Analysis Of Social Issues Highlighted In Powerpuff Girls Show

“The Powerpuff Girls” is a TV show created in the late 1990s about three superhuman kindergarteners that were accidentally made by Professor Utonium. While he was mixing sugar, spice and, everything nice to create the perfect little girl, he accidentally knocked over Chemical X which resulted in the creation of three little girls with superpowers. Upon discovery of their superpowers, they continuously defend and fight for the citizens of Townsville.

Each of the girls represents each “ingredient” that makes up every girl, that is sugar, spice, and everything nice. Bubbles has blond hair that is always in two pigtails, she has blue eyes and wears a blue dress. Her character represents sugar. Blossom has long orange hair, has pink eyes, wears a pink dress and a red headband. Her character represents everything nice. Buttercup has short black hair, has green eyes and wears a green dress. Her character represents spice. Blossom is the leader of the group and is the smartest one out of the three. Despite the small arguments she has between her sisters, she typically keeps peace between the group. Bubbles is a character that is very sensitive but is also the strongest one out of her sisters. She may not seem like it, but she is the group’s toughest link and is the most feared by Mojo Jojo (one of their arch-enemies). Buttercup is the most aggressive sister in the family. She has a morbid, cynical and merciless attitude. She rarely ever smiles and is very hostile, but she is also very stable and intelligent.

I see myself in all of the characters and their very different personality traits. As Blossom, there have been moments in my life where I find myself to be the leader in certain situations. I have also been told that I am a very peaceful person, that is another trait that I can relate to Blossom. As Bubbles, I can be very sensitive but if I am pushed to a point, I will get defensive and aggressive. I also see myself in Buttercup because when I am in an aggressive state, I have a lot of attitude and anger in me. I also find myself in the same position as these girls where I come across people who have different mindsets and perspectives as me. Like the girls in many situations, they educate others when they lack the knowledge that they are enriched with as well as gain new knowledge on perspectives of situations they were ill-informed on. These situations will be further explained in details and examples in the following paragraph.

The Powerpuff Girls has addressed many social issues in several episodes. One episode titled “Equal Fights” is about a villain named “Femme Fatale” that convinces the young girls that in order to end oppression again women, they must fight against men in order for her to continue her crimes. She would only steal Susan B. Anthony coins and when captured by the Powerpuff Girls, she asks to be let go in order for her to defeat inequality. The lack of knowledge and awareness about equality, unfortunately, confused the girls and let Femme Fatale go. Femme Fatale’s character was very outspoken and harsh. This episode teaches the Powerpuff Girls as well as their viewers the difference between feminism and misandry, where after they speak with other women in the town, they are struck with the realization that equality does not mean women (or men) are not superior to the opposite sex.

Another issue that is addressed in the show is stereotypical gender roles held by society. They not only address this issue, but they challenge it as well. The girls hold different conversations where they break the predisposition that men must work while women must take care of the house or that women must be feminine and men must be masculine. In one episode, a new neighbor is moving in next door and they are trying to determine who it is based on the items that are being brought into the house by moving deliverers. At one point, Bubbles sees plastic ware and is led to believe that it is a girl. Buttercup and Blossom let Bubbles know that men need a place to keep their leftovers as well.

The next item being brought in is a barbell and Bubbles is led to believe that it is a boy that is moving in because “he must be very strong and manly”. Once again, Buttercup and Blossom interrupts her by telling her that women are strong and can lift weights as well. Another episode that attacks this social issue is when a “macho villain” is set on making Townsville a “man’s town”. When facing Buttercup, he does not believe that a little girl would be able to take him on and calls her “princess”. This angers Buttercup and she ends up defeating him and his “manly bot”. Not only is the empowerment of women portrayed throughout the show, but the stereotypical father figure is also contradicted. The character Professor Utonium, their father (or creator) plays the role of both mother and father. Typically in shows and even real life, fathers are absent and the mother plays both roles as a parent. This encourages the questioning of gender norms and promotes healthy paternal relationships that are not usually portrayed in many tv shows.

Professor Utonium has been shown as a kind and caring father to the young girls throughout the whole show. An episode that successfully shuts down the stereotype is called “Members Only”. In this episode, the young girls come across a group of superheroes where they meet Major Glory. He tells the girls that they cannot be superheroes and should leave it to the men. He tries to justify this by asking the girls which parent performs what chores in the house. He asks them who goes to work, brings the paycheque home, pays rent and puts the food on the table, which the girls reply with “Our dad.” Major Glory is satisfied with their answer and proceeds to ask who cooks the meals, where he is flabbergasted when the girls respond with, “Our dad.” Finally, he asks, who mows the lawn and washes the car, and again he is surprised when the girls respond with “Bubbles!”

The show has tackled many social relations of power. Throughout the six seasons of the show, the characters have lacked racial representation up until recently when they added a person of colour, more specifically, a woman of colour. In September of 2017, the television series has introduced a new character, named Bliss. She is a darker-skinned character who is revealed to be the girls’ older sister. She was also a “mistake” during her creation due to Professor Utonium spilling Chemical W into the “sugar, spice, and everything nice” mixture. The show before Bliss’s character showed how society prefers white characters because nobody ever really mentioned characters of colour or the lack thereof. The show both reinforces and challenges prevailing relations of power. The show addresses the fact that these issues are out there by having characters that express the stereotypes and norms that society has placed. They challenge those stereotypes and norms by having the Powerpuff Girls prove why the opposing characters are wrong as portrayed in the “Members Only” episode. Not only do the girls have prior knowledge of what was right and wrong in certain situations, but they also learned about different perspectives in the episode “Equal Fights”.

Powerpuff Girls is a very bright and colorful show that is very appealing to young children but can also appeal to adults who may be watching alongside their children. It continues to address different issues while remaining appropriate for young children. It discreetly releases messages to teach children from a young age about issues that are arising. The concept of the show itself is inspirational, to begin with. Three young heroines who are constantly underestimated, prove many people and villains wrong by fighting crime and saving the day. The impact that this show has is everlasting as many viewers who once watched the show still refer to many scenes and characters to this day. The girls show its viewers that no matter how old we are, we can tackle everyday problems if we put our minds and effort into it. The show reaches beyond their target audience that is young girls, it also reaching out to boys and adults as well. Overall, the Powerpuff Girls is a show that has left its mark in television history as well as the minds of many viewers including myself.