The Kakamora return in Moana 2, but the sequel leaves the mystery of what they really look like under the coconuts. Introduced in the original 2016 movie, the Kakamora are a race of beings with an unidentified origin and backstory. Only shown as a group of pirates on Mad Max-like floats with a tendency for murder, the creatures are most recognizable thanks to the coconut armor they wear. Most are outfitted with some type of accessories made from crustaceans, shells, and other objects. They do not speak and are completely enclosed in their coconut armor besides their arms and legs.
After serving as a minor threat to Maui and Moana in the first film, Moana 2 gives the Kakamora a tragic backstory. Torn from their home island as part of Nalo’s ocean curse, the beings agree to help Moana in the sequel to return home. Despite the depth added to the Kakamora, one question remains: what do these creatures look like underneath the coconuts? All that is seen is the purplish color of their arms and legs, which appear non-human. While they are not fully unmasked in Moana 2‘s ending, a suggestion of what they look like does exist.
Unused Moana Concept Art Suggests What The Kakamora Look Like
The Original Moana Could Have Unmasked The Kakamora
Neither Moana nor Moana 2 show the faces of the Kakamora, but that was at least considered to some degree. During the development of the original movie, it was up to concept artists to figure out what the Kakamora would look like in Moana‘s world. This involved creating their recognizable coconut armor on display. While it’s unknown if there were scenes in the first Moana meant to unmask them, concept artists like Manu Arenas and Bill Schwab who worked on the movie created drawings of the Kakamora showing their faces. This Kakamora concept art has circulated on Imgur.
There are a few different ideas for what the Kakamora would look like under the coconut armor. The art credited to Manu Arenas makes them look more humanoid in design overall, which does not entirely line up with their appearance in the films. Bill Schwab’s designs could be much closer to the actual answer. His concept art gives the Kakamora a troll-like design, leaning more into the mythological influence where Kakamora were elf-like creatures in Melanesia myth. That could ultimately provide a better idea of what they look like without the coconuts.
Why The Moana Movies Haven’t Unmasked The Kakamora
The Cute Creatures Are A Fun Mystery
There is no confirmed reason why the Moana movies have not shown the Kakamora without their masks, but it’s likely just a way to keep them mysterious and cute. Although they may be deadly, the blend of their artistic touches to the armor with the practicality of the coconut armor helps them to stand out. Removing the masks and armor could help clarify a lingering question and give Disney a chance to expand merchandising opportunities with the Kakamora, but its not pivotal to the plot of the first film or Moana 2, so there’s no need to do it now.
- Director
- David G. Derrick Jr. , Jason Hand , Dana Ledoux Miller
- Release Date
- November 27, 2024
- Writers
- Dana Ledoux Miller , Jared Bush , Jason Hand , Ron Clements , John Musker
- Cast
- Auli’i Cravalho , Dwayne Johnson , Alan Tudyk , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Nicole Scherzinger , Hualālai Chung , David Fane , Rose Matafeo , Awhimai Fraser , Gerald Ramsey , Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
