Ivan is a mature silverback gorilla who has spent 27 years living in a glass-enclosed cage at a circus-themed mall. He possesses a calm demeanor and passes his time observing human visitors while creating literal drawings of items in his enclosure. Taken from Central Africa as an infant, he suppresses memories of his early life in the wild to cope with his current captivity.

Stella is an elderly elephant residing in a cage next to Ivan at the mall. She bears physical scars from her years working in a traditional human circus, including a chronic, untreated foot injury. She acts as the voice of experience among the captive animals and possesses a long memory of both human cruelty and kindness.

Ruby is a young baby elephant recently acquired by Mack from a bankrupt circus. She asks endless questions about her new surroundings and clearly misses the natural world. Her presence at the mall upsets the established routine of the other animals.

Bob is a tiny stray dog who sneaks into the mall each night to find a safe place to sleep. He is fiercely independent and distrusts humans completely after being abandoned on a highway as a puppy. He maintains a tough exterior but relies heavily on his friendship with the captive animals.

Julia is the 10-year-old daughter of the mall janitor. She shares a passion for art with Ivan and frequently passes crayons and paper through a hole in his cage. She views the animals with genuine compassion and draws imaginative pictures of worlds that do not yet exist.

Mack is the owner and operator of the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. He raised Ivan from infancy like a human child but moved the gorilla into a cage once he grew too large. Facing mounting financial pressure, he views the animals primarily as sources of revenue and cuts corners on their basic medical care.

George works as the janitor at the Big Top Mall to support his daughter and his sick wife. He is a responsible father who tries to keep Julia focused on her homework rather than the mall animals. He worries constantly about losing his job but harbors genuine affection for the captive creatures.

Tag is Ivan's twin sister from his time in the wild. She loved playing games with her brother and chasing him through the jungle. She struggled to cope with the trauma of their capture by humans.

Helen is Mack's former wife who helped raise Ivan during his early years. She often grew frustrated when the young gorilla broke household items and eventually left the marriage.

Maya is a zoo worker who specializes in animal care. She uses patient, reward-based clicker training to help captive animals adjust to new routines and environments.

Kinyani is a female gorilla living at the local zoo. She is quick and intelligent, actively observing new members who join her troop to test their strength and social skills.