Can you believe Pixar’s Finding Nemo turned 20 years old this past May? As if a rewatch isn’t overdue, there’s also no better way to commemorate the occasion than compiling an entirely necessary ranking of the very best characters. Finding Nemo arguably gave us some of the most interesting, multifaceted favorites in animated cinema history, so we’d be nothing but honored to take a trip down memory lane and compare them in list form.
Although it might have been overshadowed by the likes of Turning Red, Elemental, and Lightyear, there’s no denying that Finding Nemo is a timeless classic that die-hard Disney fans will always keep near and dear to their hearts. In our all-inclusive ranking of all Pixar’s movies, it snatched second place, only losing out to Toy Story for the top spot. You know their names, you know their stories, but how significant are its many complex characters?
10. Squirt
If it weren’t for his two seconds of screentime, Squirt would have been much, much higher. We only see him briefly when Marlin and Dory encounter Crush and the other sea turtles traveling in the ocean’s currents. Squirt is Crush’s son, who proves that he can enter and exit the current at will, therefore never getting separated from the other turtles. He teaches Marlin and Dory this technique, and even instructs them on how to get to Sydney Harbour. Squirt’s bubbly, easy-going attitude is infectious, and he’s cute as button, too.
9. Darla Sherman
We know, we know. It’s criminal to rank Darla above Squirt, but hear us out. Squirt is immensely likeable, yes, but Darla provides much of the comedic relief for Finding Nemo. Once we’re introduced to the Tank Gang and Nemo passes his initiation, we see a lot more of Darla, who visits her father’s dental clinic for regular check-ups. After learning about how Darla treats her pet fish (or is it fishes?), we’re encouraged to immediately dislike her. But there’s nothing more hilarious than Darla freaking out while Gill flops around on top of her head. That’s comedy gold.
8. Jacques
Another minor character, Jacques appears only briefly. It is Jacques’ sole duty to decontaminate the fish tank and all newcomers, including Nemo. We’re not too sure whether it’s the French accent or the obsessive-compulsive disposition, but Jacques makes his presence known despite only speaking a few lines of dialogue. His reaction to an algae-covered tank might be one of the most ironic and side-splitting scenes ever written. Plus, he’s literally a shrimp with a mustache and a French accent. Come on.
7. Bubbles
Bubbles! Bubbles! My bubbles. We’ll address the elephant in the room right away; if you weren’t endlessly fascinated by the treasure chest blowing bubbles in your fish tank as a child, you never lived. To some extent, we all know exactly how Bubbles feels. There’s something so captivating about those bubbles that you’d rather not share them with anyone else. We’d argue that Bubbles takes it a little too far, but that’s the beauty of his character. Every fish’s personality in the Tank Gang is unique and suited to them, so for anyone out there that enjoys life’s small pleasures, Bubbles was definitely your favorite.
6. Bruce
He might be an unconventional choice, but Bruce’s entire scene with Anchor and Chum is hands-down the most enjoyable segment of the movie. If you ever catch yourself quoting “Fish are friends, not food,” it’s clear as day that Finding Nemo had a lasting impact. It’s perhaps Bruce’s interactions with Marlin that enrich his character and really allow his personality to shine through. He can be sarcastic at times and even tries to eat Marlin and Dory after inhaling the scent of blood for the first time in three weeks, but we can forgive him, right? We blame Barry Humphries for doing such a great job with his voice.
5. Gill
We have two words for you: Willem Dafoe. When he isn’t the notorious Spider-Man villain Green Goblin, apparently he’s a dark and broody fish in a Pixar movie. Dafoe voices Gill to absolute perfection, never once missing a beat to capture his hard-bitten attitude. As the leader of the Tank Gang, Gill does automatically steal a lot of the spotlight from the others, but rightly so, as he’s ultimately the reason that Nemo survives certain death by Darla’s hand. As soon as Gill was prepared to sacrifice himself for Nemo’s safety, we knew he’d snagged a special place in our hearts.
4. Crush
He’s a sea turtle with a surfer dude vibe. Need we say more? There really isn’t a whole lot to dislike about Crush. He only makes a brief appearance, as does Squirt, but he managed to leave an impression on Disney fans that would proceed him. Although he isn’t as central as some other characters, what Crush lacks in screentime, he certainly makes up for with screen presence. There aren’t many Disney/Pixar side characters that could get their own plushie manufactured, so that makes Crush special indeed.
3. Marlin
As we break into the top three, you probably have a pretty good idea of how this order will go. Honestly, as far as everyone’s favorite Finding Nemo characters, these three are interchangeable; it really boils down to personal preference. Although Nemo is the movie’s namesake, we’d argue that Marlin is the main character. We barely see Nemo for most of the movie after he disappears, so the plot revolves entirely around Marlin’s journey to find his son again. He undergoes some serious character development from start to finish, and all I’ll say is that we love a good redemption arc.
2. Nemo
It should be considered blasphemous to not rank Nemo first. We can see that. But at the same time, he isn’t really around too much to really give him an accurate ranking. He’s the embodiment of childlike wonder in us all, regardless of age, so it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume that Nemo himself means a lot of things to a lot of people. He was born with a disability, which already makes him a bit of a mascot for certain minorities, but he’s also proof that one can live a happy, healthy life even with limitations. He’s inspirational, juvenile, and a complete hodgepodge of all things innocent, fun-loving, and goofy.
1. Dory
She had her own spin-off sequel, for crying out loud. If Dory isn’t the most popular Finding Nemo character of them all, she wouldn’t have gotten a solo deal. Ellen DeGeneres can be controversial at times, but in general, Disney fans stick behind her portrayal of Dory and believe that no other actress could replace her. She’s to Disney what Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is to Marvel. Utterly irreplaceable. And let’s also point out that Dory is so deeply flawed as a character and has so many layers to her struggles with life-long amnesia. You don’t get that with just any character, usually.