Character redesigns can be a minefield of fan expectations and artistic choices. We're diving into the most controversial visual updates that left fans scratching their heads and raging online. From beloved animated characters to iconic video game heroes, these redesigns sparked some serious internet debates!
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00:00Yeah, Dale, I'm gonna be up on that stage too, right beside you.
00:04Yes, Ugly Sonic, that's the spirit.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at animated characters in film and television
00:11who received controversial redesigns.
00:13We're keeping things current with 2016 being the cutoff.
00:16Okay, here's my leader type plan thingy.
00:19Number 10.
00:20Donkey Kong.
00:21The Super Mario Brothers movie.
00:23Virtually every major character in this video game adaptation had their models at least slightly tweaked.
00:28This wasn't unwelcome as it helped distinguish the movie from the games.
00:31Is this what you came for?
00:35The one design that raised eyebrows though was Donkey Kong.
00:38Ever since Kevin Bayliss redesigned the ape for 1994's Donkey Kong Country,
00:43the character had been defined by his badass sunken eyes.
00:46The movie's goofier look felt closer to Shigeru Miyamoto's original design,
00:51which intended to make the character appear dumb.
00:53Had enough?
00:55Not even close.
00:58While some saw this as a step backward,
01:00it's not like they were changing Donkey Kong in the games.
01:03That was until the ninth Mario Kart was teased.
01:06Footage included a DK that looked more like his movie counterpart, except even sillier.
01:11Number 9.
01:12Barney.
01:13Barney's World.
01:14From the beginning, people either loved or hated Barney,
01:18despite his claims that we're a happy family.
01:25Whichever camp you fall into,
01:27we're used to seeing the purple dinosaur in live action.
01:30When an animated relaunch was announced, nobody knew what to expect,
01:34but Barney's updated look threw many for a loop.
01:42Those who grew up loving Barney were turned off by his wider eyes,
01:46lighter purple look and thinner physique, as if he'd undergone plastic surgery.
01:50He could have used some dental work as well,
01:52with a chipped tooth that gives us Dumb and Dumber vibes.
01:55To those who never liked Barney,
01:57Mattel made the dinosaur even creepier than before.
02:04Even Demi Lovato, who played Angela on Barney and Friends, commented,
02:07quote,
02:08Aw man, I hate change.
02:16Number 8.
02:17Tiana.
02:18Ralph Breaks the Internet.
02:19Vanellope meets her fellow Disney princesses in the Wreck-It-Ralph sequel.
02:23Although many praised this encounter as the best scene in the movie,
02:42it also contained one of the most controversial elements.
02:45In the first trailer and early promotional images,
02:48some argued that Tiana, Disney's first African-American princess,
02:51had a smaller nose and lighter skin tone.
02:56The civil rights group Color of Change was especially critical,
03:00launching a petition reading, quote,
03:02Hashtag don't whitewash Tiana.
03:04There were also concerns that Pocahontas was being whitewashed.
03:07To better match their original hand-drawn counterparts,
03:10both characters had their CG designs altered before the movie's release.
03:13In Tiana's case, Disney consulted voice actress Anika Noni Rose
03:17and Color of Change to ensure the updated design
03:20stayed true to the character's background.
03:25Number 7.
03:26Everyone.
03:27Ben 10.
03:28Few Cartoon Network properties have a more dedicated following than Ben 10.
03:32While the franchise has gone through peaks and valleys,
03:34most agree that the 2016 reboot is the lowest point.
03:40The reboot was condemned for its more lighthearted tone,
03:43dumbed down characters and generic designs.
03:46In the latter case, it felt like the showrunner sucked out
03:49all of the detail and anime influence that made the original show special.
04:08There's a common criticism that a lot of modern animated shows look too similar,
04:12with characters possessing big heads,
04:14bean-shaped eyes,
04:15and simple line work that doesn't leave much room for expression or experimentation.
04:22The Ben 10 reboot certainly fits that mold.
04:25If only Ben could have used the Omnitrix to change back into his former self.
04:36Since her debut in the original Space Jam,
04:38Lola has proven divisive,
04:40with critics questioning why Warner Bros. saw the need to sexualize a bunny.
04:55Of course, that's also why the character gained a cult following.
04:58Although Lola has appeared sporadically since 1996,
05:02she was poised to play a bigger role in Space Jam's legacy sequel.
05:05The film's director, Malcolm D. Lee,
05:07felt the original Lola wasn't, quote,
05:09politically correct,
05:10unable to fathom why a character in a, quote,
05:13kids movie was wearing a crop top.
05:20Along with a more conservative wardrobe,
05:22Lola underwent a makeover,
05:24which we can only assume included reduction surgery.
