This paper explores the multifaceted relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and animation character design, with a particular focus on efficiency, creativity, and interactivity. Adopting a interpretative phenomenological method, we delve into the understanding of these aspects by analyzing the application of AI in animation character design, providing a unique perspective to explore the perceptions and experiences of animators and audiences in this context. The comprehensive exploration comprises four main sections: an introduction to AI in animation character design, an overview of phenomenological hermeneutics, detailed analysis of efficiency, creativity, and interactivity cases, and finally, a discussion on the substitutable and irreplaceable aspects of AI in animation character design.