Tasmanian Devil

Do-Gooder

Full Name

Tasmanian Devil

Alias(es)

Taz

Poochey
Theodore Tasmanian
Claude

Origin

Devil May Hare

Occupation

Predator

Powers / Skills

Tornado

Speed
Strength
Poise
Agility
Sharp Teeth
Sharp Claws
Street Smarts

Hobby

Eating everything on his way.

Goals

Eat Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck (failed)

Family

Hugh (father)

Jean (mother)
Molly (sister)
Jake (brother)
Tasmanian She-Devil (wife)
Slam Tasmanian (descendant)

Enemies

Bugs Bunny (sometimes)
Daffy DUck (sometimes)
Yosemite Sam (sometimes)
Elmer Fudd (sometimes)
Foghorn Leghorn (sometimes)
Granny (sometimes)
Instant Martians
Gossamer
Dr. Moron
Pepe Le Pew (sometimes)
Wile E. Coyote (sometimes)
Porky Pig (sometimes)
Mr. Swackhammer
Monstars (formerly)
D.J. Drake
Kate Houghton (when she becomes a cavewoman)
Yakko, Wakko & Dot (formerly)
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Terisha
Enemies from video games Taz-Mania, Escape from Mars Starring Taz and Bugs Bunny and Taz: Time Busters
Al-G Rhythm
Pete (formerly)
Goon Squad

Type of Hero

Dimwitted Predator

“	Uh, Mr. Chairman, while we agree that the Tasmanian Devil is quite vicious...if memory serves, he is also really stupid.	„
	~ Acme VP, Never Learning explaining about the Tasmanian Devil to the Acme Chairman.

The Tasmanian Devil (better known simply as Taz) is a major character in the animated series Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, and the titular protagonist of the animated series Taz-Mania.

Origin[]

Robert McKimson designed the character after the real-life Tasmanian Devil, an animal native to Australia, and the Tennessee Top of American folklore; however, the only real resemblance between the Tasmanian Devil and McKimson's beast is their ravenous appetite. In fact, it is this appetite that serves as the Tasmanian Devil's main characteristic. The Devil devours everything in sight, including boulders, trees, shrubs, and hills, all the while whirling about like a miniature cyclone that sounds like a dozen motors all whirring in unison. The Tasmanian Devil also harbors a special craving for rabbit.

Hunger[]

It is this hunger that serves as the impetus for McKimson's "Devil May Hare" (first released on June 19, 1954). The Devil stalks Bugs Bunny, but due to his dim wits and inability to frame complete sentences, he serves as little more than a nuisance. Bugs eventually gets rid of him in the most logical way possible – matching him up with an equally insatiable female Devil. The character's speech, peppered with growls, screeches, and raspberries, is provided by Mel Blanc & now provided by Jim Cummings, who is most famous for doing Winnie the Pooh & Tigger in the Disney cartoons.

Retirement[]

Producer Edward Seltzer, head of the Warner Bros. animation studio, ordered McKimson to retire the character since it was "too obnoxious". After a time with no new Devil shorts, Jack Warner asked what had happened. He then saved the Devil's career when he told Seltzer that he had received "boxes and boxes" of letters from people who liked the character.

Personality[]

As the youngest of the Looney Tunes, Taz is generally portrayed as a dim-witted teenager-type with a notoriously short temper and has little patience. He will eat anything and everything, with an appetite that seems to know no bounds. Taz is best known for his speech consisting mostly of grunts, growls, and rasps, and his ability to spin and bite through just about anything.

Heroic Acts[]

In Space Jam, he helped Michael Jordan and the other Looney Tunes characters defeat the Monstars/Nerdlucks.
In Loonatics Unleashed, Taz (also known as Slam Tasmanian) was one of the superheroes, helping the others save the day and fight crime.
In Ridiculous Journey, an episode of The Looney Tunes Show, he rescues Sylvester by doing his famous spinning tornado, and then he dashes to Sylvester, and grabs him, along with Tweety Bird.
In a video game called Galactic Taz Ball, he stops Marvin the Martian from blowing up Earth.
In a video game called Tasmanian Devil Munching Madness, he collects medallions and eats lots of food so he could rescue Wendal T. Wolf from being kidnapped.
He is protecting his younger brother Jake from gorillas.
He saved his father and uncle from bad guys.
He defeated her sister's kitty, who was destroying their house.
He is saving Bushwacker Bob a lot of times, even though Bob is almost always cruel to him.
He is saving other animals from Bull and Axle a lot of times.
In his own movie, he saves all the animals and their food.

On Home Video[]

All five original Tasmanian Devil shorts are featured in Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1 as is "The Fright Before Christmas".

In other media[]

The Tazmanian Devil makes a cameo in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
In Space Jam: A New Legacy he had been abducted prior the events of the film by alternate versions of Rick and Morty (from the eponymous series), and even a super genius like Rick admitted that he couldn't understand how Taz exists.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

In the alternate ending of Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Taz is pulled out of a cylinder by Mr. Chairman, beginning to rant and attack D.J. Drake and Cave Kate. The latter is his main enemy, as he begins to scream and grunt menacingly against him.