05:29While some understood where Lee was coming from,
05:32others felt their beloved bunny had been downgraded,
05:34in more ways than one.
05:37Woo!
05:42Honestly, we could have populated this whole list
05:44with CGI redesigns from Disney's photorealistic remakes.
05:52If we did, though,
05:53we'd essentially be saying the same thing over and over again.
05:56Making a character look more realistic doesn't give them more personality.
06:00If anything, realism usually makes the character less expressive,
06:03and thus less believable.
06:05We can't think of a better example than Flounder in the Little Mermaid remake.
06:10We all remember Ariel's adorable little fish friend
06:13with his pinchable round cheeks.
06:14The remake made Flounder look like,
06:16well, an actual Flounder,
06:17which are much flatter and less emotive,
06:20and come with fewer merchandising opportunities.
06:29The redesign may fit the remake's live-action aesthetic,
06:32but Disney originally brought this story to life
06:34through hand-drawn animation for a reason.
06:45When Roger Ebert reviewed the 2000 film
06:47Thomas and the Magic Railroad,
06:49he took issue with the fact that the train's mouths didn't move.
06:52Oh, Thomas, I've been worried about you.
06:55Bertie says you lost a coal truck today.
06:57Yes, it disappeared when I was at the buffers,
07:00near the little grotto.
07:01Longtime Thomas and Friends fans couldn't have disagreed with Ebert more.
07:05It might have appeared cheap to some,
07:07but for lifelong viewers,
07:09the lack of lip movements made the visual style one of a kind.
07:12Diehards were not pleased
07:14as the series started moving away from this tradition
07:16when Thomas switched to CG.
07:18Suddenly, Thomas felt very worried.
07:21That was nothing compared to All Engines Go.
07:23Not only did the train still have lip movements,
07:26but the 2D animation couldn't have been more bland.
07:35Weirdly enough, this reboot's designs were too expressive,
07:39and yet still lacking in anything unique.
07:41That is how a beloved franchise goes off the rails.
07:52With Puss in Boots The Last Wish breathing new life into the franchise,
07:55we knew Shrek 5 was coming.
08:09Although The Last Wish revised a few character designs
08:11that didn't prepare people for the Shrek 5 teaser,
08:14the green ogre is disturbed by the rise of sexy Shrek memes.
08:22Ironically, this mirrors how many reacted to the characters' redesigns.
08:26Whereas the original films had a grounded aesthetic,
08:28the characters now appear cartoonier.
08:30Social media had a bone to pick with the rounder eyes
08:33and bouncier facial expressions,
08:34not to mention Shrek's bushy eyebrows.
08:40Defenders argue that critics have been too quick to judge,
08:43which may be true.
08:45When even Sonic's social media is poking fun at you though,
08:48maybe go back to the drawing board.
08:51The whole cast.
08:53Thundercats Roar.
08:54Following the initial series' end in the late 80s,
08:57Thundercats received a short-lived yet fondly remembered revival in 2011.
09:10After nearly another decade,
09:11fans were excited to hear the Thundercats were making a comeback.
09:14That enthusiasm immediately depleted
09:17when they saw the artwork for Thundercats Roar.
09:21Whereas the previous versions embraced Japanese animation,
09:29this reboot took the iconic characters in a new direction.
09:32Lion-O and company were unrecognizable with smaller bodies,
09:36giant pupils,
09:37and an all-around lazier aesthetic that felt closer to Teen Titans Go.
09:40The redesigns mirrored the reboot's tonal shift,
09:43which was jokier and clearly not for loyal fans.
09:46It wasn't just painful to look at,
09:52naturally sparking an uproar.
09:54Thankfully, cats have nine lives,
09:56and this one was relatively short,
09:58only lasting a season.
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10:26We have to give the Sonic filmmakers credit.
10:28It's not uncommon for a studio to make changes
10:30when a trailer is poorly received.
10:32However, to completely redesign the main character
10:35and even push back the release date was virtually unheard of.
10:46Yet director Jeff Fowler heard the fans,
10:49with the final version getting the video game icon right.
10:52That said, would it have been that hard to just give us this from the get-go?
10:55Who thought it would be a good idea to give Sonic those eyes,
10:58that body, and teeth that still haunt our nightmares?
11:03We guess we can't be too mad since fans eventually got a faithful design,
11:07and ugly Sonic has brought us countless hilarious memes.
11:10But seriously, what were they thinking?
11:16Look at my human teeth and burn the place down!
11:19Which redesign would you like to give an overhaul?
11:21Let us know in the comments.
11:22My face is fine.
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