Turning Red Manga Announced by Disney, Viz Media
Turning Red became a bonafide phenomenon when it premiered on Disney+, with viewers of all ages becoming obsessed with the Disney/Pixar film's delightful and emotional story. As much as the series surrounds the story of Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang) and her ability to turn into a giant red panda, one of the breakout elements of the film is definitely 4*Town, the film's fictional 1990s boy band. On Friday, it was announced that 4*Town's story will be told in a new medium, with the band getting their own canonical manga adaptation. The manga, Disney and Pixar's Turning Red: 4*Town 4*Real: The Manga, will be released by Viz Media in the second quarter of 2023, and will be written by Dirchansky and illustrated by KAlfee.
According to the official description for the manga, "4*Townies are hyped to see 4*Town performing their favorite hits live, but how will Canada's greatest boy band spend the day leading up to their epic Toronto concert? Hang with Robaire, Jesse, Tae Young, Aaron T, and Aaron Z as they enjoy a rare break in their busy schedules! Jesse and Tae Young embrace their artistic side and visit a ceramics museum, Aaron T gets his fashion on at the mall, and Aaron Z and Robaire stay in the dance studio to master their moves before the sold-out show. Only the realest fans deserve to get this up close and personal with Tween Beat Magazine's Hottest Band of the Year!"
4*Town's original songs in the film were penned by Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, with the group creatively being inspired by the likes of the Backstreet Boys, N'SYNC, and Westlife, as well as contemporary K-Pop fandom.
"I feel like boy bands are often ridiculed by media, as most things that teen girls are obsessed with are," director Domee Shi explained during a virtual press conference for the film earlier this year. "And with this movie, we really wanted to pay tribute to this cultural phenomenon and not just make fun of it. We make fun of it a little bit, but we also honor it as well. So many girls' and boys' lives were shaped by their very first musical obsessions, and boy bands represent, for many girls, their first foray into adolescence, into music, fashion, pop culture. They offer a safe, soft, and non-threatening introduction to subjects like love and relationships."
Will you be checking out Turning Red's official manga tie-in? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!