The 20 most iconic animated movie sidekicks

When it comes to animated sidekicks, there is none more iconic than Donkey from Shrek. The titular ogre’s talkative and somewhat annoying companion is at first a nuisance to him, but ends up becoming his most trusted ally. The success of Donkey’s character is largely thanks to Eddie Murphy’s masterfully comedic vocal performance. As a result, Donkey’s energy is unmatched and is responsible for some of the film’s most quotable and laugh-out-loud moments. 

Mushu from Mulan is another animated sidekick that we can thank Eddie Murphy for. When Mulan disguises herself as a man to join the army and take her father’s place, Mushu tags along to protect her and prove himself to the ancestors after being demoted. As Mulan’s spiritual guardian, Mushu is always in her ear and helps her along her journey. He is wise-cracking and although he may be small, he sure is mighty and a whole lot of fun.

There are a number of memorable sidekicks in the animated Disney pantheon, but the Genie from Aladdin has to take the top spot. When Aladdin rubs the magic lamp, the Genie emerges after thousands of years trapped inside and ready to serve his new master. Genie can shapeshift and grant three magic wishes, but what makes this particular character so iconic is the performance from Robin Williams, who manages to truly embody the character with only his vocals. 

The Ice Age franchise is one of the most successful in animated movie history, with a new installment set for release in 2027. One of the main reasons these films are such a delight is Sid the Sloth, brilliantly voiced by John Leguizamo over five films. Sid may not be the most intelligent creature, but he is loyal to a fault. A lot of Ice Age’s humor comes from Sid’s goofiness and his chatty nature, compared to the serious and brooding Manny. 

It is not an overstatement to say that the Minions from Despicable Me have become a worldwide phenomenon. These yellow, occasionally one-eyed and overall-wearing creatures serve as super villain turned super dad Gru’s loyal crew. With their own unique and gibberish language, the Minions quickly became fan favorites and now even have three movies of their own. The Minions have become a modern pop culture staple and are even more popular than the film they originated from.

Who is Peter Pan without his pixie friend Tinker Bell? In the animated Disney film, Tinker Bell doesn’t speak, yet she has plenty of fierceness and personality. As Peter’s most loyal companion, Tinker Bell does anything to protect him, which can sometimes make her a little fiery and jealous. She’s become one of the most popular fairy characters in cinema history, and even got her own animated 3D film series in the late 2000s.

Studio Ghibli has created so many wonderful animated classics and cute characters, but the most iconic has to be Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro. Sisters Satsuki and Mei befriend this forest sprite when they move to the country to be closer to their sick mother. He may be large in size, but Totoro is as sweet and fluffy as you can get, and takes Satsuki and Mei on lots of adventures. As a result, Totoro has become a famous figure in pop culture. 

Ariel from The Little Mermaid has a number of sidekicks, like Flounder the fish and Scuttle the seagull. However, the most memorable one is definitely Sebastian the crab. As King Triton's royal advisor, Sebastian constantly monitors Ariel’s whereabouts, which is difficult because of her independent, curious nature. As a result, he is quite a stressed crab, but still has time for a banger musical number like ‘Under the Sea’. Sebastian is a multi-talented crustacean.

The movie may be called Finding Nemo, but Dory is really the standout character. As Marlin searches for his missing son Nemo, he is accompanied by the forgetful but loyal Dory on his journey. Dory suffers from short-term memory loss, but has a heart of gold and will do anything for those she loves. Her catchphrase “just keep swimming” has become an inspirational quote, and she is famously voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. 

SpongeBob SquarePants is one of the most beloved animated characters in TV history, and he made the leap from TV to film in 2004’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Along with him came his best friend, the dim-witted but lovable Patrick Star. In the film, SpongeBob and Patrick go on a journey to find King Neptune’s Crown and save Mr. Krabs. Patrick is by his yellow buddy’s side throughout all of their perils, proving to be the ultimate Goofy Goober. 

