History DependingOnTheWriter / WesternAnimation

* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'':
** Like the above page quote, Shaggy's vegetarianism varies from adaptation to adaptation. He definitely wasn't one in the original show, but became one after Casey Kasem did. He's one if Kasem is playing him, but if he's not, he usually won't be (specifically in ''WesternAnimation/ShaggyAndScoobyDooGetAClue'', where one of his favorite foods was "hot dog tacos"). In a ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' episode, Shaggy is actually disgusted at the idea of tofu burgers. In [[Film/ScoobyDoo the first live action movie]], his vegetarianism is forgotten ''halfway through the story''. This may be a symptom of having three writers on board.
** Whether Scooby Snacks are dog treats or a type of human snack food varies. In most incarnations, they are explicitly dog treats, or it is left ambiguous. But in some shows, they are snacks for humans. The Scooby Snacks seen in ''WesternAnimation/BeCoolScoobyDoo'' are a brand of human snack food originally called "Sorcerer's Snacks", but after the gang saves the factory from the villain, the owner renames them "Scooby Snacks" after Scooby-Doo, since a talking dog would make a better mascot.
** Fred's competence and intelligence tends to differ depending the show or movie you are watching. In some versions, Fred is an extremelly competent leader that's very close to Velma in therms of intelligence and is essential at the time of resolving the mysteries. In other versions, he's a clueless idiot who is basically a glorified driver and the real brains behing the opperation are Daphne and Velma. In other versions, [[GeniusDitz he doesn't have a clue about resolving mysteries but is an expert setting traps]].
** Related to that, how intelligent Shaggy (and to a lesser extent Scooby) is: even within the same shows, Shaggy can go from being TooDumbToLive and needing to be explained most things to being surprisingly clever and figuring out clues along with the rest of the gang, even sometimes solving the mystery himself, depending on how the episode goes.
** Velma is mostly a NiceGirl but many modern versions would often give her an mean streak turning it into more of an InsufferableGenius, particulary in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Velma}}'', ''Film/ScoobyDoo2002'' and some of the Direct-To-DVD movies.
** Daphne is by far the biggest example of this, as she is the only member of Mystery Inc. without a defined personality and many writers have different interpretations of her. From an [[TheKlutz accident-prone]] DamselInDistress in the early series, to a tough martial artist in the [[Film/ScoobyDoo2002 live action film]], to a SpoiledSweet ThrillSeeker fashionista in the direct-to-video films, to a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} in ''Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!''.
*** It's never made clear if her father took on her mother's last name or if her mother took on her father's last name. Her name was soft-{{retcon}}ned into being Blake after ''The Scooby-Doo Show'' introduced her paternal uncle, Matt Blake.
*** According to Scooby-Doo: Behind the Scenes, Daphne always wanted to be a supermodel and a detective even as a child (the latter of which disappointed her parents). Her aspirations had an effect on her personal life as she was always late for dates whenever she went on mysteries with the gang; she and Fred deny the rumors that they are dating. Her father gave her and her friends the money to start off and, prior to buying the Mystery Machine, Daphne provided the gas money to drive them to where there were mysteries to be solved.
*** ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'' establishes her as a [[RichKids Rich Kid]] -- and most every adaptation thereafter holds onto the concept -- but how this trait affects her ''personality'' differs pretty wildly. ''A Pup Named'' leans her closer to [[RichInDollarsPoorInSense foolish and haughty]] rather than outright [[SpoiledBrat mean]], while ''Mystery Incorporated'' loosely turns her into something of a {{Socialite}}, and even ''Be Cool!'' seems to imply she's a LonelyRichKid haunted by her own upbringing. In any case, being an amateur sleuth that travels the world, she's ''always'' the NonIdleRich.
** Fred and Shaggy can be TheFriendsWhoNeverHang or so close they are pretty much living together.
** The ''Those Meddling Kids'' commercials from the '90s suggest that Velma has an older sister, while the direct-to-video movies in the 2010s say that she has a younger sister (Madelyn) instead.
** The main Mystery-solving group can be called "Mistery Incorporated", "Scooby-Doo Detective Agency" or just refer to themselves as simply "The Gang" depending on the show you are watching.
** ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'' named Coolsville as the hometown of the Mystery Gang and quickly became the defauly name every time their hometown is mentioned.....until ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' was released and (among many changes in the franchise's mythology) changed it to Crystal Cove, from that point onwards, it seems to interchange between either of the two depending on how whatever the creators want to acknowledge ''Mystery Incorporated''.

** Fred's competence and intelligence tends to differ depending the show or movie you are watching. In some versions, Fred is an extremelly competent leader that's very close to Velma in therms of intelligence and is essential at the time of resolving the mysteries. In other versions, he's a clueless idiot who is basically a glorified driver and the real brains behing the opperation are Daphne and Velma.

