It’s time to pick a movie for girls night. You and your gal-pals are scrolling through Disney+ and come across a movie. It’s subversive and tackles prejudice and stereotypes. It incorporates humor into its mysterious, crime-solving plotline. But best of all, the production crew designed attractive main characters. It’s Zootopia.
    Whether it’s an energetic teenage lion named Simba, an egotistical racing car called Lightning McQueen, or the charismatic fox Nick Wilde, there is undeniably an odd interest and attraction to non-human characters in the fictional universe. From animals to inanimate objects, the boundaries of attraction continue to be pushed further and further.
    This phenomenon is not new; since the 70’s, girls have been fanning over foxy characters. Disney’s Robin Hood from 1973 is argued to spotlight the original Nick Wilde: the heroic and oddly attractive fox, Robin Hood. Wilde is simply the new generation’s Hood.
    One Twitter user (@P03YUN0), in reference to Hood, tweeted, “Okay but [to be honest] he walked so that Nick Wilde could run,” a phrase commonly quoted to argue the walker’s actions were necessary for the runner’s influence.
    In the past 50 years, this attraction has become normalized to the point where the attraction to animated non-human characters is only deemed as strange, not abnormal. 

     It seems very abnormal, strange, and unusual for humans to be so fascinated with these animated characters, but at the very same time, there is a logical explanation.
    Since these animals and inanimate objects are cartoon characters, they can be written and drawn to possess every quality that a human is capable of. Every action and move they make is calculated and purposeful.
    One user (@COYOTE94) even wrote, “they’re MADE to look attractive.”

     Additionally, these personified characters have voice actors and animators to mimic human mannerism. 

     The voice actor of Hood was an Englishman who spoke with a heavy British accent which melted the hearts of many girls in the 70’s. 

    But it wasn’t just Hood’s voice that people adored. It was his actions, character development, and valor as well. They loved his acts of generosity and sense of justice. Ultimately, it was his charitable personality mixed with his British accent that made him a perfect hero to fawn over.
    The situation with Nick Wilde is similar. 

     One user (@shotasdarling) mentioned Wilde’s “sexy voice” which could be attributed to Wilde’s voice actor who used a suave tone that enhanced Wilde’s laid-back character. He walked and talked with confidence and charisma.

     Through the plot of the movie, Wilde’s character is revealed. His vulnerability is uncovered and his shortcomings are realized. He becomes very real to the viewers in a way that human characters are.
    So, though they are technically non-human, they possess human qualities like timed facial expressions and specific mannerisms. These qualities are the basis of attraction, so the fact that they are furry friends or modes of transportation becomes unimportant.