potential. It’s special because it made history by being the first Disney animation series made by a woman. However, the show only aired for barely 3 years. 

Pepper Ann features a girl who most likely has issues sitting still. As people who are also way too energetic, we would most likely get along well with her. She is the girl who you could share your thoughts with. We would probably have our own inside jokes.

Garfield

We never thought we would see the day when Garfield the orange cat would be turned into a man, yet here we are. What is more surprising is that we also now know what it would look like if Nick Offerman and Chris Pratt had a kid.

Garfield would most likely be a lazy janitor. His hobby would probably be terrorizing the kids. If someone makes the mistake of bringing lasagna for lunch that day, they would probably end up starving, as Garfield would steal their lunch.

Ned Flanders

The reason behind The Simpsons’ success is making characters that are morally gray and relatable. There is a realistic emotional depth to every action, even though the characters are painted a stark mustard yellow. Ned Flanders is one of the characters who likes to do good.

However, he is proof that sometimes institutionalized religion can get in the way of being good. Ned Flanders would most likely be the youth pastor of a high school. He’d definitely lend help when students get through a hard time.

Keesha Franklin

It is such a shame that not many kids today know about the masterpiece that is Magic School Bus. However, those who watched swear by it even it’s been years since they’ve seen it. Keesha Franklin also became their favorite, even though she wasn’t in the first season.

She is a lovable spitfire that you cannot help but adore. In a high school yearbook, she would definitely be voted for “the most likely to become a CEO.” They are correct. Keesha has the potential to take down fashion moguls like Anna Wintour.

Bobby

Sometimes we pity the kids from the 21st century. They did not see many of the great series that defined our childhood. These days, kids are too obsessed to look back and enjoy these ’90s classics. We especially had a great time watching Bobby’s World when we were little.

The show is very wholesome. Even a grown man can watch it and have their troubles melt away. The show is about a four-year-old boy and his colorful imagination. To see him as a high schooler feels surreal for some reason. 

Ashley Spinelli

Even though all we have done in this listicle is judge people by their looks, we implore you not to do the same with Ashley Spinelli. Even though she may look fairly mean, she is actually a sweetheart with a heart of gold.

Ashley Spinelli might be rebellious and bossy. However, she defends weaker kids when they are being bullied and even rescues kittens from trees. Kudos to Daniel Voshart. He actually managed to accurately depict the frowning lips of Ashley that we know and love.