Ariel is growing up with her friends in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. As she attends magic camp taught by her "tauntie Ursula", Ariel goes on a number of adventures, learning about her Caribbean-inspired surroundings and inspiring others with her voice.[3]
Characters
Main
Ariel (voiced by Mykal-Michelle Harris) is an 8-year-old mermaid princess of the underwater kingdom Atlantica.[4]
King Triton (voiced by Taye Diggs as an adult, Jeremiah Felder as a child) is Ariel's father, Ursula's brother and King of Atlantica.[4] As a kid, he had the nickname Tri-Tri.[5]
Ursula (voiced by Amber Riley), a sea witch and Triton's sister and Ariel's aunt.[4] Unlike the films, Ursula is not antagonistic and has been nicknamed "Tauntie" by Ariel.
During the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis announced the development of an animated television series inspired by "The Little Mermaid."[23] The series is produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior. Lynne Southerland serves as executive producer, while Keith Wagner and Norma P. Sepulveda act as story editors. Ezra Edmond is credited as producer, with Kuni Tomita Bowen as supervising director and Chrystin Garland as art director.[24] To ensure cultural authenticity, the production team consulted Dr. Patricia Saunders for cultural supervision and Sean Skeete for guidance on Caribbean music, aiming to accurately represent Caribbean heritage.[25] The songwriting team consists of Tone Jones, Sofia Quinn, and Olivia "Livvi" Waithe.[26] The main cast was announced in August 2023, which included Mykal-Michelle Harris as Ariel, Taye Diggs as King Triton, and Amber Riley as Ursula, among others.[4]
The first trailer for Ariel was released on International Mermaid Day, confirming that Ursula is portrayed as Ariel's aunt and former instructor at a magic camp.[29] The series premiered on Disney Jr. and later aired on Disney Channel on June 27, 2024.[30] The series was subsequently made available for streaming on Disney+.[31] Furthermore, both Ariel and Ariel: Mermaid Tales were released on Disney Now.[32]
Reception
Critical response
Caleb Gottry of Plugged In complimented how Ariel depicts mixed and same-gender friendships, and asserted that children learn lessons about forgiveness, patience, and responsibility through the show.[33] Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media gave Ariel a score of five stars out of five and noted the depiction of positive messages and role models, stating the character of Ariel is kind and caring. She acknowledged the educational value of the series, saying Ariel teaches social-emotional lessons, and wrote, "Fresh take on beloved mermaid will delight littlest viewers."[34]
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