All Gender 1993-2012

This study looks at the gender break down of primary protagonists in family-targeting American animated films from 1993-2012. Including all G or PG-rated American (or American co-produced) animated theatrical releases that were released to at least 500 theaters and were primarily animated (there could be live action scenes, but focus was on animated characters in an animated world). Excluding package films.

151 films (percents rounded)

4 male and female co-protagonists (3%)
23 female primary protagonists (15%)
124 male primary protagonists (82%)

1993	G	PG
5/28/93	HAPPILY EVER AFTER * (1,018) [Snow White]
5/28/93	TOM & JERRY (1,045) [ Tom and Jerry]
6/18/93	ONCE UPON A FOREST (1,487) [Abigail]
10/13/93		NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS * (1,671) [Jack Skeleton]
11/24/93	WE'RE BACK! A DINOSAURS STORY (1,822) [Rex]
12/25/93		BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM (1,506) [Batman]
1994
3/30/94	THUMBELINA* (1,502) {Thumbelina]
6/15/94	THE LION KING* (2,624) [Simba]
10/7/94	A TROLL IN CENTRAL PARK (#)[Stanley]
11/18/94	THE SWAN PRINCESS* (1,406) [Odette)
11/24/94	THE PAGEMASTER (1,803)  [Richard]
1995
4/7/95	A GOOFY MOVIE (2,176) [Goofy and Max)
4/12/95	THE PEBBLE AND THE PENGUIN (1,315) [Hubie]
6/23/95	POCAHONTAS (2,757) [Pocahontas]
8/25/95	ARABIAN KNIGHT* (510) [Tack]
11/22/95	TOY STORY (2,574) [Woody and Buzz]
12/22/95	BALTO (1,433) [Balto]
1996
4/12/96	JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (2,268) [James]
3/29/96	ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN 2 (2,037) [Charlie]
6/21/96	HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (2,835) [Quasimodo]
1997
3/26/97	CATS DON'T DANCE (1,252) [Danny]
6/27/97	HERCULES (2,930) [Hercules]
11/21/97	ANASTASIA*  (2,511) [Anastasia]
1998
5/26/98	QUEST FOR CAMELOT (3,107) [Kayley]
6/25/98	MULAN  (2,953) [Mulan]
10/2/98		ANTZ* (2,929) [Z]
11/20/98	A BUG'S LIFE* (2,773) [Flik]
11/25/98	THE RUGRATS MOVIE (2,832) [Tommy]
12/18/98		THE PRINCE OF EGYPT* (3,218) [Moses]
1999
3/19/99	THE KING AND I* (2,352) [Anna]
3/26/99	DOUG'S 1st MOVIE (2,268) [ Doug]
6/18/99	TARZAN (3,131) [Tarzan]
8/6/99	IRON GIANT (2,179) [Hogarth]
11/24/99	TOY STORY 2 (3,257) [Woody and Buzz]
2000
2/11/00	THE TIGGER MOVIE (2,818) [Tigger]
3/31/00		THE ROAD TO EL DORADO (3,223) [Tulio and Miguel]
5/19/00		DINOSAUR (3,319) [Aladar]
6/16/00		TITAN A.E (2,775) [Cale]
6/21/00	CHICKEN RUN (2,953) [Ginger]
11/17/00	RUGRATS IN PARIS: THE MOVIE (2,937) [Chuckie]
12/15/00	THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE* (2,887) [Pacha and Kuzco]
2001
2/16/01	RECESS: SCHOOL'S OUT (2,630) [T.J.]
5/16/01		SHREK* (3,715) [Shrek]
6/8/01		ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE* (3,071) [Milo]
8/10/01		OSMOSIS JONES (2,305) [ Osmosis Jones]
11/2/01	MONSTERS INC (3,649) [Mike and Sulley]
2002
2/15/02	RETURN TO NEVERLAND (2,626) [Jane]
3/15/02		ICE AGE (3,345) [Manny, Diego and Sid]
5/24/02	SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON (3,362) [Spirit]