** Like the above page quote, Shaggy's vegetarianism varies from adaption to adaption. He definitely wasn't one in the original show, but became one after Casey Kasem did. He's one if Kasem is playing him, but if he's not, he usually won't be (specifically in ''WesternAnimation/ShaggyAndScoobyDooGetAClue'', where one of his favorite foods was "hot dog tacos"). In a ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' episode, Shaggy is actually disgusted at the idea of tofu burgers. In [[Film/ScoobyDoo the first live action movie]], his vegetarianism is forgotten ''halfway through the story''. This may be a symptom of having three writers on board.

** How does Skipper sees Private? In some episodes he's pretty much his ParentalSubstitute that would go full PapaWolf mode at the most minimal sign he's in danger, while in other episodes he doesn't even hide he sees him as the most expendable of his soldiers for lacking the abilities of Kowalski or Rico and puts him first on line against any potential mortal danger. Interestingly, [[WesternAnimation/PenguinsOfMadagascar the theatrical movie]] plays with both characterizations [[PlayedForDrama for drama]]

** How does Skipper sees Private? In some episodes he's pretty much his ParentalSubstitute that would full PapaWolf at the most minimal sign he's in danger, while in other episodes he doesn't even hide he sees him as the most expendable of his soldiers for lacking the abilities of Kowalski or Rico and puts him first on line against any potential mortal danger.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' can either eat any type of food like popcorn and candy; or they can only [[StockAnimalDiet eat fish]].

** Gumball can be TooDumbToLive, one of the smartest characters, or anywhere inbetween depending on the needs of the episode. It's also somewhat inconsistent whether he's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold or a boderline VillainProtagonist.

** Chris is either a KiddieKid who is easily entertained or more along the lines of a normal (if scatterbrained) teenager.

** Spike the Bulldog can range between being a vicious guard dog who never talks, to a bipedal dog with a Jimmy Durante sounding voice. Sometimes he attacks Tom simply for being a cat, other times he only goes after Tom when he annoys or bothers him. He also ranges from being friends with Jerry, not noticing him, or attacking him as viciously as he would Tom (though admittingly this only really happened once).

** Of the three Eds, it's Eddy who seems to vary the most depending on the episode, with some portraying him as something of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold who is greedy and conniving but at the end of the day genuinely cares about his friends while others show him as a JerkWithTheHeartOfAJerk who shows little to no concern for his friends' well-being, sometimes [[ForTheLolz even messing with them just for the fun of it]]. The latter seemed to become his default as the series progressed, though the former still occasionally shows through, such as in the final episode, where he stands up for Edd against the Kanker Sisters.

** Of the three Eds, it's Eddy who seems to vary the most depending on the episode, with some portraying him as something of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold who is greedy and conniving but at the end of the day genuinely cares about his friends while others show him as a JerkWithTheHeartOfAJerk who shows little to no concern for his friends' well-being, sometimes [[ItAmusedMe even messing with them just for the fun of it]]. The latter seemed to become his default as the series progressed, though the former still occasionally shows through, such as in the final episode, where he stands up for Edd against the Kanker Sisters.

** Of the three Eds, it's Eddy who seems to vary the most depending on the episode, with some portraying him as something of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold who is greedy and conniving but at the end of the day genuinely cares about his friends while others show him as a JerkWithTheHeartOfAJerk who shows little to no concern for his friends' feelings, sometimes [[ItAmusedMe even messing with them just for the fun of it]]. The latter seemed to become his default as the series progressed, though the former still occasionally shows through, such as in the final episode, where he stands up for Edd against the Kanker Sisters.

** Of the three Eds, it's Eddy who seems to vary the most depending on the episode, with some portraying him as something of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold who is greedy and conniving but at the end of the day genuinely cares about his friends. Others show him as a JerkWithTheHeartOfAJerk who has no qualms taking advantage of the other Eds or throwing them under the bus to get what he wants, sometimes [[ItAmusedMe even messing with them just for the fun of it]]. The latter seemed to become his default as the series progressed, though the former still occasionally shows through, such as in the final episode, where he stands up for Edd.

** Of the three Eds, it's Eddy who seems to vary the most depending on the episode, with some portraying him as something of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold who is greedy and conniving but at the end of the day genuinely cares about his friends. Others show him as a JerkWithAHeartOfAJerk who has no qualms taking advantage of the other Eds or throwing them under the bus to get what he wants, sometimes [[ItAmusedMe even messing with them just for the fun of it]]. The latter seemed to become his default as the series progressed, though the former still occasionally shows through, such as in the final episode, where he stands up for Edd.

** Foghorn Leghorn can be simply a MotorMouth, or so much of a motor mouth that he won't even let someone else talk without interrupting them.

** Depending on what the episode calls for, Muscle Man is either an obnoxious FatBastard who gleefully pranks everyone or a JerkWithAHeartOfGold. In early seasons, his relationship with Mordecai and Rigby can go anywhere from a mutual dislike ("My Mom", "Go Viral") to more along the lines of VitriolicBestBuds ("Firework Run", "Fancy Restaurant"). Some episodes, such as "The Night Owl", have them go from one end of the spectrum to the other. Later episodes cemented them as VitriolicBestBuds, however.

