Get ready to set sail with the newest generation of Disney’s animated films as they continue to provide much promise for their upcoming release of “Moana.”

On Nov. 23, “Moana” will take its audience into Oceania, where the title character Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) and demi-god Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) travel across the ocean to a fabled island in order to save her people. The adventure is described to be a fantasy and an action-packed film for families.

Moana is the daughter of a chief, has a talent for navigation and has a way with water. Moana’s name means “ocean” in Maori and Hawaiian as she is shown to have a strong connection to the sea throughout the various trailers.

Moana, in addition to her adventurous personality, is going to be yet another independant princess if she’s inducted into the official lineup. She is not going to have a canon love interest unlike the majority of Disney’s female leads.

The only character she depends on will be Maui, who is only along for divine intervention necessary to the plot. He is a companion who is supposed to help Moana become a master wayfinder and uncover the mysteries of her sheltered upbringing through a quest of her ancestors’ time.

There was a major controversy over the character Maui, who some say is a stereotype that represents polynesian men as fat. Critics say Disney needed to steer clear of that, but the character designers argued that he was made to seem strong and that this won’t influence a change in the important role he plays in “Moana.”

There is a step forward in cultural inclusion within the expansion of lore and mythology that “Moana” is exploring by being set in Oceania, the newest addition to the Disney Universe. Many people are overlooking this advancement because they are simply criticizing one character’s physical representation.

Regardless, it seems as though Disney is trying to diversify their line of femle protgonists. It is the continuation of a new era of Disney animation that already masters the movie industry and is sure to capture the hearts of its audience once again with this film.