What better way to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit than by celebrating the most iconic bunnies in pop culture? Y’know, other than getting together with your family.
Yes, we know you’re going to have your family get-togethers, your ang paos, and all that good stuff. But here at Lifestyle Asia, we like to innovate. We think out of the box. We are visionaries. And thus, we have decided that the proper way to commemorate the upcoming Year of the Rabbit is to celebrate pop culture’s famous rabbits. Bugs Bunny, Thumper, Judy Hopps, Jesica Rabbit, the Playboy Bunny (you thought we’d forget, huh)—these are some of the most iconic rabbits from pop culture. Why, you ask? Well, why not? (We just wanted a fun and dumb Lunar New Year piece for a change, okay)
[Hero Image Credit: Warner Bros.; Featured Image Credit: Playboy Fragrances Thailand/Facebook]
Famous pop culture rabbits to commemorate the Year of the Rabbit
Bugs Bunny
Possibly the most famous bunny on this list, Bugs has been the definitive face of Looney Toons and Warner Bros. for almost a decade. The mischievous bunny is usually outsmarting his frienemy, Daffy Duck, at every turn, and also going gaga over the second bunny on this list. Bugs is such a cultural icon that he is the ninth most portrayed film personality in the world and also has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Last we checked, he’s the only rabbit to have that honour.
Lola Bunny
It would be a mistake not to have Lola Bunny on this list when Bugs is here. Though she originally appeared in 1996’s Space Jam, a “Honey Bunny” was first introduced in 1953 who was the explorer cousin of Bugs. However, the character we all know now was the one who played Bugs’ love interest in the cartoon film with Michael Jordan. Bugs is smitten immediately by the feisty and athletic Lola, who would also be responsible for people realising that it’s actually possible to be attracted to a cartoon character.
Thumper from Bambi
You probably know the rule that goes, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. It’s sometimes referred to as Thumper’s Rule or Thumper’s Law because it originates from the movie Bambi where Thumper, after telling Bambi that he looks a little wobbly, is corrected by his mother with the rule. Aside from the rule, Thumper is just gosh darn adorable and as such deserves a spot on this list.
Judy Hopps
Resilient, determined, and an all-around badass, Judy Hopps of Zootopia was famously told by Chief Bogo to “let it go”. She, of course, didn’t listen and proceeded to restore peace to Zootopia after unveiling a prey-supremacist plot—y’know, like any bunny academy valedictorian of Zootopia PD would do. One could only hope they’re more like Judy in this upcoming Year of the Rabbit.
Cony
You see her on your phone. You use her as a sticker. You might have her as a theme. She’s someone who you might see every day but you don’t even know her name. Cony is the iconic LINE bunny that we all know and love. Her signature smile and tiny pink blushes make us feel happy every time we see her, and our friends surely feel the same whenever we send her as a sticker. The LINE wikia (please don’t hate us for using this source), however, reveals that Cony has a pretty bad temper and is only kind to Brown, the bear. Guess Cony has a little bit of an attitude.
The Energizer Bunny
Why is the Energizer Bunny on this list, you ask? Well, aside from being iconic, it can also go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on…
Cuddles from Happy Tree Friends
The cuddly and adorable characters of Happy Tree Friends are subjected to the most violent deaths ever, and Cuddles, their very own yellow rabbit, is no exception. In fact, YouTube user CirGabs15 has generously compiled all the times the innocent and otherwise unknowing Cuddles has died in the video above. If you’re squeamish though, you might want to skip it.
Snowball from The Secret Life of Pets
Whoever was this movie’s casting director, they deserve all the awards, raises, and Malibu Mansions. Casting Kevin Hart as a small, seemingly adorable, and fluffy rabbit was a stroke of genius. The result, as you can see from the brief trailer above, is gold. We’re still waiting on a Snowball spinoff.
Jessica Rabbit
People may have been attracted to Lola Bunny, but Jessica Rabbit is undoubtedly the cause of many sexual awakenings. The sultry cartoon character first appeared in 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and has become a sex symbol ever since, which is quite a feat considering that, well, she’s a cartoon character. If you’re still doubting just how much of a sex symbol she is, there was a time back in 1994 when it was reported that the Laser Disc version of the film depicted her nude for a few frames. Retailers soon reported that it sold out within minutes.
The Playboy Bunny
Possibly the only bunny you might care about, the iconic Playboy Bunny has been the symbol of the eponymous media and lifestyle company. But it also used to be a real-life thing: back when Playboy Clubs were a thing, the waitresses were known as Playboy Bunnies, all clad in the well-known costume. Though not the same as the Playboy Playmate, the famous centrefold models in the salacious magazine, Playboy Bunnies became iconic in their own right. That didn’t mean there was overlap though: some Bunnies became Playmates and vice versa.
Bad Bunny
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio was born in Puerto Rico in 1994. According to him, he was once forced to wear a bunny costume when he was a kid. He hated it. But he chose that as an inspiration for his stage name, and now he’s known as Bad Bunny. Hey, like it or not, he’s a famous rabbit and needs to be on this list.
Jim Hopper from Stranger Things
Because Hopper. Get it? Don’t kill me.
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