“Maya the Bee”
Netflix pulled down an episode of the animated series “Maya the Bee” when a mother who was viewing it discovered a drawing of a penis in the background of one scene. The show’s production company later explained that it was in fact a “very bad joke” by one of the show’s animators. It’s far from the first time animators have snuck in R-rated fodder in G-rated fare.
“The Little Mermaid”
One cover for the home video release of “The Little Mermaid” features an image of a castle with one particularly phallic spire. The image was rumored to have been drawn by a disgruntled Disney artist, though the person behind the art told Snopes it was an honest mistake.
“The Lion King”
Some became convinced that Disney was trying to send subliminal messages to children when viewers noticed one shot from “The Lion King” where swirling clouds of dust appeared to spell out the word “sex.” A former Disney animator later cleared up the confusion: The shot was inserted by the special effects department, spelling out “S-F-X.”
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit”
With its more adult sense of humor, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” is not exactly a kids’ movie. But in one scene where Jessica Rabbit is thrown from a car, things get a lot more explicit when her dress flies up and her crotch is visible for a single frame. And no, she’s not wearing panties.
“The Rescuers”
In what is perhaps the most famous of Disney’s slip-ups, and easily the most egregious, is a picture of a topless woman in the background of two frames in “The Rescuers.” Disney itself apologized for the oversight and recalled the home video release to have it reprinted.
“Toy Story”
When “Toy Story” ventures over to Sid’s house and his cobbled together toys come out of the shadows, one of them is a crane with a woman’s legs. Some have interpreted the character as a bit of visual wordplay, a literal “hooker.”
“Ed, Edd n’ Eddy”
Cartoon Network series often feature racy jokes, including one episode of “Ed, Edd n’ Eddy,” which featured a shot of the bathroom of one of the three characters. Edd’s mom left her son reminders in the form of sticky notes placed around the bathroom, including one that reads “Don’t touch yourself.”
“Tiny Toon Adventures”
In an episode of “Tiny Toon Adventures,” Bugs Bunny forces Daffy Duck to be a judge in Acme Looniversity’s student film festival, but at one point catches him reading “Playduck” magazine instead of paying attention.
“Dexter’s Laboratory”
In one episode of Cartoon Network’s kid genius series, Dexter is sent on a scavenger hunt by his sister. One of the clues pointing him to the next location is written across their neighbor’s rear end: “Dad’s trophy.”