6/21/02		LILO & STITCH (3,222) [Lilo and Stitch]
6/28/02		HEY ARNOLD: THE MOVIE (2,534) [Arnold]
7/3/02		THE POWERPUFF GIRLS (2,340) [Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup]
10/4/02	JONAH: A VEGGIE TALES MOVIE (1,625) [Jonah]
11/27/02
11/27/02		TREASURE PLANET (3,227) [Jim]
12/20/02		THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE (3,012) [Eliza]
2003
2/14/03	THE JUNGLE BOOK 2 (2,815) [Mowgli]
3/21/03	PIGLET'S BIG MOVIE (2,084) [Piglet]
5/30/03	FINDING NEMO (3,425) [Marlin]
6/13/03		RUGRATS GO WILD (3,041) [Tommy and Eliza]
7/2/03		SINBAD: LEGEND OF THE SEVEN SEAS (3,086) [Sinbad]
10/24/03	BROTHER BEAR (3,030) [Kenai]
2004
1/16/04		TEACHER'S PET (2,027) [Spot]
2/20/04	CLIFFORD'S REALLY BIG MOVIE (#) [Clifford]
4/2/04		HOME ON THE RANGE (3,058) [Maggie, Grace and Mrs. Caloway]
5/19/04		SHREK 2* (4,223) [Shrek]
10/1/04		SHARK TALE (4,070) [Oscar]
11/5/04		THE INCREDIBLES (3,933) [Bob]
11/10/04		THE POLAR EXPRESS (3,650) [Billy]
11/19/04		THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE (3,307) [Spongebob]
2005
2/11/05	POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE (2,529) [Winnie the Pooh]
3/11/05		ROBOTS (3,776) [Rodney]
5/27/05		MADAGASCAR (4,142) [Alex and Marty]
8/19/05	VALIANT (2,016) [Valiant]
9/23/05		CORPSE BRIDE (3,204) [Victor]
10/5/05	WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT (3,656) [Wallace and Gromit]
11/4/05	CHICKEN LITTLE (3,658) [Chicken Little]
12/16/05		HOODWINKED (3,020) [Red]
2006
2/10/06	CURIOUS GEORGE (2,609) [George and Ted]
3/31/06		ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN (3,969) [Manny, Diego and Sid]
4/14/06	THE WILD (2,854) [ Samson]
5/19/06		OVER THE HEDGE (4,093) [RJ]
6/9/06	CARS (3,988) [Lightning McQueen]
7/21/06		MONSTER HOUSE (3,553) [DJ]
7/28/06		THE ANT BULLY (3,050) [Lucas]
8/4/06		BARNYARD (3,311) [Otis]
9/15/06	EVERYONE'S HERO (2,898) [Yankee]
9/29/06		OPEN SEASON (3,833) [Boog and Elliot]
11/03/06		FLUSHED AWAY (3,707) [Roddy]
11/17/06		HAPPY FEET (3,804) [Mumble]
12/15/06	ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES* (2,258) [Arthur]
2007
1/05/07		HAPPILY N'EVER AFTER* (2,381) [Ella]
3/23/07		TMNT (3,120) [Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael]
3/30/07	MEET THE ROBINSONS (3,435) [Lewis]
4/13/07
5/18/07		SHREK THE THIRD* (4,172) [Shrek]
6/8/07		SURF'S UP (3,531) [Cody]
6/29/07	RATATOUILLE (3,940) [Remy]
7/27/07
10/19/07		THE TEN COMMANDMENTS* (830) [Moses]
11/2/07		BEE MOVIE (3,984) [Barry]
11/16/07
2008
01/11/08	THE PIRATES WHO DON'T DO ANYTHING (1,340) [Elliot, Sedgewick and George]
03/14/08	HORTON HEARS A WHO (3,961) [Horton]
05/23/08		KUNG FU PANDA (4,136) [Po]
06/27/08	WALL-E (3,992) [Wall-e]
07/18/08	SPACE CHIMPS (2,538) [Ham]
8/15/08	FLY ME TO THE MOON (713) [Nat]
08/15/08		STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS* (3,452) [Anakin]
09/19/08		IGOR (2,341) [Igor]
11/7/08		MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA (4,065) [Alex]
11/21/08		BOLT (3,654) [Bolt]
