Characters in the Animal Crossing series
The life simulation video game series Animal Crossing, created by Katsuya Eguchi and first released in 2001 by Nintendo, features an assortment of recurring characters. Titles in the series follow the player character as they live in a village populated by anthropomorphic animals, with gameplay that proceeds in a nonlinear fashion and in-game events that occur in real-time. As of , the most recent release in the series, there are over 400 animal characters that can potentially populate a player's village. In addition to these villager characters, Animal Crossing features characters that appear in the villages of all players; these characters typically serve a particular gameplay function, or appear at a specific in-game event.
Characters
Introduced in ''Animal Forest'' and ''Animal Crossing''
Animal Forest was released for the Nintendo 64 in 2001 exclusively in Japan. An enhanced remake of the game for GameCube was released as Animal Forest+ in Japan, and as Animal Crossing worldwide. The games introduce many of the series' core recurring characters, notably businessman Tom Nook, traveling musician K.K. Slider, and Mr. Resetti, who lectures the player if they reset the game.| Character | Original Name | Species | Description |
| Alfonso | アルベルト | Alligator | A lazy villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Apollo | アポロ | Eagle | A cranky villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Blanca | あやしいねこ | Cat | A faceless cat who asks the player to draw their face. Hosts April Fool's Day in New Leaf. |
| Blathers | フータ | Owl | Operates the museum. Brother to Celeste. |
| Booker | おまわりさんB・もんばんさんA | Dog | Works as a police officer in Animal Crossing and New Leaf, and as a gatekeeper in Wild World and City Folk. |
| Cesar | アラン | Gorilla | A cranky villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Chip | うおまさ | Beaver | Hosts the Fishing Tourney in all series titles except New Horizons. Father to C.J.. |
| Copper | おまわりさんA・もんばんさんB | Dog | Works as a police officer in Animal Crossing and New Leaf, and as a gatekeeper in Wild World and City Folk. |
| Cyrano | さくらじま | Anteater | A cranky villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Don Resetti | ラケットさん | Mole | Lectures the player if they reset their game. Brother to Mr. Resetti. |
| Farley | ファーリー | Gnome | A spirit who lives inside the town fountain. |
| Franklin | フランクリン | Turkey | Hosts the Harvest Festival. |
| Gracie | グレース | Giraffe | A fashion designer. |
| Gulliver | ジョニー | Seagull | Appears as a marooned sailor Animal Crossing, New Leaf, and New Horizons, and a stranded astronaut in Wild World and City Folk. |
| Hopper | ダルマン | Penguin | A cranky villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Jack | パンプキング | A pumpkin-headed character who hosts Halloween. | |
| Jingle | ジングル | Reindeer | Hosts Toy Day. |
| Joan | カブリバ | Boar | Sells turnips on the "stalk market". |
| K.K. Slider | とたけけ | Dog | A traveling musician and DJ. |
| Kapp'n | カッペイ | Turtle | A driver who has alternately operated a row boat, taxi, and bus. Husband to Leilani, father to Leila, and son of Grams. |
| Katrina | ハッケミィ | Panther | A fortune teller. |
| Mabel | きぬよ | Hedgehog | Co-owner of the Able Sisters tailor shop. Sister to Sable and Label. |
| Margie | サリー | Elephant | A normal villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Pelly | ぺりこ | Pelican | Works the day shift at the post office in Animal Crossing and New Leaf, and at the town hall in Wild World and City Folk. Sister to Phyllis. |
| Pete | ぺりお | Pelican | A mail carrier. |
| Phyllis | ぺりみ | Pelican | Works the night shift at the post office in Animal Crossing and New Leaf, and at the town hall in Wild World and City Folk. Sister to Pelly. |
