The animated film Turning Red takes a deeper dive into its hit boy band in the VIZ manga, Disney and Pixar's Turning Red: 4*Town 4*Real. This new comic gives each band member a moment in the spotlight, outside of the film. In doing so, it reveals more about each of their personalities, while carrying on the themes of family and parental expectations the film presented so well.
Turning Red is the story of Meilin "Mei" Lee as she navigates a magic family power while learning who she is. This change - as well as the upcoming 4*Town concert - lead to major shifts in her dynamic with her mother. The movie presents the band very effectively, showing the fandom side of boy bands in pop culture. This new manga from Viz takes fans of Turning Red to the flipped perspective of this element, presenting what expectations the boys have on themselves and from external sources.
The Best of Turning Red Returns in Viz Manga, Despite Different Cast
Disney and Pixar's Turning Red: 4*Town 4*Real has the creative team of Dirchansky and KAIfee. This is their debut work in the US, and it adds a lot of new lore to the film. It follows Robaire, Aaron Z., Tae Young, Jesse, and Aaron T. while revealing their interests, worries, and broader band dynamic. Like popular teen publications, it also features little bios and fun new insights, including each member's respective age and zodiac sign. This may not seem like important info at its base, but it really adds to the fandom feel that the film was channeling with them, mirroring early 2000s and current pop culture fandom.
Where this manga really shines is in its stories centered on Tae Young/Jesse ("Closing the Distance") and Robaire/Aaron Z. ("True Crew"). Sitting squarely in the middle, Aaron T. stars in the story "Attention" which is charming and fun, but it doesn't have the heart that the other two stories do. However, "Closing the Distance" and "True Crew" will hit readers in the heart as each member reveals what drives them and what holds them back from being as confident as they could be. Jesse is the oldest member, having more responsibility and a more tragic backstory than Disney/Pixar fans likely expected him to. This is paired with Tae Young's need for paternal acceptance, which somewhat mirrors Mei's need for maternal acceptance, albeit in a different way.
"True Crew" reveals details about Aaron Z. and Robaire's friendship, which predates the band. What initially seems like only a dance practice session quickly turns into a low-key, yet much-needed, heart-to-heart. Like the film, this story focuses on the concerns that come with friendships, while also highlighting the strength and support that comes with having true friends. On the surface, this manga seems like it would just be a casual glance at a day in boy band life, but the stories deliver the heart viewers saw in the film that inspired it. The themes explored are the same, even if the perspectives are different, creating a deeper scope of the world these characters exist in. Disney and Pixar's Turning Red: 4*Town 4*Real is a must-read for fans of Turning Red - especially those who have made boy band culture a part of their lives in any way.