What’s the origin of the minion dolls?
In recent years, Minions have become popular all over the world with their cute images and funny personalities, becoming one of the most popular characters in the animated film "Despicable Me" series. Whether it is movies, peripheral products or Internet memes, Minions occupy an important position. So, what is the origin and design inspiration of these minions? This article will combine the hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days to reveal the origin of the Minions.
1. The origin and design inspiration of Minions

Minions first appeared in the animated film "Despicable Me" released in 2010, co-produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment. Their look was created by director Pierre Coffin and designer Eric Guillon. Here are a few key points about Minion design:
| design elements | source of inspiration |
|---|---|
| yellow appearance | Bright colors referencing classic cartoon characters (such as SpongeBob SquarePants) to enhance visual appeal |
| capsule shape | The designer hopes that the minions will look like "walking beans" to highlight their cuteness |
| Big eyes and goggles | Imitates the image of a diver or laboratory assistant, adding a sense of science fiction |
| blue overalls | It symbolizes the status of "worker" and fits the role of Minion as Gru's assistant. |
2. Minions’ language and cultural background
The minions speak a mixed language "Minionese", which combines vocabulary and pronunciation from English, Spanish, French, Italian and other languages. This nonsensical language style makes the audience feel interesting and mysterious. The following are the classic lines from the Minions that have been hotly discussed among netizens in the past 10 days:
| Minions lines | Chinese meaning |
|---|---|
| "Banana!" | "Banana!" (Minion's favorite food) |
| "Bello!" | "Hello!" (Italian origin) |
| "Underwear?" | "Underpants?" (from a funny scene in the movie) |
3. Minions’ global popularity and commercial value
Minions are not only movie stars, they have also become the darling of commercial IP. From toys, clothing to co-branded merchandise, the image of Minions is everywhere. The following are the Minion-related topics that have been hotly discussed on the Internet in the past 10 days:
| hot topics | Discussion popularity |
|---|---|
| Trailer for Minions' new movie "Minions with Big Eyes 2" | Weibo reading volume exceeds 100 million |
| McDonald's minions co-branded toys | Douyin-related video views exceed 50 million |
| Minions theme park opens in Beijing | Xiaohongshu Notes has over 100,000 likes |
4. Why are Minions so popular?
The success of Minions is no accident. There are several reasons behind it:
1.The image design is simple but memorable: The yellow capsule shape and big eyes are unforgettable.
2.nonsensical sense of humor: The behavior and language of the minions are full of childishness, suitable for audiences of all ages.
3.Strong business operations: Universal Pictures continues to strengthen its IP influence through movies, peripherals and co-branding.
In short, the birth of Minions is a perfect combination of animation design and commercial marketing. Whether as movie characters or cultural symbols, they have won the love of countless fans around the world.
check the details
check the details