Every story needs a protagonist; a character for the story to follow. While a single protagonist is more than enough to carry a plot, there’s a certain appeal to following a team rather than a singular individual.

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Teams have many benefits, from raw numbers to the ability to split responsibility. Narrative-wise, they provide several characters of varying personalities for audiences to get attached to. Even if someone doesn’t like one team member, they might love another, and the dynamics between the team can help them all shine.

8 The Vampire Hunters – Castlevania

Platformer Anime- Castlevania Trevor Sypha Alucard

Netflix’s Castlevania series is still one of the best video game adaptations around, and that’s partly due to how strong its main party is. Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard are a mismatched trio originally united only by the desire to save the world from Dracula. However, on their journey, they grow to be an extremely tight-knit group.

Trevor and Alucard play the part of the bickering brothers, while Sypha acts as the voice of reason that can connect well with both of them. This simple dynamic is used to great comedic effect in the series, and when in combat, their individual skill sets combine to form a well-oiled monster-killing machine.

7 The Duck Family - Ducktales

Ducktales characters

Often Donald Duck can be found paired up with Goofy and Mickey Mouse, among which he’s the crotchety wild card. In the Ducktales universe, however, Donald has a whole crotchety family to bounce off, making him actually seem like the reasonable one for a change.

Led by Scrooge McDuck, the Duck family are skilled adventurers, with even the youngest members like Huey, Dewey, and Louie being valuable assets. Whether in the original Ducktales or the 2017 remake, this is one family nobody wants to mess with.

6 The Crystal Gems - Steven Universe

Peridot, Amethyst, Lapis, Garnet, Steven, Pearl and Bismuth from Steven Universe

The crystal gems, depending on the time period, are either a larger army or a small group of friends. Originally, they were formed of gems who wanted to rebel from their homeworld, staking their lives on freeing the earth and themselves from tyranny.

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Even after their bittersweet victory though, the three remaining crystal gems dedicated their lives to the defense of their new planet, even managing to raise Steven Universe into the hero who would finally free all gems in the galaxy. They are far from faultless heroines and often deal with mental struggles of their own, but they show that even those struggles won’t stop them from defending every being’s right to freedom.

5 The Powerpuff Girls - Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff Girls

When Professor Utonium sought to create a trio of artificial children, he couldn’t have imagined just how successful he was going to be. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were born with powers greater than anything their dad could ever have hoped for, and have been a comforting superhero presence in Townsville ever since.

Despite only being children, the girls are quite competent, consistently being able to outsmart and overpower all manner of villains. Even better, they share an endearing sisterhood that gets tested regularly due to their different dispositions but never fails to assert itself at the end of the day.

4 The Teen Titans - Teen Titans

teen titans gotham knights warner bros dc open world AAA

In a world of legends like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, it is very hard to stand out, especially as a mere teenager. Despite this, the Teen Titans have earned respect almost on par with their seniors and a place in many people’s hearts and minds.

Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin are as different as team members can be, but together are able to consistently win against poor odds. They of course argue like any other team, but manage to grow into a strong unit that can trust each other when things get difficult.

3 Team Avatar - Avatar The Last Airbender

avatar the last airbender

While some teams form all at once for a united purpose, others form around specific figures, dedicating themselves to that person’s own inspirational goal. Few teams show this off as much as ‘Team Avatar’ (aka ‘The Gaang’).

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While Aang and his mission to stop the fire nation is the uniting core of the group, each member brings compelling motivations of their own, and heaps of personality to boot. Whether it’s Toph with her single-minded quest to reach the height of earthbending, or Katara and Sokka’s quest to avenge their mother and reunite with their father, every member of the gaang is a rich character of their own, and they unite to form an even richer team.

2 Mystery Incorporated - Scooby Doo

Scooby And The Gang In Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

On the surface, the mystery gang is an odd group. They could all very well spend their time on normal hobbies, or even excel at careers in NASA or investigative journalism. Instead, they all often choose to drive around in a van together and solve mysteries.

It’s perhaps the oddity of this team that makes them so likable even over 50 years after their debut. They don’t seem like they should work, but even in their many iterations over the years, they always do. Whether it be the classic animated shows or the gang's few live-action outings, Scooby and the gang feel like an old group of friends that are just great to hang out with.

1 The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The 4 teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles posing in a dark room

A great team is one that has perfect balance and synergy between its members. As brothers who have trained and fought together, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have shown off their synergy time and time again.

With Raphael for aggression, Donatello for strategy, Michelangelo for unpredictability, and Leonardo to coordinate, the turtles have been taking on the likes of Shredder and Krang for decades. Through multiple interpretations and adaptations, the team has stayed consistently impressive and loved by fans worldwide.

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