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What Measure Is a Non-Cute?: Difference between revisions
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Some fiction goes even further, casting only cute, cuddly, and cool animals - ugly and unpopular animals tend to be non anthropomorphic or outright absent.
It should be noted that which animals get to be considered cute/cool or the opposite [[Values Dissonance|tends to vary by culture]]. Just as an example, in general foxes are cute in America, mean in some parts of Europe and [[Magnificent Bastard]] types in others, magical tricksters in Japan, and [[Ax Crazy]] evil in Korea. Another factor may be the animal's size and/or place in human society. For example, both Mice and Rats can be cute, but they can get a bad rap because they're commonly household pests. Even then, the tiny Mice are likely [[Nice Mice|to be portrayed more positively]] [[You Dirty Rat|than the larger Rats]]. Consequently; if a Cat is chasing Mice, the Cat is often portrayed as the villain, but a Cat chasing ''rats'' is usually the hero.
Whatever the case may be, if you happen to think any of the animals in the "Designated Villains" list ''are'' cute and/or cool, you are a weirdo in the eyes of the Pop Culture Gods.
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This trope is [[Truth in Television]] and a major problem in wildlife preservation, with animals that appeal to humans termed ''charismatic megafauna''. It doesn't matter if, like the aforementioned Coelacanth, you've survived damn near everything else the world can throw at you; if you aren't generally thought of as cute by most people, you're in serious trouble. Few people really care about ugly or unpopular animals, regardless of their ecological importance.
The Coelacanth example can also lead us towards the subtrope [[Prehistoric Monster]], about the whole ''extinct'' animal ensemble, which often receives in media the same treatment as modern-day non-cutes (if not worse).
The [[Uncanny Valley]] is somewhat related, as it was born from the scientific study of this trope. It often cross-pollinates with [[Beauty Equals Goodness]], [[Animal Stereotypes]], [[Carnivore Confusion]], and [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]]. See also [[Ugly Cute]], [[Bat Out of Hell]], [[Bug War]], [[Owl Be Damned]], [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent]], [[You Dirty Rat]], and [[Always Chaotic Evil]]. Contrast [[Dark Is Not Evil]], [[Light Is Not Good]], [[Tastes Like Diabetes]], and [[Grotesque Cute]]. This trope also applies to humans and is often the deciding factor of who gets to be the [[Face of the Band]]. This trope is pervasive enough that the [[Killer Rabbit]], [[Morally-Ambiguous Ducktorate|Evil Duck]], and some of the [[Cats Are Mean|Bad Kitties]] exist to subvert it. Time period and location seem to affect public opinion of mustelids, as shown by the contrasting tropes [[Weasel Mascot]] and [[Wicked Weasel]].
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* Subverted in ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]'' -- {{spoiler|you're in the minority if you think the [[Weasel Mascot]] isn't suspicious by episode ''2'', and all bets are off in [[Wham! Episode|episodes 6 and 8]]}}.
* Watch the summons fighting in ''[[Naruto]]''. Notice how animals like dogs and toads usually get beat up or, worst-case scenario, stabbed. Now notice how things like spiders, bees and centipedes get crushed, mutilated, or turned to pulp. If you consider that they all have at least ''some'' sapience since they can form contracts, then the Jiraya/Pain fight where the former snaps all the joints of the latter's giant crab is downright cringe-worthy.
** This is actually not true for all summons. One of [[Big Good|Tsunade's]] most prominent is a giant acid-spitting slug that splits off and forms smaller slugs [[Asteroids Monster]] style yet is apparently one of the quietest and most docile summons compared to Jiraiya's toad, Gamabunta, and Orochimaru's snake, Manda. In addition Anko, who was one of Orochimaru's test subjects, can also summon snakes which she used to help the protagonists a few times, and Temari once summoned a giant scythe carrying weasel to defeat one of Orochimaru's minions.
** And don't forget the fact that a few summons the bad guys use are animals you wouldn't normally consider evil or threatening. Danzo, one of the villains partly responsible for the Uchiha massacre, had a giant taper-like creature to increase his wind techniques.
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*** Bloodwrath anyone?
