While some readers of this article may have looked at the title and assumed that this was a parody piece, or perhaps an error, we here at J-List can assure you that this article is in fact both truthful and factual.
According to a surprise announcement from manga distributor Tokyopop on Twitter, the publishing company will soon be bringing Disney manga, specifically The Nightmare Before Christmas, to everyone’s favorite old-timey southern food chain, Cracker Barrel.
https://twitter.com/TOKYOPOP/status/1450945055557050370
Reactions across the internet ranged from amusement to delight to honest confusion. While manga has been steadily becoming more mainstream throughout the last decade and Disney has its balloon-gloved fingers in many pies, this is truly a collaboration no one imagined in their wildest chicken and dumpling fueled dreams. Indeed, there are many tangible reasons why no one would think this is would even be possible.
For one, Cracker Barrel has long been a restaurant chain with a veneer of nostalgia that largely caters to a certain demographic, for better or worse. Usually, the kind of people who frequent Cracker Barrel and also dislike The Nightmare Before Christmas overlap in a very tight Venn diagram. Secondly, Disney is notoriously tight-fisted as to where, what, and why certain types of media belonging to the company get distributed. The fact that they’ve allowed a Western distributor to place inventory in a previously untested market is quite the step for Disney, but in what direction we can’t be sure just yet. There’s also no word as of yet if other Disney manga will be coming to the restaurant chain, but if they do, Disney certainly has no shortage of other titles that will catch the eye of young and old alike.
Needless to say, this has been an interesting week in terms of news involving Disney and anime. From learning that Disney will soon begin making overtures into the anime streaming life, to this little gem, there’s no telling what surprises the news cycle will bring us. For now, we can all have cozy dreams of eating our favorite country foods in front of a roaring fire and that giant checkers set and picking up a copy of a beloved Disney manga on the way out.
Source: The Mary Sue
Header image via Reddit