| Porter | えきいんさん | Monkey | Operates the train station. |
| Redd | つねきち | Fox | Operates a black market goods store. Also known as Crazy Redd. |
| リセットさん | Mole | Lectures the player if they reset their game. Brother to Don Resetti. | |
| Rosie | ブーケ | Cat | A peppy villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Rover | みしらぬネコ | Cat | A cat who assists the player in setting up the game. |
| Sable | あさみ | Hedgehog | Co-owner of the Able Sisters tailor shop. Sister to Mabel and Label. |
| Saharah | ローラン | Camel | A traveling rug and carpet seller. |
| Timmy & Tommy | まめきち・つぶきち | Raccoon | Twin apprentices and nephews to Tom Nook. |
| Tom Nook | たぬきち | Raccoon | A businessman who manages the town shop and the player's home loan. |
| Tortimer | コトブキ | Tortoise | The mayor of the town. Retires to live on a tropical island in New Leaf. |
| Wendell | セイイチ | Walrus | A traveling artist and designer. |
| Wisp | ゆうたろう | Ghost | A spirit who provides the player with rare items. |
Introduced in ''Animal Crossing: Wild World''
was released on the Nintendo DS in 2005.| Character | Original Name | Species | Description |
| Brewster | マスター | Pigeon | Operates The Roost, a coffee shop. |
| Celeste | フーコ | Owl | Works at the museum observatory. Sister to Blathers. |
| Champ | さるお | Monkey | A jock villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Dr. Shrunk | ししょー | Axolotl | Teaches the player emotes. |
| Harriet | カットリーヌ | Dog | Operates Shampoodle, a barber shop. |
| Kaitlin | おかあさん | Cat | Mother to Katie. |
| Katie | まいこちゃん | Cat | A kitten who asks the player to reunite her with her mother Kaitlin. |
| Lyle | ホンマさん | Otter | A businessman who alternately works as an insurance salesman and for the Happy Home Academy. |
| Pascal | ラコスケ | Otter | A traveling philosopher. |
| Whitney | ビアンカ | Wolf | A snooty villager. Also appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
Introduced in ''Animal Crossing: City Folk''
was released on the Wii in 2008.| Character | Original Name | Species | Description |
| Frillard | きょしょー | Frilled lizard | Teaches the player emotes. |
| Kicks | シャンク | Skunk | A shoeshiner and shoe salesman. |
| Label | ケイト | Hedgehog | A fashion designer. Sister to Mable and Sable. Also known as Labelle. |
| Lloid | ハニワくん | Gyroid | Operates the auction house in City Folk, and works as a construction worker in New Leaf and New Horizons. |
| Nat | カメヤマさん | Chameleon | Hosts the Bug-Off in City Folk and New Leaf. |
| Pavé | ベルリーナ | Peacock | Hosts Festivale. |
| Phineas | パロンチーノ | Sea lion | Rewards the player with gifts and merit badges. |
| Serena | めがみさま | Dog | A goddess who lives inside the city fountain. |
| Zipper T. Bunny | ぴょんたろう | Bunny | Hosts Bunny Day. |
Introduced in ''Animal Crossing: New Leaf''
was released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012. The game introduces Isabelle, a secretary at the town hall who has been described as a "fan-favorite" and a mascot of the Animal Crossing series. Additional content and characters were added to the game in Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome Amiibo, a free update for the game released in late 2016.| Character | Original Name | Species | Description |
| Cyrus | カイゾー | Alpaca | Works at Re-Tail, a refurbishment shop. Husband to Reese. |
| Digby | ケント | Dog | Works at the Happy Home Showcase. Twin brother to Isabelle. |
| Grams | ゲコ | Turtle | Mother to Kapp'n, mother-in-law to Leilani, and grandmother to Leila. |
| Harvey | パニエル | Dog | A hippie. Operates the campground in New Leaf and Photopia in New Horizons. |
| Isabelle | しずえ | Dog | A secretary and assistant. Twin sister to Digby. |
