Anime is seemingly everywhere these days, with the medium having transformed from a niche interest to a mainstream form of entertainment in recent years.Everything from major sports leaguesto long-established brands, fast food chains, and popular global streaming services wants a piece of anime’s success, and in a recent illustration by aShōnen Jumpartist,Disney is seemingly the latest household name to clash with the art form. In a post shared on X, Kazue Kato, the artist behind theBlue Exorcistseries, gave fans a look at her take on the cast ofMoana 2.
Kato’sBlue Exorcistbegan its run inWeekly Shōnen Jumpin 2009 and became incredibly popular following the premiere of its anime adaptation in 2011. The series has seen a bit of an irregular release schedule as of late, though remains ongoing, while the anime adaptation just wrapped its most recent season this past March.In between chapters, it seems Kato became inspired by the recently releasedMoana 2, which debuted in theaters in November 2024, and she likely wasn’t the only one.
Moana Meets Shōnen Jump In an Unexpected Crossover
The Recent Disney Film Gets a Tribute From the Artist Behind Blue Exorcist
Kato’s illustration includes the main cast ofMoana 2, and prominently features the titular protagonist, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho, and Maui, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, front and center. Also featured are Heihei, Moana’s comedic rooster sidekick, Pua the pig, her other cute companion, and Kotu, the coconut-like Kakamora who joins the party inMoana 2. Replies to the post from fans were overwhelmingly positive, with many complimentingKato’s blend of her own art style with the iconic Disney style featured in the film.
It wasn’t the first time the worlds of anime and Disney crossed paths,and it certainly won’t be the last.Chainsaw Manartist Tatsuki Fujimoto also took to Xto share his thoughts aboutMoana 2shortly after it released in theaters, saying, “Today I sawMoana 2.It was interesting and I recommend it because you may get a (Lorcana) card.“Disney Lorcanais a playable trading card game that released a special card only for movie-goers. In 2021, Fujimoto took inspiration from another Disney property whenhe drew his take on Marvel’s Captain America.
Disney Is Going All-In on Anime This Fall
A New Anime Series Based on a Disney Property Is Expected to Premiere In October 2025
Anime’s interest in Disney isn’t entirely a one-way relationship, as the iconic brand is expected to go all-in on the medium this October with the release ofDisney Twisted-Wonderland the Animation. The upcoming show will be based on the three separate ongoing manga series under theTwisted-Wonderlandname, themselves based on a mobile game,and is set to begin streaming on Disney+ this fall.
With anime’s global rise in popularity, fans can expect to see far more of it in crossovers and collaborations with their other favorite properties. The recentMoanaillustration byBlue Exorcistartist Kazue Kato is just the latest instance of the two worlds colliding, and it certainly will not be the last.
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Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
