Surpassing the $1.24 billion worldwide box office revenue held by 'Incredibles 2,' the latest Disney & Pixar film 'Inside Out 2' (released on August 1) has set new records, reaching $1.371 billion as of July 18. The overall character design for this film was supervised by Japanese female Character Art Director, Yoshiko Murayama, who accompanied director Kelsey Mann and others in their promotional tour in Japan.

Nine years after 'Inside Out' (2015), which anthropomorphized the emotions of the protagonist, Riley, 'Inside Out 2' features adult emotions (Anxiety, Envy, Laziness, Embarrassment) that appear in Riley's mind as she enters adolescence, creating a storm with the emotions that have been there since her childhood (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust).

Murayama designed characters such as the protagonist Riley, who is at a turning point in her life, and the new adult emotions, including Envy, Embarrassment, and Lance Slashblade, modeled after a Japanese game character, and supervised all the character designs. She is gaining attention as a key player in the film's success.

At the event held in Tokyo on the 18th, Murayama appeared on stage with director Kelsey Mann, executive producer Pete Docter, producer Mark Nielsen, and Japanese voice actors Shinobu Otake and Mikako Tabe.

When Murayama said she was "nervous," the director supported her, saying, "Her mind seems to be filled with Anxiety and Embarrassment right now." The director added, "I knew she was freelancing on 'Turning Red' (a Disney Animation Studios project), and I wished she could come to Pixar. Working together this time felt like a dream come true. It was fun." Murayama smiled and responded, "It's an honor."

Murayama explained the key points of her character designs: "Embarrassment is the largest character but is cute and has a gentle feeling that makes you want to hug them. For Riley, I worked hard to depict her as a realistic 13-year-old who is not quite a child nor an adult, capturing that unique, slightly awkward phase of adolescence."

Regarding Envy, with starry eyes like those seen in Japanese shojo manga, she said, "Jealousy is not usually a cute emotion, so I made efforts to make it look cute and lovable. Adding sparkle to the eyes gives a slightly positive touch to the feeling of envy. It unintentionally became a Japanese-style expression."

To the Japanese audience, she said, "In Japan, there is often a societal demand for perfection, but I hope this movie conveys that all emotions want to protect and love you. We worked very hard on this film, and I hope everyone watches and enjoys it."

Source : ORICON NEWS