The 14 Best Animated Movie Characters of All Time, Ranked
When it comes to animated films, there are many things that are essential for them to succeed. Some of it is the quality of the animation, other times it is the script or the story. But sometimes, all an animated film, or any film for that manner, needs to succeed is the content and quality of its characters. Characters from animated franchises such as Toy Story, Shrek, and Wallace and Gromit have resonated with both critics and audiences, beloved for either their sense of humor, dramatic nuance, or sometimes even both.
Whether they are the hero, a side character, or sometimes even a villain, a good character knows how to keep the audience’s attention, move the plot along, or provide a differing layer of the story compared to other characters. Animation in particular allows for some to become truly larger than life, taking advantage of the medium in a manner that live-action is simply unable to accomplish.
14
The Iron Giant – ‘The Iron Giant’ (1999)
Voiced by Vin Diesel
A cross between E.T. and a Transformer, this mysterious giant robot (Vin Diesel) is sent from another world, landing on earth with a bump on his head. With no clear indication at first of what his purpose is, he spends his time eating junk before winding up in the company of young Hogarth Hughes (Eli Marienthal). The boy teaches the giant about life on earth, from learning to tell the difference between rocks and trees, to Superman, to even dying and the concepts of souls.
The giant is a fun-loving, caring soul that sets out to help those who know of his existence, but when one of them is threatened, his defensive programming as a living weapon begins to reveal itself. Heavily implied to be a creation meant for domination and destruction, the giant’s kind soul ultimately wins out, sacrificing himself to save an entire town of people from a nuclear missile. The Iron Giant proves that no matter what you were created for, you are who you choose to be.
13
Katie Mitchell – ‘The Mitchells Vs. The Machines’ (2021)
Voiced by Abbi Jackson
The lead character of The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jackson) has always been an imaginative weirdo. Since she was a kid, she’s always had a love of watching and making movies, even if she’s had trouble making true friends as she grew up. While she’s always had both movies and her little brother Aaron (Mike Rianda) by her side, she’s beyond excited to get to film school as soon as possible. But her plans take a turn for the worse when her technology-averse father (Danny McBride) forces her dysfunctional family on a road trip, wherein the machine apocalypse promptly makes matters more difficult.
Unashamedly dorky, weird, and passionate about her craft, Katie wants to be understood by her father, but a mutual lack of understanding leads her to push him away in favor of her future. But what she comes to understand is that moving on shouldn’t mean forgetting the people who already love her as well. With the movie even structured like it was edited by Katie herself, Katie Mitchell as a creation in herself is a tribute to not just weird filmmakers, but the weird kid in us all.
12
Lilo Pelakai – ‘Lilo and Stitch’ (2002)
Voiced by Daveigh Chase
Stitch (Chris Sanders) often steals the spotlight from his co-star, but Lilo Pelakai (Daveigh Chase) is not just the best-written kid character in Disney’s library, she’s one of the best kid characters in film history. Lilo is a hyperactive, eccentric girl with morbid interests and beliefs dealing with the death of her parents in a car accident. With her only source of support being her struggling older sister Nani (Tia Carrere), Lilo’s wishes for a friend are answered with a new dog – who happens to secretly be a mischievous alien experiment with a taste for chaos.
While most kids written in Disney films are either generically sweet, rebellious, or both, Lilo stands out as a weird kid with genuinely weird habits that make a startling amount of sense when looked at within the bigger picture. She takes time to feed a fish before school every morning, is a fan of Elvis Presley movies, has a freaky handmade doll, takes photos of seemingly random strangers, and has a heart bigger than her common sense. In other words, she’s the most realistic kid that Disney has ever had.
11
Roger Rabbit — ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988)
Voiced by Charles Fleischer
Robert Zemeckis has an uneven filmography, but when he’s on, he’s on. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a film of the strangest and most inspired alchemy: live-action Bob Hoskins stars as a hardboiled detective investigating a murder and other in Toontown. Charles Fleischer voices Roger Rabbit, the hilarious, well-meaning and entirely inept cartoon rabbit who’s been wrongfully accused.
It’s also worth noting Roger’s sultry spouse is just as iconic as he is. About 7 years after her breakthrough role as a definitive femme fatale in Body Heat, Kathleen Turner voiced something of an animated successor in Jessica Rabbit, who famously quipped, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.”
