Ariel is the central character in Disney's animated feature The Little Mermaid, a huge hit in 1989. Ariel is rebellious, curious, cheerful, compassionate and wears a seashell bikini, a combination which made her both a family favorite and an Internet celebrity. The movie was followed by a television series that ran two seasons (1992-1994) and a direct-to-video sequel, The Little Mermaid: Return to the Sea (2000). The original movie (and Ariel herself) are based loosely on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name.