| Leif | レイジ | Sloth | Operates the gardening store. |
| Leila | クク | Turtle | Daughter to Kapp'n and Leilani, and granddaughter to Grams. |
| Leilani | クーコ | Turtle | Wife to Kapp'n, mother to Leilani, and daughter-in-law to Grams. |
| Luna | ゆめみ | Tapir | Operates the Dream Suite. |
| Reese | リサ | Alpaca | Works at Re-Tail, a refurbishment shop. Wife to Cyrus. |
Introduced in ''Animal Crossing: New Horizons''
was released on the Nintendo Switch on March 20, 2020. Certain characters introduced in previous Animal Crossing titles were not present in the game at launch, but have been added through free downloadable content updates.| Character | Original Name | Species | Description |
| C.J. | ジャスティン | Beaver | Hosts the Fishing Tourney. Son of Chip, and roommate and business partner to Flick. |
| Daisy Mae | ウリ | Boar | Sells turnips. Granddaughter of Joan. |
| Flick | レックス | Chameleon | Hosts the Bug-Off. Roommate and business partner to C.J.. |
| Orville | モーリー | Dodo | Works as the receptionist for Dodo Airlines. Brother of Wilbur. |
| Raymond | ジャック | Cat | A smug villager. Noted by outlets as being especially popular in the game's trading and exchange economy. |
| Wilbur | ロドリー | Dodo | Works as the pilot for Dodo Airlines. Brother of Orville. |
Introduced in spin-off titles
Several spin-off Animal Crossing series titles have been produced, which feature their own original characters.| Character | Original Name | Species | Description |
| Ai | あい | Human | A female human villager. Protagonist of the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
| Beppe | ピンちゃん | Blackbird | Works at OK Motors. Introduced in '. |
| Carlo | グーさん | Blackbird | Works at OK Motors. Introduced in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. |
| Giovanni | キャンタロー | Blackbird | Works at OK Motors. Introduced in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. |
| Lottie | タクミ | Otter | Works at Nook's Homes. Niece to Lyle. Introduced in '. |
| Yū | ゆう | Human | A male human villager. Appears in the 2006 film Dōbutsu no Mori. |
Appearances by title
| Character | Forest | Crossing | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Blanca | ||||||
| Blathers | ||||||
| Booker | ||||||
| Brewster | ||||||
| C.J. | ||||||
| Celeste | ||||||
| Chip | ||||||
| Copper | ||||||
| Cyrus | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Daisy Mae | ||||||
| Digby | ||||||
| Don Resetti | ||||||
| Dr. Shrunk | ||||||
| Farley | ||||||
| Flick | ||||||
| Franklin | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Frillard | ||||||
| Gracie | ||||||
| Grams | ||||||
| Gulliver | ||||||
| Harriet | ||||||
| Harvey | data-sort-value="Y" | |||||
| Isabelle | ||||||
| Jack | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Jingle | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Joan | ||||||
| K.K. Slider | ||||||
| Kaitlin | ||||||
| Kapp'n | ||||||
| Katie | ||||||
| Katrina | ||||||
| Kicks | ||||||
| Label | ||||||
| Leif | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Leila | ||||||
| Leilani | ||||||
| Lloid | ||||||
| Luna | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Lyle | ||||||
| Mabel | ||||||
| Nat | ||||||
| Orville | ||||||
| Pascal | data-sort-value="Y" | |||||
| Pavé | data-sort-value="Y" | |||||
| Pelly | ||||||
| Pete | ||||||
| Phineas | ||||||
| Phyllis | ||||||
| Porter | ||||||
| Redd | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Reese | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Rover | data-sort-value="Y " | |||||
| Sable | ||||||
| Saharah | ||||||
| Serena | ||||||
| Timmy & Tommy | ||||||
| Tom Nook | ||||||
| Tortimer | ||||||
| Wendell | ||||||
| Wilbur | ||||||
| Wisp | data-sort-value="Y" | |||||
| Zipper T. Bunny | data-sort-value="Y" |