Character concept that seem really absurd on paper but end up being super badass

TMNT: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles seems very wtf on paper, but over the years they have become some of coolest figures in media

Mario: Mario is a chubby italian plumber, not something you would usually associate with “cool”. But thanks to his many games and especially Kart and Smash, he has become a badass figure