Best animated with the classic Disney players individually?

[donalddisneyfan]

So, which animated production (either a video game, short, TV show, TV special, movie, or something else that's animated) do you all think the Mickey and Friends characters shined the best individually and why?

In terms of which Mickey and Friends players to evaluate on who shined the best, they are:

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Goofy
• Donald Duck
• Daisy Duck
• Pluto
• Pete
• Huey, Dewey, and Louie
• Chip and Dale
• Ludwig von Drake
• Scrooge McDuck
• Clarabelle Cow
• Horace Horsecollar
• Max Goof
• Jose Carioca
• Panchito Pistoles

So, which animated production do you all think these characters shined the best individually and why?

[Matilda]

Chip and Dale: All in a Nutshell (short)

Pluto: Mickey and the Seal (short)--portrays the Pluto/Mickey relationship especially well

Goofy: Lonesome Ghosts (short)

Donald Duck and Huey, Dewey and Louie: Almost all the animated shorts I like starring Donald also star HDL and were written or co-written by Barks: Good Scouts, Sea Scouts, Truant Officer Donald, Donald's Snow Fight.... The non-Barksian short I like best is Don's Fountain of Youth, also including HDL, which has my favorite ending in all Duck animation (the ending does not belong to any of the Ducks). I do enjoy several of the shorts with Donald and Chip 'n' Dale, but in those Donald is simply the antagonist.

Honorable Mention for Donald: Sphinx for the Memories, Original DuckTales episode

Honorable Mention for HDL: Duck in the Iron Mask, Original DuckTales episode, dealing with the relationship among the triplets

Scrooge McDuck: Raiders of the Lost Harp, Original DuckTales episode

Animated Scrooge here comes close to the comics-Scrooge I know and love. An excellent episode, one of DuckTales' top five. Doesn't sentimentalize Scrooge the way many DuckTales episodes did. I just wish Magica didn't have that accent!

Daisy Duck: I don't think Daisy has ever shone in animated form, though I have avoided Quack Pack completely and I know some people think her characterization was the best thing about the show. 

Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles: The Legend of the Three Caballeros, of course! (also best animated April, May and June!)

Ludwig von Drake: I would go to where he began, some of the segments made for Wonderful World of Disney etc, such as Square Peg in a Round Hole, Fly with Von Drake and Inside Outer Space. But I haven't seen the Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse stuff, so I can't compare.

[Mesterius]

Apr 3, 2023 2:24:38 GMT Matilda said:

Chip and Dale: All in a Nutshell (short)

Pluto: Mickey and the Seal (short)--portrays the Pluto/Mickey relationship especially well

Goofy: Lonesome Ghosts (short)

Donald Duck and Huey, Dewey and Louie: Almost all the animated shorts I like starring Donald also star HDL and were written or co-written by Barks: Good Scouts, Sea Scouts, Truant Officer Donald, Donald's Snow Fight.... The non-Barksian short I like best is Don's Fountain of Youth, also including HDL, which has my favorite ending in all Duck animation (the ending does not belong to any of the Ducks). I do enjoy several of the shorts with Donald and Chip 'n' Dale, but in those Donald is simply the antagonist.

Honorable Mention for Donald: Sphinx for the Memories, Original DuckTales episode

Honorable Mention for HDL: Duck in the Iron Mask, Original DuckTales episode, dealing with the relationship among the triplets

Scrooge McDuck: Raiders of the Lost Harp, Original DuckTales episode

Animated Scrooge here comes close to the comics-Scrooge I know and love. An excellent episode, one of DuckTales' top five. Doesn't sentimentalize Scrooge the way many DuckTales episodes did. I just wish Magica didn't have that accent!

Daisy Duck: I don't think Daisy has ever shone in animated form, though I have avoided Quack Pack completely and I know some people think her characterization was the best thing about the show. 

Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles: The Legend of the Three Caballeros, of course! (also best animated April, May and June!)

Ludwig von Drake: I would go to where he began, some of the segments made for Wonderful World of Disney etc, such as Square Peg in a Round Hole, Fly with Von Drake and Inside Outer Space. But I haven't seen the Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse stuff, so I can't compare.

You... really aren't a Mickey Mouse fan, are you? I mean, it seems like you're reviewing almost everyone but him here.