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- Release Date
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June 21, 1988
- Runtime
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103
- Director
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Robert Zemeckis
- Writers
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Gary K. Wolf, Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman
10
Dory — ‘Finding Nemo’ (2003)
Voiced by Ellen DeGeneres
Before her career peaked with a wildly successful daytime show, and long before that show ended in controversy, Ellen DeGeneres voiced one of Pixar’s most lovable and iconic characters. Dory is a wide-eyed blue tang fish with an affable demeanor—and short-term memory loss. The condition, and DeGeneres’ admittedly incredible performance, lead to some of the Finding Nemo‘s most hilarious comedy, and also a disarming amount of heart.
DeGeneres has an inspired chemistry with Albert Brooks, who’s also terrific as a clownfish in desperate international search of his son (Alexander Gould). Finding Nemo was universally acclaimed by critics, and its success took Pixar to previously unforeseen heights. Dory is the heart of the entire enterprise, which continued in 2016’s billion-dollar smash Finding Dory.
- Release Date
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May 30, 2003
- Runtime
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100 minutes
- Director
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Andrew Stanton
- Writers
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Bob Peterson, Andrew Stanton, David Reynolds
9
Judy Hopps – ‘Zootopia’ (2017)
Voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin
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Growing up with dreams of becoming the first bunny cop in the animal-populated city of Zootopia, Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) has faced all manner of discrimination and underestimation from everyone around her, even her parents. Still, she refuses to give up, trying her best to make it in the city where ‘anyone can be anything’. Even when she succeeds in her dream, her journey in the big city makes her realize that life’s far more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker.
Judy is a character with an optimistic view of life and the world while not being completely blind to the way things are. But that does not mean her outlook is perfect, and she’s startled when she realizes that even she is not immune to the prejudices of her fellow herbivores. Judy Hopps is an impulsive, flawed bunny who nonetheless tries her best to make the badge of Zootopia’s finest mean something.
8
Woody Pride aka Woody – The ‘Toy Story’ Series (1995- )
Voiced by Tom Hanks
The anchor character of the Toy Story franchise, he’s the rootin-est, tootin-est cowboy toy in the Wild Wild West. The original favorite toy of a young boy named Andy (John Morris), Woody Pride (Tom Hanks) is an old-fashioned guy who continually has to deal with change after change. From getting passed over in favor of a certain space ranger, discovering the true legacy behind his existence, having to deal with Andy not needing him or toys in general anymore, and Bonnie (Madeline McGraw) not playing with him to begin with.
Despite these circumstances and his small but visible ego, Woody tries his best to be there for those who need him the most, toy or human alike. His relationship with Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) goes from a bitter rivalry to blood brothers, both complimenting each other throughout their time together. A cowboy in nearly every sense of the word, Woody faces a new frontier in every installment of the Toy Story series.
7
Puss in Boots – ‘Shrek’ Franchise (2001- ) & ‘Puss in Boots’ Franchise (2011- )
Voiced by Antonio Banderas
In a franchise full of memorable characters, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is so beloved he got his own spin-off franchise. First appearing in Shrek 2, Puss was a hit-cat hired by King Harold (John Cleese) to dispatch Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy), only to spare them and become one of their trusted companions. Somewhat sidelined through the last two Shrek sequels, his spin-off films gave him the spotlight he richly deserved, becoming more than just a Zorro caricature.
An orphan raised alongside Humpty Dumpty (Zack Galifianakis), Puss had a knack for getting into trouble before fleeing his hometown after being tricked into a robbery. Initially becoming an outlaw, Puss would redeem himself by becoming a hero to several villages over the course of his nine lives. Balancing the trials of his past, his huge ego, and a genuine fear of dying, Puss learns to appreciate the value of life in all its forms, earning the respect of Death (Wagner Moura) himself. That alone makes him the most impressive character in the Shrek universe.
6
The Beast/Prince Adam – ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)
Voiced by Robby Benson
At first seeming like the villain of Beauty and the Beast, the man named in supplementary material as Prince Adam (Robby Benson) is one of Disney’s most tragic yet still loveable characters. As the prologue states, this lad began life as a handsome yet spoiled, selfish, and unkind young prince. After refusing the gift of a rose from what looked like an old lady, the lady revealed herself to be a beautiful enchantress, who then transformed him into a hideous beast. Full of rage and self-loathing, the Beast kept himself inside his castle, with the seemingly hopeless mission of finding true love to break the curse.
But when Belle (Paige O’Hara) might just be that person, his social skills prove to be inept. Thankfully, after they save each other from a pack of wolves, the Beast begins to show a kinder side, going as far as to give Belle a whole library after learning of her love of books. Finding redemption and a change of heart, the Beast is that ever-present reminder that beauty is found within.
