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Animaniacs was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven Spielberg and Warner Bros. Animation during the animation renaissance of the 1990s. The studio's first series, Tiny Toon Adventures, had proved to be a big hit among younger viewing audiences, and it had attracted a sizable number of adult viewers as well. Tiny Toon Adventures had drawn heavily from the classic Termite Terrace cartoons of old for inspiration, as well as plots and characterization. The modern Warner Bros. writers and animators used the experience gained from the previous series to create brand new animated characters that were cast in the mold of Tex Avery's creations, but were not slavish imitations.

1 The Warner Brothers (and the Warner Sister)

This show focused around the adventures, or more accurately, misadventures of the Warner Bros. (Yakko and Wakko Warner) and the Warner Sister (Dot), who claim to be the stars of some of the early Warner Bros. cartoons, but were so awful that the studio execs locked them away in the water tower at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. They were joined by a host of other zany characters. Animaniacs episodes were traditionally composed of three short mini-episodes, each starring a different set of characters.

The description of the Warners is a tongue-in-cheek homage to Bosko, Warner Bros.' first cartoon character, whose cartoons were not highly regarded by many people.

The red-nosed Warner siblings bear a striking resemblance to the portrayals of Bosko and his girlfriend Honey in a 1990 episode of Tiny Toon Adventures, also created by Steven Spielberg. Afraid that the portrayals of Bosko and Honey might be deemed controversial, they were changed to anthropomorphic doglike characters, and that episode served as the "bridge" between Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. Originally the Warners were intended to be ducks, but producer Tom Ruegger realized they'd been done to death by Disney (see DuckTalesDuckTales is an animated series produced by The Walt Disney Company starring characters from the Scrooge McDuck universe as largely created by Carl Barks. The pilot episode first aired on September 11 , 1987. The main stars of the series were Scrooge McDu), so he made them indeterminate children. He also modeled their personalities a bit after his three sons (who all did voices on the series at one time or another).

2 Animaniacs characters

Animaniacs introduced a number of characters, including:

• Yakko, Wakko, and DotPinky and the Brain. Yakko, Wakko, and Dot also known as The Warner Brothers (and Sister) are three fictional cartoon characters featured on the animated series Animaniacs''. The trio of red-nosed Warner siblings were considered to be the stars of the ens - The "Warner Brothers" (and the Warner Sister, too!), voiced by Rob PaulsenRob Paulsen (born March 11, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American voice actor best known for his extensive roles as the voices of animated characters. He began his talented voiceovers on The Smurfs animated television show as an extra. A few years lat, Jess Harnell , and Tress MacNeilleTress MacNeille (born June 20, 1951) is an American voice actor who is best known for providing various voices on the animated television shows The Simpsons and Futurama''. MacNeille has also provided voices on numerous other television shows and cartoons
• Pinky and the BrainPinky and the Brain are cartoon characters from the animated television series Animaniacs''. Later they starred in their own cartoon show called Pinky and the Brain and even later in Pinky, Elmyra and The Brain''. The two are genetically enhanced lab mice, voiced by Rob PaulsenRob Paulsen (born March 11, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American voice actor best known for his extensive roles as the voices of animated characters. He began his talented voiceovers on The Smurfs animated television show as an extra. A few years lat and Maurice LaMarche
• Slappy Squirrel, an aging cartoon star voiced by Sherri Stoner
• Goodfeathers - a trio of cartoon pigeons, voiced by Maurice LaMarche, John Mariano and Chick Vennera , spoofing characters from the movie Goodfellas
• Rita and Runt - a singing cat (voiced by actress Bernadette Peters), and a loyal but stupid dog (voiced by actor Frank Welker)
• Buttons and Mindy - a heroic German shepherd dog, and an accident-prone baby, voiced by Nancy Cartwright
• Minerva Mink - an incredibly sexy mink who makes every male creature around go into conniptions.
• Katie Ka-Boom - an angsty teenage girl who literally explodes with rage when her parents embarrass her.
• Flavio and Marita - the Hip Hippos, voiced by Frank Welker and Tress MacNeille, an obese yet trendy married hippo couple.
• Chicken Boo - A giant chicken who is amazingly successful at imitating humans of great importance (such as the President)
• Mr. Director - a caricature of Jerry Lewis who first appears in "Hello Nice Warners". In later episodes he parodies Marlon Brando in Apocolypse Now and appears as a loud birthday clown who scares Mr. Plotz and Wakko. Voiced by Paul Rugg.
• The Flame - a candle flame who presides over important historical writings like Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and Longfellow's "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere". Voice of Cody Ruegger.
• Charlton Chipmunk - He came to Hollywood looking for stardom and took his lumps in a nature documentary. Later he directed Slappy in a cartoon about trying to crack a walnut (probably inspired by a classic short about a squirrel unsuccessfully trying to break open a coconut) and played the role of the fish in a Cat in the Hat parody. He has people who annoy him write their names down in a book and promises, when he becomes famous, not to like them.
• Dr. Otto Scratchansniff - the Austrian-accented studio psychiatrist who tries to understand the Warners
• Thaddeus Plotz - the CEO of the Warner Bros. Studios cartoon enterprise