[donaldistducktoons]

Mickey Mouse: classic shorts mostly from the 1920s and 1930s era (mainly Steamboat Willie, Mickey's Polo Team, Thru the Mirror, Moving Day, Hawaiian Holiday, Clock Cleaners, Lonesome Ghosts, Boat Builders), Fantasia from 1940, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Prince and The Pauper, Runaway Brain and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish. Although Mickey is better for me in comics (Floyd Gottfredson and Topolino comics, especially Mickey Mystery). It's unfortunate that Disney turned Mickey too much into a mascot, rather than a real character with a lot of potential. The moments when Mickey was with Donald and Goofy were great.

Minnie Mouse: classic shorts mostly from the 1920s and 1930s era, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Runaway Brain, Mickey Mouse Works and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish. Even though I don't like it, Minnie's Bow-Toons gave a special role to Minnie. We need a special animated series for Minnie, but not for small children.

Pluto: classic shorts during the 1930s and 1940s (especially when Pluto is with Mickey, Figaro the cat, the little turtle, his son Pluto Junior, Chip and Dale), Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish and Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life. It's funny to me that Pluto was more personally built in the animation than Mickey.

Peg-Leg Pete: classic shorts during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Prince and the Pauper, Goof Troop, House of Mouse, Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish. I love that he is both the oldest Disney character and that he is the first and main villain of them all. Sad that people don't appreciate how dangerous a villain Pete really was. Especially when he is in conflict with Mickey (the main rival), and even with Donald (propaganda war shorts and in The New Neighbor) and when he was a neighbor of Goofy (Goof Troop). Also he has a full family of all the main Disney characters (by this I mean Pete Junior and Pistol have a father and a mother, while the others either have only a father or only a mother or are stuck with their uncles or aunts). Games like Quackshot and Kingdom Hearts gave it a great role. I've always preferred Pete as a gangster mobster.

Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar: classic shorts during the 1930s, The Prince and The Pauper (Horace), House of Mouse, Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (Clarabelle) and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish. Unfortunately, they did not express themselves, which is unfortunate, because they are really underrated characters who have a lot of potential to shine on stage. However, there are very good characters in comics. The only thing is, although it's my personal opinion, I prefer Horace and Clarabelle as a great couple, unlike Goofy and Clarabelle, who don't work for me.

Goofy: there is no place where he did not express himself at his best. The best character in cartoons and comics after Donald. But for me, Goofy did his best in the classic shorts during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, Aquamania, Sport Goofy in Soccermania, Goof Troop, A Goofy Movie, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, An Extremely Goofy Movie, Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse , Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish. Hilarious character and truly the best as far as classic characters go in animation. He will always show you how to do what through some things and will teach you about parenting. To make him great in the comics too, especially when he's a superhero like Super Goof. It's good that House of Mouse showed that, even though I'm not that big of a fan of that series considering the many mistakes they made that I don't like.

Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers and Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life. Honestly, in the classic shorts they were really great, only when they didn't annoy Donald or Pluto that much, but when they do, I just hate them, that is, I don't like it when the little pests bother Donald too much. Honestly, even though Jack Hannah did great things, he still contributed to the downgrading of Donald by being like "Donald talks in a duck's voice and no one understands him" and by constantly introducing little pests who are like heroes against Donald as antagonists. This reminds me of what Warner Bros. did the Daffy Duck vs. Speedy Gonzales thing. Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers (Disney Afternoon series, not the movie) gave them a great role and the world of small animals and in my opinion it is the best version for them.

Donald Duck: classic shorts during the 1930s and 1940s era, and partly during the 1950s (Self Control, Donald's Better Self, Donald's Nephews, Donald's Lucky Day, Sea Scouts, Mr. Duck Steps Out, Chef Donald, Donald's Snow Fight, Der Fuehrer's Face, The Flying Jalopy , Trombone Trouble, Commando Duck, The Plastics Inventor, Donald's Crime, Duck Pimples, Clown of the Jungle, Donald's Dream Voice, Donald's Diary are in my opinion the best where Donald has shown himself), Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, The Wonderful World of Disney, Donald's Fire Survival Plan, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (piano fight between him and Daffy), The Prince and the Pauper, Quack Pack, Fantasia 2000, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish and The Legend of The Three Caballeros. The best character with the most potential. A true Disney icon for me, more so than Mickey. And as Matilda said earlier, most of the classic shorts were written by the genius legend Carl Barks, who made Donald most famous in his comics. I would also like to mention that one of the animators and directors of some of the famous Donald Duck classic shorts, Jack King did a great job with Donald Duck. Although Jack Hannah wasn't bad, because even his classic shorts were great (The Clown of The Jungle and Trick or Treat), he still contributed to the degradation of Donald Duck (see Chip and Dale). Certainly Donald was at his best during the 1940s era and there are no men who would not identify with him. I like it best when Donald was with Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles. Even though Donald is a jerk, he's still a lovable jerk with a good heart. I can't mention that Donald was great in Ducktales because unfortunately he didn't express himself much. He was in the OG Ducktales eight times and was in the Navy, though those episodes were my favorite, though I blame Roy Disney more for that. The Ducktales reboot gave him a good parental role, but I don't like how they wanted to connect the classic Donald with the reboot Donald and totally ruined his treatment. Ironically, Quack Pack and The Legend of The Three Caballeros gave him a great role and finally the focus was on him. Especially Legend of The Three Caballeros (too bad we didn't get a second season). Yes, video games like Quackshot, Maui Mallard, Quack Attack, Pk: Out of Shadows and Kingdom Hearts gave him great roles that I really like. I'm glad that Disney didn't neglect the comic book material around Donald, so they gave him good roles through the games. It's a shame they discontinued Epic Donald which would have made Donald even better like Epic Mickey did for Mickey and Oswald. Yes, he was the best in comics, although I would write about that until tomorrow.

