The renowned director Genshō Yasuda, along with his studio Yasuda Gensho Studio by Xenotoon, has released two Disney-approved anime short films to accompany the sequel to the hit animated film Moana. The videos, released last Saturday, December 7, 2024, include Japanese versions of two featured songs from the soundtrack of Moana 2. Additionally, it has been announced that two other short films are in the works and will be released soon.
The first short film features the song “Kaettekita, Honto no Watashi ni” (I have returned, to my true self), known as the song “We’re Back” in the English version. The second video includes “Beyond ~Koete Yukō” (Beyond ~Let’s go further), the Japanese version of “Beyond”. Both songs are performed by singer Tomona Yabiku.
Yasuda’s studio plans to release two more short films in the near future. One of them will present “Mayoe” (get lost), played by Sonim, who plays Matangi, a new character introduced in Moana 2. The second will include «Dekiru sa! “Chee Hoo!” (Of course I can! Chee Hoo!), played by Matsuya Onoe, which is dedicated to the charismatic demigod Maui.
Moana 2: a global success
The sequel to Moanareleased in the United States on November 27 and in Japan on December 6 of this year, continues the story of the brave young Polynesian woman that began 8 years ago, in 2016. While the first film explored the protagonist’s journey to save his island, the second installment expands the narrative universe with new challenges and introducing new characters.
Genshō Yasuda’s career
Genshō Yasuda is a fairly well-known name in the world of animation. This talented director also recently released the mini-short film Catch of the Daya 3DCG anime created in collaboration with anime brand and NFT project Azuki.
Additionally, Yasuda is working on his first animated feature film titled Make a Girlfinanced through a successful crowdfunding campaign. This project had its world premiere in Hollywood on November 3 and is scheduled to hit theaters in Japan on January 31.
The release of the first film Moana In 2016, with its roots in Polynesian culture, it represented a historical milestone in the work of including diverse and minority cultures within mainstream animation. Now, with the collaboration of Yasuda, this cultural expansion goes one step further by adopting elements of anime.
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