Pixar movies are known for their beautiful animation, powerful storytelling, and fantastic characters. But these characters are not always human. In fact, some of the most beloved Pixar figures are animals with their own personalities.
The latest Pixar movie with an animal character is Turning Red. Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang) is a 13-year-old girl who turns into a red panda whenever she experiences extreme emotions. The fuzzy, giant red panda is an entertaining figure who interacts with humans and gets involved in amusing situations. Mei Lee’s red panda joins other animal characters in the Pixar universe who are not just adorable sidekicks but heroes of their own.
Toy Story (1995)
Pixar’s first feature film introduces a cast of non-humans to the audience. The main characters in Toy Story are children’s toys that include Rex (Wallace Shawn), a T-Rex figure; Hamm (John Ratzenberger), a snarky piggy bank; and Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), a puppy-shaped slinky. They come alive when humans aren’t around and get into many escapades with the cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and space action figure, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen).
What makes the movie so enjoyable is the way each character has traits of their own. Even when they find themselves in difficulty, their humor, teamwork, and friendship remain strong as a group. It’s no wonder they return in three more Toy Story installments.
A Bug’s Life (1998)
Inspired by Aesop’s fable “The Ant and The Grasshopper”, A Bug’s Life takes a close look at a busy ant colony. The resident inventor, Flik (Dave Foley), decides to save his colony from a gang of grasshoppers who steal their food every summer. He asks for help from a group of warrior bugs, but they are actually circus performer bugs.
Bright and colorful, the movie showcases plenty of bug characters including caterpillars, ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantis. Though bugs might have a scary reputation, in this movie they are cute and funny with interesting roles. You can’t help but root for Flik and his pals as they work together to protect their home.
Finding Nemo (2003)
After his son, Nemo (Alexander Gould), is snatched from the Great Barrier Reef, the clownfish Marlin (Albert Brooks) embarks on a quest to bring him home. He meets an absent-minded blue tang named Dory (Ellen Degeneres) and a host of other animals including Crush (Andrew Stanton), a sea turtle, and Nigel (Geoffrey Rush), a pelican.
Finding Nemo illustrates the ocean beautifully, with stunning underwater plants and intricate designs of sea life. But what makes it great is its portrayal of an emotional father-son relationship as well as an uplifting friendship. During his journey, Marlin comes to terms with his choices and learns to trust Nemo with his independence.
Ratatouille (2007)
Ratatouille serves a sumptuous display of delicious dishes in the hands of an intelligent rat, Remy (Patton Oswalt) who aspires to be a chef in Paris. He secretly collaborates with a kitchen boy, Linguini (Lou Romano) to cook brilliant meals and impress a food critic.
Though he cannot speak to humans, Remy narrates the movie and is able to speak to his fellow rat friends. He communicates with Linguini by guiding his body like a marionette and expresses his own feelings through body language. The scene where Remy assembles an army of rats to cook in the restaurant kitchen is both thrilling and hilarious.
Up (2009)
Carl (Ed Asner) refuses to leave his house after his wife's death. Instead, he turns it into an airship by attaching hundreds of helium balloons. He accidentally brings along Russell (Jordan Nagai), an 8-year-old student working towards a Wilderness merit badge.
Up is famous for its touching opening scene, but it’s also a charming adventure of an unlikely duo and their newfound animal friends. Kevin is a multicolored, vibrant flightless bird and Dug (Bob Peterson) is a Golden Retriever with a special collar that can translate his barks into speech. They end up helping the humans and each other when they face trouble.
Brave (2012)
Taking place in medieval Scotland, Brave is a magical tale about the rebellious Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) whose desire for freedom leads to her unleashing a curse. The hex turns her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), into a bear. She will slowly lose her humanity unless Merida can find a way to break the spell.
Merida’s act not only changes her mother but also her three little brothers. The new bears can only communicate in sniffles and grunts, so they express themselves through gestures. Their new predicament is funny but also leads to misunderstandings. Merida has to settle her differences with her mother in order to get her family back.
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
The Good Dinosaur takes place in an alternate history where dinosaurs and humans live together. A timid Apatosaurus named Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) is separated from his family during a rainstorm. He teams up with a feral caveboy, Spot (Jack Bright) as he makes his journey home.
The movie flips the script by giving voice to Arlo the dinosaur while the little human child doesn’t speak. Yet their loving friendship is a standout. Filled with dazzling images of prehistoric landscapes and heartfelt scenes, The Good Dinosaur almost makes you wish that dinosaurs are still roaming the Earth.
Finding Dory (2016)
The sequel to Finding Nemo returns to the ocean with another exciting quest. This time, Finding Dory focuses on the forgetful blue tang fish Dory where she’s on a mission to look for her parents. She is helped by her buddies, the clownfish Marlin and his son, Nemo.
Like its predecessor, Finding Dory blends striking undersea visuals with a solid narrative and luminous characters. Other animals Dory meets this time include Hank (Ed O’Neill), a red octopus; Bailey (Ty Burrell), a beluga whale, and Fluke (Idris Elba), a sea lion. Their delightful interactions help Dory in her risky venture.
Soul (2020)
A high school music teacher, Joe (Jamie Foxx), gets the chance to fulfill his lifelong dream to be a jazz musician. But he dies in an accident, and his soul goes to a place called the Great Before. He resolves to help another soul, 22 (Tina Fey) so he can get his life back. But when they arrive on Earth, Joe finds himself stuck in the body of a cat.
While seeing Joe in a cat’s body might seem silly at first, Soul retains its authenticity and balance between comedy and tragedy. Both Joe and 22 are lost souls searching for purpose. In the end, it takes being turned into an animal for Joe to appreciate what it means to be alive.
Luca (2021)
Luca is a coming-of-age story about a fish out of water – literally! Luca (Jacob Tremblay) is a young sea monster who has the ability to assume human form on land. One summer, he explores a small town on the Italian Riviera with his friend, Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), but has a hard time keeping his ocean side under wraps.
While Luca technically features monsters rather than traditional animals, the characters look similar to real sea creatures. The transformation scenes and seaside settings in the movie are gorgeously rendered. Luca and Alberto hide their identities from everyone at first, but they eventually learn to be proud of their true selves.