Daisy Duck: classic shorts during the 1940s and 1950s (Don Donald counts, although it is from 1937, Mr Duck Steps Out, Donald's Crime, Donald's Dilemma, Donald's Voice Dream, Donald's Diary), Mickey's Christmas Carol, Quack Pack, Fantasia 2000, House of Mouse, Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish and Ducktales 2017. Daisy Duck can be obnoxious in behavior, but she's similar to Donald, so again, they're meant for each other. There are issues surrounding her, just like in the comics, but she can certainly be a good person who takes care of Donald and her family. Also a great parent to his nieces (April, May and June) and Donald's nephews (Huey, Dewey and Louie). I love her as Super Daisy (She-Venger, Paperinika) and great in Brazilian, New Italian and Dutch comics. I think that more should be devoted to her in the animation, but that it should not be aimed at small children, like if the series was about Detective Daisy or Super Daisy, and that might change the reputation of people who have a bad opinion of her. And yes, I don't think Daisy was bad in The Legend of The Three Caballeros, it's just like Matt Danner said they didn't have enough time to focus on every character, including Daisy.

Ludwig von Drake: 1960s educational movies, Bonkers, Quack Pack, Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish. I think Ludwig would be better as a scientist advisor, rather than as an inventor (that goes more for Gyro), but he certainly had great moments and he doesn't have his situations to be as funny as they always were. And there are no dire situations.

Scrooge McDuck: Scrooge McDuck and Money from 1967, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Sport Goofy in Soccermania, OG Ducktales and DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp from 1990. Scrooge is certainly better in the comics, but in animation he had his strengths and a display of his true flaws. I prefer him as a scowling old miser who doesn't want to spend money, rather than the ultimate adventurer. Ironically, even though Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse did a poor job with the ducks, I still admit that they did a great job of portraying Scrooge as he really is in the old comics. Paul Rudish also did a great job with Scrooge. Ducktales 2017 made Scrooge more Gary Stue and Batman than he really is Scrooge, although actor David Tennant did a great job portraying Scrooge. But surely Alan Young will be the best voice actor and the main icon as far as Scrooge is concerned. Although there are many episodes in which Scrooge was the best, I would definitely single out the episode Down & Out in Duckburg. And Ducktales Movie did a great job of characterization of Scrooge.

Jose Carioca: Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, The Wonderful World of Disney and The Legend of The Three Caballeros. Although I prefer José in Brazilian comics, he turned out to be phenomenal in animation, especially in two films. Charming, elegant and friendly. José Oliveira gave just the right image for him (like Clarence Nash for Donald).

Panchito Pistoles: The Three Caballeros and The Legend of The Three Caballeros. Panchito didn't appear as much as José Carioca, but he certainly made a major impression as one of Donald's best friends. I always liked his full and cheerful energy. And that Panchito should always be placed separately from José Carioca, because they are different characters after all. Besides the movie, Panchito turned out to be the best in the series The Legend of The Three Caballeros, even though he was dumber than in the movie, he certainly turned out to be excellent with his characteristics. After Aracuan Bird and the main villains, Panchito turned out to be the funniest in the series.

