I mean, I hear from hordes of guys who admit that at least when they were kids, they got pretty turned on by Ariel, and even now many adults and teens still find her attractive.
Why? She's a cartoon character, yet for some reason so many guys get horny over her?
It's because she can't talk back for half the movie .
Sexist jokes aside, why do/did so many women have a crush on Aladdin, Hercules, Tarzan, Flynn, etc.? Hell, I know someone who had a crush on Disney's Robin Hood.
Just because a cartoon character isn't real doesn't mean we can't appreciate their qualities and characteristics. We can imagine what it would be like to know them. It's nothing more than silly fantasy. Hell, Zachary Levi (Flynn Rider) admitted to getting a little crush on Rapunzel. Doesn't mean he has an unhealthy relationship with cartoons. It just means she has qualities he likes.
The only real difference between getting a crush on a cartoon character and a live action one is the medium on which they appear.
If you're happy and you know it, go sit in the corner and think about your life.
You're right, and there's nothing wrong with appreciating an artist's depiction of beauty. If someone drew or CG'd a female image that looked attractive, people would take notice because they did a good job.
From what I understand, mermaids in general are considered very exotic, which is why many guys are turned on by them. Ariel being the most famous mermaid ever, and the prettiest of all of Disney princesses (that's not just my personal opinion), just draws attention to her even more.