In theAnimal Crossingseries, a villager’s personality determines what they say and how they act around your town or island. It also influences how they get along with other villagers. Cranky villagers, for example, are uptight and old-fashioned, and they struggle to get along with Peppy villagers.
It’s rare for a villager’s personality to change between games, but there have been a number of villagers over the years who have had a change in disposition. The majority were the result of the introduction of the Smug and Big Sister personalities in New Leaf, but there are a few that were changed to help diversify the roster a bit more.
18Charlise
Peppy - Big Sister
Originally appearing in the Japanese-exclusive Doubutsu no Mori e+ for the GameCube, Charlise is a bright green bear with yellow cheeks and brown bangs. When Charlise was reintroduced in New Leaf, her personality was changed from the original Peppy to the new Big Sister personality type.
Charlise’s appearance is definitely befitting of the Big Sister personality, especially considering she is taller than your character as a bear. You just know she’d give you a big sisterly bear hug.
17Curlos
Cranky - Smug
Curlos debuted in Doubutsu no Mori e+as a Cranky villager, but didn’t appear again until New Leaf, where he reappeared with a new Smug personality type. Despite this change, the Cranky personality in the original Animal Crossing and Doubutsu no Mori e+ was actually more like the Smug personality, being suave and romantic, so it’s not as big of a change as you might think.
Considering the similarities between the original Cranky personality and the introduction of the Smug type, it makes sense that Curlos was changed into a Smug villager instead. He even has a smug look on his face.
16Dobie
Lazy - Cranky
Dobie, a villager who was absent since Doubutsu no Mori+, was added to New Leaf as part of the Welcome amiibo update, where he could be invited through an amiibo card. As part of this reintroduction to the series, he was changed from Lazy to Cranky, which is quite the change.
Dobie has a unique appearance as the only villager who shows signs of age. His personality was likely changed to better align him with the cranky old man stereotype, though if you have ever had him in your town or on your island, you know he’s a softie beneath the gruff exterior.
15Ed
Jock - Smug
Ed, a horse villager, has been in every Animal Crossing game to date; however, his personality was changed with the introduction of the Smug personality in New Leaf, when he wasoriginally a Jock villager.
Smug certainly fits Ed’s appearance better than the Jock personality, as his well-kept mane suggests he cares a lot about his appearance. New Leaf further leaned into this personality change, with his favorite saying being “beauty is pain”.
14Faith
Normal - Big Sister
Faith was introduced in Doubutsu no Mori+ as a Normal villager, but wasn’t seen in the series for almost 20 years until she returned in the 2.0 update of New Horizons. Upon her return, Faith was changed into a Big Sister villager.
With the Big Sister personality type having the least villagers and Normal villagers being very common, this change was likely to add some variety to New Horizons’ roster. Faith’s friendly demeanor makes her a great candidate for a Big Sister.
13Harry
Jock - Cranky
Harry the hippo originally appeared in Doubutsu no Mori e+ as a Jock villager, and though he didn’t appear in Wild World, he came back in City Folk with a new personality - Cranky.
He didn’t look like much of a Jock originally, as he was wearing a camo t-shirt, and his house interior didn’t suggest he liked sports at all. New Horizons calls back to his original personality, though, as he wears a sports jersey in his poster and seems to be playing basketball in front of a crowd.
12Huck
Lazy - Smug
In Doubutsu no Mori, Huck was a Lazy villager, having a friendly and food-oriented personality. He returned in New Leaf’s Welcome amiibo update with the Smug personality, having a gentlemanly and confident demeanor.
The Smug personality certainly fits his appearance, as Huck has always had a smug grin on his face. His half-closed eyes also give the impression that he’s looking at you smugly. In New Horizons, he also has the fitness hobby, so perhaps he’s smug about how many more reps he can get in than you.
11Kidd
Originally a Lazy villager in Doubutsu no Mori e+, Kidd returned in New Leaf as a Smug villager. He also came donning a new outfit - a waistcoat that suits the new Smug personality perfectly.
Kidd also received a revamped house in New Horizons, where his fanciful tastes are put on full display. As a Smug villager, he likely listens to music on his phonograph and thinks himself the music connoisseur of the island.
Interestingly, his e-Reader card profile for Doubutsu no Mori e+ describes Kidd as having an “overburning passion” that’s “incomprehensible to ordinary people,” which is very Smug-like.
10Leopold
Leopold is a lion villager who first appeared as a Jock villager in Doubutsu no Mori. However, he returned in New Leaf’s Welcome amiibo update as a Smug villager, perhaps to better fit the reference to him being the king of the jungle and wearing the Noble Shirt.
His new personality also came with a goal of being a professor and an enjoyment of debating - it’s easy to picture Leopold being smug when debating a topic that he’s particularly knowledgeable about as a professor.
9O’Hare
O’Hare the rabbit was a Cranky villager when he was originally introduced in Doubutsu no Mori+, though when he returned to the series in New Leaf, he came in a better mood,now having the Smug personality instead.
O’Hare is smug about his sense of style, as his favorite saying is “It’s not old; it’s vintage.” you’re able to’t blame him though, as he looks particularly adorable in the straw hat that he always wears.
