| Diego is a fierce saber-toothed tiger. His appearance is sleek and muscular and initally, quite invasive and daunting. He does not seem at all like a character one would seek out or what to befreind. Instead, he is the type of animal one would avoid altogether. Visually, Diego does not necessarily paint the picture of a loyal, kind friend. He is a predator with sharp teeth and claws, as well as long fangs. There is no way that a child would be predisposed to want to get close to an animal that looks like Diego. He may have the advantage of being 'cool' because he is so powerful, but he is not going to become a 'nice' and 'caring' character just by looking at him. At first, the film positions him as only the fierce predator that he is, but as the story progresses, he is redefined. In fact, many animated films have created a mythic image of all Disney (and other animation studio) productions as wholesome, family entertainment for 'children of all ages' (Ryan 262). |  |
