This and it's not even close. The amont of character growth and emotion that Gunn can put into animal characters is out of this world.
qera342025-10-29 22:34
This post is talking about design
duncan1234-2025-10-29 22:50
Doesn’t say that anywhere?
qera342025-10-29 23:00
Why do you think op specified “CG” and used the adjective impressive?
duncan1234-2025-10-29 23:19
I don’t really understand your point. Both of those things could relate to all sorts of aspects of a character. Not just design.
qera342025-10-29 23:29
Then I don’t know what to tell you. It seems like you and the person I responded to are the only ones not to get the point. Everybody except you two are talking about cg design not character lol
Chulinfather2025-10-29 22:37
I'm pretty sure Gunn doesn't know jackshit about CGI...
bakedpatata2025-10-29 22:55
Supposedly the fact that James Gunn does really detailed story boards for his movies makes it so he has way fewer reshoots and less CGI has to be redone. This lets them spend the time and money actually making it look good. So, I'm not sure how much he personally knows about CGI, but his filmmaking style lends itself to better CGI in general, and I think the GOTG movies are some of the best looking Marvel movies because of this.
PayneTrain1819992025-10-29 22:35
Idk, I think She-Hulk made people cry too.
bindingofandrew2025-10-29 23:58
Are insufferable bozos still whining about a short dancing gag in a comedy series?
Sarahthelizard2025-10-30 00:04
It's almost as silly as superheroes eating in a restaurant!
UnjustNation2025-10-29 22:38
Rocket is also probably the only CGI character that never felt CGI to me
The VFX team did an incredible job with him in all 3 movies. And I am also pretty sure since he is Gunn’s favourite, he probably paid attention to every single frame with Rocket in it to make sure he was done perfectly.
SharpshootinTearaway2025-10-29 22:45
Everytime I see the cast together in real life for interviews and promotional material it feels like someone is missing and I irrationally feel so betrayed.
Rocket really does make you forget that there's no actual talking, bipedal raccoon actor playing him, lmao.
One-Complex-92672025-10-29 23:26
That’s so me too. I watched few of cast interviews and I’d always go “where’s rocket?” And than realise “oh yea true, he’s not real” I don’t understand CGI but if character can make me feel that, I guess he won.
SickBag2025-10-29 23:42
His Fur and miniscule muscle movements in his hands and face sell him as being so real.
He is miles ahead of any other CG character I can think of.
Back in the day what gave things away was either the hair or lack of muscle twitches, but they did both so well with him.
chula1987052025-10-30 01:39
TBF it's probably a bit easier to avoid uncanny valley specifically \*because\* he's a racoon and not a human
Scheswalla2025-10-30 02:19
Yeah I'm sure there are raccoons reading this thinking about how terrible he looked. "The eyes, whiskers, and neck movements were just a bit off."
GetawayDreamer872025-10-30 03:17
"Also he lacks the fastidious mannerisms of an actual raccoon!"
insane_contin2025-10-30 03:43
I did not once see him wash food! Not once!
atomcrafter2025-10-30 03:58
He cleans guns instead.
BravoLeader30002025-10-30 01:48
💯
Kaboose4562025-10-29 23:40
I'm always so confused when I see Bradley Cooper there before I remember he's Rocket lmao
cybin2025-10-30 02:01
Realizing that was him voicing Rocket after watching GotG1 the first time was a mind-blown moment for me.
hunterzolomon19932025-10-30 02:25
You seen BTS of him voicing Rocket? He really gives it everything he has and is clearly enjoying himself.
Gilded-Mongoose2025-10-30 00:03
Dang, so fuck Groot, huh? lol
SharpshootinTearaway2025-10-30 00:17
Groot usually doesn't talk much and doesn't have as big a personality as Rocket does, I think that's why I don't notice his absence as much.
Rocket in the movies takes up a lot of space and is constantly yapping, so when he's not there it feels empty.
GordonTheGnome2025-10-30 01:07
Also, Groot looks exactly like Vin Diesel
relikter2025-10-30 01:05
I love the photo of [Dave Bautista petting Sean Gunn](https://imgur.com/gallery/dave-bautista-petting-james-gunn-before-sfx-on-set-of-guardians-of-galaxy-YY5iDFl) on set.