!!Individual examples:
* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'':
** Frylock is either protective of Meatwad from Shake's pranks; or not really much better than Shake by trying to coax Meatwad into risky investigations just to save himself.
** Speaking of Meatwad, he can be TooDumbToLive; actually pretty smart by seeing right through Shake's pranks or figuring stuff out that even Frylock had trouble with; or anywhere in between.
** Carl will either hate the food items' guts and not want anything to do with them; or act as if he's great friends with them, sometimes even going along with their schemes (although sometimes, this one is him just using them for his own gain).
** Shake's insides are either blood and guts; or just pistachio milkshake.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'', how much of an AnnoyingYoungerSibling D.W. can be towards Arthur depends on the episode. She'll either be a typical annoying little sister who just wants Arthur's attention, or a BrattyHalfPint who seemingly makes Arthur's life more difficult just for the fun of it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'' Bob and Teddy's relationship varies pretty significantly. In some episodes Bob still barely tolerates Teddy while in others they're very close.
** How obsessive Teddy is in regards to the Belchers depends on the episode/writer. In episodes such as "Just the Trip" and "Land of the Loft" Teddy's actions are outright creepy and stalkerish. In other episodes such as "UFO No You Didn't" and "Uncle Teddy" Teddy is harmless and sweet.

** How the various characters view the Ed's varries a lot between episodes.

* All the characters on ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}''.
** Kaeloo can be a NiceGirl or a ManipulativeBitch. Her intelligence varies between episodes as well, ranging from extremely stupid and naïve to somewhat intelligent.
** Stumpy is either a complete JerkAss or is friendly but not very bright.
** Quack Quack is either a genius or a complete idiot. Also, whether or not he forgives Mr. Cat for constantly abusing him depends largely on the episode they're in.
** Mr. Cat can be a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, JerkWithAHeartOfJerk, or a JerkassWoobie.
** Pretty is either [[AlphaBitch making fun of Kaeloo and insulting her]] or being nice to her and treating her like her best friend.
* In ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', General Grievous was written as a [[DastardlyWhiplash mustache-twirling coward]]. However, when developing ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars'', the writers were only given Grievous' concept design and a basic outline of his character as the "machine general", and they ended up writing him as a terrifying HeroKiller and a legitimate threat. Needless to say, [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation one version is more popular than the other]]; comparing the two is like comparing [[WesternAnimation/DudleyDoRight Snidely Whiplash]] and the ''[[Film/{{Predator}} Predator]]''.
** [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The 2008 series]] splits the difference, making Grievous a powerful enough warrior, but his skills as a general go no further than “crush opponents with overwhelming force" - who loses quickly to an adversary who fights ''smart''.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** ''Looney Tunes'' characters were shared between various writers and directors[[note]]Though some characters, such as WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn and WesternAnimation/YosemiteSam, were only used by one director[[/note]]: WesternAnimation/BugsBunny and WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck under Creator/BobClampett and Creator/TexAvery were manic antagonists. As portrayed by Creator/ChuckJones' writer Michael Maltese, they were almost platonic opposites, Bugs being the cool winner to Daffy's jealous loser. Warren Foster, writer for directors Creator/RobertMcKimson and Creator/FrizFreleng, portrayed Bugs as a more proactive version of the Jones-Maltese model and Daffy as a toned down screwball. The Daffy Duck example caused some problems during the making of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit''. Creator/RobertZemeckis wanted to do the Bob Clampett version of Daffy, but he was working with Creator/ChuckJones. Jones wanted to do his version of Daffy and had very personally disliked Clampett. Zemeckis had his way and this was one of the main factors in Jones' CreatorBacklash against the film.
*** Creator/RobertMcKimson was notable for being slower to adapt to Bugs and Daffy's newer personalities (by his own admission, he preferred their older prankster personas). This meant that Daffy had shades of his old screwball persona well into the late 50s.
** Tweety Bird can either be a completely innocent bird just trying to protect himself and only hurting Sylvester by accident (as in the later Creator/FrizFreleng shorts), or he can be a sadist torturing Sylvester intentionally (as in the Creator/BobClampett and the eariler Freleng shorts).
** In his early years, WesternAnimation/PorkyPig was extremely dependent of this, as he shifted back and forth between being a little kid who still goes to school and an adult with a job. This got downplayed after his CharacterisationClickMoment, however.
*** Later characterizations of Porky almost always make him the OnlySaneMan, but he often ranges from naive and bumbling to HypercompetentSidekick.
** While Friz Freleng and Robert [=McKimson=] usually depicted Sylvester as able to speak, he was mute in the handful of his shorts directed by Chuck Jones. In these shorts, he was also depicted as a heroic ProperlyParanoid LovableCoward who was paired with Porky.
*** Bob Clampett used Sylvester in a total of one short (1946's ''WesternAnimation/KittyKornered''); due to his very different personality ([[TheTrickster as a standard trickster]]), [[DependingOnTheArtist black nose, and yellow eyes]], his voice is the only thing giving him away as Sylvester.
*** Art Davis also directed two Sylvester cartoons, each with a different take on the character. In ''Doggone Cats'', he was a mute trickster who torments a bulldog. In ''Catch as Cats Can'', Sylvester is ''mostly'' the same as he is in Freleng and [=McKimson=]’s shorts, but he is noticably dimmer and has a SimpletonVoice instead of a lisp.
*** In some of Sylvester's cartoons, there is another cat named Sam. While the two inevitably get into fights, they are either adversaries by default or friends who let an AppleOfDiscord get the better of them.
** In most Pepé le Pew shorts, he is depicted as an AbhorrentAdmirer that didn't understand the concept of "no means no"... But the one short directed by Creator/ArtDavis instead depicts him as a [[TheTrickster standard screwball character]] who competes with a dog (the same one Sylvester was tormenting in ''Doggone Cats'' as mentioned above) for shelter on a frigid day. He also has only one line at the end, and he lacks his French accent.
** Beaky Buzzard was depicted as truly stupid even by ''Looney Tunes'' villain standards by Bob Clampett and in his one Robert [=McKimson=]-directed cartoon. However, Friz Freleng's short ''The Lion's Busy'' depicted him as a clever trickster in the vein of Cecil Turtle[[note]]Who is notable as the one character who could get one-up on Bugs Bunny on a consistent basis[[/note]], constantly turning the tables against an elderly Leo the Lion.
** The Road Runner is either oblivious that Wile E. Coyote is even trying to catch him, and only hurts him by accident, or is fully aware and even fights back.
** Under Creator/FrizFreleng's direction, WesternAnimation/ElmerFudd was often depicted as more of a {{Jerkass}} (such as in ''Ant Pasted'', ''This is a Life?'', and ''WesternAnimation/HareBrush''). This was largely because Freleng didn't like how Elmer was so mild-mannered and harmless that he made Bugs look UnintentionallyUnsympathetic.
** Foghorn Leghorn can be simply a MotorMouth, or so much of a motor mouth that he won't even let someone else talk without interrupting them.

