Anthropomrphic Character Design in animation and Sequential Art:
The Symbolic use of the animal to portray personality
by
Tim Jardim
Anthropomorphism - The attribution of human form or other human characteristics to any nonhuman object."
1) Emotional Appeal
2) Realm of Fantasy
3) Proximity to Human
4) History
5) Symbolism
6) Gender
"What purpose does the animal play in telling stories? Why do viewers appear to form a connection with animal characters that can be as Strong or stronger than the bond with a human cast? what can the choice of animal in a story tell you about that character.?"
2)Realm of Fantasy
anthropomorphic characters place narrative into the realm of fantasy (pg 6)
Burke - "When political, religious, social, or personal risks are high, when we are standing close to the metaphoric fire, the use of animals has long provided intellectual and psychological distance and allowed us to critically explore that which we would not be comfortable exploring directly.
3)Human?
two categories of bipedal, clothes wearing, tool wielding animals.
1) animals existing in a human world - alongside humans who see animals this way as a normal occurrence - Beatrix Potter
2) Human are non-existent and have been replaced with animals. Animals are still mostly animal. Most physical features remain unchanged except for adaptions to use human implements such as opposable thumbs and dexterous hands. - robin hood , kung-fu panda
3) Animals are more Human than animal. Bodies identical to our own with animal features tacked on. Basically just an animal head on a humans shoulders w/ a few other props such as tails or wings.
4) Humans, but with animal traits mixed in either in appearance or in behavior. (pg 4)
Watership Down
Beatrix Potter
Aesop's Fables
When is a Cartoon Character Naked?
"When is a cartoon character naked? It may be argued that all cartoon creatures are naked if they have no costume, but this Is clearly undermined by the example .. in which bodily fur is treated as an outer garment... (pg33)
3)Gender
P. Wells (understanding animation) quotes Delguadio: "Anthropomorphic characters are a step removed from human characters and require a certain degree of imitation or impersonation of human traits in order to succeed. ... The major difference in [Gender] is seen in the degree and type of abstraction: whereas the male characters are abstracted to actions and 'masculine' traits (for example, cunning, aggressiveness), the female characters are abstracted and reduced to physiological characteristics and 'recognisable' feminine traits (for example, shrewishness, passivity) (pg 11)
Male - defined by behavior
Female - defined by appearance and vocabulary
Male - "Generic". Gender neutral or androgynous animal characters are usually assumed to be male
Female - must be viewed as "special" - out of the ordinary. Distinctly feminine.
Discuss Minnie and Mickey mouse, Robin Hood and Maid Marian
4)History
Spiritual protectors
Egyptian Gods
Virtues - Aesops fables
guardian spirits - totems
animal symbols
Sacred animals
5) Symbolism
Robin hood - non human silhouettes. Most animals seem to exist as one of their kind, unless a family or couple is depicted - It is easy for a viewer to determine that these two characters "belong" together since they are of the same species. Maid Marian - made more feminine through the use of mannerisms, features and props.
Fox - cunning and sly
Bear - " a creature of contrasts" - enormous strength, but thrives on fruit and honey. - gentle giant, compassionate, friendly
Prince John - Lion, king of the jungle. no full mane = inability to be a fit ruler
King Richard - true king
Sheriff of Nottingham - wolf - minion, enemy, menacing animal.
Peasantry - badgers, mice, farmyard country animals
Soldiers - foreign or predators to village animals (pg 28)
