The 7 Best 'Puppy Love' Stories In Cartoons

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, love is in the air for young and old. Some may find themselves longing for simpler times, of the sweet, innocent 'Puppy Love' stories of their youth. Stories of this nature are commonplace in cartoons aimed at children, as they include young characters likely to experience these innocent attractions.

In celebration of the Day of Love, let's take a look back at some of the best Puppy Love stories in cartoons.

1. Chuckie and Susie (Rugrats)

Of Susie Carmichael's early appearances in Rugrats, her role in the episode 'The Slide' is easily the most memorable. When a traumatic experience leaves Chuckie afraid to use the Slide in the Park, once his favourite thing, the other babies seek the help of the older, wiser Susie to help. Susie commits to the task, employing various special techniques to help Chuckie overcome his fear, including desensitization, and the use of a positive affirmation that became one of the most memorable quotes in the show's history.

"I'm a Big Brave Dog."

After this episode, Susie and Chuckie are often shown to be especially fond of one another, and in some episodes, on Chuckie's end, this fondness has evolved into a slight crush.

It isn't made clear whether the crush is mutual, but either way, Susie never fails to be kind to Chuckie, graciously accepting his request that she be his date in the 'Junior Prom' episode, and reassuring him that she is happy to walk when Angelica brags that her date, Tommy, secured a 'limo'(The Reptar Wagon), to take her to the Prom. Susie also dances with Chuckie at Lou and Lulu's wedding in Rugrats in Paris, and in the final film, Rugrats Go Wild, Susie is one of the first to show concern when the group realises that they have lost Chuckie on their trek through the Jungle.

As Chuckie and Susie are aged just Two and Three in the original series, any love between them is entirely innocent, and as such, all the sweeter to watch.

2. Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm (The Flintstones)

The birth of Pebbles Flinstone in a Season Three The Flintstones episode 'The Blessed Event' was considered a major milestone for the show, and animation itself, as pregnancy and childbirth were subjects not typically covered in cartoons. A season later came a second milestone when the Rubbles adopted their own child, Bamm-Bamm. Mainstays for the rest of the series long run, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm became instantly inseparable. They shared a rather adorable dynamic, with the slightly older Bamm-Bamm often seen attempting to help Pebbles walk, but perfectly willing to slow down for her when she needs him to.. a feat the super strong, highly energetic toddler rarely manages for anyone else.

In the spin-off series The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm show, the pair are portrayed as teenagers, becoming High School Sweethearts. They carry this relationship through to adulthood, eventually marrying in the TV film I Yabba-Dabba Do!.

A follow up film, Hollyrock-a-bye Baby, sees Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm become parents to twins, Roxy and Chip. Rarely in popculture, let alone animation, has a relationship been followed through so many life stages.

3. Stitch and Angel (Lilo and Stitch: The Series)

While not technically children, Stitch and the other Experiments in the Lilo and Stitch franchise are often depicted with a mental age similar to preteen children, and Stitch's cover among humans is that he is Lilo's dog, so the Puppy Love description is still somewhat appropriate. Experiment 624, eventually named Angel by Stitch, is secretly working for villains Dr. Hamsterviel and Gantu in her introductory episode. She is a Siren of sorts, with her song able to revert Jumba Jookiba's reformed experiments, as well as Jumba himself, from good to evil.

Unfortunately, Stitch falls for Angel, immediately and hard, dubbing her his 'Booji-boo'. His feelings for Angel blind him to her shortcomings. While Angel does grow somewhat fond of Stitch, she, at least at first, remains loyal to Gantu. She eventually lures Stitch into a trap, allowing him to be attacked by the evil experiments, but soon has a change of heart when she realises that she has truly fallen for him. Angel sings her Siren Song in reverse, which in turn reverses the effects of the original song.

Stitch, having once been evil himself, quickly forgives Angel, and the two remain Booji-boos for the rest of the franchise.

4. Jimmy Neutron and Cindy Vortex (The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius)

Jimmy Neutron and Cindy Vortex begin the Jimmy Neutron franchise as enemies. However, over the course of the opening film and the three season TV series that followed, this enmity lessens, as they go from enemies to frenemies, and eventually more friendly rivals. In the special 'The Eggpire Strikes Back', Cindy is the only one to support Jimmy in doubting the alien Yolkians had truly reformed, and while they still bicker, she is one of the people Jimmy can reliably call upon for help when his inventions go wrong.