Huey, Dewey, and Louie: classic shorts from the late 1930s to the 1950s (Donald's Nephews, Good Scouts, Donald's Golf Game, Mr. Duck Steps Out, Donald's Snow Fight, Donald's Off Day, Straight Shooters, Lucky Number, Don's Fountain of Youth, Canvas Back Duck), Donald's Fire Survival Plan, Scrooge McDuck and Money from 1967, OG Ducktales, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, Quack Pack, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas and Mickey Mouse Cartoon by Paul Rudish. I'm glad Al Taliaferro, Ted Obsorne and Carl Barks created them because they are actually responsible for changing Donald's life. And yes, to me, Donald Duck is the best parent for them, not Della or Scrooge. Anyway, they are the best trio and child characters for me as far as Disney goes and no, they are not boring, they can be very entertaining with their tricks and naughty shenanigans. Yeah, I might be the only one to say this, while I appreciate Clarence Nash playing them, I prefer their voices to be Russi Taylor's or have the voices of the kids, rather than the same voices as their uncle. They certainly did best in the OG Ducktales (episodes like Sir Gyro de Gearloose and Duck in the Iron Mask gave them the best roles), as well as Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, since they're the best for me in the classic version. Yes and I really love them when they are in Junior Woodchucks (especially in the comics) and when they are moral verticals for Donald and Scrooge. Naughty boys, but also smart boys. And I know what I'm about to say may come off as heretical to some, but I also love the teenage version of them in the Quack Pack. Yes, they were partly boring and too 1990s, but I partly identified with them when I was also a teenager and they had quality separate personalities, but they still worked together. It's true that Huey turned out bad because of his behavior and so did his brothers, although I always found it funny when he wanted to be the most beautiful and the best and when he courted girls. It would be good to have such opportunities in comics as well. Dewey, the brains of the trio as in the OG Ducktales and in the comics, who wants to separate himself from his brothers, realizes again that he is nothing without his brothers. He also comes up with funny shenanigans. Yes, Louie in that series was my favorite triplet, a sporty guy who likes to read comic books and save endangered animals and is a nature lover. Yes, despite the bad relationship, Donald and his nephews really loved each other and had a Duck family relationship like that between father and sons. I kind of miss that version and maybe the only version I would see them grow up (it's not the only one, there are numerous examples in the comics, I especially like the Junior Woodchucks as adults). Certainly better than how it turned out in House of Mouse and Ducktales 2017 where they turned out very badly. Ducktales 2017 gave their personalities well, but I don't like their characterization development and acting like adults. Still, Huey turned out ok for me, while his brothers didn't, who turned out terrible. I hope that there will be some better versions of HDL in the future and that it will not be related to Ducktales.

Max Goof: Goof Troop and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas. For me, these are the best versions of Goofy's son, but if we count him as Goofy Junior, then he turned out well in the classic Goofy shorts. A real boyish feature for someone between the ages of 10 and 12, who pulls bad pranks and is Pete Junior's best friend. For the two Goofy Movies, I won't say that he turned out bad, but he was really an WAK in some things and that he behaved badly towards his father, although in the end he made amends and was proud of his father. I mean, when many criticize HDL from Quack Pack for being too cool and hip, I would say the same about Max Goof. But he's not a bad character, he just shouldn't be thought of as a child of the 1990s. Too bad we didn't see any friendship between Goofy's son and Donald's nephews.

For the other characters, although they did not appear many times, I would still single out:
Phantom Blot: OG Ducktales, Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse Cartoons by Paul Rudish
Beagle Boys: OG Ducktales
Gyro Gearloose: OG Ducktales
Magica de Spell: OG Ducktales and the first season of Ducktales reboot
Flintheart Glomgold: OG Ducktales
Gus Goose: Donald's Cousin Gus, Mickey Mouse by Paul Rudish
Darkwing Duck: OG Darkwing Duck
Launchpad McQuack: OG Ducktales and OG Darkwing Duck
Gosalyn Mallard: OG Darkwing Duck
April, May and June: The Legend of The Three Caballeros
Webby Vanderquack: Ducktales Movie
Bentina Beakley: OG Ducktales
Gladstone Gander: Ducktales reboot
Grandma Duck: This is Your Life, Donald Duck
Grandma Goofy: Mickey Mouse by Paul Rudish
Pete Junior: Goof Troop, A Goofy Movie and An Extremely Goofy Movie.
Aracuan Bird: The Three Caballeros, Clown of The Jungle, Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse and The Legend of Three Caballeros

Of course, those are my opinions and I apologize if what I said bothers anyone. However, I think that what I said and cited examples where the best turned out, in my opinion.

