The medium of animation is far more controlled than live-action shooting. The characters created by the House of Mouse have to be perfect; instantly recognizable just from their mere silhouette. The Walt Disney Company has certainly excelled themselves countless times though with absolutely timeless creations.
Perhaps it's how the characters have been able to emote, or maybe it's how unique the actual look of the figures are, standing out in cinema history, whatever the case, these Disney designs have managed to stand the test of time. They may receive slight updates now and then, but ultimately they are among the best examples of animation in history.
Genie
The Genie in Aladdin became iconic because of the phenomenal voice work of Robin Williams, but the design of the character had to match the erratic energy of the actor. The performance was so incredible because of the visual gags that were able to accompany Williams' off-script musings.
Genie looks like a magical being of supreme power, but how the character can be transformed and manipulated plays into the humor of each sequence. The costuming is simple, yet those golden bands hold a vital place in the narrative itself. The whispy silhouette of the Genie, as if he is smoke rising from the lamp, is also significant.
Ariel
The Little Mermaid might just be one of the most successful fish-person films of all time. Based on folklore, it's easy to create a generic mermaid that essentially represents the mythology that audiences would have previously seen. But from the colors used on the clothing, to the bright red hair, Ariel has always stood out.
It's a timeless design that encapsulates what people think of when they think of mermaids. This Disneyfication of the mythology has essentially defined every variation of a mermaid since. It's hard to imagine a creature representing that same name but looking vastly different.
Mickey Mouse
It all started with a mouse. That's the usual tagline that Disney love to throw around and it is partially true. Although the initial design of Mickey was a little off from what audiences know and love today, once the company had landed on the traditional three circles, the sky was the limit.
Mickey Mouse has seen many cartoon incarnations since his debut and has been redesigned a handful of times. The DNA of the character is still the same though and the design is so timeless because of how it can evolve. It's the simplicity of Mickey and his friends that makes them so easy to identify.
Cinderella
Cinderella is arguably the princess movie where Disney landed the tone spot-on. While there were previous releases in the genre, Cinderella's story of going to the ball continues to remain a classic. Her transformation into her gown is a piece of cinema history.
Much like Mickey Mouse, Cinders has had a modernization as of late, but she still has the core characteristics of that initial design. That's because it works in every era, with a gracefulness to the character that reflects her kindness, and magic to the dress itself and those monumental glass slippers. Once again, can a version of Cinderella be imagined that doesn't reflect Disney's choices?
The Beast
Beauty And The Beast is a tale as old as time and the Beast himself thus had to stand the test of time. When conjuring up a beast there's plenty of imagery that Disney could pull from, some of which would have been run-of-the-mill. Instead, they took a slightly different approach.
Not quite based on one animal or mythological creature, the Beast is a perfect combination of elements that allow him to look both well... beastly, and quite kind. It's a difficult balance of emotions to conquer but the talented artists pulled it off, to make the love story possible.
Tinkerbell
Tinkerbell wasn't ever meant to be the star of the show. Peter and Wendy are the focal points of Peter Pan after all, but there was something about that pixie that Disney couldn't get away from. Her design was so perfect and timeless that it has made its way into the Disney logo.
Every Disney movie now begins with Tinkerbell flying across the castle and sprinkling a little bit of pixie dust. She has a whole franchise of films to herself, plenty of spin-offs, and will undoubtedly follow the same pattern in the live-action remake. The shape of the wings, the hairstyle, and the green dress all contribute to an unforgettable character.
Pinocchio
Again, creating a puppet seems like a challenge. How would anyone be able to craft a piece of wood that feels alive and isn't creepy? It's easy to stray into ventriloquist doll territory. Pinocchio defied expectations though, with and without his strings he had a cheeky personality just from the look of the character.
The growing nose defines the creation, with the component playing into the story itself. But his German-inspired costume, down to the huge blue bow, his tiny hat, and even Mickey Mouse gloves, all add up to a puppet that couldn't be mistaken for anything else, even all these years down the line.
Simba
Animals are tricky to fully realize. There needs to be an element of stylization to allow audiences to become comfortable with the looks of the creatures. Lions especially aren't easy to emote and indeed the live-action variation of The Lion King struggled in that regard.
However, Simba in particular always stands out in cinema history. With plenty of lion-based characters lined up, audiences would still be able to pick out Simba in an instance. It might be those big eyes and the shape of the animated character, but the emotion of Simba sells in every era.
Dumbo
Like Simba, Dumbo is another character that should have been difficult to fully realize. What makes an elephant stand out? Luckily for the Disney animators, there's a huge clue in the story that gave them the creative inspiration to enlarge the ears of the flying elephant.
It's a ridiculous look but that's the point. The elephant is timelessly adorable and those big ears have defined Dumbo in every iteration, from this animated debut to his live-action introduction. It's hard to know what an adult Dumbo would look like because this image is now so entrenched.
Mulan
Mulan was a completely different kind of princess from what audiences were used to, before the release of the film. She certainly wasn't a passive lead, but instead an active warrior, taking the place of her father and proving to all of China that she had what it takes.
Mulan boasts several looks throughout the movie, each of which is hugely influenced by her culture. All of these costumes reflect the character though and the different aspects of her personality. It's rare for a cartoon character to have multiple costume changes and yet be iconic in all of them; whether it's ceremonial garb or as part of the army.