Hello everyone!
I'm doing a Masters in Animation in the UK at the moment, and have chosen an interesting subject for my dissertation: "Why do we like certain animated cartoon characters?" e.g. Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny,Snoopy, etc.
I'm mainly focusing on the character's appearance and aesthetics, how they appeal to human nature psychologically and socialogically. Their personalites too should get a mention in my research too, there's a lot to look at!
I'd like to discuss this with you guys if you don't mind to find out your opinions on the subject of Character Design. Any posts and your thoughts will be greatly appreciated no matter how small!
Thanks very much!
Appealling character design is explained in theory and by example in just about every decent animation and cartooning book I've ever picked up. You know- circles...and...stuff. I won't go into that further because I'll just embarass myself. ("too late!")
But personality of appealing characters- this is simple. Any character, hero or villian, is appealing if they are believable. If you believe that they are creatures of their own volition, that they have minds of thier own, then you invest your interest into them and actually care about what they do. Its not just true for animation- the same goes for live-action characters, characters in books, comics, anything! Bugs Bunny, Batman, Dracula, Atticus Finch, Tyler Durden ...these characters are appealing because you feel like they live beyond the story you're experiencing at the moment.
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Amen to that. I think I've said it on here actually, but I say it all the time.........Bugs Bunny and Batman (from the Animated Series) are so well done and fleshed out that to me they are A-LIVE and well beyond the borders of the parts of their lives that have been "filmed." I know how they'd react in any situation, and they have exhibited more three dimensional behavior than a lot of actual people I've met. :D
Thank you very much guys! Would you be so kind to answer a few of these questions for me? (the theories are proven already in the books but I'll get brownie points for asking people too!)
1.What is your favourite cartoon/comic/illustrated/game character? e.g. Mickey Mouse, Dangermouse, Lara Croft, Homer Simpson, etc.
2.How old were you when you first saw them?
3. What is is that you like about them? e.g. shape? colour? personality? humour? friendly? pleasing to look at?
4. What do they remind you of e.g. a baby? a pet? a relative? a partner? an animal? a logo?
5. What is the first thing you think of when you see this character?
6. What do they mean to you? e.g. favourite childhood memory? a hero? inspiration for a career? fun times?
7. How do you feel when you see this character? Happy? Amused? Scared? Excited?
8. How does this character relate to you? e.g. Donald duck with his short temper? Mickey Mouse being an all-round nice guy? The Powerpuff girls bickering like real sisters? Homer Simpson is lazy and imperfect but devoted to his wife?
9. What message do you think this character sends out to people? e.g. Mickey Mouse represents Disney Studios, does he represent a domianant corporation? Is Lara Croft a representation of women as independent, fearless femme fetales or a sex object? Is Homer Simpson an anti-hero to be aspired to?
10. If you could change this character for the better, what would you change? e.g. their shape? size or weight? colour? personality?
11. If you saw this character on a product in shops, would you buy the product? For what reason?
It's a lot I know! :o
1) Bugs Bunny
2) Five years old
3) I like his matter of factness and his resolve
4) Can't say he reminds me of anything visually since he was a product of a style and himself has been derived from....
5) His voice
6) A "having it together" vibe that I think a lot of people would like to see in themselves, especially people like me that cling to secure unchanging things.
7) I feel engaged. Know his M.O. I'd like to see it applied to the situation in which he currently finds himself.
8) He's not especially intelligent in one particular area but above average in a hell of a lot of ways.
9) I think in a lot of ways even though half the time he acts out of his own interest or primitively or causes misfortune he puts over an air of intelligence that people respect. I think he resembles productivity and in his own way, freedom to be who you are, not categorizing "weaknesses" as weaknesses but as the reality and irony of who a person is.
10) I have a LOT of enthusiasm for the character's actual design. I think it's one of the strongest created, though it's had its time to get kinks worked out and seen many different forms. The symbol that pops in your head though, that works and has a timeless quality. Also the grey and blue-grey are in good taste in my opinion. I don't feel like changing anything as it would feel out of character on something/someone that's taken ages to establish in his current 'skin.'
11) No, I'm not sure I understand the motivation. I buy stuff for their functionality. I won't get tissues because they're Bugs Bunny tissues, I'll get the tissues I like. If he happens to be on them, bonus. However if it was some character I didn't like I wouldn't like bringing them home as much as when they were plain, but I'd balance that by for example realizing that I get to blow snott all over their ugly faces before throwing them away.
I love Bugs and Daffy because they had "chutzpah", same reason I like Stitch, but with Stitch it goes beyond that, he reminds me of my friend Scooter.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
So what class are you taking. :D
Oh, I thought you were taling about being attracted to cartoon characters. ...Not that I am or anything... Just confused was all.
Anyway -
1.What is your favourite cartoon/comic/illustrated/game character? e.g. Mickey Mouse, Dangermouse, Lara Croft, Homer Simpson, etc.
