It was announced on November 28th that the Japanese release date for "When I Beaver," the latest film from Disney & Pixar, the creators of films such as "Toy Story" and "Coco," has been set for March 13th, 2026. The US trailer, which depicts the chaotic protagonist Mabel, a college student, getting caught up in a major commotion in the animal kingdom, has also been released.
Director Daniel Chung, who worked as a storyboard artist on "Inside Out," will also be in charge of the script. Director Chung was inspired by Studio Ghibli's "Pom Poko" (directed by Isao Takahata), released in 1994, and thoroughly researched the beaver's ecosystem to create this film.
The story begins when Mabel, an animal-loving university student, uses a method invented by scientists to transfer human consciousness to a realistic robot animal, and "hops" into a fluffy beaver-shaped robot animal. Mabel explodes with joy, exclaiming, "This is awesome!" However, the animal world is unexpectedly harsh, as the natural law known as the "Pond Rule" still prevails, which states that "it doesn't matter if you get eaten."
Although Mabel is confused, she makes friends with King George, the king of the beavers, the laid-back beaver Roaf, and Ellen the bear, and learns the rules of the animal kingdom. Mabel's purpose in becoming a beaver was to "stand up to the humans who are trying to destroy the forest," which is so important to her. Mabel calls out to the animals, "Let's all stand up together!" and participates in the "Grand Council of Animals," where the kings of animals from various races gather. The story unfolds as the animals hatch a terrifying plan to "eliminate" the mayor, who is also the king of humans...
