How Art Emphasizes Acceptance Themes

Nimona is now streaming on Netflix and if you’ve seen it, you know the long wait for its arrival was incredibly worth it. (If you haven’t yet watched, you’re in for a delight.) To celebrate the animated film—adapted from the graphic novel by ND Stevenson (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)—Netflix shared a featurette exploring the visual style that brings the story to life.

Creator and co-producer Stevenson, directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, and others pop up in “The Art of Nimona,” which you can watch below.

“People are so much more than what you see on the surface,” Stevenson explains. “Every one of these characters appears to be one archetype, and you peel back those layers and you realize it’s not the perfect hero, it’s not the perfect villain, it’s not a monster.”

That idea carried over into the movie’s artwork. “Everything in the style language and the design tone works to support the story,” Quane says, and Bruno points out, “It has a bit of a throwback to the classic animated movies that we grew up loving, but also using the modern advances of technology.”

Production designer Aiden Sugano elaborates: “We wanted to take the expectations around the classic princess fantasy 2D animation and destroy them to speak to Nimona’s spirit.” Later, he mentions how the film actually uses lighting to underline the film’s themes of acceptance, and the importance of the color scheme used throughout.

“The very best animated movies challenge our perception of what movies for kids can be, and what themes they can tackle,” Stevenson says. “And Nimona does that.”

Nimona is now available on Netflix.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Nimona is now streaming on Netflix and if you’ve seen it, you know the long wait for its arrival was incredibly worth it. (If you haven’t yet watched, you’re in for a delight.) To celebrate the animated film—adapted from the graphic novel by ND Stevenson (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)—Netflix shared a featurette exploring the visual style that brings the story to life.

Creator and co-producer Stevenson, directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, and others pop up in “The Art of Nimona,” which you can watch below.

“People are so much more than what you see on the surface,” Stevenson explains. “Every one of these characters appears to be one archetype, and you peel back those layers and you realize it’s not the perfect hero, it’s not the perfect villain, it’s not a monster.”

That idea carried over into the movie’s artwork. “Everything in the style language and the design tone works to support the story,” Quane says, and Bruno points out, “It has a bit of a throwback to the classic animated movies that we grew up loving, but also using the modern advances of technology.”

Production designer Aiden Sugano elaborates: “We wanted to take the expectations around the classic princess fantasy 2D animation and destroy them to speak to Nimona’s spirit.” Later, he mentions how the film actually uses lighting to underline the film’s themes of acceptance, and the importance of the color scheme used throughout.

“The very best animated movies challenge our perception of what movies for kids can be, and what themes they can tackle,” Stevenson says. “And Nimona does that.”

Nimona is now available on Netflix.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.