Edit: correct Gunn brother.
cynognathus2025-10-30 01:16
That’s Sean Gunn, not James.
relikter2025-10-30 02:09
Fixed, TYVM. I always get their names mixed up.
Spicy_Weissy2025-10-30 00:12
Gunn is a big animal lover.
KeptPopcorn51892025-10-29 22:38
We are Groot has done it for me lowkey
CuteLingonberry97042025-10-29 22:46
He's my favorite character in the MCU.
Optimal-Click-47712025-10-29 23:03
I totally agree. Rocket is the best.
PepsiPerfect2025-10-30 02:06
Repeatedly.
So often I stopped keeping track. It was just a steady stream for the last third of the movie.
EnkiiMuto2025-10-30 03:06
Rocket CGI is insane, making hair look natural is already difficult, but making him emote is even harder.
Joseppffhh2025-10-29 22:16
Finally a unique post!
I think Groot, Man thing or Hulk.
FoggyInc2025-10-29 23:54
Over Rocket and Thanos? Unique take
CaptHayfever2025-10-30 03:17
Man-Thing was mostly practical, just with CGI touchups.
nicebrah2025-10-29 22:18
Non humanoid CGI has the benefit of not suffering from uncanny valley, so Rocket looks the best imo.
cinlach2025-10-29 22:19
Thanos.
Zabadaboom2025-10-29 22:25
I agree, but only Infinity War and Endgame Thanos - the other looks he had is post credit scenes and GOTG and Avengers just weren’t it for me quality wise
Nerd2theCorey2025-10-29 22:32
Good point. Totally agree
GeneJacket2025-10-29 22:52
He wasn't CGI in the Avengers post-credits, that was 100% prosthetic makeup on actor Damion Poitier.
MisterBumpingston2025-10-30 00:26
Wow, I’ve been fooled the whole time. There was a very CGI look to him in that sequence. I think the full bright eyes and the grin gVw that impression.
Gon_Snow2025-10-29 23:33
The infinity war/endgame look is an entirely different design and technology than avengers and guardians. They designed him from the ground up, knowing if his cg didn’t work the entire movie would fall apart.
Can you imagine infinity war with thanos looking goofy?
MyNameCannotBeSpoken2025-10-29 22:45
Testicle chin every time
NathanD12342025-10-29 23:01
Hands down. The titan sequence and final sequence in Endgame, feels like Thanos is actually real. Huge kudos to VFX team for bringing such a life like quality to Thanos
Rrekydoc2025-10-29 23:48
As much as I don’t like the facial design, the effects were amazing. Skin is really hard to make convincing, but Thanos looked so tangible.
Considering how realistically cg can make rocks, I’m surprised Ben Grimm looked as fake as he did. With the right director and team in a later film, he could probably look the best.
petrowski72025-10-30 00:22
Thanos was a landmark in animation
edo_madara19952025-10-29 22:19
Rocket 🤗
PickerPat2025-10-29 22:19
Young Rocket. They made his whiskers so detailed and expressive.
NotoriousDCJ43102025-10-29 22:19
Thanos and isn't particularly close
2dal3atcave2025-10-29 22:35
Yep
Tedsallis2025-10-29 22:20
I'm going with Ted, obviously.
WhoKnowsTheDay2025-10-29 22:20
2012 hulk still rocks
Burgoonius2025-10-29 22:52
Ragnarok hulk looks that much better IMO
CarretillaRoja2025-10-29 22:21
Thanos
RoiVampire2025-10-29 22:21
Rocket or Man-Thing. I never thought I’d see a great looking Man-Thing and it probably helps that he’s got a lot of practical elements but he’s just perfect. Right out of the comic.
Batmanswrath2025-10-29 22:22
yuggoth_252025-10-29 22:23
Getting away from the subject of what project that man is, I didn't remember that he had appeared in live action
jameschalmers72025-10-29 22:37
Are you asking about Man-Thing? If so, he was in Werewolf by Night
dubesto2025-10-29 22:26
Rocket definitely
PhillipJ3ffries2025-10-29 22:26
I think the way they incorporate Ruffalo and Brolins faces for Hulk and Thanos looks so good
IronhideD2025-10-29 23:38
They did that with Eric Bana. I honestly didn't see it until it was pointed out to me. Shows how good Mark Ruffalo's Hulk model was.
