History Main / ScrewballSquirrel

* The infamous [[UsefulNotes/PlaystationPortable PSP]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqHd4UysK9k commercial]] with the deranged-looking squirrels. There are a few other ones involving different animals, but the squirrels are the one most people remember.

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], are just [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} off-the-walls crazy]], or--in extreme cases-- downright {{sadist}}s. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people -- and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. Squirrels also get obsessed with hiding a huge hoard of nuts for the winter. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. The fact that they have a reputation for breaking into bird feeders and eating the seed inside doesn't help either.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Dawn's Pachirisu, an Electric-type Pokemon based on a squirrel, has a very playful and hyperactive personality, running around with boundless energy. Dawn had a difficult time controlling it at first.

* In ''Film/SmoshTheMovie'', Ian is portrayed as an unemployed {{Manchild}} that's a burden to Anthony, records him without his knowledge to create [=YouTube=] videos out of it, and pulls pranks on the mailman so awful that he refuses to give them their mail. Even when he accidentally hurts someone, he reacts more with how funny it was instead of apologizing.

* ''Franchise/{{DragonQuest}}''
** The [[VideoGame/DragonQuestX tenth game]] of the series introduces the Red Squirrel monster family from the start of Version 2 onwards, causing trouble to enemy parties with Sultry Dance, Decelratle, and other skills and spells like Kafuddle and Kasnooze.

* ''VideoGame/TheBattleCats'' has the mooks resembling squirrels. Of course they are AlwaysChaoticEvil even in the viewpoint of [[BlueAndOrangeMorality the Cats]].

* Pippa from ''VideoGame/AFKArena'' is a scatterbrained squirrel mage with an AmbiguousDisorder, known among her peers for being a WalkingDisasterArea. She's even a screwball in gameplay in the form of her moveset consisting of {{Random Effect Spell}}s.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Art]]
* The two [[JokeCharacter joke cards]] "Happy Squirrel" and "Sad Squirrel" from ''Art/MysticalMedleysAVintageCartoonTarot'' are anthropomorphic squirrels in overalls.
[[/folder]]

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], are just [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} off-the-walls crazy]], or--in extreme cases-- downright {{sadist}}s. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people -- and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. The fact that they have a reputation for breaking into bird feeders and eating the seed inside doesn't help either.

* ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' has the extremely hyperactive squirrel Hammy, who acts as a CloudCuckoolander ManChild and is obsessed with sugar. At one point, he goes into CaffeineBulletTime after simply drinking a soda.

[[ResourcefulRodent Rodents]] are the most common mammals on Earth, with some notable species having their own AnimalStereotypes. [[YouDirtyRat Rats are dirty and disgusting]], [[NiceMice mice are cute and nice]], [[PricklyPorcupine porcupines are prickly and bloodthirsty]], [[SuicidalLemmings lemmings jump off of cliffs]], [[BusyBeaver beavers are hard-working]], and so forth.

* Tao heroic inversions of this were [[WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle Rocky the Flying Squirrel]] and WesternAnimation/SecretSquirrel.

* Screwy Squirrel is a recurring character in ''WesternAnimation/TexAveryMGMCartoons'' introduced in the TropeNamer cartoon, ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel1944''. He's a prankster who messes with innocent people for no good reason.

[[ResourcefulRodent Rodents]] are the most common mammals on Earth, with some notable species having their own AnimalStereotypes. [[YouDirtyRat Rats are dirty and disgusting]], [[NiceMice mice are cute and nice]], [[PricklyPorcupine porcupines are prickly and bloodthirsty]], [[SuicidalLemmings lemmings jump off of cliffs]], beavers are hard-working, and so forth.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/happy_go_nutty.png]]]]

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster, but tends to be shown in a more positive light. For other animals often seen as tricksters, see RascallyRaccoon and MischiefMakingMonkey. The TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''. The trope formerly known as "Screwy Squirrel", about crazy, malicious prankster characters that are usually not squirrels, is now split between TheGadfly, {{Troll}}, ThePrankster and {{Cloudcuckoolander}}.

* Screwy Squirrel, a recurring character in ''WesternAnimation/TexAveryMGMCartoons'' introduced in the TropeNamer cartoon, ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel'', is a prankster who messes with innocent people for no good reason.

[[ResourcefulRodent Rodents]] are the most common mammals on Earth, with some notable species having their own AnimalStereotypes. [[YouDirtyRat Rats are dirty and disgusting]], [[NiceMice mice are cute and nice]], [[PricklyPorcupine porcupines are grumpy and prickly]], [[SuicidalLemmings lemmings jump off of cliffs]], beavers are hard-working, and so forth.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Squirrelly the Squirrel is a one-off character created by Creator/RobertCrumb whose relationship with his dog nemesis easily competes with [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Itchy and Scratchy]] for asymmetric sadism.