POP JUNIOR: FANDOM FEATURE
Raya Takes Kids on Disney’s Next Epic Adventure Kids can travel to the world of Kumandra with Disney’s newest warrior. by Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief
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aya’s to-do list is short, but far from simple: 1. Find the last dragon. 2. Restore peace. Disney’s newest animated adventure combines awe-inspiring animation with deeply rooted themes of unity and trust, and packs it all up to take on an adventure to a brand new fantasy land. In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon, audiences can travel to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons once lived together in harmony until an evil force threatened the land and the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil force has returned, and lone warrior Raya (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran) must track down the last dragon to restore the land and reunite its divided people. “One of the most exciting things about bringing Raya to Funko products was celebrating not just incredibly strong, female warriors, but also showcasing the breathtaking kingdom of Kumandra, a fantasy world broadly inspired by Southeast Asian culture,” says Dolly Ahluwalia, vice president of licensing and business development at Funko, one of the many companies that is filling retail shelves with Raya and the Last Dragon-inspired products. She may be a lone warrior, but Raya is surrounded by a cast bursting with personality, including the magical, mystical, and self-deprecating dragon, Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina); a street-savvy, 10-year-old entrepreneur, Boun; a formidable giant, Tong; and a thieving toddler, Noi, and her band of Ongis. Kids will be able to bring this new crew of friends home with a full product line
of role-play toys, dolls, and more from Jakks Pacific that is on retail shelves now, with more to come in the fall. “Raya and the Last Dragon is an ensemble film — on her journey to reunite Kumandra, she built a crew from each land that would help her achieve her goal. We wanted to ensure that we celebrated the crew throughout the line,” says Lisa Tauber, senior vice president of marketing at Jakks Pacific. “But within that, there are several very powerful relationships … we also wanted to make sure that those relationships were brought to life as well.” Not only did Jakks Pacific pull inspiration for its toys from these important relationships between different characters, but also from the strength of the characters themselves. “Raya is on a mission and she won’t let anything stop her,” Tauber says. “We want consumers to feel the strength of Raya and join the journey with her.” Along her journey, Raya learns that it will take more than a dragon to restore harmony to Kumandra — it’ll take trust in relationships and teamwork as well. Fans can see how these themes, as well as the important storyline of unity, weave into the behind-the-scenes details through an art book from Chronicle Books. Raya and her friends will also jump offscreen and into your home with a full line of dolls and figures under Hasbro’s Disney Princess brand, as well as a line of cuddly plush from Just Play. Kids can cuddle up to different characters, including Raya’s trusty steed, with products like the Fold’n Roll Tuk Tuk Plush. “It was important for us to create toys
that capture the mythical fantasy elements of the story and let kids join Raya on her journey,” says Sunny Lauridsen, head of licensing and brand strategy at Just Play. “We worked with Disney to highlight key characters and moments from the film. Raya is a fearless protagonist, and it was important to deliver her emotion through detailed facial features and an outfit that is closely modeled after the film. We were also taken by her adorable sidekick, Tuk Tuk, and introduced the fold and roll plush to bring to life his transforming capabilities.” For companies like Funko who have mastered the quick turnaround for product creation, the release of the film on Disney+ with Premier Access is a gamechanger. Since fans are able to immediately rewatch the movie over and over again, Funko can be right on the pulse of what fans are obsessing over — and pump out products based on what they love. “The best thing about Funko is how we are able to react quickly to what fans get excited about,” Ahluwalia says in an interview anticipating the film’s release. “I, myself, am looking forward to watching opening day and will have my phone volume set to extra loud as I’m sure our CEO will be texting me throughout the day saying, ‘Did you see (X) scene?! We need to make this!’ That’s half the fun of Pop! This is just the start.” Directed by Don Hall (Big Hero 6) and Carlose López Estrada (Blindspotting), Raya and the Last Dragon is in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access now. ✪ Top image and background image (right): Raya embarks on an epic journey in Raya and the Last Dragon. Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios
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