Characters / The Backyardigans - TV Tropes

The characters of the television series The Backyardigans: open/close all folders

As a Whole

• Aerith and Bob: Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, and Austin all have normal names, while Uniqua is the Odd Name Out.
• Color-Coded Characters: Pink for Uniqua, Blue for Pablo, Orange for Tyrone, Yellow for Tasha, and Purple for Austin.
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble: Tasha is a cynic, Uniqua is optimistic, Tyrone is a realist, Pablo is apathetic, and Austin is conflicted.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble:
  • Sanguine — Uniqua
  • Choleric — Tasha
  • Melancholic — Austin
  • Phlegmatic — Tyrone
  • Eclectic — Pablo
  • This isn't constant. Tyrone is choleric (the exact opposite of phlegmatic) in a lot of season 2 episodes, while Pablo is melancholic (the exact opposite of sanguine) in a lot of season 3 episodes.
• Heel–Face Turn: Whenever there's a story that has one of the kids playing the villain, they reform at the end of the episode. Justified because all the characters are friends in the real world and it's just a game they're playing.
• Mean Character, Nice Actor: In-Universe, all of the Backyardigans are good kids, but if one of their games requires somebody to be a villain, whoever takes that role will milk it for all it's worth.
• Mixed Animal Species Team: The main group consists of a unique creature (but decently insectoid), a penguin, a moose, a hippo, and kangaroo.
• Mr. Imagination: Practically a requirement to be a Backyardigan.
• Nice Guy: They're all genuinely nice kids, even whenever they play the villain.
• Rotating Protagonist: They each take turns being the main protagonist depending on the scenario.
• True Companions: They all love and respect each other.
• Two Girls to a Team: Uniqua and Tasha are the only girls in this group.
• Vague Age: Their ages are not specified, though they look like they're around 5-7 years old.

Uniqua Voiced by: LaShawn Tináh Jefferies (US English), Lizzie Waterworth (UK English)Other LanguagesAnnie Rojas (Latin American Spanish)Singing voice: Jamia Simone Nash (seasons 1–3), Avion Baker (season 4), Celestina Harris (reboot)

Uniqua is a one-of-a-kind, unique creature (hence her name). She is energetic and positive, but rather stubborn. She is the only character who appears in every episode, as well as the only Backyardigan who is not a real animal. As a result, she is the closest thing to a main protagonist the series has.

• Action Girl: She can be just as tough as the guys.
• Author Avatar: Janice Burgess based Uniqua on her childhood self. She is also the only black girl in the group.
• Beta Bitch: Often plays this whenever she sides with Tasha.
• Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: The gentle girl to Austin's brooding boy.
• Cartoon Creature: Her species name is called "uniqua" and she looks like some kinda ladybug-centipede with ant attributes Mix-and-Match Critter.
• Cheery Pink: A fun-loving youth with an all pink color palette.
• Determinator: This is both her greatest strength and her biggest flaw. Uniqua has a tendency to push forward in the face of problems and she often encourages her friends to not give up, but this often leads to her being very stubborn.
• Ding-Dong-Ditch Distraction: While she never did this in the series, her page on the Nick Jr. wiki describes her as "the kid most likely to ring the doorbell and run away".
• A Dog Named "Dog": According to her official bio, her species is called "the uniqua."
• Dub Name Change:
  • Victoria in French.
  • Unika in Norwegian and Russian.
  • Uniki in Japanese.
  • Żabusia in Polish (pronounced "ZHA-bu-zhah").
  • Michaela in Hebrew.
  • Joana in European Portuguese (pronounced "jo-eh-nah").
  • Čudance in Serbian.
• Genki Girl: Uniqua has a cheerful, energetic, and lovable personality, and she's often the character to come up with new ideas for The Backyardigans' adventures. Heck, this is especially common in the first season, like in "The Yeti", "Knights Are Brave and Strong", Monster Detectives" and "High Tea". This is also helped by the Japanese dub, where in a few episodes she says the word "genki" after introducing herself.
• Ghetto Name: Her name sounds a little "ghetto".
• Introvert–Extrovert Pairing: The Extrovert to Austin's Introvert. Austin and Uniqua. Austin is new to the neighborhood and somewhat shy, while Uniqua is an energetic Genki Girl that is open with all her friends. They are good friends, with Uniqua helping Austin become more confident and open throughout the series.
• The Leader: She is widely considered the leader of the group due to her being the only character to appear in every episode.
• Meaningful Name: Her name is Uniqua. She certainly is a unique creature that's for sure.
• Non-Ironic Clown: She, Pablo and Austin are these in "Best Clowns in Town".
• Nude-Colored Clothes: Her overalls are the exact shades of pink that are on her skin, albeit inverted.
• Pink Girl, Blue Boy: The Pink Girl to Pablo's Blue Boy.
• Pink Means Feminine: She's pink with darker pink spots. The feminine part is downplayed; she’s as likely to play a princess role as Tasha, though Uniqua is slightly tomboyish and usually plays as gender-neutral roles.
• Polka Dot Positivity: A friendly and fun-loving young Cartoon Creature covered in polka dots.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: She is often the excitable Red Oni to Tasha's more practical Blue Oni, though they have switched roles just as often.
• Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: The energetic girl to Tyrone's savvy guy. This is especially common in the Season 1 episode "Monster Detectives".
• Singing Voice Dissonance: Her speaking voice is deep and husky for a little girl, while her singing voice is high and squeaky. The other four characters sound far more like themselves when they sing.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Tomboy to Tasha's Girly Girl.
• Tomboy with a Girly Streak: Uniqua is pink all over and is just as likely to be a princess as Tasha is.