Top Ten Anthropomorphic Characters from Works of the 2010s
This list is about the characters themselves, not judging the quality of the work they originated from. The character doesn't need to have their first appearance in a 2010s work, it's enough if they are seen in a work released this decade, even if they made theur debut 60 years ago.Anthropomorphic means human-like, but not necessarily in appearance. The characters can also be physically feral (meaning they are based on their real life counterpart and walk on two legs), but with human intelligence.
You may vote for a character for their visual design, emotional depth, background story, role in their respective work, or for whatever reason you like them.
Officer Nicholas Piberius "Nick" Wilde is a male red fox and the deuteragonist of Zootopia. He is the son of Mrs. Wilde. He was voiced by actor, Jason Bateman. Nick Wilde is the perfect hero in the sense that he is not perfect. He is a con artist and thus familiar with the more criminal side of society, but in reality, he just takes what society offers him. He's good-hearted but broken-hearted. He is big-mouthed and seems cheerful, cheeky, and easy-going, but deep down, he's vulnerable and wishes he could be more than what he is. However, very few people have seen this side of him, as he hides it from the world. Also, he's badass.
Rocket Raccoon is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, the character first appeared in Marvel Preview #7. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he is portrayed by Bradley Cooper. Rocket Raccoon has a few moments in both movies where he breaks character. He tries his best to be tough, sarcastic, and even somewhat violent, but it's his way of shielding himself from a world that sees him as a freak. He loves the other Guardians, and they are a family. However, they constantly poke fun at each other in rather cruel ways.
And, of course, he's badass.
Rocket is definitely a badass. Guardians of the Galaxy is a really good movie with a bunch of likable characters just like Rocket.
Way better character than the boring, overrated, generic Nick Wilde.
Asriel Dreemurr is a character from the 2015 game Undertale. He was created by Toby Fox.Asriel is the child of King Asgore Dreemurr and Queen Toriel, but he seemingly passed away prior to the game's events. His backstory is only focused on in the True Pacifist Route, which means the player does... read more
Asriel is a deeply hurt, broken, and traumatized character whose backstory rivals that of Mewtwo in the extended Japanese version of the first "Pokémon" movie in terms of inducing depression.
SPOILER:
Asriel witnessed his only friend die, and when he tried to fulfill his friend's last wish, he was lynched because he was blamed for the death. Since then, every move he makes is filled with desperation. This is one of those characters you could write several pages analyzing, though more people seem to focus on other aspects of the game. His lines of dialogue - whether menacing, darkly humorous, or heartbreakingly straightforward - combined with his actions, gestures, and story, are among the most complex and psychologically authentic of any character this decade. Furthermore, he's badass.
Jasiri is a spotted hyena cub who appears in the Disney Junior show "The Lion Guard". She is an ally to the Lion Guard and is the closest to Kion. She helped him fight Janja and his clan and the guard against the Outsiders. She is voiced by Maia Mitchell. She has been described as "friendly", "spunky",... read more Although I consider both "The Lion King" and "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride" as two of the greatest animated movies of all time, with their soundtracks among my favorite albums, "The Lion Guard" didn't immediately resonate with me. It felt more like a filler than a worthy follow-up.
However, Jasiri stood out positively. The only thing that ever bothered me about these great movies is the blatant generalization of the hyenas. In the context of a fully developed anthropomorphic hierarchy, that's akin to racism. It's just natural that the hyenas followed Scar, who promised them equal treatment. There are numerous hyenas in this universe, each with unique character traits, I assume. Jasiri exemplifies this well - she's good-natured and kind, without prejudice against lions. I just wish the show didn't depict her as an exception. There should be more hyena characters, and the conditions under which hyenas live in the kingdom should be questioned by some lion characters. Also, she's quite badass.
Officer Judy Hopps is the protagonist in Disney's 2016 animated feature film Zootopia. The first rabbit to be in Zootopia's police force, Judy is determined to make the world a better place while breaking preconceptions about other species. Teaming up with a fox named Nick Wilde, she sets off on her... read more Judy Hopps is the perfect 2010s movie heroine, alongside Katniss Everdeen. She embodies strength of character, mind, and idealism, and she eventually manages to overcome the societal boundaries placed upon her - or at least she tries so hard that she inspires others to overcome theirs. She's also flawed. While her mind and heart tell her that being open-minded is the right way (and it is), her upbringing sometimes unconsciously conflicts with that. Her true, honest belief is that racism is the enemy, but somehow, she's still cautious around a fox, despite not wanting to be. This isn't her fault, nor is it hypocritical. It's just a result of how stereotypes have been cemented in our society for many years. Also, she's pretty badass.
"The Other Side" is a hidden object game by Purple Hill. I couldn't find an official release date (that company releases games frequently with little information), but the earliest mention I found online is from 2014, so I guess it's from then.