Megatron from the Transformers
2.How old were you when you first saw them?
About 7 or so
3. What is is that you like about them? e.g. shape? colour? personality? humour? friendly? pleasing to look at?
Sheer power
4. What do they remind you of e.g. a baby? a pet? a relative? a partner? an animal? a logo?
Doesn't quite remind me of anyone I know. Or anything else I can think of.
5. What is the first thing you think of when you see this character?
His voice, whether it be Frank Welker or David Kaye
6. What do they mean to you? e.g. favourite childhood memory? a hero? inspiration for a career? fun times?
Always enjoyed seeing how ruthless he was in the movie when he killed Ironhide (even though I did cry after the first time I saw it). He seemed like an inspiration to look to when creating a villain, like a benchmark in power and evil..ness, I guess.
7. How do you feel when you see this character? Happy? Amused? Scared? Excited?
I feel excited, maybe a little nostalgic.
8. How does this character relate to you? e.g. Donald duck with his short temper? Mickey Mouse being an all-round nice guy? The Powerpuff girls bickering like real sisters? Homer Simpson is lazy and imperfect but devoted to his wife?
He's steadfast. Even after numerous losses and in the face of defeat, he doesn't back down. Maybe not like me, but I wish I had his motivation and tenacity.
9. What message do you think this character sends out to people? e.g. Mickey Mouse represents Disney Studios, does he represent a domianant corporation? Is Lara Croft a representation of women as independent, fearless femme fetales or a sex object? Is Homer Simpson an anti-hero to be aspired to?
I don't think there's any special message here: he was a villain, not someone the writers wanted kids to look up.
10. If you could change this character for the better, what would you change? e.g. their shape? size or weight? colour? personality?
I'd change some of his newest itterations, going back to the basics (which they're doing for the latest series of toys - hurray gun mode!).
11. If you saw this character on a product in shops, would you buy the product? For what reason?
Absolutely, he's the only figure I still collect, in all his forms.
i think through constant exposure and their own attractiveness they become part of your subconcious.
1.What is your favourite cartoon/comic/illustrated/game character? e.g. Mickey Mouse, Dangermouse, Lara Croft, Homer Simpson, etc.
there are alot but i like marvin the martian, homer simpson, bugs bunny, and dave seville alot.
2.How old were you when you first saw them?
I was exposed to all of them at a fairly early age.
3. What is is that you like about them? e.g. shape? colour? personality? humour? friendly? pleasing to look at?
i usually like a character because of personality and humor.I also like good character designs.
4. What do they remind you of e.g. a baby? a pet? a relative? a partner? an animal? a logo?
Nothing haha ha.
5. What is the first thing you think of when you see this character?
nothing, i just think of the character.
6. What do they mean to you? e.g. favourite childhood memory? a hero? inspiration for a career? fun times?
they mean humor.
7. How do you feel when you see this character? Happy? Amused? Scared? Excited?
ussually happy.
8. How does this character relate to you? e.g. Donald duck with his short temper? Mickey Mouse being an all-round nice guy? The Powerpuff girls bickering like real sisters? Homer Simpson is lazy and imperfect but devoted to his wife?
i realate to daffy duck alot ha ha ha.
I nevger got mickey mouse though,hes so bland and unfunny.(i think people jut like the watch) ha ha ha.
9. What message do you think this character sends out to people? e.g. Mickey Mouse represents Disney Studios, does he represent a domianant corporation? Is Lara Croft a representation of women as independent, fearless femme fetales or a sex object? Is Homer Simpson an anti-hero to be aspired to?
a bad character such as ren,stimpy,spongebob,mickey mouse,or billy and mandy -represent all the evil the world.
good characters such as homer simpson,bugs bunny,daffy duck,mojo jojo,and cartman -represent what makes life good. ha ha ha
10. If you could change this character for the better, what would you change? e.g. their shape? size or weight? colour? personality?
I would take a bad character with a good character design like ren or stimpy, change their personallity,and make them funny.
11. If you saw this character on a product in shops, would you buy the product? For what reason?
It depends if the product is good looking or not,
I would buy a tin wind up robot of most cartoon characters, or a dvd. :D
Well I think that you like a personage because you reflect you're own personality on that person.
Thank you very much guys, please keep your replies coming in! :D
Well, in reply to Wontobe, I'm taking the MA Animation course at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK. I'm venturing into 3D CGI Animation, using 3D Studio Max. I'm getting the hang of animating in it, it's just fixing my models that outfoxes me! (still getting used to the four viewpoints!)
Guess I should answer my own survey now shouldn't I?
1. I love the Disney and Warner Bros cast, Danger Mouse, the Pixar cast, Thundercats, anything from Japan, etc but my all-time favourite is still Mickey Mouse, because he can stand the test of time.
