According to a Friday Post on the official Disney Parks Blog , the Japan Pavilion at Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot theme park has opened a new axhibit called "Spirit Beasts: From Ancient Strories to Anime Stars." The Florida-based exhibit showcase classic creatures from Japanese folktales that have seved as inspiration for modem day anime and manga series.
Among the examples pictured are the kappa, the kitsune, the tsuru, the saru, and the moon rabbit. Project Manager and show producer Wyatt Winter says that exhibit should run for several years. Prior to the Spirit Beasts exhibit, the location housed exhibits on World Heritage Sites of Japan and Tin Toy Stories.
Disney's involvement with anime in North America consists primarily of it's localization and distribution of Studio Ghibli titles. Recently, however, Disney added Naruto to it's Disney XD Television channel's lineup. Disney has alaso been creating original content for the Japanese market, including three television series spinoffs of it's film Lilo and Stitch with anime studios MADHOUSE and Shinei Animation.
Keyword: Walt Disney, Anime, Beasts