*** The duo's competance and work ethic varies between episodes. In some they're generally competant but extremely lazy workers who can do their jobs just fine but either take uneccesary risks that ruin things, try and get out of doing work they're easily capable of doing, or simply do their work no problem. In others they're so childish and incompetant that they decide to paint a shed using their bodies and sandpaper the cart in an attempt to clean it. It can even vary on a spectrum between these two extremes, which can also depend on if Mordecai is the OnlySaneMan or holding the IdiotBall that episode.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'': Tuck can be an brat who makes everything worse and takes advantage of his friends and brother, to being a nice kid who is quite crafty.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
** Candace's obsession for busting the titular brothers varies wildly. She's either a strict disciplinarian who is capable of showing restraint, a {{Jerkass}} killjoy who is doing it out of spite, or because she has a psychological need to do so. Her relationship with them varies between loving them deep down to acting like she hates their guts.
** Roger Doofenschmirtz's attitude toward his brother Heinz when he appears tends to vary from episode. In some episodes, Roger interacts congenially with Heinz whenever they're around each other and seldom seems to show any hard feelings toward Heinz despite the latter's frequent plots against him, sometimes even throwing Heinz a bone (such as when he recreated a painting of Heinz's that Roger accidentally ruined with spilled grape juice when they were children). Meanwhile, other episodes have Roger smugly putting down Heinz whenever one of Heinz's schemes backfires and Roger knows it and Roger seems embarrassed of the fact that they're related.
*** Whether he's as good of a person as the narrative makes him out to be varies as well, with some episodes suggesting he's as nice of a guy as the town of Danville believes he is (the aforementioned grape juice incident), while others having him as a bordering on a BitchInSheepsClothing (a notable example is "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTheBeak The Beak]]", where he deliberately gives up his position as mayor to Heinz so Heinz will take all the blame for a sudden rampage of supervillains).
** Some episodes can have BatmanCanBreatheInSpace be in effect while others do not ([[RuleOfFunny though it should be said that this usually depending on what sort of joke the episode wants to tell]]). In both "Rollercoaster" and "Rollercoaster: The Musical", the eponymous roller coaster is launched into space with no ill effect on its occupants, and "Unfair Science Fair Redux" shows Phineas, Ferb, and Candace safely running around on Mars without any kind of protection. Conversely, in "Out to Launch" a random astronaut and Dr. Doofenschmirtz [[AmusingInjuries comically inflate]] when they end up exposed to the vacuum of space, and in "Doof Side of the Moon" Phineas and Ferb's tower is so obscenely tall that it requires visitors to put on space suits after getting high enough to leave the Earth's atmosphere.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'' is made of this:
** The rules of hologram projection change between almost every episode. A common one is whether the holograms can be touched or not. On a Jem mailing list, head writer Christy Marx bemoans this. She finally became sick of it and became story editor in the third season to avoid inconsistencies.
** How popular are The Misfits and The Holograms? Many episodes imply both are international sensations while others have them as only really popular in America.
** The closeness of The Misfits sways with every episode. Jetta and Roxy always loathe each other but whether the others are honest friends or are only together because they're a band changes often.
** Stormer is the TokenGoodTeammate of The Misfits and how bad she can be differs often.
** Are Rio and Jerrica dating or not? In several episodes they seem to have been a couple for years however others have them in a [[WillTheyOrWontThey pre-dating stage.]]
** Eric's willingness to hurt or kill others. He has been fine with incidents that almost murder Holograms but in others [[EvenEvilHasStandards he's against them]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'':
** Batman himself can be anything from a gritty, gothic, never-smiling character to a Spider-Man-esque wise-cracker depending on the episode's writer.
** Robin can either be the DeusExMachina for Batman or the DesignatedVictim who does little else but get taken out of action by the villain in the first act. Batman is also more likely to be the never-smiling character described above when Robin's around to provide the sarcasm.
* ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'':
