Tomorrow, audiences finally get to set foot on Nakali. After months of teasing a story that pairs a candy-colored fantasy world with a quietly devastating emotional hook, "Forgotten Island" arrives on streaming September 16, 2026, and it is poised to become the year's most talked-about animated release. Directed by Januel Mercado, the film runs 109 minutes and blends adventure, comedy, and family drama into something that feels both breezy and unexpectedly profound. It currently sits at a 9/10 rating on TMDb, a number that suggests early viewers have already fallen under its spell.
At its core, "Forgotten Island" is the story of Jo and Raissa, two best friends celebrating their last night together after high school graduation. What begins as a bittersweet farewell turns into a cosmic detour when the pair stumble upon a mysterious portal and are whisked away to the fantastical island of Nakali. The island is lush, strange, and alive with creatures and characters who seem pulled from a dream. But the stakes sharpen fast. To return home, Jo and Raissa must surrender the memories of their entire friendship, the very thing that made them who they are.
That premise is the engine of the film, and it's a clever one. It takes the familiar portal-fantasy structure and asks a genuinely painful question: who are you without the people who shaped you? Jo, voiced by H.E.R. in a performance that carries both swagger and vulnerability, and Raissa, brought to life by Liza Soberano with warmth and steel, anchor the emotional arc. Their chemistry is the kind that makes you believe these two have spent years finishing each other's sentences.
The ensemble around them is stacked. Dave Franco voices Raww, a mischievous island dweller who seems to know more than he lets on. Lea Salonga brings gravitas to Manang, while Manny Jacinto's Bungi offers a jolt of chaotic energy. Jenny Slate is reliably sharp as Batiba, Dolly de Leon lends quiet authority to Lola Fatima, and Jo Koy's Datu is a scene-stealer in the best sense. It's a cast that understands how to balance jokes with genuine feeling, and Mercado directs them with a light touch that never undercuts the emotional weight.
Visually, "Forgotten Island" is a feast. Nakali feels handcrafted rather than algorithmically generated, with bioluminescent forests, floating markets, and creatures that look like they were sketched in the margins of a very good notebook. The animation leans into color and texture, giving the island a tactile quality. It's the kind of world-building that invites you to pause and look around, even as the story pulls you forward.
But what lingers is the film's central metaphor. As Jo and Raissa race to find a way off the island, they begin to lose pieces of their shared past. A favorite song. A running joke. The first time they met. The film treats memory not as a plot device but as something fragile and worth fighting for. It's a message that will land differently depending on your age, and that's precisely the point. Kids will see a wild adventure. Adults will see a quiet reminder to hold on to the people who made them.
"Forgotten Island" doesn't talk down to its audience. It trusts them to sit with the uncomfortable parts, the moments where forgetting feels easier than fighting. And it rewards that trust with an ending that earns its emotion without cheap tricks. Mercado, whose animation background gives him a sharp eye for movement and staging, keeps the pacing tight across 109 minutes. There's no sag in the middle, no detour that feels unnecessary. Every scene pushes Jo and Raissa closer to a choice they don't want to make.
In a year crowded with sequels and franchise extensions, "Forgotten Island" feels like a genuine original. It's not based on a toy line or a pre-existing IP. It's a story about friendship, memory, and the terrifying prospect of losing both. That it happens to be gorgeous and funny and packed with great voice work is almost a bonus. Almost.
Stream it tomorrow. Bring tissues. Maybe call your best friend afterward. You'll want to.
