Back in 1995, I was one of countless kids buzzing with excitement for Toy Story, which at the time wasn’t owned by Disney but by Pixar itself, before the buyout happened. While the 3D animation might look a bit primitive by today’s standards, it was completely mind-blowing back then, even on par with how PlayStation graphics rocked the video game world. Even if the story of Toy Story had been mediocre, which it absolutely wasn’t, people probably would’ve shown up just for the computer animation alone.

The concept of the movie is brilliant, though. Every toy in this universe is secretly a living being, but none of them can ever reveal that to their owners. I’ll admit, as a kid watching this, I was skeptical, but part of me genuinely hoped it was true because I definitely remember trying to catch my own toys in the act.

The animation may not wow anyone today, but it was truly groundbreaking at the time. Still, story-wise, this remains my favorite entry in the entire franchise. Woody the cowboy has been happily riding high as Andy’s favorite toy, blissfully unaware that the favorite toy title usually goes to whatever’s newest and shiniest in the toy box.

Enter Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear. Even as a kid, I found myself rooting for Buzz more than Woody, despite the film clearly nudging you toward sympathizing with the cowboy. I know for a fact I got a Buzz Lightyear toy that Christmas. I honestly can’t recall ever getting a Woody.

At its core, the story is really about jealousy. Woody can’t stand watching the other toys gravitate toward Buzz, and it eats him up even more when Andy starts favoring Buzz during playtime. As an adult now, thinking about this stuff, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Andy’s mom had her own Buzz and Woody tucked away in a sock drawer. Imagine the hilariously awkward dynamic if those two ever crossed paths with the kids’ toys.

One thing I think a lot of Pixar fans tend to forget, especially pre-Toy Story 4, is that Bo Peep is actually Woody’s true romantic interest. And Jessie from Toy Story 2 is canonically established as his sister, tied back to the toy line originally created for the in-universe TV show his character came from.

And true to a lot of classic Pixar storytelling, there’s no traditional villain here. Sid Phillips fills that role, but he’s not really a bad kid at heart. Sure, blowing up toys with homemade rockets is unsettling, but to be fair, he had no idea toys were sentient or had feelings. Most toys, apparently, operate under some code where they’d rather be destroyed than expose the truth to humans, a rule Buzz and Woody conveniently break to escape his house of horrors.

It’s no wonder Toy Story turned into a billion-dollar franchise for Pixar and later Disney. Between the era-defining animation and a genuinely fantastic story and cast of characters, this movie kicked off a series Disney apparently can’t bring itself to end. I can only imagine the sheer volume of merchandise they’ve sold off the back of it. I’m also a bit surprised my stepdaughter Lily hasn’t really latched onto Toy Story, and I’d guess Alex is either oblivious or just not invested in the franchise yet, though to be fair, he’s only four.