Androids, machines, cyborgs from the future, and hunks of junk metal with feelings — whichever form the best robot characters take up when executed perfectly, they can capture any scene they are in. From their evil intentions to world-saving quests, these non-human creatures vary in the goals they try to reach but get accepted by the audience who see them. However, some work is required for a robot character to truly be the best of them all. Their representation as characters and importance to the plot must be accounted for to become the best.
Robots are usually portrayed as evil beings and are rarely shown as being empathetic machines. The robot cartoon characters are trying to change that. Take Wall-E as an example. He doesn’t speak often, and when he does, the words that come out don’t make sense. Yet his emphatic character is potent and heartwarming in the movie. At the start, he was presented as being this lonely hunk of metal, but throughout the movie, Wall-E shows human emotions that push the heartstrings to their limit.
Story-wise, the Star Wars robot characters impacted the movies majorly. The original trilogy couldn't have started if R2-D2 was not found by Luke Skywalker. R2-D2 was pushed to the role of a minor character in other installments.
While the label of the best might not suit all robot characters, a number of them are just that — the greatest. Below, we have compiled a list of the robots which got creatively and memorably presented. With so many famous robots to read up on, upvote the ones you liked the most. Since there is so much information about them, and each of us views them with a different experience, share your thoughts in the comments below.
#1 The Iron Giant (The Iron Giant)
The bigger they are — the more emotional their final departure will be. This rule applies to a lot of robots on this list, but The Iron Giant is the perfect example of the perfect execution. The Iron Giant is a kind and interesting machine that guards the protagonist fiercely. The Iron Giant captured many viewers' hearts, especially at the end.
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17points
#2 R2-D2 (Star Wars)
groocy604 said: "R2D2 was a chunky little sass machine which saved the galaxy multiple times."
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13points
#3 Johnny 5 (Short Circuit)
Despite his archaic look, Johnny 5 is a likable and amusing character despite being cowardly and awkward. He also has an inquisitive nature and good intentions. Johnny 5's character was so legendary that he appeared in the sequel and had quite a cult following. The robot might have failed in the military, but he sure succeeded in the cinema business.
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11points
#4 Baymax (Big Hero 6)
Baymax proves that robots can be comfy companions, no matter how depressive or happy you are. The marshmallow-shaped device is a medical robot whose major objective is Hiro's safety after his sibling passes away. Disney fans fell in love with Baymax, who rose to the top of the list of the finest sidekicks in recent years.
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11points
#5 Bender Bending Rodríguez (Futurama)
Drinking alcoholic beverages, cursing, and arguing with other people and machines are not something robots are known to do. Bender Bending Rodríguez, commonly known by his first name, steals the scenes he appears in with his humor, insults, and from time to time, the deeds he does throughout the Futurama series.
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11points
#6 Optimus Prime (Transformers)
Optimus Prime belongs to a special kind of robot, a sentient extraterrestrial species of modular, self-configuring robotic lifeforms that combine technology, engineering and biological development. Optimus is the head of the Autobots, a faction of Transformers that competes with the Decepticons in practically every iteration of the mythology.
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11points
#7 Chappie (Chappie)
pcycedia6066 said: "I never knew I would feel empathy for a robot until I watched Chappie, he’s adorable."
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11points
#8 Bumblebee (Transformers)
Bumblebee's adorable nature and how it bonds with the human character, teenage Charlie, is what makes him so lovable. It was a breath of fresh air and a thrill to watch a robot with a heart (not literal) and a true character journey after two films that were only about robots fighting one another.
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10points
#9 C-3po (Star Wars)
DarthTyranus98 said: "Star Wars wouldn`t be as much fun without it."
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10points
#10 Wall-E (Wall-E)
Unquestionably cute, Wall-E's persona blossoms into a sweet sci-fi romance as he falls madly in love with the robot EVE. Wall-E becomes even more endearing and charming due to this love for EVE, which feels much more human than some real-life relationships we see between our friends and family members.
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10points
#11 TARS (Interstellar)
driedcranberrysnack said: "I love TARS from Interstellar. He has to be my favorite portrayal of a robot in a film. He isn't anthropomorphized at all but he still has personality. Not only is he practically designed (with there being no functional reason for him to be shaped like a human) but he speaks perfectly monotone without coming off as cold."
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10points
#12 T-800 (The Terminator)
T-800 wouldn’t be the memorable villain of the first movie if it wasn’t for the acting job of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He portrayed this future robot sent to the past in two different perspectives. In the first movie, T-800 was a force of destruction, while in the sequel, he is the hero who saves the future resistance leader from a liquid metal robot.
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9points
#13 Sonny (I, Robot)
EmersonNoLastName replied: "I know it’s kinda cliche, but I still really like Sonny from I, Robot. Haven’t seen a lot of other robot characters due to movie pickiness, unfortunately."
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9points
#14 Doraemon (Doraemon)
A male robotic cat without ears named Doraemon originated in the twenty-first century but travels back in time to help a little kid named Nobita. Why does he do that? Because Sewashi Nobi wished to improve the life of his great-great-grandfather Nobita, to boost the lives of his future family.
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9points
#15 Samantha (Her)
Who says humans can’t fall in love with a robot? Lacking a body to use in the game of seduction, Samantha, also referred to as “Her,” instead uses her manipulative personality and sexy voice to flirt with the protagonist of the movie. Voiced by Scarlett Johansson, this artificial intelligence knows everything in the world, even though it was just recently created.
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9points
#16 Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story)
To infinity and beyond! Buzz Lightyear is a talking toy, practically a robot, who, along with Woody, acts as the protagonist of the Toy Story franchise. With its white flight suit, jet pack, and retractable space helmet, Buzz feels proud of himself. He is a bold and brave astronaut who works together with other toys to reach certain goals.
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9points
#17 Roy Batty (Blade Runner)
One of the greatest monologues in cinema was delivered by a robot who wished to be like a human. Roy Barry, portrayed by Rutger Hauer, was a Nexus-6 replicant who was a combat robot before breaking away to seek his own goals, mainly prolonging his and other androids' lives, as they are on the brink of expiration.
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9points
#18 Robocop (Robocop)
Humans can also become robots as a way of saving them. Alex Murphy, a police officer, was brought back to life in the form of RoboCop. This new body raised some challenges for him. First of all, as a robot, he was not only the perfect police officer but also a destructive force for both the baddies and the people he was supposed to protect.
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8points
#19 The Machine Man (Metropolis)
The mad scientist Rotwang built a robot called The Machine Man to mimic his late love Hel. The Machine Man is the antagonist in the story because he instigates a working-class uprising by pretending to be Freder's love, Maria, which prompts them to smash the subterranean machinery and flood their city.
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8points
#20 Marvin The Paranoid Android (The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy)
Alternative-Boot2673 said: "Marvin, the incredibly depressed robot, with a brain bigger than Saturn, relegated to leading Hitchhikers down straight hallways. We can all relate Marvin, we really can. No matter how bright, talented, lucky, or motivated we can be, we all get discouraged by the mundane banality of life, the futile pursuit of happiness in a world of assholes and idiots."
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8points