Adventure Time may look like just another kids’ animated series on Cartoon Network, but anyone who has actually watched a few episodes knows its appeal goes so much deeper. One of the great things about the show is that, while most episodes tell their own self-contained story and can be watched out of sequence, there is actually a surprisingly deep lore to the show’s world that rewards dedicated viewing. Like any long-running TV show, that lore has largely been built around the writers throwing a bunch of ideas around and seeing what sticks, and one of the most delightful results of this approach is the sheer number of memorable side characters the show has introduced. Main characters Finn and Jake may take center stage, but most of the big laughs and absolutely wacky creativity Adventure Time is known for has come from various minor characters over the course of the show’s six seasons and counting.
10. Ricardio the Heart Guy
Ricardio made his debut in the appropriately titled 1st season episode, “Ricardio the Heart Guy”. He is the literal heart of villain the Ice King, and has many of the same personality traits as a result. The great thing about Ricardio and what makes him so memorable is that he is a darker version of the Ice King: Ice King’s main motivation in life is to kidnap and marry a princess, while Ricardio wants to rip out and marry a princess’s heart, as he tries to do with Princess Bubblegum. Ricardio represents the darkly disturbing undercurrents of Adventure Time, which helps him stand out among the many minor villains the show has introduced over the years. He’s also voiced by George Takei, which is cool enough on its own to make him a top 10 character.