** The characterizations are somewhat erratic, particularly the extent of Baloo and Rebecca's personalities and interactions. Baloo can switch anywhere between a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold slovenly but well intentioned]] AcePilot or a [[TooDumbToLive brainless]] [[SmallNameBigEgo egotist]]. Rebecca can be a plausible StraightMan with subtle NotSoAboveItAll tendacies or [[CloudCuckooLander even ditzier than Baloo]], she can also switch anywhere between a BenevolentBoss and a MeanBoss.
** Rebecca is usually a fairly no-nonsense businesswoman, while Baloo is willing to cut corners due to impatience or laziness. Sometimes though, to facilitate the plot Rebecca will suddenly latch onto some hair brained get rich quick scheme, with Baloo trying to talk her out of it the whole time.
** Additionally, the two may be equal forces that refuse to back down to each other or there may be a visible dominant side (even this is inconsistant, as sometimes Rebecca may be recessive to Baloo impudence and exploitation, naively holding onto the belief he will eventually take to her routine, or she will take no nonsense from him whatsoever, with Baloo acting as something of a surrogate HenpeckedHusband that caves in or outright cowers before her overbearing attitude).
** Kit can range between something of an OnlySaneMan and jarringly mature and perceptive for his age, or a naive BrattyHalfPint (usually when neither Baloo or Rebecca are holding the IdiotBall).
** Shere Khan is mostly a AffablyEvil AntiVillain interested in gaining wealth and power, but is a NobleDemon who won't cross the line and is a FriendlyEnemy to Baloo. In other episodes he's a AmbiguouslyEvil AntiHero who teams up with Baloo, but usually for his own gain. In one episode he's a FauxAffablyEvil villain largely responsible for the troubles.
* Shego's capacity for evil in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' varies widely between episodes. She's chastised Dr. Drakken for wanting to steal Felix Renton's wheelchair in one episode, and was worried about the fish in a lake he wanted to drain in another. Her helping out in [[GrandFinale Graduation]]. On the other end of the spectrum, in that very same episode regarding Felix, she was more than happy to try and blow him to bits later on. We also have the episode Car Alarm, in which she and Motor Ed stole a rocket car. Ed wanted to simply cruise around with her, while Shego effectively wanted to [[EarthShatteringKaboom destroy the planet]] with it. And while it had a ResetButton ending, A Sitch In Time shows us [[EvilOverlord what she's really capable of]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' has some rather wild personality swings amongst the cast, often completely reversing opinions and personality between different episodes. In "Hostage Crisis" (written by Eoghan Mahony), Anakin makes a large speech about how Padme is the single most important thing in his life, whereas she seems preoccupied by the duties and responsibilities of her office and their obligations to the Republic. However, in "Senate Spy" (written by Melinda Hsu), their positions are diametrically reversed, and Padme becomes upset when Anakin lectures her on the nature of responsibility and the duties they have that supersede their personal desires. Neither seems to recall that they were ever on opposite sides of the debate.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'':
** [[ArchEnemy Mojo Jojo]] can be an ingenious, manipulative criminal mastermind who can come within an inch of defeating the girls, a complete joke who's too stupid to see the gaping flaws in his plans, or anything in between.
** Similarly, [[SatanicArchetype HIM]] ranges from somewhat-effective but still buffoonish FlamingDevil to full-on terrifying EldritchAbomination, though, in his case, it also depends on whether he's the episode's main villain.
** Leaning between this and SeriesContinuityError, Bubbles is sometimes depicted as vegetarian despite very often eating meat without issue.
** The Powerpuff Girls themselves can range in skill level from being developing rookies to being in par with the world's greatest superheroes. This often depends on how relevant their skill level is to the current scene, with the girls appearing more powerful when it's deliberately brought into the spotlight.
** Some episodes imply the girls only have SuperSpeed while flying while in others they can run at speeds comparable to their flight speed with no issues.
** The Powerpuff Girls can also range in intelligence, from being more like normal five year olds and having limited common sense to being able to solve complex riddles in less than a minute.
** How dumb or smart Bubbles is seems to depend on the writer. Some episodes she's a complete moron, some episodes she's of average intelligence, and some episodes have her a GeniusDitz with ObfuscatingStupidity.
** How much people respect Buttercup. Certain episodes have her [[DudeWheresMyRespect with much less respect than her sisters,]] while other episodes have her with just as much respect as them.
** While the Townsville citzens are ''always'' idiots, it varies whether they're [[TooDumbToLive so incomptent you question how they even got by without the girls]], merely below average intelligence, or a more normal level of intelligence and just [[HoldingOutForAHero complacetent]].
* ''Franchise/TomAndJerry''

