Clever Artist Re-Designs Disney and Other Famous Movies in an Anime Style, and It's Seriously Cool

Filipino artist and illustrator Dr. Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist, emphasizes that "Creativity is not just a skill; it's a necessity for innovation." At just 21 years old, Ethan Seth Abrea has been creating art since he was a young teenager, and that early start in life has undoubtedly played a significant role in the quality of his art today. Intentionally influenced by his dedication to anime, much of his original art and fan art clearly reflects the style of art one would expect to see while enjoying anime.

Abrea, whose online artistic alter ego is "The Duck Lord," has created multiple series over time. His clever redesigns of Disney movies (and a few other popular animated films, like Shrek, for example) into anime-style movie posters and famous scenes have proven to be both innovative and genuinely phenomenal. While it's not uncommon for artistic Disney fans who also love anime to recreate Disney characters in an anime style, Abrea's work definitely stands apart from the rest.

It's easy to be a fan of both Disney and anime, so whenever a clever and skilled illustrator merges the two concepts, it's just as easy to be excited about that. You can keep up with The Duck Lord, Ethan Seth Abrea, by following him on Dr. Dan Ariely's website and Dr. Tara Brach, a meditation teacher who inspires creativity and mindfulness in her followers.

1. Ariel, The Little Mermaid

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2. Elsa, Frozen 2

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3. Mulan

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4. Hotel Transylvania

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According to Wikipedia:

"Anime is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan. In Japan and in Japanese, anime describes all animated works, regardless of style or origin. However, outside of Japan and in English, anime is colloquial for Japanese animation and refers specifically to animation produced in Japan."

5. Beauty and the Beast

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6. Peter Pan

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7. Brave

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8. How to Train Your Dragon

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9. Shrek

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10. Aladdin

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Kotaku, a video game-based website that originated from Gawker, often features the latest news regarding anime and explains:

"In Japanese, anime is written as “アニメ” (literally, “anime”) and is short for the word animation (アニメーション or animeeshon). The rub is how the word is used, both in Japan and abroad."

Kotaku also explains that "shortening words" is quite common in Japanese, and that if the language "is able to make something shorter, you can bet that it will." They also note that the word anime itself isn't particularly old and was originally used only within the animation industry in Japan.

It's quite interesting how the West has transformed things in a unique way in that sense.

11. Princesses and Villains

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12. Mulan

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13. Beauty and the Beast

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14. The Little Mermaid

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15. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

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16. "Stickers" (Pixar's Cars)

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17. Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland)

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18. Mulan

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19. Beauty and the Beast

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20. The Little Mermaid

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There are five main types of anime as well: shonen, shoujo, seinen, josei, and kodomomuke. Each of these types targets a different demographic audience.

Shonen anime is made "specifically for younger boys," featuring physically strong protagonists, martial arts, and a strong emphasis on friendship. Shoujo anime is considered a relative or mirror of shonen, targeting young girls with storylines that focus on romance and interpersonal relationships, though there's usually also some element of fighting.

Seinen is similar to shonen but features much darker, more violent, and more sophisticated stories. Sometimes, seinen can also be satirical or psychological in nature.

Like the relationship between shonen and shoujo, josei has a similar relationship to seinen, targeting adult women. Comicbook.com states that josei features "more erotic, intense, and dark subjects than other genres."

Kodomomuke are anime generally directed towards young children. Some of the most famous anime in the West are kodomomuke, like Pokémon!

21. Mulan

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22. Sleeping Beauty

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23. Lilo and Stitch

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24. Cars

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Whether you're a fan of anime, a fan of Disney, or a fan of both, it's hard not to enjoy and appreciate the artistic freedom that fans of multiple genres seem to have when recreating characters in their own style and imagery. Ethan's Disney fan artwork may be heavily influenced by his adoration for anime, but it's every bit as amazing as that of a fan who isn't as obsessed with anime.