🦝 On Animal Sidekicks in Modern Animation
There was a time when animal sidekicks weren’t just “cute.”
They were characters.
Sebastian had a moral compass.
Abu had emotional stakes.
Maximus was a scene-stealer with a code of honor—and the timing of a Buster Keaton short.
But in many recent animated films, it feels like someone in the room said:
“Main character needs an animal. Pick… a bird? A goat? Make it fluffy. Doesn’t matter. Next.”
And that’s the problem.
These sidekicks used to function.
They delivered comedy.
They challenged the protagonist.
They revealed emotion.
They moved the plot.
Now they often just… exist. On the poster. In the scene. In the toy aisle.
When you treat the animal sidekick as a narrative placeholder instead of a narrative tool, you lose an incredible opportunity for humor, heart, and memorability.
So here’s a gentle plea to our industry:
Don’t add the animal because the formula says so.
Write them like they matter.
Because the best ones always did.
In my own scripts, I make sure the animal companions have personality, purpose—and in many cases, even arcs of their own.
Because side characters don’t just support the story.
They are the story—when done right.
There was a time when animal sidekicks weren’t just “cute.”
They were characters.
Sebastian had a moral compass.
Abu had emotional stakes.
Maximus was a scene-stealer with a code of honor—and the timing of a Buster Keaton short.
But in many recent animated films, it feels like someone in the room said:
“Main character needs an animal. Pick… a bird? A goat? Make it fluffy. Doesn’t matter. Next.”
And that’s the problem.
These sidekicks used to function.
They delivered comedy.
They challenged the protagonist.
They revealed emotion.
They moved the plot.
Now they often just… exist. On the poster. In the scene. In the toy aisle.
When you treat the animal sidekick as a narrative placeholder instead of a narrative tool, you lose an incredible opportunity for humor, heart, and memorability.
So here’s a gentle plea to our industry:
Don’t add the animal because the formula says so.
Write them like they matter.
Because the best ones always did.
In my own scripts, I make sure the animal companions have personality, purpose—and in many cases, even arcs of their own.
Because side characters don’t just support the story.
They are the story—when done right.
