Pixar films have always touched the hearts of both children and adults alike with their engaging stories that provide an emotional resonance with their soulful lessons. With 22 films in their filmography, Pixar has shown their capacity to tug at any heartstring, tickle any funny bone and provoke anyone's thoughts for a gratifying experience.
This can be attributed to how much Pixar's characters resonate with their audience, whether these characters are young or old. For the latter, it is impressive that Pixar is consistently able to make adult or older characters that resonate with all of their fan base. Here are the top 10 Pixar adult protagonists that prove just that.
Dory (Finding Nemo & Dory)
Dory is a blue tang who tags along with Marlin the clownfish to track down his son who was caught by divers. Her famous quirk is having short-term memory loss which hinders Marlin from getting directions but helps them find other creatures that can help track Nemo.
A character like Dory could be deemed annoying, but thanks to the impeccable vocal performance of Ellen DeGeneres, Dory is a lovable tag-along and anything but a dead weight. And it makes her coping song, “Just Keep Swimming” and whale song more memorable than ever.
Remy (Ratatouille)
Remy is a grown-up rat with a blessed gift of smell and a peculiar ability to craft dishes on a whim. Thanks to this uniqueness, he and human, Linguini, team up to bring Remy’s talents to fruition.
Portrayed by Patton Oswalt, Remy is a living example of irony, in that he's a kitchen pest who wants to be a chef. With a dream this lofty, his journey becomes fulfilling in the end, despite its unexpected direction. As a son of the leader of his clan, Remy is nonconformist yet trustworthy. As a friend to Linguini, he is little yet big-hearted.
Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc.)
The loyal best friend to Sully, Mike Wazowski is a one-eyed monster, employed at energy provider Monsters Inc. as a scarer assistant. He is enthusiastic, humorous and wily -- though he tends to be erratic, hasty and mordant when Boo steps into the monster world.
Yet, Mike has an optimistic spirit, ever since he met Sully in college. And when he has to assist his buddy in returning Boo back home, he realizes how much their bond matters. Having the voice of Billy Crystal allows Mike to deliver catchy lines and memorable moments, such as the “Put That Thing Back” bit.
Joy (Inside Out)
Joy is labeled as the most vital emotion of a girl named Riley. She is assigned to lead her other core emotions – Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sadness – as she copes with moving from small-town Minnesota to dense San Francisco. In a sudden incident during Riley’s first day of school, Joy has to reluctantly team up with Sadness and return to Headquarters to recalibrate Riley’s emotions.
As a character whose mission is to keep making Riley happy, Joy may be deemed as overly chipper. But thanks to her arc and Amy Poehler’s performance, she is an endearing mother hen.
Elastigirl (The Incredibles)
Speaking of mothers, Helen Parr (aka Elastigirl) showed in the two Incredibles movies that she can rightfully balance impeccable heroics with her duties at home. In the first Incredibles, she shows love and care for her children, especially as she discovers Bob’s hidden exploits. And for extra measure, Helen gives crucial advice to her children when confronting danger.
In the second Incredibles, while she had her moments as a superhero mom, her heroics are gracefully exemplified by her aim to avoid collateral damage while still showing cool action. Do not underestimate her will, especially if a threat is upon her family.
Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story movies)
The iconic spaceman of the Pixar canon, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is a Star Command Space Ranger action figure, sworn to protect the galaxy from the evil Emperor Zurg. In the first Toy Story, he was brought as a birthday present for Andy, who fully believes in his Space Ranger identity.
When Woody helps him realize his existence, Buzz remains loyal to Andy up until he and the other toys were passed on to Bonnie for Toy Story 3 and 4. Just a cool character in his own right, Buzz Lightyear is genuinely iconic -- to infinity and beyond!
Sully (Monsters Inc.)
James “Sully” P. Sullivan is Monsters Inc.’s top scarer from a famous family of scarers. His perfect life was turned upside down when a little girl, whom they named Boo, escapes from her home and into the monster world. Being a witness to her escape, he and his best friend Mike have to keep her out of the Child Detection Agency and bring her back home.
This pushes Sully to become a surrogate father figure to Boo, who never stops wandering and causing trouble. And it is genuinely adorable to see such a gentle blue giant become Boo’s “kitty.”
Carl Fredricksen (Up)
Carl Fredricksen started out as a shy boy with an adoration for explorer Charles Muntz. He found a friend in Ellie, the polar opposite of Carl and his eventual significant other. But when she passes away, he lives alone as a recluse. Until a young Wilderness Explorer lands on his porch and the senior embarks on an unforgettable journey to South America.
It takes time to get into an old man as a lead. But Carl’s arc is emotionally heart-wrenching, not only for its famous first 10 minutes, but for the rest of his journey with Russell, Dug and Kevin.
Marlin (Finding Nemo & Dory)
It is not easy for a loving father to stay calm and secure after he witnesses the death of his mate and their offspring. That is what drives Marlin the clownfish to be a completely caring but controlling father to Nemo. When Nemo is in peril, Marlin gives his full effort to find his son.
Marlin’s fatherly leanings are strong and this is what pushes him to leave his anemone shelter to locate Nemo in Sydney. His devotion truly makes him Pixar’s most loving father.
Woody (Toy Story movies)
However, it is Woody that stands out as not only Pixar’s most recognizable character but also as a genuine friend and father figure. For four movies straight, his primary mission is to provide joy to his owners, whether it's Andy or Bonnie. Being under the ownership of Andy, Woody takes it upon himself to keep the toys in line and still be relevant. Under the ownership of Bonnie, he never strays away from his duty, but takes a different path to bring happiness to a child.
With the Toy Story movies mostly centered on Woody, his arcs bring up the underlying Toy Story themes of growing up and moving on. And buoyed by Tom Hanks’ vocal performance, Woody is Pixar’s best adult character.