25 Best Short Characters Of All Time

There are quite a few short characters who have managed to sneak their way into the heart of pop culture. That’s right, these short characters became popular for their ability to elevate their story and stand out from the crowd of characters who surround them. So, without further ado, I present you with a list of the 25 best short characters that prove that great things do come in small packages.

1. Yoda from Star Wars Movies

yoda short characters

What a great movie character to start this list with. Standing roughly 2’2″, Yoda is one of the most famous short characters of all time. With his awesome flips and jumps, his lightsaber skills, and his profound knowledge of the force, Yoda is the perfect example of proving that size doesn’t matter. Or as Yoda says to Luke Skywalker: “Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?”. Yes, our small green Jedi Master is proof that true power comes from within, not from outside appearance!

2. George Costanza from Seinfeld TV Show

george  costanza short characters

George is probably the most beloved and famous short bald character in sitcom history. Or as he describes it: “Short, stocky, slow-witted bald man”. More than any other character in the iconic show, George embodies human imperfections. He lies to get perceived tiny advantages in relationships, gets into stupid arguments, and overthinks things. He is the guy who says things we might think, but would never dare admit. What’s not to love?

3. Gollum from The Lord of the Rings Movies

gollum short characters

One of the most fascinating short ugly characters in fiction history, Gollum is the physicalization of the monstrous pull of the One Ring over anyone in its vicinity. His “Precious”, the ring, corrupts Gollum and turns him deformed and twisted in both body and mind. This seems as the main point of Gollum’s character, to show how power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Nicely enough, it is not Frodo who destroys the ring eventually, but Gollum. So, after all, had been said and done, this short character, having a height of only 3’6, was the one who changed the fate of Middle-earth.

4. Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City TV Show

carrie bradshaw short characters

The narrator and lead character of the popular HBO show, Carrie is a newspaper columnist who writes somehow-philosophical weekly articles about love, dating, and sex. More than anything, Carrie seems to love drinking cosmopolitans, smoking Marlboro Light, being obsessed with shoes, and hanging around with her best friends Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes, and Charlotte York.

See also: Top 10 90s Shows For Generation Z

5. Yosemite Sam from Looney Tunes Cartoons

yosemite sam short characters

A short cartoon character, Yosemite Sam is one of Bugs Bunny’s toughest opponents. Tougher than Elmer Fudd, who is nothing but a big softie. For starters, Sam is generally more violent. Or like he puts it: I’m the meanest, roughest, toughest hombre that’s ever crossed the Rio Grande – and I ain’t o namby-bamby! Sam also has a tougher accent and a higher fierce voice. That is not to say he is smarter than Elmer in his encounters with Bugs that end up pretty much the same as Bugs triumphs. So, to conclude – Sam is a short character with a short temper and red hair.  

6. Vinny Gambini from My Cousin Vinny Movie

vinny gambini short characters

Vinny may stand at just 5’3 short, but you sure want him by your side in any legal dispute! Vinny is a fresh lawyer who just passed the bar exam and was immediately thrown into the most important case of his life. He must save his cousin and cousin’s friend from serious jail time for a murder they didn’t commit. With his quick tongue and amazing arguing abilities, he might just have a chance at winning.

7. Krillin from Dragon Ball Anime Series

krillin short characters

Despite his short size, Krillin is the strongest character in the Dragon Ball franchise, able to perform amazing feats like dodging machine gun fire at point-blank range or defeating Gohan with a sparring match. Initially, Krillin hated Goku, but later they became best friends. When Krillin gets killed by Frieza, that’s the cause Goku turned into Super Saiyan first time, which is one of the greatest moments in fiction history. Also referred to as “Mini Monk”, Krillin stands only at 5’0, roughly 153 cm, he defiantly fits the “short character” bill.

8. Widget from Widget the World Watcher Cartoon Series

widget short characters

My ultimate childhood favorite cartoon short character, Widget is a courageous shape-shifting alien who transforms by spinning into a tornado. With his human friends, and his assistant Mega Brain, Widget protects the natural environment from those who seek to harm it. In every episode Widget would struggle with a different baddy from either Earth or outer space, wishing to exploit Earth’s natural resources. In other episodes, he sometimes fought against nasty entities spawned by pollution and toxic ooze. Why did they ever cancel this show? It’s now more relevant than ever!