DriveFormer85772025-10-29 22:26
Groot. It’s a tree with a face plus the detailing for the tree texture. Most of the others are easier to do. Man Thing and the Thing looks good too.
ConstantRefills2025-10-29 22:26
[deleted]
Solid-Relationship272025-10-30 00:34
I hated Quantumania just because I felt like they rushed the story and visuals but MODOK didn’t look half bad… until the helmet came off
eltrotter2025-10-29 22:26
Loads of good examples, but Rocket is bordering on magic as far as I’m concerned. Not only believable as a raccoon but believable as a thinking, feeling, talking character.
JamJamGaGa2025-10-30 00:25
"Magic" is a good word to describe a lot of these effects. It's insane that a team of people can use computers to come up with these creations that look so realistic to the point where they're capable of conveying real emotion to an audience that knows the difference between what's real and what's fake.
I mean, obviously we *know* Hulk isn't real, but the effects are so good that you get immersed in the film and aren't constantly thinking "that's a CGI model that a team of people created." He just becoms a character like Captain America or Thor.
rThundrbolt2025-10-30 01:44
I'm still convinced that Chris Hemsworth is a CGI model that a team of people created
Kirmit232025-10-29 22:27
Hulk in the first Avengers movie had perfect CGI.
Gilded-Mongoose2025-10-30 00:06
He had a much flatter, more granular finishing that they also took a lot of time to show up close and in good lighting. It was really, really legit.
Sort of in the same way Ironman's armor in his first movie was some of the best ever.
Spicy_Weissy2025-10-30 00:14
Favreau knows how to cook.
hachiroku242025-10-30 00:25
Same thing happens with the Krayt dragon in the Mandalorian. Probably the best CGI in the entire franchise and he directed that episode.
bornlikethisss2025-10-30 00:13
The perfect Hulk. I always liked this Hulk miles more than Nortons. I actually really dislike Nortons Hulk, something about the face bothers me.
SmartEstablishment522025-10-30 00:26
The transition between Banner and Hulk is crazy good (and was probably extremely expensive lol)
RepeatedAxe2025-10-30 01:28
This and AoU are his best looks to date, everything after was a downgrade, and it sucks they don’t give modern monsters (other than man-thing and Ben) more monstrous looks and exaggerated features. New abomination for example is just the actors face but green on a monster body, Red Hulk also just looks like a big red Harrison ford, instead of having more exaggerated “hulk-like” facial features like how Hulk used to look 2012-15
Groots modern look has also thrown me off, every time we see him he’s bigger but it feels like he’s still got the baby groot face
Diortheking2025-10-29 22:27
Thanos n rocket
A_Serious_House2025-10-29 22:29
She-Hulk has the worst, by far, but I also think she looked REALLY good in a few particular shots, much better than I think Hulk has looked in recent years
NinduTheWise2025-10-29 22:30
I think man thing due to the lower budget they had compared to a movie
Wooden_Passage_26122025-10-29 22:30
All of them
FluxChiller2025-10-29 22:30
Rocket, When I watch him it never crosses my mind he's 100% CGI. Thanos is a close second.
ANCALAGON_THE_PINK2025-10-29 22:30
She hulk
loulibra2025-10-29 22:32
rocket. by far he’s got so much character.
Nerd2theCorey2025-10-29 22:32
Thanos and it’s not even close. Rocket is a close second lol
CyanVI2025-10-29 22:33
You’re welcome.
TravEllerZero2025-10-29 22:33
No M.O.D.O.K.?
I think I gotta go with Rocket.
ponylauncher2025-10-29 22:33
Graphically? Thanos. Making a more human ish looking character is more impressive than a raccoon no matter how good Rocket looks.
2dal3atcave2025-10-29 22:34
Thanos was a monumental achievement
qera342025-10-29 22:35
Hulk and thanos
Neckrolls4life2025-10-29 22:35
Thanos is fully CGI character in a live action show that has actually been accepted by the mainstream as a villain.
It's him by a mile.
Shubo4832025-10-29 22:58
Bot ass comment
ThouBear82025-10-29 22:37
I'd say Hulk & Thanos, mainly because they're humanoid, so the degree of difficulty is much higher. It's easier to tell something is fake if it looks like a human.
While Rocket might *technically* look more real, fur & whiskers are a much easier task than human skin.
Chulinfather2025-10-29 22:37
Thanos looks impressively real. There's not a single scene of him that feels weird.
