The first international trailer for Moana features the titular heroine as a (very adorable) toddler collecting shells in a crystal-clear, and somewhat mischievous, ocean. Contained in a single scene and almost completely without dialogue, the Japanese preview of the film is much more serene than the livelier American teaser trailer that came out in June, which instead emphasized the antics of Maui, the film’s comic relief supporting character, voiced by Dwayne Johnson.
As i09 points out, though the new trailer is from Disney, it hits all the notes you’d expect from beloved animator Hayao Miyazaki: affectionate depictions of nature, a spirited heroine, and playful animation. In fact, with its ocean-as-a-main-character bit, it especially recalls Ponyo, Studio Ghibli’s take on The Little Mermaid. How appropriate, then, for Disney to use a trailer that emulates the style of one of Japan’s most respected filmmakers—even if that style is totally different from what Disney usually puts out.