9. Fabienne from Pulp Fiction Movie

fabienne short characters

Another short movie character that steals the show, Fabienne from Pulp Fiction is Butch Coolidge’s girlfriend. Fabienne is a French woman, who only seems to want to eat some blueberry pancakes and maybe some pie. She seems to have an insatiable appetite for someone her small size. She also wishes she had a potbelly, which, together with her appetite, might suggest she’s pregnant.

10. Poof from the Fairly OddParents Animated Series

poof short characters

One of the cutest characters, Poof is the son of Cosmo and Wanda. Only in the “School of Crock” episode did he start speaking fully. Before, he couldn’t say more than one or two words at a time, with the word “Poof” being his most notable one. In my opinion, Poof looks more like Wanda than Cosmo, as he has his mother’s eyebrows and eyelashes.

11. Espio the Chameleon from Sonic the Hedgehog Video Game

espio short characters

As a chameleon, Espio naturally possesses the ability to blend in with his environment, which helps a lot when you are a ninja. Espio can be invisible! When he’s in a fight, nobody can see him, and when he’s quiet, nobody can defeat him. Just imagine it – he can turn invisible and throw razor-sharp shurikens! And for some reason, I don’t ever see him entering the list of the 10 strongest Sonic the Hedgehog characters. Someone ought to do something about it! When he is visible, Espio has purple skin color, with a yellow horn between his eyes. He is also kind of a short character.

12. Bumblebee from Transformers Movies

bumblebee short characters

Well, I wouldn’t say Bumblebee is short-short. After all, he is at least 9.8 feet. However, compared to other transformers in the franchise he is shot. Though not as strong as Optimus Prime and Megatron, Bumblebee has proven his worth of being strong when taking on Nemesis Prime and by killing Soundwave, one of the high-ranked Decepticons.  

13. Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland 1951 Animated Movie

mad hatter short characters

One of the most intriguing short fictional characters ever, the Mad Hatter is not more insane than the rest of Wonderland’s residents. He likes to throw parties to celebrate his “Unbirthdays”, make riddles, and of course, adores hats. Although some people think that the Mad Hatter is a villain, I believe it is mostly because of later adaptations of his character, as the one DC Comics did. In fact, in the Alice in Wonderland 1951 animated movie he is quite charming, refers to Alice as “my dear” and is generally shown to be gallant.

14. Kermit the Frog from the Muppet Show

kermit short character

Kermit may only be 24 inches, which is barely 70 cm, but this frog certainly does not let his height discourage him! When he has to act alongside regular height actors, he just does the scene standing on a box. Well. At least that’s what he says. Kermit is the star of the Muppet Show and the love interest of the pig Miss Piggy. Both were, along with most other puppets, the creation of Jim Henson. However, Kermit is probably Henson’s most famous short character creation and played an important role also on Sesame Street.

15. Fifi La Fume from Tiny Toon Adventures Cartoon

fifi la flume short character

Fifi La Fume is a female skunk with purple and white fur. Like Pepé Le Pew, who is Fifi’s mentor and favorite teacher, Fifi is French and very flirtatious. She also shares Pepés faults like his intense skunk odor and incapacity to take “no” for an answer when pursuing a romantic object. Just how powerful Fifi’s stench is? Well, it has been shown to melt solid steel! Also, the more she falls in love, the stronger her stink gets. That said, I’d still go out with her.

16. Mario from Super Mario Bros. Video Games

mario short character

It doesn’t get more famous in the short characters department than Mario! He is often referred to as “Mr. Video Game Himself!” Mario is a short and stocky part-time plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom. And I say part-time because he seems to be more in the princess-saving business than in the plumbing business. That’s right when Mario shows up for a plumbing job, he usually finds himself trying to fit his weighty body inside the pipes so he can save a princess.

