The highly anticipated trailer for "Win or Lose," Pixar Animation Studios' groundbreaking maiden voyage into original series territory, has made its debut, heralding the full-fledged release of the series on Disney+ come February 19. This animated gem weaves together the intertwined tales of eight eclectic characters as they gear up for a pivotal softball championship. However, their journey has undergone subtle yet significant tweaks at Disney's behest, with a transgender character's storyline being excised and dialogues adjusted to omit any reference to gender identity. Commenting on this decision, a spokesperson shared with IndieWire, "Regarding animated content catering to a younger audience, we acknowledge that numerous parents prefer broaching particular topics with their offspring according to their own discretion and timing."
Each episode of "Win or Lose" spotlights a different protagonist's viewpoint, encompassing the kids, their parents, and the umpire, while the trailer unveils how aspirations and apprehensions are vividly portrayed through a vibrant and occasionally mixed-media animation style. The fantastical vignettes and shifting perspectives are cleverly crafted to captivate both children who revel in visual humor and anyone who craves sports narratives transcending the confines of the playing field; think sweat monsters and oracle orange sodas that pepper the sidelines.
"I had a ball playing softball during my formative years," reminisced Carrie Hobson, who penned, directed, and executive produced the series alongside Michael Yates. "That experience ignited our passion for fast-pitch softball as the ideal backdrop for our show. Sports encapsulate myriad facets that I adore — it can evoke the best and worst in individuals; even the most composed can lose their cool. And as for victory and defeat, their ramifications are negligible yet paramount. We genuinely believed it was the optimal arena to explore our cherished themes."
Moreover, aside from sports' capacity to pack a thematic punch, "Win or Lose" indulges in musical experimentation with a score by Ramin Djawadi, whose credits include the grittier fantastical realms of "Game of Thrones" and "House of the Dragon," accompanied by tunes from Djawadi and CAMPFIRE.
Lending their voices to this animated spectacle are Will Forte, Rosie Foss, Josh Thomson, Milan Elizabeth Ray, Rosa Salazar, Dorien Watson, Izaac Wang, Chanel Stewart, Lil Rel Howery, Melissa Villaseñor, Jo Firestone, Flula Borg, Kyleigh Curran, Jaylin Fletcher, Erin Keif, Tom Law, Beck Nolan, Orion Tran, and Rhea Seehorn, promising an auditory feast as captivating as its visual splendor.
