In a world where a goldfish is your brother, a banana can hold a grudge, and the laws of physics seem more like loose suggestions, The Amazing World of Gumball stands out as one of the most creative and unhinged animated shows ever made. Packed with satire, meta-humor, and slapstick insanity, it’s a series that gleefully breaks every rule of storytelling—and its characters are the reason it works so well. Each episode feels like a chaotic explosion of personalities, but some characters consistently bring the biggest laughs. Whether they’re screaming nonsense, pulling off perfectly timed visual gags, or delivering dry sarcasm like Olympic-level roasts, these are the characters who stole the show every time they appeared. The ones who kept Elmore weird, wild, and laugh-out-loud hilarious.
#10: Idaho
Idaho, the sentient potato with the voice of a bootstrapping country uncle, might not have the screentime of other Elmore residents, but when he shows up, the laughs are baked in. His old-fashioned moral code and deep-rooted commitment to “the simple life” clash hilariously with the chaos around him. He’s the kind of guy who probably churns his own butter, reads seed catalogues for fun, and thinks electricity is a passing fad. What makes Idaho funny is the sheer absurdity of his presence in a town full of hyper-modern weirdos. He’s a throwback to a world that never really existed—part farmer, part fire-and-brimstone preacher, part couch potato (literally).
His greatest hits include standing on soapboxes (sometimes literally), preaching the evils of modern technology, and insisting that “hard work and dirt” are the solution to every problem. He’s so pure in his beliefs that it makes his inevitable breakdowns all the more hilarious. In one episode, when his attempt to live off the grid fails, he ends up sobbing in a corner, cradling a broken butter churn like a lost child. The melodrama is real, and it’s glorious.
What adds another layer to Idaho’s comedy is how the show plays with his design. He’s a tiny, square brown blob with beady little eyes and a permanent frown, yet he delivers his lines with the seriousness of a war general. He’s physically unimpressive, constantly overlooked, and slightly moist. But when he opens his mouth to condemn “city slicker nonsense,” it’s comedy perfection. His over-the-top country accent only adds to the charm—he sounds like he was born in a barn and raised by a radio set permanently stuck on “old timey sermon.”
Idaho works so well because he’s not just the straight man—he thinks he’s the voice of reason in a town where reason took one look at Elmore and ran screaming. He’s judgmental, proud, and hilariously fragile when things don’t go his way. Whether he’s boycotting cell phones, accusing Gumball of being a devil-worshipper because he owns a toaster, or trying to teach others the ways of “spud life,” Idaho turns every cameo into a rustic comedic gem.
Part parody, part commentary, part gloriously out-of-place vegetable, Idaho earns his spot on this list by being the moral compass that always points south. He’s a reminder that sometimes the funniest characters aren’t the ones who change—but the ones who stubbornly refuse to.
#9: Banana Joe
Banana Joe is what happens when slapstick chaos is given arms, legs, and the voice of someone who definitely ate sugar packets for breakfast. As a walking, talking banana with no concept of personal space or comedic timing, Joe is pure mayhem. He’s that kid in school who laughs before the joke is told, trips over nothing, and then acts like you were the one being weird. And that’s why he’s hilarious. In a show full of exaggerated personalities, Banana Joe still manages to be the human (well, fruit) embodiment of randomness.
What makes Joe uniquely funny is that he thinks he’s the funniest person in Elmore. He’ll pull a prank and then laugh hysterically at his own punchline before anyone else even realizes something happened. His humor is terrible—deliberately so. It’s almost anti-humor. He’ll do something objectively unfunny, like yell “Banana Split!” and then trip over his own peel, but the intensity of his self-satisfaction somehow makes it funnier. It’s like he’s running his own show inside his head, and he’s both the star and the only audience member.
One of his most iconic moments is in “The Banana,” where we dive into his surreal world of “banana comedy.” He creates strange drawings of his classmates—caricatures so offensive, baffling, and weird that they defy explanation. When Gumball and Darwin confront him, he acts as though his weird banana art is the peak of culture. His utter lack of awareness turns what could be an ordinary “roast” episode into a psychedelic descent into Joe’s fruity madness.
