Pixar has an incredible library of movies with some tremendous characters and stories being told. All of the movies are targetted towards a family audience and because of that, it is no surprise that the lead characters in every movie are made to be characters that everyone will love.
That is certainly the case throughout all of the films, but while each lead character is a good guy and someone that audiences can connect with, they certainly do vary when it comes to their likability. There are certain Pixar lead characters who are far more likable than others, and in this list, we shall take a look at which are the most likable, and which are not.
Lightning McQueen (Cars Franchise)
Lightning McQueen has certainly been a very popular character for Pixar, especially in terms of merchandise sales. However, out of all the lead characters in the Pixar universe, this car is actually the least likable and has a fair few moments where he's not particularly nice.
Lightning starts out incredibly arrogant, to the point where it is a little annoying and he has to learn some serious lessons in order to become more humble. He can also be quite snappy and his treatment of Mater isn't always the greatest, which is what makes him less likable than other characters.
Merida (Brave)
So far, Merida is Pixar's only princess character and she's not like any other stereotypical princess that has been produced in movies before. That's what makes her great though, she's unique and has a real zest for life with fun energy that makes her a joy on-screen.
However, Merida is only young and she makes plenty of mistakes that make her quite unlikeable throughout the film. She's not a good listener and consistently disobeys orders, with the treatment of her mother being very poor until she sees what she might lose.
Marlin (Finding Nemo)
Marlin might not be the title character of his film, but he is certainly the lead role as he is the one who undertakes the whole adventure. As with any Pixar hero, there are tons to love about Marlin who shows amazing bravery and courage as he does everything possible to find his son.
However, the whole reason Nemo disobeys him and gets captured by humans is because of how Marlin tries to control him, even if that comes from a scary experience. Marlin can be quite cruel with his words as well though, particularly with Dory, which is something that audiences didn't like to see from him.
Woody (Toy Story Franchise)
Woody is easily Pixar's most well-known lead character and someone who audiences absolutely love, but his likability is a real mixed bag. There are elements of Woody that are incredibly annoying, with his terrible jealousy and argumentative approach being bing ones.
However, he is still a very likable character which is mainly down to how loyal he is to Andy and the toys, all while being a fantastic leader and someone who is very brave, never giving up on any task, no matter what.
Sulley (Monsters Inc.)
When it comes to loyalty and friendship, Sulley is an excellent example of that as he does everything possible to be a great friend to those he cares about. While he can fall out with Mike and be a little grumpy, ultimately, he does everything possible to be there for him.
However, the real reason he's incredibly likable is the way he treats Boo. It's totally against the rules to have those interactions with a human, yet Sulley happily does it because he clearly sees that it is needed, which makes what he does even more admirable.
Mr. Incredible (The Incredibles)
When it comes to the first of the two superhero movies, Mr. Incredible is certainly the lead character. He is someone who doesn't give up on anything and wears his heart on his sleeve, trying to do everything to look after other people with his super strength.
While he sometimes over prioritizes the job, he quickly learns to become humble throughout the film, seeing that sometimes superstrength isn't the answer to everything. Being a family man just makes him very relatable, which is why he's so likable as well.
Remy (Ratatouille)
Only Pixar could turn a rodent that people are typically afraid of and don't like into a very loveable character. However, that is exactly what they did with Remy, who is a very likable character as he is someone who is just desperate to break out of the mold that rats normally are in.
Remy wants to work and put his skills to use to create amazing food for people, and that ability makes him very likable. He's judged heavily but does his best to break out of that, which is something that is very easy to connect with.
Ian Lightfoot (Onward)
Ian Lightfoot is the lead role in Pixar's newest movie, and in terms of sheer likability, he ranks up very well against other characters. Ian is someone who lacks in confidence and self-belief, but he makes up for that in heart and compassion.
All he wants is to spend one day with his father who died, and that emotional aspect is something that gives audiences a reason to connect with him from the start. The way he develops throughout the film, becoming more confident, even sacrificing meeting his father for his brother showcases exactly why he's one of the most likable characters in Pixar history.
WALL-E (WALL-E)
WALL-E might not be able to talk fluently like the other lead characters throughout Pixar's movies, but he is easily one of the most likable. Everything WALL-E does is to try and help others or cheer up other people, and the way he emotes through his physical approach really makes him loveable.
People just connect with WALL-E, which is a testament to the animation. His persistence and slight awkwardness make for a really funny combination and it's one that just creates a really nice, warm character, who really doesn't have any negatives.
Russell (Up)
Russel is easily the most likable character in the Pixar franchise because he is someone who just has an incredibly kind heart. While he certainly does pester people a little, that is mainly down to his never say die attitude, which is something audiences respect.
He sees the best in everyone and brings out a new lease of life in Carl, which is something that really showcases his quality as a person. He might only be very young, but he has a very mature head on his shoulders and he certainly is very likable.