Later in the series, it becomes clear that the two are developing deeper feelings for one another, at least as deep as 11-12 year olds are capable of. In the 'Jimmy-Timmy Power Hour' episodes, crossovers with The Fairly Odd Parents, Jimmy is noticeably jealous when Cindy embarks on a brief relationship with Timmy Turner. In the series final few episodes, Jimmy finally admits to his true feelings for Cindy, and the pair become a couple.

In one episode involving time travel, a future Jimmy is married to Cindy. While this future may not be officially canon, it is nice to think that Jimmy and Cindy would have a happy ending after the journey they went on together.

5. Ash and Serena (Pokemon)

While many Pokemon fans over the years have enjoyed 'shipping' Ash with his various female travelling companions, Ash has always been too focused on his Pokemon Journey and goals for the possibility of his love life to ever be dealt with in the Anime itself. This changes, at least a little, with Ash's Kalos travelling companion, Serena, in Pokemon XY. In a twist on the usual formula, in which Ash meets his companion for the first time in their home region, it is revealed that Ash and Serena have met before as children, when they attended the same Pokemon Camp. Ash found and comforted Serena when she became lost in the woods, and treated her injured knee.

While Ash does not initially remember their earlier meeting, it had a profound effect on Serena, who recognises him almost immediately when they meet again, and prompts her decision to travel alongside Ash as she begins her own Pokemon Journey. Serena clearly has a crush on Ash, and while he remains focused on his goals, it is suggested at various points that he may share her feelings on some level. This culminates in their farewell scene in the final episode of the Pokemon XYZ series, when Serena plants a kiss on Ash before leaving his company for her own adventures. While the kiss itself is not seen, it is obvious from the reactions of fellow companions Clemont and Bonnie.

Many fans have now latched onto the idea that Serena is Ash's true love, and some even theorise that the Liko, one of the two new Pokemon protagonists set to take over from Ash, could be Ash and Serena's daughter.

6. Tommy and Kimi (Rugrats)

The second Rugrats film, Rugrats in Paris, introduced Kimi Watanabe, who afterwards joined the series main cast as Chuckie's new Stepsister. Kimi, a cheeky, high energy almost two-year year old in the original series, was seen by many as simply being a female version of Tommy. Canonically, Chuckie even states as much when Kimi leads the group into an unexpected adventure soon after meeting her in the film:

"Oh great, another Tommy!"

For this reason, Tommy and Kimi are often paired in fan-art. However, given that the characters were only babies in Rugrats, any potential romance was held for the spin-off, All Grown Up!. In one of the later episodes, Chuckie discovers a carved love heart bearing the initials T.P + K.F.. Ie, Tommy Pickles and Kimi Finster. The reveal almost ruins Chuckie and Tommy's friedship, as Chuckie believes Tommy has been wooing his sister behind his back.

Kimi eventually admits to having carved the initials a long time ago, after developing a crush on Tommy that had since faded. While the episode's ending hints that this was not necessarily the case, All Grown Up! was cancelled soon after, leaving the story unresolved. Many fans believe that if the show had continued, Tommy and Kimi would eventually have become a couple.

7. Linus and Janice (Peanuts)

The Peanuts universe includes many cases of one-sided puppy love, including that between Lucy and Schroeder, and Sally and Linus. However, the most beautiful, bittersweet case is that seen between Linus and Janice in the 1990 TV special, Why, Charlie Brown, Why?. In the special, Linus befriends new classmate Janice, who enjoys having her her push him on the swings. Janice falls ill at school, ending up in hospital, and when Linus and Charlie Brown visit her, it is revealed that she has been diagnosed with Leukemia.

Over the following Autumn and Winter, Linus navigates the troubles that come with having a seriously ill friend, including Lucy's misunderstanding of what Cancer is, defending Janice from bullies when she loses her hair due to Chemo, and most of all, missing and worrying for Janice when she is in the Hospital. After an extended absence from school, Janice returns just in time for Spring. Asking Linus to push her on the swings, she tosses away her cap to reveal that her hair has grown back, signifying that she has fully recovered from her illness.

While Janice does not appear beyond this special, she and her sweet relationship with Linus hold a special place in the hearts of Peanuts fans, and many still consider her Linus's main love interest.

Happy Valentine's Day!