2. I was two.
3. Mickey is made up of circles, simplistic yet cute and cuddly.
4. Mickey may have the head and tail of a mouse, but his anthropomorphic stature reminds me of a friend you'd feel obliged to shake hands with and chat to.
5. What is he up to this time? Mickey is hardly shown sat down and doing nothing, he seems to be on the move (unless it's just his head being shown as a blank logo!)
6. Goes back to my childhood, exercising my imagination.
7. I feel happy when I see this character.
8. I can relate to Mickey in the need to be an all-rounder, whether it's academically or at sports, being nice to the people around me, and gallivanting off to a new adventure! However, I relate to Donald Duck too by his short fuse and constant frustrations, lol!
9. Despite Mickey Mouse being the model citizen, I feel he's become more of a corporate logo, representing the studio that seemed content in releasing a stream of "straight to video sequels" instead of creating original quality films. However, things are looking up of late!
10. Aesthetically, Mickey is perfect to me. As for his personality, he's bland in the new cartoons "House of Mouse"; there is no sense of adventure or mischief about him like previous cartoons and movies. I'd give him back his personality as Walt Disney himself intended before he was inundated with requests for Mickey to be "nice"!
11. If I didn't already have that product, lol! If it was something unusual like a Mickey Mouse Lava Lamp or an Arm-chair with Mickey Mouse ears, I'd buy it to satisfy my inner child and for kitsch value! :D
1.What is your favourite cartoon/comic/illustrated/game character? e.g. Mickey Mouse, Dangermouse, Lara Croft, Homer Simpson, etc.
Nausicaä (from the manga series, not the movie)
2.How old were you when you first saw them?
Haha last year. 16.
3. What is is that you like about them? e.g. shape? colour? personality? humour? friendly? pleasing to look at?
Her personality!!!! She's trying to understand everything in a world that's been destroyed by human kind 1000 years ago and in which there's a war that's going on. She's kind and friendly, but also free spirited, and is always in constant battle with her emotions and her will to keep on living in such a world... I'm sorry it's hard to explain her personality, it's just one of those things that you understand when you read. And I also like her design, I think it suits her quite well.
4. What do they remind you of e.g. a baby? a pet? a relative? a partner? an animal? a logo?
She doesn't remind me of anyone.
5. What is the first thing you think of when you see this character?
That she's so cool! Is that even an answer?:D
6. What do they mean to you? e.g. favourite childhood memory? a hero? inspiration for a career? fun times?
Inspiration to be a better person and to enjoy life as it is.
7. How do you feel when you see this character? Happy? Amused? Scared? Excited?
Excited!!!!!!!!
8. How does this character relate to you? e.g. Donald duck with his short temper? Mickey Mouse being an all-round nice guy? The Powerpuff girls bickering like real sisters? Homer Simpson is lazy and imperfect but devoted to his wife?
Nausicaä and her love of nature.
9. What message do you think this character sends out to people? e.g. Mickey Mouse represents Disney Studios, does he represent a domianant corporation? Is Lara Croft a representation of women as independent, fearless femme fetales or a sex object? Is Homer Simpson an anti-hero to be aspired to?
Well I think Miyazaki just wanted to make a kind of messiah type nature-loving war-hating girl that is able to overcome so many obstacles and yet is so believable you'd think such a person exists. But mostly I think the message is that anyone can become like her and love life.
10. If you could change this character for the better, what would you change? e.g. their shape? size or weight? colour? personality?
I wouldn't change anything.
11. If you saw this character on a product in shops, would you buy the product? For what reason?
I'd buy it so fast!!!! Just because it would be extremely impossibly rare to find such a thing and also I would not be able to resist.
As in Nausicaa (of the Valley of the Wind) by Hayao Miyazaki?! Cool! I thought the film was absolutely beautiful, I saw it as part of the Studio Ghibli tour a few years ago when they were showing the films at the small cinemas around the UK. I must hunt around for the manga,see if I can get it on order. Good choice mate!:p
Haha Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind movie is nothing compared to the manga series! I'm very serious. In the movie they changed the plot and storyline to fit the screen time, but the manga is so much more better because well it's much much longer and all the characters have real personalities like Kushana and Ohma (the god warrior has a name in the manga and is a good guy).....woops I think I already gave too much information away. Be prepared to be depressed or sad though (I'm not going to tell you why though because then it'll be major foreshadowing) but the manga series is about war and mankind's destruction of nature, but a lot more in depth.
Anyway yes read the manga! Nausicaä is so very cool in the manga compared to the Nausicaä in the movie who is not the complete Nausicaä.
Sounds excellent, I'll do that! The "save the earth"/ war/mankind's self destruction issues (my mother's a refugee thanks to the war of 1974 in Cyprus) are what drew me in to the film (as well as the beautiful animation) but if the manga is much better, I'd best get my skates on to find it! Thanks for the info! :D
Now then, any one else's opinions on character design and answering my survey? Thank you very much to all of you who have answered so far, it's been very helpful! :D