This fang-tastic villager is one of the most instantly recognizable characters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. With her snowy white fur, bright blue eyes and perfect pink eyeliner, it’s no surprise that Whitney is one of the most sought-after villagers in the game. She's not the only one. Wolf villagers are proving immensely popular in Nintendo’s newest release in the Animal Crossing franchise, with characters like the newcomer Audie and the fan-favourite Fang being sold for upwards of 50 Nook Miles Tickets each in online communities.
This snooty wolf might seem like a stuck-up fashionista with a penchant for preening, but there’s more to Whitney than meets the eye.
10 She’s In The Animal Crossing Movie
Did you know there is an Animal Crossing movie? Dōbutsu no Mori (劇場版 どうぶつ - "The Animal Forest Movie",) otherwise known as Animal Crossing: The Movie in English, is a Japan-exclusive anime that was released in 2005. It released approximately a year after the release of Animal Crossing: Wild World, the game which the movie is loosely based around.
This film was the second appearance of Whitney, who was introduced in Animal Crossing: Wild World. Her popularity meant she was given a starring role in the movie, helping the protagonist Ai become ‘more of a sophisticated lady’. She also provides emotional comfort to Ai when her best friend, Margie, leaves town to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer, which doesn't match her snooty personality in the game.
9 She’s Apollo’s Ex
Animal Crossing: The Movie reveals that this cranky villager, who has become a rather obscure thirst trap online, could have possibly been dating Whitney.
When Ai finds Whitney at the Roost after gossiping with Rosie and Margie about their relationship, Whitney compares how a woman's bond and a relationship differs. She laments the fact that no matter what she does, her relationship, implied with Apollo, will never be the same as it was before.
The movie further hints at their blossoming relationship with flowers. Keen-eyed viewers may spot the correlation between the blue roses Whitney receives as a gift from a mysterious lover in the credits of the film and the blue roses Apollo was growing in his garden at the start of the film.
8 She Breaks The Fourth Wall
In Animal Crossing: Wild World, players can receive a framed picture of a villager once they reach best friend status with them. These coveted items prove that you are BFFs with your favourite villager and it’s no easy feat to get them.
Each framed picture comes with a quote that sums up the character’s personality. Whitney’s quote is a meta-reference to the game she was introduced in. Her frame says “If you even THINK about crossing me, just think about these pearly whites!”. Now that’s one animal villager we don’t want to cross.
7 She’s Been In Every Game Since Wild World
Whitney is a long-standing villager who was first introduced in Animal Crossing: Wild World. The only game she has missed is the original Animal Crossing, Dōbutsu no Mori. This was the first-ever installment in the Animal Crossing series and, before its remakes for a Western audience, could only be found in Japan for the Nintendo 64.
Players have grown up alongside Whitney, which is sure to be yet another reason for her popularity. Her tough exterior and soft-hearted personality make her a challenge to get to know, but once players do get to know her, she’s sure to stay a part of their island forever.
6 She’s A Snooty Villager
Villagers with a snooty personality love to gossip about other villagers and chat about love and romance. Whitney is no exception. Snooty villagers are almost universally despised for their apparent shallowness, but once players take the time to get past the rough exterior, a friendship with them can be rewarding.
Whitney does not like or dislike characters with clashing personality types to snooty, like jock or lazy, but judges them depending on that specific character’s interests. If a villager is ‘sloppier’ than another, she will be more likely to dislike them than someone else.
5 She’s Named After Her White Fur
Animal Crossing villagers are usually based on real-world animals. It’s possible that Whitney is based off an arctic wolf. The Arctic wolf (sometimes called a white wolf or a polar wolf) is a subspecies of gray wolves which are native to Canada. They are famous for their snowy white fur. Whitney’s fur colour is also a play on the popular girl’s name “Whitney”, which almost spells out the word white.
Proof of this fact can be found in the French version of the game. Her name is Blanche, which literally translates to the word “white”.
4 International Audiences Get Her Mixed Up With Another Character
Animal Crossing is a game enjoyed by audiences across the globe. Each region has a native language translation to allow everyone to experience the joy of building your own space without barriers. With so many different villagers, it’s no surprise that certain villagers have got mixed up in translation.
Japanese, Korean and Italian translations of every game since Animal Crossing: Wild World refer to Whitney as Bianca. Whitney’s Japanese/Italian name is the same as the English name of the peppy tiger villager who first appeared in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Bianca.
3 Her Looks Have Changed Since Her First Appearance
The Whitney we all know and love has blue eyes and an iconic curl of fur on her forehead. She’s always well put-together, sporting fashionable pink eyeliner to match the pink on the inside of her ears and heavy mascara to make those eyes really shine. Her snout and tail are tipped with grey and her nose is a red-brown colour.
But did you know that Whitney has changed up her look since her first appearance in the Animal Crossing movie, Dōbutsu no Mori? In the anime, her eyes are a light purple and her nose was a deep brown. She also has more of an hourglass figure and is taller than she is in the games.
2 She Has The Fashion Hobby
In Animal Crossing: New Horizons each villager has a distinct hobby to match their personality types. This isn’t a new feature - hobbies have been around since the start. Hobbies will affect the villager’s dialogue, interior design and outfit choices. The only difference in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is that each villager has a set hobby, rather than changing as they did in previous games.
There are six hobbies to choose from: education, fashion, fitness, music, nature and play. Whitney has the fashion hobby, which means you can often find her checking out the stock in the Able Sisters. She will often comment on the player’s clothes and sometimes gift you the latest trends.
1 She’s a Virgo
Whitney is a Virgo, which might not have been your first guess for her. Virgo’s are known to be hard-working and loyal, which might not describe Whitney on first impressions.
But Virgo’s are also fussy perfectionists. Whitney’s Pocket Camp profile says that she is “struts with the confidence of someone who knows every second of every day that her fur game is on point,” which sums up Whitney perfectly.
Her birthday is on the 17th of September, so make sure you pop in to see her and celebrate her special day.