Top 10 CGI Versions of Characters Who Are Still Just As Cute

Just because you’re a colossal fighting robot from outer space doesn’t mean you can’t also have a heart of gold. Of all the Autobots, Bumblebee displays arguably the greatest sense of nurturing compassion and tenderness towards the human companions that he meets in his adventures. His childlike mannerisms and often shy personality are enough to make you forget that he can totally kick butt when he has to. Serving as a dependable shoulder to lean on through tough times, and just being an all-around best bud to both Sam Witwicky and Charlie Watson, this yellow Transformer might be a robot in disguise, but there’s no hiding that big heart of his. Even in 3D, this big hunk of metal is freaking adorable!

For this modern reimagining of the Disney animated 2D classic, the visual effects team performed some truly insane technical wizardry to bring Baloo to life with absolutely stunning results. Essentially a Himalayan brown bear animated down to every last intricate detail, Baloo felt like he was a living, breathing animal - even when shown side by side with side with Mowgli. Admittedly, we’re kinda jealous of the kid! Seriously, having Baloo next to you is like having your own personal overgrown teddy to squeeze. Considering how fuzzy and cozy Baloo looks in the movie, it’s really hard to find fault with this endearing 3D translation.

Automatic points to Mr. Peabody for being a dog - because dogs tend to automatically be cute and awesome regardless of animation type. But Peabody brings even more to the table here. An anthropomorphic pup and an astounding scientific genius, he can often be found chatting up the room with grandiose explanations of brain-bending time travel mumbo jumbo. Now, it almost goes without saying, but how gosh darn cute is it to watch a dog break down the logic of the universe? As his adoptive son, Sherman also has Peabody as his personal tutor; mind telling us where we can sign up for lessons from this positively adorable doggo?

From one pooch to another, Max is the Grinch’s trusty sidekick through thick and thin and we entirely adore him for his consistent A+ effort - even if it means his partaking in some rather unsavory plots. Max is the epitome of a loyal canine, following his green master as he subjects the unsuspecting Whos in Whoville to all manner of the dastardly deeds. The real kicker? The fact that he does it with all with such a jovial, positive energy. Max simply wants to keep the Grinch happy, because no matter how mean the creature may be, he loves him unconditionally, just as any good dog would. Though we love Max’s original 2D design, the animators at Illumination truly outdid themselves.

This list has really gone to the dogs, hasn’t it? Charlie Brown’s iconic canine companion brought all his trademark joy and charming shenanigans with him when he jumped to the third dimension. Since his first appearance, Snoopy has exhibited an uncanny ability to elicit smiles from fans around the world with his goofy expressions and hilarious laugh. When you add in that this film incorporated a romance subplot for Snoopy, where he desperately tries to gain the attention of his doggy crush, we can’t help but find ourselves falling head over paws at just how delightful he can be.

Arguably the most recognizable of all the pocket monsters in Nintendo’s gargantuan video game franchise, it should come as no shock (pun intended) that Pikachu remains just as snuggly as ever in this feature film known as “Detective Pikachu”. With the marvel of modern computer animation, Pikachu’s furry coat and infectious smile pop off the screen and make us wish we had real Poké Balls so we could bring him home with us. His pointy ears, bouncy movements and big sparkling eyes are just irresistible; also, having Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Reynolds provide Pikachu’s voice doesn’t hurt. The cuteness factor just jumped off the freaking charts!

It’s been over 75 years since he made his 2D animated debut, and we still can’t get enough of those adorable ears. And to think, now we get to appreciate them in photorealistic 3D animation! Of course, there is much more to this friendly baby elephant than his plus sized hearing appendages - and a lot of that is attributed to his incredibly meek but determined personality. Throughout all of his struggles and triumphs, highs and lows, losses and victories, Dumbo’s complete innocence - coupled with bursts of bravery- make him irresistibly cute. He’s the sort of character you can’t help but cheer for while also wanting to give him a snuggle.

Not one, not two, not even three; for the follow-up to ‘Wreck-It Ralph’, Disney decided to digitally update an entire roster of princesses. And what a treat it was! Ranging from classics like Cinderella and Belle to more modern princesses such as Pocahontas and Ariel, each leading lady was given a revamp to give them a whole new look. There were some initial missteps with Tiana’s makeover (a situation that was thankfully rectified), but in the end these female symbols of beauty and prowess all came out stunning. These iconic women can clearly pull off any look, be it 2D or 3D.

With his outstanding sense of manners but natural clumsiness, Paddington bear is a devilishly likeable little bear with a pension for getting into sticky situations (and we’re not just talking about marmalade). Sporting a distinctly colorful outfit, naïve playfulness and insatiable sweet tooth, this little bear desires nothing more than to be loved and have a place in the world; and if he came our way… we’d be more than welcoming with plenty of hugs. As unquestionably cute as Paddington has always been, the CGI makeover brought his cuddle appeal to unprecedented heights.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are few honorable mentions…

Rocky & Bullwinkle
“The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle” (2000)

SpongeBob SquarePants
“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” (2015)

Chip
“Beauty and the Beast” (2017)

Snowy
“The Adventures of Tintin” (2011)

Boo-Boo Bear
“Yogi Bear” (2010)

Our hearts utterly melted when we got to see all of our favorite friends from the Hundred Acre wood come to life in this live action update of the timeless Disney classic. Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet inspire feelings of warmth and fuzziness wherever they go, (xref) but there is something extra special about Winnie the Pooh himself. Perhaps it’s the mixture of simple wisdom and cluelessness. Or it could even be the habit of making a mess yet knowing exactly how to fix a problem. Whatever it is, Pooh is made of pure, wholesome goodness and nothing, not even a complete 3D animation change-up - when properly executed- can change that.