Temporary-Drawer13002025-10-29 22:38
Rocket Is Art.
MR11202025-10-29 22:38
Rocket. The CG on Rocket is so good that I’ve never once even thought, “Man, Rocket’s CG is really good!” He blends seamlessly into the movies, just like Quill or Drax. The CG is so good that you forget he’s CG, and your brain just accepts, “Yep, there’s an anthropomorphic raccoon in this movie.”
ashegoddes2025-10-29 22:39
Rocket, that's why I haven't seen GotG 3 yet, I don't want to suffer
whereisthehugbutton2025-10-29 22:39
Not She-Hulk so far, unfortunately
paulojrmam2025-10-29 22:39
I think Racoon is totally CG, no actor, so that. If there's a child actor or something, then Thanos.
KingMobia2025-10-29 23:00
Sean Gunn did the mocap for Rocket.
Cosmo in GotG 3 is probably the most technologically impressive character in the MCU to me. I totally believed I was looking at a real dog until I read after seeing the film that pretty much every shot was CGI.
SpectreBrony2025-10-29 22:41
Rocket.
Sycosocial202025-10-29 22:43
Rocket, with Groot a close second.
demonoddy2025-10-29 22:46
Probably Thanos. The main villain of movie is entirely cgi and it never takes you out of it
La_Savitara2025-10-29 22:47
Thanos or Rocket for me
Significant_Delay_872025-10-29 22:47
Man-Thing because Man-Thing supremacy
HalJordan24242025-10-29 23:33
Note that shots of Man-Thing only showing the waist up are a life size puppet.
ShutUpDorn2025-10-29 22:47
She-hulk - superhero and a lawyer?! Talk about a double threat.
GeneJacket2025-10-29 22:49
Rocket and Groot, easily, but I absolutely adore how they handled Man-Thing and even with so little screen time think he's one of the best realized CGI characters in the entire MCU.
probablynotaskrull2025-10-29 22:49
Khonshu, and here’s why: I never doubted him. Film requires suspension of disbelief, but CGI characters often push the limits on that. Khonshu, by virtue of his design as much as anything, seemed as realistic as a skeleton bird god could, which I can’t say for the others. Others were far more difficult, and meeting that challenge is impressive, but they all had moments that brought me out of the illusion.
It’s like an actor who might not have as much demand to show emotional range, but who completely becomes the character (Francis McDormand in Fargo), versus an actor whose emotions hits great highs and deep lows believably, but their accent slips half the time (Jude Law in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil).
NChristenson2025-10-30 03:02
That series was amazing, I wish it had gotten a season two. :-(
Salt_Ride_22882025-10-30 05:47
I literally scrolled to see if anyone said Khonshu and I was getting upset it took me so long🥲
ragua0072025-10-29 22:50
BobTheFettt2025-10-29 22:52
I mean, The Brick looks like he jumped straight off a panel
Chance_Engineer_66642025-10-29 22:52
She hulk of course
Dookiemay2025-10-29 22:52
Khonshu was my favorite
Crusty_Grape2025-10-29 22:52
2012 Hulk is still a CGI masterpiece.
Live action Khonshu gets an honourable mention though
Livid_Ad97492025-10-29 22:55
Thanos. He conveyed emotion better than the rest, and is the only one I kind of forgot wasnt real at different points.
Noaconstrictr2025-10-29 22:55
Thanos
Noaconstrictr2025-10-29 22:56
ReturnGreen32622025-10-29 22:56
Thanos is amazing in this area
drichm25992025-10-29 22:57
Man Thing is practical
axotrax2025-10-29 22:58
Rocket. But I give Ben Grimm credit for the look he gives when he realizes Sue is pregnant, before they announce it. Very well executed.
Secret_Bet_21262025-10-29 23:01
[ Groot for this alone.](https://imgur.com/a/UBuqhkO)
Poor baby. Lmao
No_Buddy53402025-10-29 23:04
Khonshu
TopDonut68252025-10-29 23:08
Rocket
badken2025-10-29 23:08
In the first Guardians, when Rocket woke up in the prison cell with bed head, the animators made me a ride-or-die Rocket fan.
mikeonbass2025-10-29 23:08
Thanos, I mean the real answer is still Davy Jones, but in the MCU I'd say Thanos.