[Matilda]

Apr 3, 2023 12:21:02 GMT Mesterius said:

Apr 3, 2023 2:24:38 GMT Matilda said:

Chip and Dale: All in a Nutshell (short)

Pluto: Mickey and the Seal (short)--portrays the Pluto/Mickey relationship especially well

Goofy: Lonesome Ghosts (short)

Donald Duck and Huey, Dewey and Louie: Almost all the animated shorts I like starring Donald also star HDL and were written or co-written by Barks: Good Scouts, Sea Scouts, Truant Officer Donald, Donald's Snow Fight.... The non-Barksian short I like best is Don's Fountain of Youth, also including HDL, which has my favorite ending in all Duck animation (the ending does not belong to any of the Ducks). I do enjoy several of the shorts with Donald and Chip 'n' Dale, but in those Donald is simply the antagonist.

Honorable Mention for Donald: Sphinx for the Memories, Original DuckTales episode

Honorable Mention for HDL: Duck in the Iron Mask, Original DuckTales episode, dealing with the relationship among the triplets

Scrooge McDuck: Raiders of the Lost Harp, Original DuckTales episode

Animated Scrooge here comes close to the comics-Scrooge I know and love. An excellent episode, one of DuckTales' top five. Doesn't sentimentalize Scrooge the way many DuckTales episodes did. I just wish Magica didn't have that accent!

Daisy Duck: I don't think Daisy has ever shone in animated form, though I have avoided Quack Pack completely and I know some people think her characterization was the best thing about the show. 

Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles: The Legend of the Three Caballeros, of course! (also best animated April, May and June!)

Ludwig von Drake: I would go to where he began, some of the segments made for Wonderful World of Disney etc, such as Square Peg in a Round Hole, Fly with Von Drake and Inside Outer Space. But I haven't seen the Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse stuff, so I can't compare.

You... really aren't a Mickey Mouse fan, are you? I mean, it seems like you're reviewing almost everyone but him here.

It’s not that I’m anti-Mickey—it’s more that because I’m not particularly interested in the character I haven’t seen enough of the shorts starring him to have an opinion! Probably true of Goofy, too, but it occurred to me that for me he’s the standout character of the three in Lonesome Ghosts. I have watched a bunch of shorts with Pluto, as it happens. But yes, I care much more about the Ducks and therefore have watched many more Duck shorts and shows than Mouse ones.

[TheMidgetMoose]

Firstly, I agree with a lot of your opinions, donaldistducktoons , even some of the more controversial ones. Definitely prefer the Horace and Clarabelle pairing over the Goofy and Clarabelle pairing, prefer Russi Taylor's voice for HDL over Clarence Nash's voice for them, and I agree that the Quack Pack HDL weren't all that bad. They're definitely too attached to the '90's, but I actually don't mind the differentiation between the three as they get older.

Anyhow, here's what I'm going to say for my list. I am assuming that the character "shining" means that they were prominent in the animation and were characterized and utilized in a way that I, personally, enjoyed, contributing to the overall quality of the animated fiction. In other words, I'm making the list where these are the cartoons where these characters were done right, in fact, they were done their best! I hope that's a good way to view your prompt, donalddisneyfan !

• Mickey Mouse - For whatever reason, The Prince and the Pauper was one of the first things that popped into my mind. Maybe that's cheating since Mickey got to "play" two characters in that film. I just think that Mickey's personality really shines here. He's here sort of a shy, cutesy character, capable of some mischief, sympathetic, hard-working, and boyish. "I'm just a little guy. Give me a piece of pie!," sings pauper Mickey early on the film. His friendship with Goofy and Pluto is depicted in a heartwarming way, and I smile when thinking of the scene where he tries to avoid being crowned King of England and his excitement when the true king-to-be returns. He also gets some more serious moments here, such as when he is present for the King's death. If the Prince character counts as Mickey, too, then that's even more shining points for Mickey! Bonus points for the scene where he learns of his father's death and the scene where he interrupts his own coronation to reveal himself as the true Crown Prince of England. Now that I think of it, I think some of Mickey's other best appearances were in cartoons that had some sort of European royalty/medieval/renaissance theme to it. I'd say he shines in Mickey, Donald & Goofy: The Three Musketeers, though I think that I would have to rank The Prince and the Pauper above it, and, as far as more classic animation goes, The Brave Little Tailor and Mickey and the Beanstalk were certainly highlights.
• Minnie Mouse - I think I'd like to nominate Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas for this. A really sweet depiction of hers and Mickey's relationship, and she shows herself as a hard-working, sacrificial young lady. Mickey really shines here, too, of course. Minnie sometimes stands out a little bit more on the rare occasions that she is there and Mickey is not. I wouldn't say that there's anything super special about her appearances in the old shorts First Aiders, Figaro and Frankie, and Pluto's Sweater, but the lack of Mickey in those shorts makes her stand out more as a motherly sort of figure to her pets Pluto and Figaro. I'll also mention her segment with Daisy in Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas and her appearances in a few Paul Rudish shorts that give her the spotlight instead of Mickey, e.g., No Reservations.
  