The show often uses Joe as the catalyst for absolute chaos. He’s not evil—he’s just wildly unpredictable. He’ll interrupt class with a nonsensical announcement, destroy something by accident, or chase people around for reasons even he doesn’t understand. It’s this commitment to chaos, without malice, that makes him so lovable. He’s a wild card who somehow remains innocent, like a toddler with a bazooka full of jellybeans.
Banana Joe’s design is deceptively simple—a yellow banana with expressive eyes and limbs. But the animation team uses his shape in inventive ways: peeling, squishing, and even turning him into banana pudding when he takes too much damage. The physical comedy opportunities are endless, and the show takes full advantage.
Whether he’s bursting into a scene uninvited, delivering nonsensical punchlines, or being hilariously overconfident about his “art,” Banana Joe always brings a sense of unpredictability. He’s the court jester of Elmore—a little bruised, deeply bizarre, and always ready to slip into your day with something completely bananas.
#8: Principal Brown
Principal Brown is proof that authority figures can be complete disasters and still be absolutely hilarious. A beige, fuzzy blob of anxiety with a bow tie and a voice that teeters between nervous breakdown and clueless optimism, Brown is supposed to be the leader of Elmore Junior High. Instead, he’s a walking cautionary tale for how not to manage children, relationships, or literally anything else.
What makes Brown so funny is how spectacularly unequipped he is to handle… anything. He tries so hard to be the adult in the room, but he’s always ten seconds away from a meltdown. His voice—high, trembling, and punctuated with awkward stammers—makes even the simplest sentence sound like an emotional confession. Watching him try to maintain control while Gumball and Darwin unleash chaos is like watching a teddy bear try to fight a hurricane.
His relationship with Miss Simian is another comedic goldmine. It’s weird. It’s borderline terrifying. It’s absolutely hysterical. Brown acts like a doting, desperate househusband while Simian dominates every interaction with her gnarly, gravel-throated rage. The power imbalance is so exaggerated it becomes comedy gold. Brown worships her—even as she insults him, ignores him, and probably low-key plots his doom.
In the episode “The Job,” Principal Brown has to go undercover and prove he can handle actual labor. Spoiler: he can’t. Whether he’s crying under pressure, getting tangled in his own tie, or hiding behind students for protection, every Brown moment is a punchline wrapped in flop sweat.
But the funniest thing about Principal Brown might be how earnestly he tries. He wants to do the right thing. He wants to be respected. He just has zero leadership skills, no spine, and the energy of a substitute teacher on their first and last day. In many ways, he’s the opposite of a traditional authority figure—which makes it even funnier when the kids treat him like one. Gumball in particular loves messing with him, because Brown reacts with maximum panic every time.
From his awkward hugs to his public nervous breakdowns, Principal Brown earns his place as one of the funniest characters in Elmore. He’s not just comic relief—he is the joke, and a surprisingly lovable one at that.
#7: Mr. Small
Mr. Small is Elmore’s hippie guidance counselor who radiates cosmic energy and crystal-infused nonsense. He floats into every scene like he just woke up from a dream about hugging clouds, and he genuinely believes he’s helping—even though his advice almost always causes the opposite effect. What makes him so funny is how deeply committed he is to his philosophy of love, peace, and absolutely no practicality whatsoever.
Mr. Small speaks in slow, soothing tones, usually while holding incense or balancing on one toe. His solution to any problem—emotional, academic, or apocalyptic—is always “connect with nature” or “align your aura.” The comedy doesn’t come from malice. It comes from watching someone who has no idea how the world works try to impose his nonsense on everyone else. You know you’re in for a wild time when Mr. Small walks in, says something like “You’re blocked… spiritually,” and then tries to solve the issue with interpretive dance.
His finest moment might be in “The Extras,” where he tries to lead the background characters in a revolution. He speaks to them like he’s a mystical prophet leading a cosmic uprising, but it immediately collapses when no one can figure out what he’s talking about. He gets caught in his own stage curtain and ends up giving a motivational speech to a mop.
The way Mr. Small floats through life—both literally and mentally—makes him the perfect parody of every well-meaning but clueless adult who thinks they’ve “figured it all out.” Whether he’s living in a yurt behind the school, eating tree bark, or hugging a rock to “restore harmony,” Mr. Small is both a hilarious caricature and a weirdly endearing soul.