** Also subverted in ''The Outcast of Redwall'' where a ferret named Veil {{spoiler|throws himself in front of a spear to save his adoptive mother... though said mother immediately announced Veil to be better off dead.}}
** Subverted again in ''The Bellmaker'' which contained a searat who eventually reformed and remained friends with the Redwallers. He didn't live there, though...[[Sarcasm Mode|Heaven forbid.]]
** Then it looks like the good guys are animals that aren't minded around farms in England, and the bad guys are the creatures considered to be "vermin" (which they're actually referred to as in the Redwall series, just to drive the point home.) But then you remember the badgers and rabbits in the good guy's ranks. And technically mice and squirrels come under the heading of "vermin" in [[Real Life]].
*** Squirrels aren't always good guys. Just look at the murderous Gawtrybe...
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** There was a ferret Mook (or two, or three...) being maimed, killed, and possibly eaten by a Mute Swan somewhere in "''Mossflower''" (come to think of it, that darn bird spent a good portion of the book terrorizing the [[Goldfish Poop Gang]], and even gave the foxes Fortunata and Bane a run for their money.) And then there was that crazy, vermin-eating stork in "''Martin the Warrior''". He had a knack for crying out "I am the laaaawwwwww..." as he descended upon his prey. Needless to say, {{spoiler|Martin and his cohorts were pretty darn worried that they could end up on his menu themselves while he was escorting them across his territory.}}
*** It's simple. The good guys are vegetarian/pescatarian, even in defiance of their species' natural requirements (badgers, moles, shrews, some birds of prey). The bad guys are scavengers and hunting carnivores (rats, ferrets, weasels).
*** Foxes ''are'' vermin, both in universe, and out of universe. Really, fox villains are not a subversion. In fact, given their former villainy revolves [[Cunning Like a Fox|around deception]], foxes moving into the ''cute'' category is probably some kind of [[Xanatos Gambit]]. If they're accepted, they get protection, and if they're not they get sympathy for being [[Magnificent Bastard|Magnificent Bastards]].
** Averted with Mossflower's bats, which are not evil at all; they're cute and friendly with an endearing [[Verbal Tic]], verbal tic, verbal tic ...
** You can't really say that the good guys are the cute ones. [[Crap Saccharine World|''All'' Mossflower's animals are cute]]. Or at least [[Ugly Cute]].
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* There's an in-story instance of this in ''[[The Thief Lord]]'', and applied to humans, strangely. Esther dotes over Bo only because he's a cute, innocent-looking little boy and refuses to take Prosper into her home because he "doesn't look like a teddy bear anymore".
* Subverted by ''[[Frankenstein]]''. The creature is instantly hated by everyone who sees him because he is so monstrously ugly. In reality, he's just looking for love and companionship, but the injustice of his treatment eventually turns him as evil as people think he is.
* In [[Jack Campbell]]'s [[The Lost Fleet]] novel ''Invicible'',
** The bear-cows look very much like teddy bears, which causes officers to comment on the coincidence in view of their brutal and instant attacks, which show no regard even for their own species.
** The spider-wolves, however, look very much like things out of nightmares -- even [[Eldritch Abomination|Eldritch Abominations]] -- which gives officers qualms even after they become the first race humanity can actually establish friendly relations with, and [[Fire-Forged Friends|they fight together against the bear cows]]. This is all the more ironic in that they clearly share human aesthetics in several ways: their ships are marvels of elegance, their ship formations are beautiful mathematical patterns, and their multi-color clothing never clashes in human eyes.
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* The Rahi [[Bionicle|Makuta]] [[Big Bad|Teridax]] brainwashed are al menacing monsters. On the other hand the friendly Pewku and Spinax are [[Ugly Cute]].
* There's a company that makes plushie cuddly viruses, including such charmers as the common cold, the Black Death, and syphilis. Ah yes, [http://www.giantmicrobes.com/uk/ there it is.] One shivers to think of toddlers sleeping with these.
** [[Natter|Unnecessary]] [[Artistic License: Biology|rant]]: syphilis and Black Death are ''bacterial'' diseases.
* A lot of the good guys in the classic ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' line subvert this, like Wyrm and Muckman, who were good guys (Although Wyrm was less so in his original comic incarnation), and Mutagen Man who was a [[Punch Clock Villain]]. There was also this one human-mosquito hybrid who was a good guy.