• Goofy - Goofy is a great character, but I think in a lot of his old shorts, he's just a generic person instead of, specifically, Goofy. Think of the shorts where there are a hundred "Goofys" onscreen at once or the George Geef shorts where the character was totally transformed. I have a soft spot for the Walt Disney special The Goofy Success Story, which gives Goofy something of a biography and a character arc, but I think that I would probably have to pick A Goofy Movie as Goofy's strongest performance, filled with a mix of humor and drama, a character who is both happy-go-lucky and deeply concerned about his son's future. Yes, I think that might have been Goofy's finest moment. What can beat his terror at the thought of his son in an electric chair, the brutal disappointment in his son's deception, the joy in sharing with his son "the perfect cast," the loving reminisces of his own father, and so on and so forth?
  
• Donald Duck - As far as animation goes, I think that Donald shines the most when he's paired with his nephews. They bring out both the best and the worst in him. One moment he's giving them some wise advice; the next moment he's falling for another one of their schemes. They bring out his boastfulness and his mischievous side, as well. From both an in-universe and a real-world perspective, those three little ducklings were the best thing to happen to Donald. It's hard to pick just one cartoon for him, but I'll point out Good Scouts, Soup's On, Donald's Off Day, and Don's Fountain of Youth as some of his best outings with his nephews. I also think that Donald really shines in some of the Army shorts such as The Vanishing Private and The Old Army Game. Trombone Trouble is a really good pick, too. "POWAH!! POWAH!!" You don't get much better than that! Of course, Donald has some good modern appearances, too, but unlike Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy, I do think that his best moments are in the classics.
  
• Daisy Duck - The definitive classic Daisy Duck would have to be Donald's Dilemma. I would bet that Daisy has more lines and greater prominence in that short than any other, except maybe Sleepy Time Donald. As for more modern appearances, she certainly makes an impression during her shared segment with Minnie in Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, which is probably one of her funnier outings as a character.
  
• Pluto - Pluto definitely shines in older material (where he was probably used too much) more so than modern material. I think Plutopia is one of my favorite of Pluto's films, but is that really because of Pluto himself or because of that cat who keeps saying, "Sir, please bite me!"? Probably the latter... For Pluto himself, I nominate The Pointer, which is also a pretty good short for Mickey, by the way. Seeing Pluto do his best to be a good hunting dog, even when those pesky birds are literally pulling at his eyelids, is both humorous and admirable. A great moment for Pluto! Also mentioning Pluto's Kid Brother for showing Pluto in a big brother, protective role. I think I actually like him a little bit more in that role than as a father figure in Pluto's Quin-puplets and Pluto Junior, though those are good, too, of course. Pluto also shines in the shorts where some other animal keeps bothering him, perhaps unbeknownst to an unconvinced Mickey. I'm thinking specifically of Mickey and the Seal, Pluto's Christmas Tree, and, slightly different, R'Coon Dawg. All have some very funny moments for Pluto! I still remember his confusion imagining the weird dog/frogs and horse/raccoon mixes, or whatever they were, as he was trying to track that clever raccoon. His annoyance at Mickey not believing him about either the seal that came into their home via picnic basket or the chipmunks that came via Christmas tree provides some funny, even relatable moments for Pluto, though it sure does cast Mickey as an oblivious fellow!
• Pete - Pete might be hard to figure out just because he can really fluctuate between genuine, hard-boiled criminal, comical threat, and even friend or reluctant ally in some shorts. A lot of the films that I previously mentioned have Pete shine in some way or another. The aforementioned The Prince and the Pauper is a really good showing for a more dark, violent Pete. A Goofy Movie is a good showing for a more light-hearted, friendly Pete. Pete gets a lot of laughs in The Vanishing Private and The Old Army Game, perhaps even more than Donald. The way that his and Donald's personalities play off each other is part of what makes those Army shorts so good. I do like Goof Troop Pete a lot, probably more so than I do Goof Troop Goofy. I might would have to go with the Army shorts as Pete's best moments. You're almost rooting for him there, since Donald is being a bit mischievous and disorderly. Rooting for Pete is not the norm in Disney cartoons, but in those shorts, it works!
• Huey, Dewey, and Louie - Their moments with Unca Donald in the aforementioned Good Scouts, Soup's On, and Donald's Off-Day are of course some of their best. I also really like them in the original DuckTales, but it's been too long since watching that to point out specific episodes, and in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas. As stated earlier, I don't mind the Quack Pack versions of the boys, and that's one of the few times that they get shine as individuals and not just as a group. I know that's not for every one. Some like their Duck boys to be as identical as possible, and that's totally okay! I don't mind some variation, though.
  
