In animation, appeal is a fundamental principle that gives characters charm, magnetism, and visual interest, making them engaging and relatable to audiences. While best practices in animation and character design suggest that certain design elements may enhance a character’s appeal, it remains unclear which specific characteristics contribute most to this perception. This study investigated the extent to which variations in three design elements—character proportions, exaggeration, and color palette—affect the audience’s perception of appeal. The experiment included 36 animated clips featuring two characters with varying proportions, levels of exaggeration, and color palettes. Twenty-two participants watched the animation clips and rated each character’s overall appeal, proportions, exaggeration, and color scheme. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine which factors contribute most significantly to perceived appeal. The findings indicate that a character’s facial and body proportions have the most substantial positive impact on appeal, exaggeration does not have a significant effect, and, surprisingly, the color palette has a negative relationship with the appeal.