Here's a hot take. From a purely aesthetic point of view She-Hulk's face looks fantastic considering it is essentially a human face. Everyone else on that list is an alien or monster so the uncanny valley is less pronounced.
With Jen, it's clear a great deal of work went into getting her face to look as human as possible. I'm not sure if it was time or money, but everything else that lacked (animation/the textures of her clothing) took away from the that good work.
In stills she looks great.
undergroundpac2025-10-29 23:10
Davy Jones from POTC trumps them all!
rocketmanx2025-10-29 23:10
Rocket. So good that sometimes I forgot he wasn't real.
RaptorKnifeFight2025-10-29 23:10
My mouth dropped the first time I saw Man Thing in full. They kept him obscured for most of it and I figured it was too complex, but then you see his full form in broad daylight come sit down next to Jack Russell. It was incredibly detailed and full of character.
Optimistic_Idioteque2025-10-29 23:14
Khonshu, while not the best, is definitely underrated, especially being a series character
JBTriple2025-10-29 23:23
Look, I will forever be a She-Hulk defender, but the CGI was *not* one of that show's strengths lmao.
Bad_Username-19992025-10-29 23:30
Rocket, Thing, Konshu are my picks
FreddyPlayz2025-10-29 23:30
The Thing 100%. It’s the only one that doesn’t look like CGI at all (2012 Hulk is also damn near perfect as well)
alexjf562025-10-29 23:30
Rocket
Winchxz2025-10-29 23:32
I love all of them! But I am really impressed with Khonshu! That shi’s realistic asf. He looks like he was a decayed bird.
3parsthisweek2025-10-29 23:33
She Hulk gives me a chubber
LSWSjr2025-10-29 23:57
Duck the Howard
Fman1732025-10-29 23:57
Hot take: She Hulk DID break the fourth wall… that’s like otherworldly power
Any_Lingonberry_62172025-10-30 00:02
Davy fuckin Jones from pirates of the Caribbean
lousmer2025-10-30 01:14
Going to need to see them all in a twerk-off. /s lol
Commentaires
The VFX team did an incredible job with him in all 3 movies. And I am also pretty sure since he is Gunn’s favourite, he probably paid attention to every single frame with Rocket in it to make sure he was done perfectly.
Rocket really does make you forget that there's no actual talking, bipedal raccoon actor playing him, lmao.
He is miles ahead of any other CG character I can think of.
Back in the day what gave things away was either the hair or lack of muscle twitches, but they did both so well with him.
Rocket in the movies takes up a lot of space and is constantly yapping, so when he's not there it feels empty.
Edit: correct Gunn brother.
So often I stopped keeping track. It was just a steady stream for the last third of the movie.
I think Groot, Man thing or Hulk.
Can you imagine infinity war with thanos looking goofy?
Considering how realistically cg can make rocks, I’m surprised Ben Grimm looked as fake as he did. With the right director and team in a later film, he could probably look the best.
I mean, obviously we *know* Hulk isn't real, but the effects are so good that you get immersed in the film and aren't constantly thinking "that's a CGI model that a team of people created." He just becoms a character like Captain America or Thor.
Sort of in the same way Ironman's armor in his first movie was some of the best ever.
Groots modern look has also thrown me off, every time we see him he’s bigger but it feels like he’s still got the baby groot face
I think I gotta go with Rocket.
It's him by a mile.
While Rocket might *technically* look more real, fur & whiskers are a much easier task than human skin.
Cosmo in GotG 3 is probably the most technologically impressive character in the MCU to me. I totally believed I was looking at a real dog until I read after seeing the film that pretty much every shot was CGI.
It’s like an actor who might not have as much demand to show emotional range, but who completely becomes the character (Francis McDormand in Fargo), versus an actor whose emotions hits great highs and deep lows believably, but their accent slips half the time (Jude Law in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil).
Live action Khonshu gets an honourable mention though
Poor baby. Lmao
Here's a hot take. From a purely aesthetic point of view She-Hulk's face looks fantastic considering it is essentially a human face. Everyone else on that list is an alien or monster so the uncanny valley is less pronounced.
With Jen, it's clear a great deal of work went into getting her face to look as human as possible. I'm not sure if it was time or money, but everything else that lacked (animation/the textures of her clothing) took away from the that good work.
In stills she looks great.