Yeah! Princess Toadstool saves herself! The Wild Eternal has created a free, downloadable game called Sorry, Mario Bros! that “gives Princess Toadstool the ability to jump, and thereby free herself from King Koopa’s castle.”
I’m not really a gamer, but even I think this is sweet. And wow – go do a Google search for “Princess Peach saves herself.” Apparently Mario Princesses not being lame is a THING. Awesome.
And since this is apparently throwbacks to my childhood week – I’ve been thinking about just how very many fantasy worlds there are that are designed for children and populated almost exclusively by boys. (Having a token girl doesn’t count.) Why is this?
Here’s a list off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are tons more, especially since my knowledge of cartoons peters out around 2003 (tell me in the comments!):
- Mario
- Smurfs
- Thomas the Train
- Gummi Bears
- Tale Spin
- Looney Tunes
- Muppet Babies
- Bob the Builder
- Transformers
- He-Man
- Duck Tales
- Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers (although this one sort of gets a pass because Gadget rules)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Ugh pfft. On the other hand, the Animated Things Club has a great list of cartoons for girls, plus some good discussion about it. Go check it out.
Fangirl Moment 
Thomas the Train totally has more than one girl. There are maybe four. FOUR. Your argument is invalid. (Emily, Mavis, Belle, Molly, and … is there one called Lady?)
Ok, that was sarcasm. Why does Emily the train have to be the bossy know-it-all train? She’s like Hermione without any abilities or magic.
I would also like to add to your list “the kratt brothers” or “the wild kratts” or whatever their current incarnation is on pbs. There are two boys and two girls on that show, but the boys (the “kratt brothers”) are the one who go on adventures, while the girls sit at computers and stay inside and maybe do research. My brain turns into a pile of black rage whenever that show comes on, so it’s possible that I’m missing something.
I have a feeling that if you took all the token girls and removed all the ones who are someone’s girlfriend, you would be left with an even sadder sad list. Like who in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a girl who isn’t also someone’s girlfriend? Is it that old cow-lady? She is so important to that show I don’t even know if she has a name.