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'':
** Bugs can either a smug DeadpanSnarker (with some shades of TheAce) or the OnlySaneMan and TheWoobie.
** Daffy is either a malicious, sociopathic JerkAss or a TooDumbToLive {{Cloudcuckoolander}} who, while self-centered, doesn't seem to mean anyone any harm. The former was his primary characterization in the first season, while latter was how he was mostly depicting as in season two.
** Lola varies between an easygoing {{Cloudcuckoolander}} and a {{Yandere}} StalkerWithACrush.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** The characters and their various interactions with other characters vary from writer to writer. Pinkie Pie can either be an insane stalker-like lunatic or a hidden genius, Fluttershy can ranged from being mildly socially awkward to a nervous wreck, and Spike's crush on Rarity can be almost complete devotion to her, simply non-existent or anything in between. Even Scootaloo's idolization of Rainbow Dash can range from FanGirl to not treating her any differently from other adults.
** As another result of the show’s inconsistent writing, Pinkie’s friends alternate between enjoying her company and trying to get away from her, both [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E12FlutterBrutter ignoring her when she tries to talk to them]] but doing things with her such as [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E16TwentyEightPranksLater pulling pranks]] or [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E19BuckballSeason playing buckball]]. All in the same season by the same characters.
** The depiction of the cast often depends on who is in the main limelight, and thus most likely to have AnAesop concerning their defining flaws. For Twilight Sparkle for example, her bookworm ethics are usually tamed to make her down to earth and come in handy acting as an OnlySaneMan when someone else is acting up, when she is in the main role however, she will be much more neurotic and arrogant, [[FlatEarthAtheist refusing obsessively to accept anyone else's opinion over her scientific logic]]. She and almost every other pony can also range between [[HumbleHero perfectly humble]] to [[AcquiredSituationalNarcissism completely full of themselves]] depending on what the situation needs. And despite characterizations shifts between writers, they all seem to have a steady stream of consistent CharacterDevelopment between them.
** Princess Luna is easily the worst offender, she will go from LargeHam with NoIndoorVoice to stern stoic to ShrinkingViolet whatever the writers want, might be as a result as being the OCStandIn for much of Season 1's fanworks. On the other hand, many fans embraced these discrepancies, considering Luna a princess of paradox, full of inner conflicts and dualities - sweet and friendly, but easy to anger, covering social awkwardness with brash behavior, seeking escape from dark thoughts in common joys and being painfully naive about many common matters while possessing ageless wisdom.
** Spike and Twilight's relationship is confusing due to this trope. Are they like siblings, mother and son, mentor and student, or what? The most obvious example of this dissonance is how Season 8's "Father Knows Beast" implies that Twilight has a motherly bond with Spike, but the season 9 episode "Sparkle's Seven" shows that Spike was raised by Twilight's parents as her younger brother; notably, the explanation done in the ninth and final season was the direct result of Spike's voice actress asking that this situation finally be cleared up.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' can either eat any type of food like popcorn and candy; or they can only [[StockAnimalDiet eat fish]].
* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'':
** Like the above page quote, Shaggy's vegetarianism varies from adaption to adaption. He definitely wasn't one in the original show, but became one after Casey Kasem did. He's one if Kasem is playing him, but if he's not, he usually won't be (specifically in ''WesternAnimation/ShaggyAndScoobyDooGetAClue'', where one of his favorite foods was "hot dog tacos"). In a ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' episode, Shaggy is actually disgusted at the idea of tofu burgers. In [[Film/ScoobyDoo the first live action movie]], his vegetarianism is forgotten ''halfway through the story''. This may be a symptom of having three writers on board.
** Whether Scooby Snacks are dog treats or a type of human snack food varies. In most incarnations, they are explicitly dog treats, or it is left ambiguous. But in some shows, they are snacks for humans. The Scooby Snacks seen in ''WesternAnimation/BeCoolScoobyDoo'' are a brand of human snack food originally called "Sorcerer's Snacks", but after the gang saves the factory from the villain, the owner renames them "Scooby Snacks" after Scooby-Doo, since a talking dog would make a better mascot.
** Daphne is by far the biggest example of this, as she is the only member of Mystery Inc. without a defined personality and many writers have different interpretations of her. From an [[TheKlutz accident-prone]] DamselInDistress in the early series, to a tough martial artist in the [[Film/ScoobyDoo2002 live action film]], to a SpoiledSweet ThrillSeeker fashionista in the direct-to-video films, to a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} in ''Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!''.
* Due to the multiple writers helming season 1 of ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', how the characters act can vary, sometimes wildly.
** Sally can range anywhere between a patient TeamMom with a subtle [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic wit]] to a [[WellExcuseMePrincess stuck up brat]] who chastises Sonic over ''anything'' outside regulations.
** Antoine can also range anywhere between a comedic but somewhat [[LovableCoward relatably cowardly individual]] who has at least some notabilities, to a [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} completely insane]] DirtyCoward with [[{{Jerkass}} no real redeeming aspects whatsoever]].
** Sonic himself can be somewhat egotistical and ditzy, but otherwise kind and thoroughly competent, or he can be a brainless JerkJock that constantly looks down on his friends and [[NiceJobBreakingItHero endangers them in his arrogant blundering]].
* Some of the engines' personalities waver in ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'', particularly due to alterations made from their counterparts in ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'' novels. James in particular, since his very first appearances, can range anywhere from being friendly and reliable if slightly boisterous and arrogant, to a narcissistic JerkAss who is rude to everyone and objects constantly to work of any kind.
* In the Creator/FleischerStudios ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'' cartoons, Bluto's character can vary judging by who's the head animator. At times he can be mean and ruthless under Willard Bowsky ("Be Kind to Aminals" and "Dizzy Divers"), while he's more comical and bumbling under Seymour Kneitel ("The Hyp-Nut-Tist" and "For Better or Worser"). Dave Tendlar was usually somewhere in the middle.
** Speaking of Fleischer Studios, if Myron Waldman is the head animator, expect it to be more cute and sentimental (like many of the later WesternAnimation/BettyBoop cartoons or the more subtle ''WesternAnimation/ColorClassics'').
** There's also a lot of disagreement as to how strong Bluto is compared to Popeye. Sometimes, Popeye is no match for him without spinach, while other times, Popeye can put up a good fight against him even without it. Still other times, Bluto has a terrible glass jaw, and even Olive Oyl can knock him out.
* Aku in ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' varies between being a LaughablyEvil IneffectualSympatheticVillain and an irredeemable monster, depending on the tone the particular episode is going for.

* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes''' RuleOfFunny-based storytelling lends to this.
** The title character can either be a childlike KindheartedSimpleton of good intentions, a quirky (if somewhat naive) StraightMan, or a hyperactive CloudCuckoolander and IdiotHero.
** Beezy ranges from being a mellow idiot who would rather enjoy himself than inherit Miseryville to a selfish {{Jerkass}} who only cares about his own pleasure.
** Heloise is either a complete sadist who even Jimmy is openly scared of at times or a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, with said heart only being shown around Jimmy.
** Lucius can be an utter [[TheCaligula Caligula]] who sees Jimmy's contagious cheer as a threat to his rule, a petty {{Jerkass}} who just finds Jimmy a pain in his side, or a strict JerkWithAHeartOfGold who just wants to run Miseryville without Jimmy's interference.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' featured a lot of CharacterizationMarchesOn moments as the writers figured out what a given person's deal was, but Scorponok stands out for never really locking down personality traits besides "very loyal, can invent things." He can be an EvilGenius, a GeniusDitz, or just straight-up DumbMuscle, he can be the group's second-in-command or a low man on the totem pole, his machines can be effective enough or malfunctioning garbage, he can be a battle-ready brute who's pretty terrifying in a fight or a total joke and a nervous wreck... hell, in a few early episodes, he has a HulkSpeak tenor. This seems to have been a reason he ended up getting killed off without much fanfare.
* This happens mostly in the later episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers'' . Norbert is either portrayed as being a laid back older brother and the voice of reason or he is portrayed as being a smug {{Jerkass}} who enjoys [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating Daggett]]. Daggett on the other hand, is either portrayed as being irrational and having a hot temper or he is portrayed as being TooDumbToLive and is TheWoobie.
* In ''Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood'', the Sheriff will often switch between being the CorruptCop[=/=]EvilDebtCollector he is depicted as in most adaptations and being a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who is JustFollowingOrders.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls2016''
** How much Bubbles and Buttercup respect Blossom depends on the writer. Sometimes, they don't listen to her at all, and other episodes they seem to be fine with obeying her.
** All three Girls tend to go from being ridiculously weak to everything or of average strength.
** Blossom often goes from being a NeatFreak who's ObsessivelyOrganized that's just as susceptible to stupid decisions as her sisters, or the [[OnlySaneMan only sane person of the trio.]]
** Depending on the episode, Bubbles can be a sweet-natured girl, a [[CuteAndPsycho cute-but-psychotic child]], [[TheDitz an idiot,]] or being a GeniusDitz.
** Buttercup is either a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold troublemaker with a soft side]] or [[{{Jerkass}} a complete asshat without redeeming qualities.]]
** Depending on the writer, Buttercup is either [[HairTriggerTemper a hot-tempered kid who will overreact at everything]] or be overly chill and laid back about things.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Lumpy Space Princess is a character used for humor, and different writers use her as such.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Lapis Lazuli suffers this trope quite nastily, with her infrequent appearances making it hard to tell if we're seeing multiple aspects of a well-rounded character or... well, this trope. Lapis can jump around from being horribly traumatized/depressed by her past and her actions, be completely indifferent to everything around her, or just be an awful bitch to everyone except [[MoralityPet Steven]].
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'':
** In some episodes, Mitchell can be a quiet yet obedient spy and in other episodes, he can be cold and anti-social.
** Jet is either a naive alien, or completely stupid.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug,'' whether or not [[BetaBitch Sabrina]] has a nasty streak of her own or simply goes along with [[AlphaBitch Chloe]]'s schemes because she's an ExtremeDoormat.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheCrumpets'':
** Li'l One Crumpet hates his father, but he also either hates all of his siblings or hate few if not none.
** Caprice Crumpet either supports her family (e.g. finding missing members) or rebels them.
** The Crumpets' neighbor Ms. [=McBrisk=] usually denounces the family for being immoral or disruptive. At other times she is a good neighbor to them.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'':
** How skilled the Turtles themselves are varies between episodes. They've been shown to hold their own even against the Shredder, but on the other hand, they've also been shown to struggle against even just regular Foot Soldiers.
** The Shredder either only cares about defeating Splinter and the Turtles, or cares about other things too (such as Karai and the Kuro Kabuto, his helmet).
** Tiger Claw either works for the Shredder, but still holds a code of honor, or is almost as ruthless as he is. For instance, he's called the Shredder out on some of his actions, but on the other hand, he's pulled off some dishonorable deeds himself.