• Chip and Dale - Two Chips and a Miss is the first thing to comes to mind for these guys. I don't mind their shorts with Pluto or Donald, but I think they might shine a bit more on their own. I really enjoy them in Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, too, but I haven't seen enough of that to really point out specific episodes.
  
• Ludwig von Drake - Hands down, Ludwig von Drake is best in the TV specials that he was created for! I don't think we've seen a Von Drake that great either in film or on print since then! Two of my favorites for the Professor would be An Adventure in Color and The Truth About Mother Goose (including his hilarious narration of Mickey and the Beanstalk).
  
• Scrooge McDuck - Again, it's been too long since seeing DuckTales '87 to think of specific episodes. That series is, of course, the best depiction of Scrooge in animation. Discounting it, though, I'd like to nominate Mickey's Christmas Carol. Maybe that's cheating since that short is really just Scrooge "playing" Ebenezer Scrooge, but it really is, other than DuckTales, his shining moment in animation. Despite it being Mickey's name in the title, the cartoon is really about, as one would expect for a Dickens-based story, Scrooge! A great performance by Alan Young, a perfectly greedy character who still possesses that childish, petty side of Scrooge McDuck that I am so entertained by. DuckTales takes the prize, but I think Mickey's Christmas Carol deserves a special place of honor.
  
• Clarabelle Cow - Honestly, Clarabelle didn't really shine that much in the old cartoons, from what I can remember. She was a consistent member of the cast, but she didn't really have any great moments, at least from what I can recall. I do love her in the old comics, though. I think some of Clarabelle's best moments would be in Mickey, Donald, & Goofy: The Three Musketeers and in House of Mouse. I think specifically of Clarabelle's Big Secret when discussing House of Mouse, which really leans into her gossipy side, which I find somewhat entertaining.
  
• Horace Horsecollar - I don't know if Horace has yet really had his moment. I'm going to have to think about him a little bit more. Poor guy. I really like him, especially in the comics, but it's hard to think of an animated piece where someone else doesn't outshine him. Maybe the now nearly decade old cartoon Get a Horse will be my pick. I thought he had some pretty funny moments in that, and he's basically who/what the title is referring to. I guess he also gets more attention in some of the classic shorts like Camping Out. That short would probably have to be his definitive short, actually.
  
• Max Goof - My vote goes to A Goofy Movie. No offense to his other appearances, but I think that both he and his dad shine the most there.
• Jose Carioca - How could I say anything other than The Three Caballeros?
• Panchito Pistoles - How could I say anything other than The Three Caballeros?
  

[berri]

Mickey Mouse - The Prince and the Pauper, Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip, House of Mouse. The Prince and the Pauper is my absolute favorite Mickey animation because we get to see him in a more serious tone. Plus I love the original book (not that the two are similar in any way LOL). Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip is my favorite, or at least one of my favorite, cartoons. I love how crafty and quick on his feet he is in that short. Oh, and that reminds me, Mickey's Cabin (a MouseWorks short, I believe) was also fantastic at depicting his crafty, mischievous nature (likewise, Mickey's Mountain wasn't bad at this, either). And in HOM, I like to think that we're getting to see Mickey's "true self" (how he really is outside of the public eye, off camera): still the optimistic, determined, friendly Mickey, but also with a serious business mind (er, somewhat, sans Rent Day where he spent the rent money Minnie gave him on cheese *snicker). He's also neurotic in a few episodes, which I find hilarious. My headcanon is that all these years of doing this and that, being held on a pedestal, and now running his own Toon nightclub has finally started to get to him and so he just kinda loses it. His short temperedness is rather prominent, I might add, especially with- well, all his co-workers, minus Minnie, Goofy, and HDL!

