Domi Shi sums up her vision for Blushing, Pixar’s latest fantasy coming of age comedy, as “Dream of Teenage Asian Fever” – aesthetic and energy, equal parts bright, masculine, goofy and playful. Shi, who made her debut in the acclaimed 2018 short film Bao, brought her experience and passion to bear on the story of 13-year-old Meiling “Mei” Li’s unusual adolescence. In particular, the influence of the anime is in full effect throughout the film, from Turning Red’s soft color palette and energetic tone to Mei’s frequent transformation into a giant red panda whenever she gets too stressed or excited.
In a conversation with Polygon, Shi offered up a list of some of her favorite anime that she looked to for inspiration when creating Turning Red.
Sailor Moon
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11565521/tumblr_p1lclygn6p1s6thvro1_1280.png "Turning Red was inspired by four key anime including Sailor Moon. 1")
Toy Animation
No wonder Shi cites Sailor Moon as one of the key inspirations for Turning Red’s art style. Naoko Takeuchi’s 1991 manga about schoolgirl-turned-superpowered heroine Usagi Tsukino has been adapted into two animated series, the former being considered one of the key titles that introduced an entire generation of anime viewers to the Magical Girl genre. anime.
“We were very inspired by the pastel colors and the dreaminess of the night, the nightscapes,” Shea explains, citing the 1992 series’ soft color palette that influenced the overall look of the film.
Sailor Moon available for streaming on Hulu.
Ranma ½
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Image: VIZ Media
Based on Rumiko Takahashi’s martial arts adventure manga, Ranma ½ follows the misadventures of a teenage martial artist who, after an accident during a training journey, is doomed to transform into a girl every time she is doused with cold water, with the opposite effect after being splashed with warm water. . Naturally, this predicament leads to a whole host of hilarious shenanigans.
In addition to being the romantic comedy counterpart of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando anime, Ranma ½ was a major influence in the creation of Blushing. “Ranma ½ is another anime we were inspired by, especially when Mei turned into a giant pink cloud. We sort of borrowed this from a lot of anime about transformation. And all this device of a girl turning into an animal, I think I see it a lot in anime.”
Ranma one⁄2 available for streaming on Hulu as well as Funimation.
fruit basket
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Image: TMS, 8PAN/Funimation
The romantic comedy Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya is a modern shojo manga classic that inspired two beloved anime adaptations in 2001 and 2019, the latter of which made our list of the best anime of the year (three years in a row). !). The series follows Tohru Honda, an orphaned high school student who befriends many members of the Soma family. The clan belongs to 13 Chinese zodiac animals that transform into their animals when weakened, stressed or hugged by members of the opposite sex.
It’s no wonder Shi credits Fruit Basket as an inspiration for Turning Red, with its overarching themes of adolescence and transformation, its vibrant color palette, and its famed status as a popular introduction to the world of female-focused anime and manga.
fruit basket (2001) available for streaming on Funimation; fruit basket (2019) available for viewing on Crispy roll as well as Funimation.
Inuyasha
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Image: Netflix
In addition to Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi’s fantasy romance adventure series Inuyasha was also a notable influence in the production of Blushing. Both the manga and its 2000 anime adaptation tell the story of Kagome Higurashi, a high school student in present-day Tokyo who is magically transported to the Sengoku period after falling into a well at her family’s temple. After freeing the half-dog demon, half-human Inuyasha from imprisonment, Kagome embarks on a journey to recover the shards of a powerful artifact known as the Jewel of Shikon before they fall into the hands of the nefarious demon known as Naraku.
Made popular when it was first shown in the West on Adult Swim in 2002, Takahashi’s fantasy epic also features elaborate transformations and strong female characters in addition to elaborate storytelling and violent action.
Inuyasha available for streaming on Netflix, Crispy rollas well as Funimation.