Hei Hei is the clueless and chaotic rooster from Moana. He accidentally boards Moana’s ship as she sets sail to find the heart of Te Fiti and save her island, and is brought along on her journey with Maui. Often getting himself into trouble due to his lack of intelligence, such as walking straight into the ocean, Hei Hei nearly kills himself multiple times. It is a miracle he survives the movie, but something about Hei Hei’s ignorance makes him endearing. 

Surf’s Up is a hilarious animated comedy that uses a mockumentary format to take a behind-the-scenes look at the Penguin World Surfing Championship. The narrative follows participant Cody Maverick, who befriends fellow surfer Chicken Joe. Voiced by Napoleon Dynamite’s Jon Heder, Joe is a cool and laid-back guy who is definitely based on your typical surfer (and stoner) dude. His zen attitude is something we could all use more of. 

Coraline is a wonderfully magical and spooky film about a young girl who finds a door in her house that leads her to a better version of her boring life. However, something sinister lies behind the facade. One prominent character in Coraline is simply named The Cat, a mysterious black feline who can travel between both worlds and disappear as he pleases. With his secret intel, he helps Coraline outsmart the evil Beldam and almost acts as her guardian angel. 

Up is simultaneously one of Pixar’s most emotional and hilarious movies, with a lot of the humor coming from the character of Russell. This Junior Wilderness Explorer tries to assist grumpy old Carl in order to earn a badge, but accidentally ends up on the porch of his floating house as it journeys to Paradise Falls. Russell is overly hyperactive and talkative in opposition to Carl, but his optimism and determination end up being integral to both their arcs. 

How to Train Your Dragon is one of the most popular franchises from DreamWorks, largely thanks to the heartwarming friendship between Hiccup and Toothless. In a world where dragons are feared and hunted, Hiccup befriends Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, and tries to convince others that everything they know about dragons is wrong. With his dark, leathery skin and big green eyes, Toothless is the cutest dragon to ever exist. 

In Wreck-It Ralph, the titular Ralph is tired of being the bad guy in his arcade game, so he embarks on a journey to become a hero. When he enters the racing game Sugar Rush, he meets Vanellope von Schweetz, a glitch who isn’t supposed to even be in the game. She wants more than anything to be allowed to race, and will stop at nothing to get herself a car and on the track. Eventually, being a glitch becomes Vanellope’s superpower and something she uses to her advantage. 

The Lego Movie follows Emmett, an ordinary construction worker who is prophesied to be ‘The Special’ and save the world from the evil President Business. However, he wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Wyldstyle (eventually revealed to be named Lucy), voiced by Elizabeth Banks. She’s a master builder and code-breaker who guides the naive Emmett along his mission and helps him become a hero. She also has super cool streaked hair and is dating Batman.

In a world of cute movie robots, Baymax from Big Hero 6 will melt your heart. He is a big, inflatable healthcare robot created by Tadashi Hamada. When Tadashi passes away, Baymax bonds with his brother Hiro. What starts out as simply following his programming and taking care of Hiro turns into a fully fledged friendship. Baymax’s visual design is simple yet distinctive, and he becomes a key member of the titular superhero group. 

Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King come as a sealed package, cementing themselves as one of cinema’s best duos. Timon, a meerkat, and Pumbaa, a warthog, rescue an orphaned Simba and raise him into adulthood. They teach him the ways of their life motto, ‘Hakuna Matata’, which, of course, means no worries. Used to living the good life and eating bugs all day long, Timon and Pumbaa are put to the test and become Simba’s most trusted allies. 

Frozen was a massive success and has perhaps become Disney’s biggest animated movie ever. Everybody became obsessed with Elsa, her ice powers, and the song ‘Let It Go’, but Olaf the snowman is really one of the main reasons it did so well. Built and brought to life by Elsa, Olaf is full of heart and optimism, and has a strangely twisted obsession with warmth and summer. He, of course, doesn’t know that the sun can turn him into a puddle.