Minnie Mouse - I think MW did well by giving her her own cartoons for the first time that were explicitly marked as "Minnie Mouse cartoons." Electric Holiday was a cute, girly short for her as well, and the ending was just so sweet; it'll melt your heart. Her appearances, as well as Mickey's, from the mid-to-late 30s were really good as well. Two-Gun Mickey was probably her most prominent role from that time, and it gave us an excellent look at her independent nature. I personally like Mickey's Steamroller too, mostly because it's one of the best Mickey and Minnie moments (hehe).

Goofy - I really like Mickey's Remedy (another MW short, I think) because it shows that, while Goofy isn't always "all there," he is still capable of doing whatever it takes to help his best pals. He was totally Mickey's wingman in that short LOL Also, I haven't seen any of the Goofy movies (I know, I'm a tyrant), but I'm sure they're great. I have seen the infamous pool scene, and I have to say, that portrayal of Goofy is SO authentic and real. It's so heartwarming, too, to see him and Max work out their father-son issues. You can just feel Goofy's love for Max behind everything he does. The Max's Embarrassing Date episode of HOM is also great. Max was afraid Goofy would be fussing over him and Roxanne, so he told Mickey and the gang to help keep everything "normal." However, it turned out that everyone else was fussing on them and Goofy stepped in to sternly get them to stop!

Donald Duck - Not too familiar with any of Donald's cartoons, or anything Duck-related, honestly. I suppose you could say I'm the opposite of Matilda, haha! I really enjoyed The Legend of the Three Caballeros, though.

Daisy Duck - LTC for her, as well.

Pluto - Honestly, he seems to essentially be portrayed the same way no matter what. I do detect a slightly different feel from the 30s shorts, though. He seemed like a somewhat lazier, sillier kind of dog back then. Still just as lovable!

Pete - Hmm... I don’t want to go so far as to say that Pete has ever "shone," but I must say that the villain role suits him best. I'm not a fan of his modern portrayal as another of Mickey's friends; that's just wrong IMPO.

Ludwig von Drake - I always get a laugh out of his Von Drake's House of Genius shorts. Of course, his earliest appearances are the best.

Clarabelle Cow - Just wanna say, I don't ship her with anyone but Horace.

Horace Horsecollar - His earlier appearances were best. Where in the Gottfredson comics, Clarabelle played a mother-type role for Mickey, Horace played a similar role in the cartoons. He was the more level-headed one, where Mickey was rather wild and raucous! I used to joke that if it wasn't for Horace, Mickey would be dead, haha. There was some kind of Get A Horse! test animation that depicts this relationship rather well.

Jose Carioca - I'd say basically all his appearances sans LTC. I'm actually not a fan of him there. I feel like they changed his character too much.

Panchito Pistoles - Same goes for Panchito, although this resulted in very humorous moments.

[That Duckfan]

My favorite Mickey Mouse work is his black-and-white shorts, from 1928 to 1935. I watched these (colorized) as a kid, and they were golden. This is the animated Mickey in my opinion, but I'll give a shoutout to his appearance in Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983). I don't really have any for Minnie, unfortunately.

Goofy's best work is undoubtedly A Goofy Movie (1995), which is just fantastic. I've never seen the sequel, but I hear it's pretty popular.

The classic Donald Duck shorts from about 1934 to 1941, are my favorites. There's so much energy and inventiveness in these cartoons. Barks writing the gags may have something to do with it. Some of my top favorites include Orphan's Benefit (1934) and Mickey's Amateurs (1937).

Special shoutout to Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004), which in my opinion is the closest thing we've ever gotten to the spirit of the comics. (Yes, moreso than the two DuckTales series!)

I can't really answer a great many of these with any strong feelings, but I will say that Soccermania (1987) is my favorite animated adaptation of Uncle Scrooge.

My favorite Gladstone Gander appearance is in the video game Donald Duck Goin' Quackers / Donald Duck Quack Attack (2000), which I played over and over as a kid. Daisy's pretty good in it too, as a roving reporter, as is Gyro Gearloose. Great game.

I adored The Three Caballeros (1944) as a kid, so I guess that's where Joe Carioca and Panchito go. Joe is such a great character. I've seen a part of the TV show, and I thought it was alright.

Chip 'n' Dale, of course, in Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers (1989). I've been told that it doesn't hold up as well as other series, but I'm not much of a fan of the duo in their regular appearances, so I'll still take this.

Yeah, lots of nostalgia all around. I should give some of this stuff another go!