17. Spike from My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Animated TV Series

spike short characters

Yeah, I know what you’re saying: I should choose Princess Twilight Sparkle for this list. After all, she is the central character of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and she is short too. However, since there are six core pony characters and only one dragon, who acts as a foil to the other six in terms of personality, I thought I better put the spotlight on him. Yes, Spike is a dragon outsider living among ponies who takes the role of a little boy who has a lot of sisters. This purple baby dragon is Twilight’s “number one assistant”, and he helps her solve problems and learn lessons. Is he doing a good job? Well, when Twilight becomes the ruler of planet Equestria, she makes little Spike her royal advisor as gratitude for everything he has done for her over the years. So, there you have it.

18. Louie De Palma from Taxi TV Series

louie de palma short characters

As the dispatcher for the Sunshine Cab Company, Louie holds a primary position in the company. Unfortunately, this small character is probably the meanest, most offensive dispatcher in TV history. He acts more as a villain to the taxi drivers, often abusing and harassing them. Interestingly, despite his horrible behavior, deep-down Louie cares about his friends but tends not to show it.

19. Boots from Dora the Explorer

boots short characters

Boots is a light purple furry monkey and Dora’s best friend in the world. He also acts as the co-host of the show. Although Boots is Dora’s steady traveling partner, he doesn’t always travel with her, and she sometimes travels alone. Boots is one of the very few cartoon characters who did not stay the same age forever. He was four years old in the early seasons, later he was five.

20. Sophia Petrillo from Golden Girls TV Show

sophia petrillo short characters

Well, Sophia claims she was “a tall voluptuous blond with a butt like granite” when she was younger. She had always been short. Also, her family may or may not have ties with the mafia. It’s just hard to tell if she speaks the truth, as she claims to have personally met Picasso, Freud, and Winston Churchill.

21. Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation TV Series

leslie knope short characters

Deputy Director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation, Leslie seems determined to please the citizens of Pawnee. However, they don’t seem that grateful. Nevertheless, this short character keeps on working double-time and believes she can make a difference despite the constant disappointment. If only more public servants could be like that! Leslie is portrayed by wonderful actress Amy Poehler whose height is 5ft 2.

22. Meliodas from Seven Deadly Sins Anime Series

meliodas short characters

Standing at only 5’0 and weighing merely 50 kg, Meliodas is still one of the shortest characters in anime. He is the Dragon’s Sin of Wrath and leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, the strongest order of Holy Knights in the Kingdom of Liones. Even in comparison to the other Deadly Sins, Meliodas is the strongest character by quite a large margin. Meliodas’ power level increases in stages as the story progresses and is increased further whenever he utilizes his demon powers. If you still aren’t familiar with Meliodas’ character, maybe it’s time to start watching the Seven Deadly Sins. Your enjoyment is guaranteed!

23. Penguin from DC Comics

the penguin short characters

Oswald Cobblepot is a ruthless short character crimelord. The Penguin has great business sense and knows about everything that is going on in Gotham, from what gets shipped into and out of Gotham to various security codes. He sells that knowledge to criminals and gets rich and powerful. At some points, he was even close to being the kingpin in Gotham. That was when Batman intervened and forced the Penguin to stand down. Oswald is a great short character, who stands at 5’2.

24. Carla Tortelli from Cheers TV Series

carla torteli short characters

Like some with real roots in the city of Boston, Carla is a die-hard Red Sox fan. She will attack anyone who sullies her beloved home team. Carla is a waitress at Cheers and also a mother to eight, so she certainly has a lot on her plate. No wonder most of the time she was in constant despair. However, Carla is always one witty remark at someone else’s expense away from making herself feel better. Carla was portrayed by actress Rhea Perlman who is 5ft.

25. Share Bear from the Care Bears Animated Series

share bear short characters

Like all Care Bears, Share Bear lives in the Forest of Feelings. She considers it her job to care for all the wildlife in the forest and make sure they are healthy and happy. Share Bear is kind and sharing, and the best cook in Care-a-lot! She has lavender purple fur and like the other Care Bares, she is short.

Pop-culture obsessive girl. She worked professionally in the entertainment and media industry in Los Angeles. Edited many prime-time TV shows and award-winning documentaries. Worked for companies such as HBO, CBS, NBC, FOX, RESHET.