** Don't forget the Turtles' rat mentor.
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** ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics Advance]]'' has Bangaa and ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics A2]]'' adds the Seeq. Both perfectly valid, playable races. The little personality your Bangaa show seem to be [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]]. NPC Bangaa, likewise, include degenerate bandits, honorable duelists, duty-driven templars (not the [[Knight Templar|Knight]] variety), jailers...and a mailman. Seeq are still greedy and selfish, but not always excessively so--one is even [[Da Editor]].
** ''[[Final Fantasy IX]]'' has both fuzzy doll-like black mages, and the rat-like Burmecians and Cleyrans plus a plethora of bit player species whom you don't interact with much.
* ''[[Star Fox (series)|Star
** The Star Wolf team plays this straight with the exception of Andrew. A cruel Wolf, deranged chameleon, and a greedy traitorous pig. Pigma and Andrew broke off by the time Assault rolled around, both of which were replaced by Panther Caroso. And Star Wolf now is more of a [[Badass]] trio and has shown respect towards Star Fox and even helps them when needed.
* Thank goodness for the ''[[Pokémon]]'' games. Any creature can inspire a Pokémon and the series seems to have been going out of its way to showcase obscure, strange, and unpopular animals (like coelacanths). You can befriend even big scary creatures, and these tend to be the most powerful potential [[Game Breaker|Game Breakers]]. Additionally, your Starter tends to start out cute and become more of a monster as it levels up.
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* Berserker from ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' is reminiscent of Goliath from the ''Gargoyles''. If you can get past his lead-grey complexion, odd elbow protrusions, mismatched set of [[Red Eyes, Take Warning|blood red]] and [[Eyes of Gold|glowing gold]] eyes, and frighteningly ''huge'' size, he's really handsome. Indeed, he's the demigod Herakles from Greek myth, who was quite popular with the ladies ''and'' [[Even the Guys Want Him|the guys]]. But he's not as pretty as the other manly warrior-[[Bishounen]] of the game, and except for a brief time in one scenario, he's always under a mental compulsion that reduces him to a constantly growling and bellowing monster. A pity, considering who they got to voice him in [[The Anime of the Game]]. Then again, [[Pet the Dog|he does have those moments with Ilya...]]
* ''[[Drone Tactics]]'' plays into this. Although both the player and enemy units are giant robotic bugs, the good guys get "cute" bugs like stag beetles, fireflies, and snails, while the bad guys get "creepier" ones like ants, mosquitoes, and water bugs.
* Somewhat subverted in ''[[
* ''[[Animal Crossing]]'' has its share of cute fluffy animals, and their character type seems to be determined by just how cute the animal in question is (ie. the kitten animal is a cute girly airhead type while the rockhopper penguin is a grumpy little fellow) but the Coelacanth does make a cameo appearance as the most expensive fish you can fish up.
* In the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series, there are good (or at least mercenary) uncute animals to play as, such as a hawk, a crocodile, and a bat. The non-anthro characters are a different story...
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** And just in case the "don't judge anyone just by the way they look" message didn't sink in, the TV series gives us the episode "Fugitive Flowers". In it, [[Granola Girl|Hippie-Chick Pony]] Posey is (''way'' too) easily convinced by a group of cute little talking flowers that the giant, scary crab monsters following them are evil. Go figure, the talking flowers soon reveal their [[One-Winged Angel|terrifying true forms]] and wreak havoc on the Ponyland ecosystem -- they're basically gigantic, invasive weeds that happen to look pretty. The crab monsters were actually [[Proud Warrior Race Guy|Proud Warrior Race Guys]] hoping to stop them.
*** Would you believe there's some [[Truth in Television]] to this episode? Long story short, asking a very young child to help you pull up the weeds in your perennial garden is not going to end well. (Certainly, you want the dandelions and their pretty flowers to flourish while getting those boring echinacea leaves out of the way, right?) On a separately bad note, some children delight in ripping up dandelions. But only their HEADS, leaving the roots to continue their conquest of your front lawn.