#6: Tobias
Tobias is Elmore Junior High’s resident peacock—bright, loud, overly confident, and desperate for approval. He’s the kind of guy who does push-ups in the hallway just to get noticed, even if no one’s watching. What makes him one of the funniest characters in The Amazing World of Gumball is how completely convinced he is of his own popularity… despite all the evidence to the contrary. Tobias thinks he’s the main character in every room he enters, and watching the world constantly remind him that he’s not? That’s comedy gold.
From his over-the-top fashion choices (sleeveless hoodies, muscle shirts, questionable color coordination) to his delusional one-liners like “I’m totally in the top five coolest people at this school,” Tobias’s humor stems from how badly he wants to be cool. He’s all flash and no substance, a walking thirst trap for attention who crashes every party and inserts himself into every conversation whether he’s invited or not. His idea of being “hip” is quoting outdated catchphrases like “YOLO” and assuming everyone will high-five him for it.
One of his funniest moments comes in “The Dream,” where Gumball dreams that he kisses Penny—and then Tobias dreams that he kisses Gumball. It’s a weird, hilarious moment that Tobias takes far too seriously, insisting they’re now “dream married” and trying to plan their future together. His ability to go from confident to completely unhinged in seconds makes his scenes wildly unpredictable and consistently laugh-out-loud funny.
Tobias’s relationships with other characters also crank up the humor. He constantly tries to fit in with the cool kids, only to be ignored, mocked, or straight-up thrown out. He tries to act suave around girls, only to embarrass himself with cheesy pick-up lines and awkward dance moves. And when things don’t go his way, he doesn’t self-reflect—he doubles down. He’s like if confidence was a balloon filled with helium and glitter: floating, annoying, and occasionally exploding.
What seals Tobias’s place on this list is that he never learns. He remains blissfully unaware of how uncool he really is, and that’s what makes him so effective as comic relief. Every scene he’s in feels like an improv bit that went slightly off the rails—and stayed there. Whether he’s flexing in the mirror or trying to stage a musical about himself, Tobias is the kind of deluded optimist you can’t help but laugh at… and maybe root for, just a little.
#5: Nicole Watterson
Nicole Watterson is the definition of tightly wound—and when she snaps, it’s glorious. As the matriarch of the Watterson family, Nicole is supposed to be the responsible one. And she is, technically. But she’s also deeply competitive, has zero chill, and occasionally goes full beast mode when pushed past her limit. Watching Nicole lose control is like watching a volcano try to file taxes—it’s explosive, unnecessary, and hysterical.
What makes Nicole so funny is the sheer contrast between her usual composed demeanor and her total meltdown mode. One second, she’s a rational working mom giving a heartfelt speech. The next, she’s suplexing a school administrator or chasing Richard through traffic with fire in her eyes. She doesn’t do small reactions—she does cinematic, operatic, totally over-the-top emotional blasts. And every time, the show’s animators go nuts with her expressions: wide eyes, twitching pupils, dramatic lighting, fists clenched with raw fury.
Take the episode “The Fury,” where Nicole is forced to confront her martial arts past by facing off against her old rival, Yuki. What starts as a PTA disagreement escalates into a full anime showdown, complete with power-up auras, slow-motion punches, and dramatic flashbacks. It’s the kind of parody that only works because Nicole is genuinely terrifying when she’s in fight mode.
But Nicole isn’t just funny when she’s mad—she’s funny when she tries to be calm and fails. Her attempts to parent Gumball and Darwin are often undercut by her own emotional instability. She’ll try the whole “I’m not mad, just disappointed” routine, only to end up flipping a couch in the background. And when she does get mad? Her roasts are surgical. One sarcastic comment from Nicole can deflate even the most overconfident character in the room.
There’s also something darkly hilarious about how self-aware she is. Nicole knows she has rage issues. She tries yoga. She tries meditation. She tries breathing exercises. None of it works. And that eternal struggle—to not explode—is weirdly relatable, especially for anyone who’s ever tried to stay calm during family dinner with chaos all around.
Nicole Watterson is one of the funniest characters in the show because she’s the eye of the storm—and also the storm itself. Whether she’s unleashing fury or trying desperately to contain it, she adds tension and hilarity to every scene she’s in. She’s not just a cartoon mom—she’s a high-octane force of comedic destruction.
