Should Disney focus more on main characters that are kids/young?

[MrFanaticGuy34]

This seems to be a Disney topic that not many have mentioned this.....but I feel that Disney could have more main characters that are  younger.....you know, kid characters?

 

There has been some Disney animated films that had characters that are young. Humans only and under the age of 13. And they has to be remained the age in the entire movie....so characters like Tarzan, Tiana, Rapunzel..etc..,doesn't count.

 

Here is a list of characters:

 

Pinocchio (Pinocchio)

Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

Peter Pan & Wendy Darling (Peter Pan)

Mowgli (The Jungle Book)

Penny (The Rescuers)

Jenny (Oliver & Company)

Cody (The Rescuers: Down Under)

Lilo (Lilo & Stitch)

Penny (Bolt)

 

Aside from those characters.....there are rarely Disney movies that has kids as main characters. Most of the time it's always characters above the age of 13.....you know, Aladdin, Hercules, Pocahontas, Mulan...etc.

 

Not that there is wrong with those older characters.....in fact it's not. It's just that I would love to see Disney try to do more focus on younger Disney protagonists in newer Disney movies.

 

Comment down below on your thoughts of this idea.

Edited June 30, 2016 by MrFanaticGuy34

[cannastop]

I think it's totally pointless to try this. Besides, wasn't Hiro from Big Hero 6 young enough?

[CelestialFairyIX]

Disney probably chooses teenagers because they're the bulk of the world's population and your teenage years are the years where you're beginning to develop many of your traits and molding yourself into the adult you want to become.  It's actually a really interesting concept if you want to read about it.  They're the perfect, "guinea pigs" so to speak and Disney knows how to milk them. 

[Fancyarcher]

Eh, I'd prefer them to focus on writing good characters. In that case, age really shouldn't matter, though I wouldn't mind another Disney animated protagonist that's around 10 years old.

[Mojoguy]

Eh, I'd prefer them to focus on writing good characters. In that case, age really shouldn't matter, though I wouldn't mind another Disney animated protagonist that's around 10 years old.

10 year olds don't really go adventures, they are too busy being whiny brats and annoying their parents.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Mojoguy

[AniNate]

I swear we've already had a thread about this

 

But Gigantic is going to have kid characters so I guess that answers your question, and Vanellope pretty much fits that template

[Mojoguy]

Wasn't Arlo in TGD played by a child? His personality was a big criticism from some reviewers.

It all comes down to the fact that these days little kids don't want to see themselves on the big screen, they want to see cool teens or awesome adult characters.

Also teens might be less likely to go see a movie with a very young lead.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Mojoguy

[AniNate]

Nemo is a kid, though; he's not really the protagonist of either film but he's probably second only to Dory in recognition. When kids see clownfish at aquariums they call them "Nemo", not "Marlin"

 

It's a delicate balance making them appropriately naive or immature while at the same time keeping them relatable and sympathetic. But as a whole I don't think they're suffering from a lack of representation in Disney / Pixar films, if they ever really did

[Fancyarcher]

7 hours ago, Mojoguy said:

10 year olds don't really go adventures, they are too busy being whiny brats and annoying their parents.

It's fiction. It's not supposed to be 100% realistic or anything like that. Besides a well-written well developed character is good, kid or not.

[MrFanaticGuy34]

6 hours ago, Daniel Dylan Davis said:

It's fiction. It's not supposed to be 100% realistic or anything like that. Besides a well-written well developed character is good, kid or not.

 

I second this.

 

Also....about what others have mentioned, Yes....a kid protagonist can be a very good and memorable...as long as he/she is a character we can sympathize with and we can relate to.

 

6-10 year old boys can relate to Disney boy characters that are around that similar age. Same thing with girls....young girls can relate to Disney girl characters around that age.

 

It's like.......for example..(just an example)....if Disney ever made animated films about say....."Red Riding Hood" & "Hansel & Gretel", right?

 

And the main characters in each of those stories, are children. That would be easier for Disney to adapt as Disney Characters. Since if the characters in a Disney adapted fairytales, are chidren.....you know....young boys and girls can easily relate themselves to those characters. And it works even better if the Disney Kid characters are voiced by actual kid celebrities.

 

That's also another thing that makes a Disney character memorable. You can relate to characters that are the same age, easier.

[MrFanaticGuy34]

14 hours ago, Mojoguy said:

10 year olds don't really go adventures, they are too busy being whiny brats and annoying their parents.

 

Not if they are relatable and well/excellent written characters.....that kids can relate themselves to.

 

Not every Disney Human Kid characters at age 8-10 has to be written as bratty characters. 

[Boxx93]

I honestly dont think kids care if Disney protagonist are young or old, as long they are entertaining to them.

 

 

[Sal]

Animated films are trying to market to a wide audience.   Note that a lot of Disney series have younger protagonists (though the general age of kid protagonists on tv seems to be around 12, possibly because they're old enough for teens to still be able to relate to), but parents don't have to sit and watch a tv show with their kid... they do have to watch a movie with their kid if they go to see it in theaters, so even movies with younger protagonists still tend to have an older deuteragonist (ie Lilo and Stitch had Nani), or they simply go with an older character/ younger character dynamic, as in Up, Brother Bear, etc.