12/12/08		DELGO* (2,160) [Delgo]
12/19/08	THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (3,107) [Despereaux]
2009
2/6/09		CORALINE (2,320) [Coraline]
3/27/09		MONSTERS VS. ALIENS (4,136) [Susan]
5/1/09		BATTLE FOR TERRA (1,159) [Mala]
5/29/09		UP (3,886) [Carl]
7/1/09		ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (4,102) [Manny, Diego and Sid]
9/18/09		CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (3,119) [Flint]
10/23/09		ASTRO BOY (3,014) [Astro]
11/6/09		DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (3,863) [Scrooge]
11/13/09		FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2,304) [Mr. Fox]
11/20/09		PLANET 51 (3,035) [Lem]
11/26/09	THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG* (3,475) [Tiana]
2010
3/26/10		HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (4,055) [Hiccup]
5/31/10		SHREK FOREVER AFTER* (4,836) [Shrek]
6/18/10	TOY STORY 3 (4,028) [Woody and Buzz)
7/09/10		DESPICABLE ME (3,602) [Gru]
9/17/10		ALPHA AND OMEGA (2,625) [Alpha and Omega]
9/24/10		LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS (3,575) [Soren]
11/05/10		MEGAMIND (3,949) [Megamind]
12/10/10		TANGLED* (3,603) [Rapunzel]
2011
2/11/11	GNOMEO AND JULIET (3,037) [Gnomeo and Juliet]
3/4/11		RANGO (3,923) [Rango]
3/11/11		MARS NEEDS MOMS (3,117) [Milo]
4/08/11		RIO (3,842) [Blu]
4/29/11		HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL (2,505) [Red and Granny]
5/27/11		KUNG FU PANDA: THE KABOOM OF DOOM (3,952) [Po]
6/24/11	CARS 2 (4,115) [ Mater and Lightning McQueen]
7/15/11	WINNIE THE POOH (2,405) [Winnie the Pooh]
10/28/11		PUSS IN BOOTS (3,963) [Puss in Boots]
11/18/11		HAPPY FEET 2 (3,611) [Erik]
11/23/11		ARTHUR CHRISTMAS (3,376) [Arthur]
12/23/11		THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (3,087) [Tintin]
2012
3/2/12		DR. SUESS' THE LORAX (3,769) [Ted]
4/27/12		THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS  (3,358) [Pirate Captain]
6/8/12		MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED (4,263) [Alex]
6/22/12		BRAVE* (4,164) [Merida]
7/13/12		ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT (3,886) [Manny, Diego and Sid]
8/17/12		PARANORMAN (3,455) [Norman]
9/21/12		HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (3,375) [Dracula]
10/5/12		FRANKENWEENIE (3,005) [Victor]
11/2/12		WRECK-IT RALPH (3,752) [Wreck-it Ralph]
11/21/12		RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (3,672) [Jack Frost]

# for these two movies, I couldn't find an exact theater count though they appear to have had a small mainstream release which would suggest around 500 theaters. So I included them. If excluded, the numbers become:

149 films (percents rounded)

4 male and female co-protagonists (3%)
23 female primary protagonists (15%)

122 male primary protagonists (82%)

1) It’s worth saying that what constitutes a primary protagonist or co-protagonist might be something people will debate.

2) The Animated Movie Guide by Jerry Back was a huge help in gathering data. As was Wikipedia.