#4: Darwin Watterson
Darwin, Gumball’s best friend and adoptive goldfish brother, is sweet, optimistic, and just a little off his rocker. What makes Darwin funny isn’t just his one-liners or physical comedy—it’s his constant whiplash between soft-spoken innocence and unexpected chaos. One minute he’s giving emotional advice, the next he’s full-on screaming while running in circles. He’s basically Gumball’s moral compass… that occasionally spins out and catches fire.
Darwin’s funniest moments often come from how seriously he takes things that don’t require seriousness. In “The Sock,” he gives a monologue about the importance of privacy that turns into a dramatic courtroom speech… over a sock puppet. In “The Words,” his attempt to speak only kindness results in him bottling up rage until he explodes into a primal scream. It’s this unfiltered emotional honesty—no matter how ridiculous the situation—that makes him so hilariously lovable.
Visually, Darwin is comedy gold. A legged goldfish with giant expressive eyes and a rubbery walk, he moves like a Looney Tunes character and reacts like he’s just learned emotions exist. His facial expressions are some of the best in the series—especially when he’s panicking, which is often. And when he teams up with Gumball? It’s a recipe for disaster, confusion, and nonstop laughter.
What’s even funnier is how Darwin occasionally becomes the voice of reason, only to get pulled back into madness by Gumball’s antics. He knows better. He sees the danger. But he jumps in anyway, usually while screaming, “I don’t want to do this!” and immediately doing it.
Darwin’s a perfect blend of heart, weirdness, and accidental chaos. He brings warmth to the show, sure—but more importantly, he brings wild, fish-flopping, off-the-rails comedy that’s impossible not to love.
#3: Richard Watterson
Richard Watterson is a pink mountain of ignorance, laziness, and pure comedic gold. As the patriarch of the Watterson family, Richard might technically be an adult—but his brain never got the memo. He’s a child in a dad’s body, driven almost entirely by snacks, naps, and panic. What makes Richard so funny is that he commits fully to every terrible decision he makes. He doesn’t second-guess, he doesn’t pause to think, and he never, ever learns.
Richard’s funniest moments are usually tied to his uncontrollable impulses. If there’s cake in the house, he will eat it. If he sees something shiny, he will chase it. And if Nicole tells him to be responsible, he will immediately forget everything she just said. One of his greatest moments comes in “The Job,” when he’s forced to get employment and ends up cycling through jobs like dog walker, delivery guy, and life coach—failing gloriously at every single one. By the end, he’s crying in a dumpster while trying to eat a pencil. Iconic.
His physical comedy is on another level. Richard’s enormous, bouncy body makes him perfect for over-the-top pratfalls. Whether he’s crashing through walls, getting stuck in a vending machine, or somehow managing to get his head caught in a toaster, every scene he’s in is a masterclass in cartoon chaos. He moves like a giant toddler, flailing, bouncing, and yelling things like “PANTS FIRST!” for no reason at all.
And then there’s his voice—high-pitched, whiny, and delivered with absolute sincerity. He could say “I think I’m allergic to gravity” and you’d believe him. He brings a level of clueless commitment that transforms every line into a punchline. And let’s not forget his legendary one-liners like “I don’t need a job—I’m a father! That’s three jobs!” which perfectly capture his unique mix of delusion and pride.
Richard’s relationship with his kids is another source of endless laughs. He adores Gumball and Darwin but offers them the worst advice imaginable. In “The Genius,” he tries to tutor Gumball using a “strategy” that involves eating pizza to stimulate brain power. In “The Diet,” his solution to being unhealthy is to eat so much junk food that his body eventually resets. Somehow, it almost works.
He also plays off Nicole’s seriousness like a perfect comedic foil. Where she’s discipline and drive, he’s chaos and couch. Their dynamic is like an unstoppable force crashing into an immovable pink marshmallow. It’s especially funny when Nicole tries to yell at him and Richard just cries, hides, or runs away screaming. He’s the embodiment of every sitcom dad—but turned up to cartoon eleven.
Richard Watterson is stupid—but in the most brilliantly hilarious way possible. He’s a lovable disaster and watching him navigate life with zero logic and maximum emotion is one of the show’s greatest joys. He’s not just comic relief—he is comedy.