* While most episodes of the WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}} series have Hades hate his job and plot to depose Zeus and conquer Mount Olympus (understandable, since that was his plan in the movie and the series is a Midquel [[ContinuitySnarl of sorts)]] some (such as "Hercules and the River Styx," "Hercules and the World's First Doctor" & "Hercules and the Big Lie.") have him taking pride in running the Underworld and trying to increase its' numbers, albeit often with underhanded tactics.
* ''Literature/TheMagicSchoolBus'': Depending on the plot, Liz can range from being an intelligent SilentSnarker as she puts up with the classmates' antics to a mischievous companion not above causing a little trouble for fun.
* ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'':
** Heffer and Filburt's relationship sometimes falls into this. Sometimes they get along relatively fine, other times they bicker LikeAnOldMarriedCouple. Occasionally, Filb hates Hef's guts while Heffer is ObliviousToHatred.
** Rocko's MultipleChoicePast. The show's intro and "Wimp on the Barby" show that he immigrated to O-Town as an adult, while two other episodes have him living in America as a child/teen.
** Depending on the episode, Filburt is either rail-thin or overweight underneath his shell.
* From ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries:''
** Lilo's crush on Keoni seems to only come up when it's plot-relevant. Take for example "Kixx", his first appearance, where her interaction with him sees her reacting with annoyance at best, compared to both "Melty" & "Hunkahunka" (and, to a lesser extent, "Nosy") where part of the plot involves her using the experiment of the week to get him to notice her.
** How evil Gantu is. Most of the time, he's depicted as a PunchClockVillain and working for Hamsterviel only because it's the best job he can get and still has morals or good qualities. "Splodyhead" sees him as a NobleDemon AntiVillain who views the experiments as evil and himself as heroic for hunting them down. Others, like "Amnesio" ("I didn't know what I was missing") or "Poxy" (where he captures Pleakley to get the titular experiment) have him almost bordering on CardCarryingVillain.
* On ''WesternAnimation/TheBossBabyBackInBusiness'' it's a rule that babies from Baby Corp don't reveal themselves to adults, because they wouldn't be able to handle it, and it would destroy their brains. However, this seems to be a HandWave to keep Tim's parents from learning about BB & Baby Corp, as it only seems to be the case when the plot requires it. For example, BB attempts to weaponize it against [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Happy Sedengry]] only for it to not work on him; [[note]] It's implied his greed in getting money from his Bubbeezee products somehow stopped it from affecting him [[/note]] however the following season, in "Chicago," it's played straight.

** How much of a {{Jerkass}} is Bloo? - is he a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk or is there a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold heart of gold in there somewhere]]? Likewise, how ''smart'' is he? Is he a cunning and relatively intelligent troublemaker who can come up with decent plans on the fly, or is he an absent-minded moron

* ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'':

On ''WesternAnimation/TheBossBabyBackInBusiness'' it's a rule that babies from Baby Corp don't reveal themselves to adults, because they wouldn't be able to handle it, and it would destroy their brains. However, this seems to be a HandWave to keep Tim's parents from learning about BB & Baby Corp, as it only seems to be the case when the plot requires it. For example, BB attempts to weaponize it against [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Happy Sedengry]] only for it to not work on him; [[note]] It's implied his greed in getting money from his Bubbeezee products somehow stopped it from affecting him [[/note]] however the following season, in "Chicago," it's played straight.

* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'':