The visual style of DreamWorks' new animated movie, Forgotten Island, adheres to the familiar 3D animation prevalent in studios like Pixar and Disney. However, the film deliberately breaks from this convention at key moments, shifting to a distinct 2D animation reminiscent of '90s anime. These stylistic shifts occur when characters recount past events, with their stories visualized through exaggerated, flat animation drawing directly from iconic series such as Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, and Street Fighter.
Writer-directors Januel P. Mercado and Joel Crawford explained that these particular influences stem from their own childhood fandoms. "Those are staples of '90s animation, and those were our formative years, growing up in that decade," Mercado told Polygon. "So we were quick to go to those as very personal, special references for the movie."
The choice of which anime series to reference for specific characters' stories was a deliberate narrative decision, aligning the visual style with the character's personality and worldview. For instance, the vain and excitable were-dog character Raww (voiced by Dave Franco) envisions himself as a hyperbolically powerful warrior in the style of Street Fighter. Prince Mermahn (Kevin McCann) and Bungi the blue-skinned, three-eyed tiyanak (Manny Jacinto) also have their narratives framed through the lens of these distinct anime styles.
Mercado noted that the alignment of these references with the characters developed organically. "We had a good handle on the characters already," he said. "And then when we started thinking about the stuff that influenced us — there was so much out there, you know? Going deeper on Street Fighter and Dragon Ball for Raww, it's like, ‘Oh, this is perfect.’ We were joking, ‘Our 10-year-old selves, this is the kind of movie we would have made. And that we're actually making right now! Just, like, muscles on muscles.'"
One visual development artist, Kalen Chock, heavily influenced by Marvel vs. Capcom, was responsible for much of the final look of Raww's flashback sequences. Crawford highlighted the collaborative nature of animation, where artists contribute their own interpretations and skills. The artists reportedly had so much fun with these sequences that it became a collaborative effort, injecting personal passion into the project.
While many studios have adapted to a glossy, textured 3D animation style, the directors found a way to incorporate the desired 2D anime aesthetic. This was achieved by outsourcing the 2D animated sequences to Snipple Animation Studios in the Philippines. Snipple Animation has a long history of working on both American TV animation and Japanese anime. "We were really fortunate in [being able to use] Snipple Animation Studios in the Philippines," Crawford stated. "That studio did all the 2D animated moments, and that’s their wheelhouse... So it was a really cool opportunity to have a Filipino studio bring their craft and themselves to this story celebrating Filipino culture."
Forgotten Island is currently in theaters.