About a year and a half ago, Netflix released the movie Nimona based off of the original graphic novel by ND Stevenson. Since its release, the movie has gone on to have a 92% in Rotten Tomatoes, a 7.5/10 on IMDB ratings, and was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. But, what made this movie so well loved? How did Nimona go from a 2011 Tumblr post to a massively successful movie?
In 2011, Tumblr user gingerhaze, aka ND Stevenson, posted a drawing of two original characters. From there, ND Stevenson continued to make short webcomics about the pair, until Stevenson published their 2015 sci-fi graphic novel Nimona.
BlueSky Studios, a popular computer animation company, picked up the book and decided to make a film adaptation. However, in 2021, the movie’s production was put to a halt as BlueSky announced they would be shutting down but not long later, Netflix decided to pick it up and continue the project. So in June of 2023, Nimona was released on Netflix.
Nimona is set in a medieval-style kingdom surrounded by “the unknown”. The people of the kingdom are told to stay within the walls because there are monsters lurking just outside.
The movie follows Balister, an aspiring knight who was wrongfully accused of crimes against the kingdom and Nimona, an ambitious yet highly chaotic teenager with the ability to shapeshift. The two join together to clear Balister’s name and uncover the truth while also discussing themes of conformity and identity.
Throughout the movie, Nimona is portrayed as a “monster” for her shapeshifting abilities. While everyone else sees it as something dangerous and scary, Nimona herself describes this power as freeing. When asked if shapeshifting hurts, she replies, “Honestly, it hurts more when I don’t do it. Like my insides are itchy. You know like that second right before you sneeze? That’s close to it. Then I shapeshift, and I’m free.” Many people have described this to be euphemistic of the trans experience.
When I asked a fellow student what they thought of the movie, they replied, “I think it’s a great movie because I feel it expresses the feelings and experiences of being gender queer in a way that isn’t just stereotypes and also tells the story in a way where you don’t have to understand those aspects to enjoy the movie and in some way relate to the characters.” While it is never outright stated, Nimona contains clear messages about queerness that many find comfort in.
I believe one of the reasons that Nimona did so well was because of how relatable it was even if you didn’t fully relate to the queer imagery. Throughout the movie, conformity is presented as an ideal. While Balister is considered bold for being the first person of non-nobility to attempt to become a knight, he still wants nothing more than to be exactly like everyone else. On the other hand, Nimona is very adamant about being her own person and she makes it very clear that she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. Especially today, most people are very adamant about being the same as everyone else. Whether it be wanting the same clothes, hair, or lifestyle as someone, we all want to be the same because it gives us a sense of belonging. However, Nimona teaches the opposite. The movie reminds us that we shouldn’t hide who we are just to fit in, and it’s a message that I find very impactful.
Overall, Nimona is an excellent movie that many people, queer or not, can find comfort in. It has quickly become one of my favorite movies. If you haven’t already, I suggest turning this movie on when you get the chance because trust me, you won’t regret it.