** The ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|Friendship is Magic]]'' episode "Swarm of the Century" has Fluttershy finding an adorable bug in the forest and taking it home. The other ponies coo over its cuteness, despite the fact that it has suddenly become three bugs. All too soon, the ponies realize that these bugs not only multiply rapidly, they eat everything in sight and create mayhem and destruction wherever they go. By episode's end, they are over their initial enamor.
*** This trope is frequently subverted with Fluttershy, who is truly a [[Friend to All Living Things]]. She has absolutely no problem with any animal, including mythical creatures like a Manitcore (except adult dragons, which she was ''terrified'' of, but she got over that).
* Similarly, an episode of ''[[Thundercats]]'' featured a cop and a criminal: one was a sinister, brutal-looking alien, the other a shiny gold, fragile-looking robot in white robes. Guess who's who!
** It wasn't actually a reptilian alien -- as would be [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent|frequently used for this trope or an attempt to play with it]] -- but something even "creepier" by most standards; a hairy scorpion-man, complete with pincers, a tail and chelicerae! "Cute" sidekick Snarf actually failed to appreciate the lesson in the end.
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** She does this in several other episodes, like the time she rescued Nibbler from an imploding planet and allowed him to eat all the other rescued animals with no repercussion, all because he was adorable.
** She hated Mr. Peppy, Fry's bone vampire, even though he was actually pretty nice.
** At least there was something apologetic in the fact that her will requests that her body be fed to the Cyclophage - a giant beast that only eats cyclopes.
* Re: The Dave Barry quote at the top -- ''[[Toad Patrol]]''. They may not have been furry, but the creators of this show did everything they could to make the toads on this show look as a cute as possible. Oh, but snakes are, of course, evil.
* ''[[Growing Up Creepie]]'' is the subversion of this trope personified. She's a pint-size [[Perky Goth]] raised by ''bugs'', and nearly every episode involves her helping out some kind of "creepy-crawly" creature. There's one called Scorpophobia, where a horror movie about scorpions opens in Creepie's town and is invaded by scorpions that scare all the human moviegoers out; Creepie finds out not only that they're just there to see the movie (since "Scorpions haven't had a starring role in a movie for years") but that the queen scorpion in the movie itself turns out to be a good guy.
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* This arguably has to be the reason why Lucifer the cat from ''[[Cinderella (Disney film)|Cinderella]]'' is considered one of the villains, despite that all he really tries to do throughout the film is eat the mice, which is what cats do in real life. Unlike Lucifer, the mice have human attributes with which to endear themselves to the audience.
* ''[[The Princess and the Frog]]'' subverts this with Louis, who's an alligator, but is perhaps the friendliest and most likable member of the cast.
* ''[[The Animals of Farthing Wood]]'' subverts this for it's first two seasons with non-cute animals as heroes (Weasel, Toad) and a semi-realistic art style that neutralised the animals' features- although arguably if you were a bad animal not part of the band of Farthing Wood friends, you were a bloodthirsty predator that didn't talk. Similarly, it was a-okay for the owls and foxes to eat mice, rats, etc- as long as they were non-talking, non-Farthing wood mice. Then in the third season...whoa. A bunch of rats were introduced to the story, and since they were all evil, they all had over the top, cartoony evil features (Claws! Fangs! Glowing pink eyes!) that didn't fit at all with the rest of the animation.
* Completely averted in ''[[Atlantis: The Lost Empire|Atlantis the Lost Empire]]'' where a pair of coelacanths (yes, they actually show coelacanths in an animated Disney movie) can actually be seen swimming in a large fish tank near the beginning of the film. Atlantis itself is populated with [[Heroic Albino|whie-haired people]] and [[Seldom-Seen Species|unpopular prehistoric animals]].
* Parodied in an episode of ''[[The Tick (animation)]]''. Some aliens come to the Tick for help; initially dressed as Roswell Grays, so that he'd get the idea. Once he's come to terms with what's going on, they drop the disguises, and the Tick comments that they're not the best-looking guys in the universe.
{{quote|'''What Ambassador''': Well Tick, I'd like to tell you that we're actually considered quite beautiful on our home planet, but...
'''What Crewman''': *shaking head* Whaaaa-at.
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