Our Favorite Animated Characters
It’s safe to say that the animation industry is thriving. If we start naming every animated project of 2022, Hollywood would’ve released another Toy Story by the time we’re done.
But do people remember each and every animated character shown in films, TV shows, or advertisements? Of course not.
Not everyone can be as headstrong as Elsa or all kinds of adorable as Bob (the Minon); they’re fan favorites for a reason.
Speaking of fan-favorite animated characters, we’ve got a few, too. And the reason for including them in the list is because they’re anything but animated.
By that, we mean the characters have plenty of heart and soul; if they’re evil, it’s for a reason.
So, without prolonging the suspense, let’s see which animated characters made the list.
Source: GIPHY
Monsters, Inc. is a great film with excellent characters (who can forget Mike Wazowski?). But the story wouldn’t have created that much of an impact if it didn’t have Boo, arguably Pixar’s greatest heroine.
While there are plenty of reasons to like Boo, the fact that she made adults and children fall in love with her without so much as uttering a word is, simply put, mind-blowing.
The credit for Boo being one of the best animated characters goes to the writers, too; they created an authentic relationship between her and the ‘monsters,’ James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski.
All these qualities make Boo one of the loveliest animated characters to grace the big screen.
Fun Fact: Boo was voiced by the daughter – Mary Gibbs – of one of the storyboard artists who worked on the film. The various sounds you hear Boo making in Monsters, Inc. was recorded by the team following Mary around the Pixar office.
Source: GIPHY
Some villains are downright terrifying, while others are slightly misunderstood. But only a few are fabulous, confident, and sassy at the same time.
And the antagonist that tops the list is none other than Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove. While other Disney characters spend a little time establishing the importance of self-love, Yzma is already convinced of her intelligence when we meet her.
In the film, Yzma is an advisor to an entitled and self-centered Emperor Kuzco. After Kuzco fires Yzma, she plots to usurp the throne by killing him with her muscular yet dimwitted sidekick Kronk. However, instead of finishing Kuzco off, they accidentally turn him into a llama, after which hilarity ensues.
Apart from Yzma’s eccentric personality, her one-liners make her a memorable animated character. For instance, when one of the villagers tells Yzma that providing food is her responsibility, she quips, “Ha! You really should have thought of that before you became PEASANTS.”
Source: GIPHY
Snowmen have been an integral part of kid-friendly ventures since decades, but the influence Olaf from Frozen created will be remembered until the end of time.
Brought to life during the chart-topping Let It Go, Olaf is equal parts goofy and naïve snowman Anna, Sven, and Kristoff meet while they search for Elsa.
There’s nothing typical about Olaf (he’s a snowman who loves summer, for crying out loud). Not to forget, Olaf can sing really, really well. Apart from his quirky antics, what makes Olaf so endearing is his love for Anna.
In one of the scenes, Hans locks Anna in a room to die. Olaf comes to her rescue, and when he starts melting because of the fire in the room, Anna tells him to leave. To that, Olaf replies, “Some people are worth melting for.”
If Olaf isn’t the epitome of true love, we don’t know what – or who – is.
Source: GIPHY
Spirited Away is one of the most beloved Studio Ghibli films. But it’s also quite chaotic owing to the various creatures and spirits wandering in the fictional world. And if it weren’t for Chihiro, the protagonist of Spirited Away, making sense of things would’ve been challenging.
When we first meet Chihiro, she’s a spoiled brat angry at her parents for making her move to their new home. However, when Chihiro learns that her parents have been turned into pigs, she takes it upon herself to set things right.
Chihiro encounters numerous bizarre beings throughout the journey, from giant babies to faceless spirits; it’s all new for her. On top of that, Chihiro has to transform her parents into humans again.
The situation is terrifying, and it frightens Chihiro, but she remains steadfast and adventurous. So, for a 10-year-old girl to go through all this by herself is quite role model-worthy.
Source: GIPHY
When you think of a Disney Prince, it’s not exactly Aladdin who comes to mind. For starters, he’s a street rat trying to survive by, well, thieving.
But that doesn’t make Aladdin a bad guy; in fact, he’s anything but.
Throughout the film, Aladdin unwittingly hurts Princess Jasmine, Abu, and even Genie. But as soon as he realizes his mistake, he apologizes. So, in a way, Aladdin holds himself accountable for his shortcomings, which is more than you can say about people in real life, let alone reel life.
Another quality that makes Aladdin such a compelling character is that he’s 100% feminist.
“Wait. What makes you say that?”
In one of the film’s pivotal scenes, Princess Jasmine overhears her father, Aladdin, and Jafar conversing about who should marry her. Disappointed at the proposition, Princess Jasmine declares in a totally badass way, “I am not a prize to be won.”
Upon realizing this, Aladdin apologizes to Princess Jasmine, reveals his true nature, and recognizes her right to make decisions for herself. Compare Aladdin with other Disney Princes who keep women as their prisoners (we’re looking at you, Beast from Beauty and the Beast), and he’s definitely a keeper.
You must’ve noticed that all the characters we’ve mentioned were only from films. Well, that’s because this is the first of the many similar topics we’ll be covering.
Up next are our favorite animated characters from TV shows and advertisements. Meanwhile, if you need help creating a pitch-perfect animated video, talk to AnimationProLabs.