5
Totoro – ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (1988)
Voiced by Hitoshi Takagi & Frank Welker
Some characters are rich with depth and nuance because of how much the story bares their soul. But there are some, like the title character from My Neighbor Totoro, who remain something of an enigma. Totoro (Hitoshi Takagi/Frank Welker) is a mysterious giant spirit who lives in the woods. Nobody knows where he comes from. Nobody knows too much about him. But he’s just become the new neighbor of Mei (Chika Sakamoto/Elle Fanning) and Satsuki (Noriko Hidaka/Dakota Fanning) Kusakabe, two little girls who have moved into a house next to the forest he calls home.
The two girls are imaginative spirits of their own, seeking an escape from their less-than-fantastical circumstances. Not having nearly as much screen time as the title or merchandise would suggest, Totoro is a being that has the potential to be creepy and menacing, with his large appearance, ear-splitting roar, off-putting smile, and mysterious supernatural powers. But despite his mysterious nature, Totoro is ultimately a friendly creature who helps Mai and Satsuki in any way he can when they either cross his path or call for him.
4
Queen Grimhilde – ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (1937)
Voiced by Lucille La Verne
Many Disney villains have come and gone over the years, but before the likes of Scar, Jafar and even Maleficent, there was the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne) from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The wicked stepmother of the titular princess, this vain monarch rules her castle with an iron fist, spending her days asking the magic mirror (Moroni Olsen) on her wall who is the fairest one of all. When she is told that her stepdaughter Snow White (Adrianna Caselotti) has taken that spot, she decides to send her huntsman (Stuart Buchanan) to kill her and bring back her heart.
As if that cruel overreaction wasn’t enough, once the huntsman proves too kind to kill her, she decides to disguise herself as an old hag straight out of every child’s nightmares. Even her end is decidedly gruesome, falling to her death, crushed by rocks and feasted on by a pair of grinning vultures. Cruel, vain, cold and calculating, the Evil Queen is one of Disney’s most unforgettable baddies.
3
Jack Skellington – ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
Voiced by Chris Sarandon/Danny Elfman
The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a movie for both Halloween and Christmas, and the lead’s journey through both holidays is instrumental to that success. Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon/Danny Elfman) is the most beloved citizen of Halloweentown but has grown tired of the sounds of screams and terror. A wandering stumble lands him in Christmastown, and this new holiday leaves Jack in complete awe, even if he struggles to comprehend the true meaning behind it.
For someone whose specialty is bringing terror and fright to the world, Jack is a cheerful, friendly fellow who’s always polite to those he interacts with, understandably barring a certain boogieman. His attempts to take over Christmas come from a place of genuine love for the holiday rather than jealousy or malice, taking on the role of Santa Claus with childish glee, and even when he decides to re-assume his role as the pumpkin king, Jack still goes out of his way to make things right. Nowadays, a joyous sign that Halloween and Christmas are coming is when the face of the pumpkin king arrives at Hot Topic.
2
Gromit – ‘Wallace and Gromit’ (1989- )
Voiced by N/A
Wallace and Gromit are one of the most beloved duos in film history, but it’s the dog who usually has his day. Wallace (Peter Sallis/Ben Whitehead) is an inventor whose brilliant mind is still somewhat devoid of common sense. The only person consistently by his side is his dog Gromit, whose mind is sharper but lacks Wallace’s vocal skills to communicate his concerns. He may not have a visible mouth, but that doesn’t stop him from being one of the most expressive characters ever animated.
A casual soul with a career that includes rocket ship builder, window washer, baker, and pest controller, Gromit is a jack of all trades. Despite the frequent peril and stress his master puts him through, Gromit always comes through to save the day, often being the one delivering the final blow in the villains’ defeat. He’d rather spend his afternoons listening to dog music, making a cup of tea, knitting, and reading the newspaper, but when trouble calls, Gromit will be the first one there.
1
Genie – ‘Aladdin’ (1992)
Voiced by Robin Williams
One of the best blends of celebrity voice actors and characters, the Genie (Robin Williams) from Aladdin ignites the movie’s energy in every frame. A 10,000-year-old being trapped inside a lamp, this genie makes a habit of shapeshifting, throwing jokes a mile a minute, and making pop culture references that shouldn’t make sense in the time period he’s in, usually to amuse his master or just himself. But beneath all the humor he puts in, the Genie does have a deeper want than simply cracking wise and granting wishes.
He wants freedom to go where he wants, whenever he wants, and not be at the mercy of someone else. Or at the very least, free from his itty-bitty living space. So when Aladdin (Scott Weigner) plans to make that wish come true, the Genie is more than happy to fulfill that boy’s wishes. One of the funniest characters in film history, Genie is both the funny bone and the heart of Aladdin.