#2: Gumball Watterson
As the main character of the show, Gumball is every kind of funny rolled into one blue, snarky, hyperactive ball of chaos. He’s sarcastic, melodramatic, physically ridiculous, and emotionally unstable—and somehow still the glue holding the madness of Elmore together. What makes Gumball one of the funniest characters ever created is his range. One moment he’s dry and witty like a stand-up comic, and the next he’s full-on slapstick, flying through the air in a scream-filled tumble of limbs and regret.
Gumball’s comedic genius lies in how aware he is of the absurdity around him. He breaks the fourth wall constantly, references plot holes, mocks the show’s budget limitations, and points out clichés mid-scene. In “The Copycats,” he even mocks the ripoff version of himself—delivering scathing commentary that doubles as a hilarious dig at bootleg animation. It’s meta-humor at its finest.
But he’s also funny when he isn’t in control. Gumball often flies off the rails emotionally, turning minor issues into full-on catastrophes. A spilled drink? End of the world. A C on a test? Existential crisis. In “The Flower,” his jealousy over Penny talking to another guy leads him into a full anime-style revenge plot. It’s absurd, petty, and completely hilarious.
His voice acting (courtesy of multiple actors across the seasons) gives Gumball a unique edge—he can deliver sarcastic zingers one second and scream like a broken car alarm the next. His expressions are elastic, with his entire body twisting into exaggerated poses that rival Jim Carrey in The Mask. And when paired with Darwin, his humor amplifies. Their chemistry is untouchable, with Gumball usually being the loud one dragging Darwin into increasingly terrible ideas.
Episodes like “The Job,” “The Gripes,” and “The Puppets” showcase Gumball’s comedic range—from workplace chaos to passive-aggressive internet complaining to nightmarish sock puppet therapy. Every situation becomes a stage for Gumball to implode hilariously.
Gumball is chaos, heart, and pure cartoon comedy in one. But there’s one character who somehow, somehow, manages to be just a little funnier…
#1: Anais Watterson
Don’t let her size fool you—Anais Watterson is the smallest Watterson, but when it comes to comedy, she packs the biggest punch. As the genius younger sister to Gumball and Darwin, Anais is often the voice of reason—but that’s exactly what makes her so funny. She’s the only person in the house who’s even remotely sane and watching her try (and fail) to keep up with the idiocy around her is one of the show’s greatest recurring gags.
Anais’s humor is a perfect blend of sarcasm, dry wit, and deadpan takedowns. While everyone else is busy screaming or setting something on fire, she’s sitting in the corner, sipping juice and delivering zingers like, “You’re not even wrong. You’re worse than wrong.” It’s that adult-level intelligence, contrasted with her childlike appearance, that makes her so effortlessly hilarious.
In episodes like “The Remote” or “The Plan,” Anais devises brilliant strategies to help her family—and every time, they mess it up in the most ridiculous way possible. Her silent rage as she watches her flawless plans dissolve into chaos is played with perfect comedic timing. She’ll sigh, roll her eyes, and mutter something like, “Of course this would happen,” while her brothers are stuck in a washing machine covered in nacho cheese.
Anais also shines when she lets her own madness slip out. She usually holds herself together, but every so often—like in “The Ape” or “The Triangle”—she loses her cool and goes full Watterson. And when that happens? It’s glorious. A screaming genius toddler throwing books and yelling advanced calculus insults? That’s art.
She also has a way of mocking Gumball and Darwin that’s both brutal and brilliant. Where Nicole roasts with authority, Anais goes for the kill with surgical sarcasm. “You have the emotional intelligence of a piece of toast” is a classic Anais-ism that perfectly summarizes her place in the family.
Anais Watterson is funny because she’s the only character trying to be normal—and she keeps failing. Her efforts to organize, explain, and rationalize are endlessly undone by the swirling vortex of weirdness around her. And her resigned acceptance of that fact? That’s peak comedy.
The Amazing World of Gumball is a symphony of chaos, and every character brings their own brand of hilarity. But these ten stand out for turning every line, every glance, every explosion of nonsense into unforgettable laughs. From Anais’s dry wit to Richard’s glorious idiocy, the comedic cast of Elmore proves that animation doesn’t need limits—it just needs timing, absurdity, and a little bit of banana pudding.