Boris is a cat who assists the player throughout the game. He's somewhat similar to the Cheshire Cat in "Alice: Madness Returns," both in his role and attitude. Although he is always helpful and does good things, he has an oddly twisted and unsettling sense of humor. This characteristic extends to much of the game: it's partly cute but also borders on Tim Burton-esque nightmarish imagery, like a crazy doctor.
Like most games of its genre, "The Other Side" is rather short and was part of a bundle of games (there were 8 or 10 for the price of one or so), but this character stood out and left an impression. Also, he's really badass.
Unfortunately, "The Secret Life of Pets" didn't live up to expectations, lacking creativity and depth, especially in a year when another movie created a fully developed anthropomorphic society with detailed social structures, city designs, and a balanced use of human intelligence and animal instincts. However, it wasn't bad either. It was just another harmless animated filler movie with sweet and pleasant jokes for the whole family.
Despite this, I somehow really liked Max as a protagonist. Of course, he's not a groundbreaking, psychologically complex character, but he was fun as one half of the typical buddy movie duo of heroes. He also achieved something rare: he was more interesting and memorable than the "funny" part of the duo, which is usually the other way around. His hilarious amount of jealousy and the actions it leads him to take make him stand out, even though he's not a typical badass.
Ash is a rebellious punk porcupine teenager who, in the German dub, is voiced by Silbermond lead singer Stefanie Kloß (unfortunately not in the singing scenes, where Scarlett Johansson's original voice is used - really, why hire a well-known singer and not have her sing, especially in a movie about singing!? What were they thinking!?). Need I say more? She's just badass. Really, her inclusion on this list is solely credited to her badassery. She's not a fan of the mainstream and wants to write and perform her own material, which she can identify with. That's a cool message, and it's great that the movie didn't only include regular pop stars. Although, I'd have gone a bit further and let her perform in a Hole or Bikini Kill style - of course, with family-friendly lyrics.
He's a weasel. This alone makes him cool. He's also a scene-stealer. The chase scene was awesome, mostly credited to his slinky physical appearance that makes him very dynamic and hard to capture. Also, his attitude is really fun and, well, badass. If there's a sequel to "Zootopia," let this guy have a bigger role.
He's the stereotypical, testosterone-drenched, muscular boss in charge, and that makes him funny. Whether it's because he acts over the top and resembles a massive, cheesy '80s action hero cop, or because he breaks out of this character (like in the "Gazelle app" scene), he's just funny and badass.
Sans or Sans the Skeleton is a character in the 2015 RPG Undertale created by Toby Fox. He is a lazy, pun-loving skeleton who is a supporting protagonist in the "pacifist" and "neutral" routes of Undertale, and a heroic antagonist/final boss of the "genocide" route. He is known for his incredibly difficult... read more
Alphys is an adorably dorky, lab-coat-wearing, bespectacled, yellow-skinned lizard scientist who resides in her lab in Hotland in the critically acclaimed cult classic RPG known as Undertale, wherein she partakes in the daily act of watching insane amounts of anime and having a vast majority of the... read more
Toriel is a goat like monster who is the secondary major character in Toby Fox's 2016 RPG, Undertale. She saves the protagonist from Flowey and guides them through the Ruins, of which she is the self-proclaimed caretaker. She is the ex-wife of Asgore, the mother of Asriel Dreemurr, the adoptive mother... read more
Papyrus is a character from the 2015 game Undertale, made by Toby Fox. He is the Younger brother of Sans the skeleton, royal guard in training, and a sentry in the town of Snowdin. Opposite to his brother, papyrus is active, loud, and full of himself; but in an endearing way. Papyrus means to become... read more
Darwin Watterson is the middle child of the Wattersons in The Amazing World Of Gumball which was made in 2008. He is the brother of Gumball and Anais.
Legoshi, also referred to as Legosi (Japanese: レゴシ, Regoshi), is a male gray wolf and the main protagonist of the Japanese manga and anime series, "Beastars". This series is written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki... read more
The webcomic started in 2008 and continued through 2018, although updates became infrequent. The story has evolved from a comical slice-of-life narrative to a much more intense and emotional, Nolan-esque storyline about exploring inner selves and diving into other people's dreams. At this point, it's unclear what is true and who can be trusted.
Campy seems safe, but others who also seemed safe have later attacked. The thing is, he becomes more important to the "other" story (the comic has two plots: one is a coming-of-age story, and the other is a sci-fi thriller. Campy was initially only in the first one, but now he's part of the second as well, although he appears unaware of it), and we can't yet determine his role.
Anyway, I appreciate how the character's sexuality is handled. He's in a relationship with a guy, and it's neither downplayed nor unrealistically depicted as the norm. Yes, some characters wonder at first, which is realistic in a heteronormative world, but ultimately, it's neither central to the plot nor his character. His friends and family treat him equally, and this mirrors my personal experience with homosexuality. While people might "assume" you're straight and react when they find out you aren't, those who truly know you won't change their attitude. That is, if you have true friends and family.
