It’s staggering to me that Pixar has barely scratched the streaming surface.

Oh, there has been content before. But, other than short series (of shorts, no less) such as Dug Days or Cars on the Road, the only official Pixar series to be release has been the Inside Out spin-off, Dream Productions… and that was only 2 months ago. For a company known for its emotional content, it almost boggles the mind that they have yet to truly explore the power of Disney+.

But thanks to Win or Lose, maybe that’s about to change.

NO SWEAT — In Pixar Animation Studios’ “Win or Lose,” Laurie (voice of Rosie Foss) may not be the most skilled player on her softball team, but she makes up for it in spirit—most of the time. The 12-year-old’s anxiety mounts as the championship draws nearer. All she wants is to score a hit and make her dad aka Coach proud. Directed, written and executive produced by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced David Lally, “Win or Lose” begins streaming on Disney+ Feb. 19, 2025. © 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

As Pixar’s first original series on Disney+, Win or Lose takes us to the field of a little league softball championship game. As the series follows the stories of eight different characters, we see how their preparation for the big game is shaped by their lives. Whether they’re insecure kids or helicopter parents, everyone here has something at stake. And everyone here has something to lose.

Created by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, Win or Lose feels almost experimental. Though the entire series deals with a single moment, every episode leans into the story from the perspective of a different character. In doing so, Hobson and Yates lean into each person’s backstory and highlight the ways that it affects their behaviour in the big game. 

In short, this is Pixar’s Rashomon. 

WIN OR LOSE, Pixar’s first-ever original long-form animated series, follows the Pickles, a co-ed middle school softball team, in the week leading up to their championship game. Each episode takes place that same week, highlighting the perspective of a different main character—players, the umpire, their parents—each reflected in a unique visual style. Directed by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, “Win or Lose” streams on Disney+ in Fall 2023. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

As a result, the series is also Pixar at its finest. Every episode remains tied to the central moment yet breathes its own emotional tale. Each character is present on the field but their stories have followed them to the game. Whether it a young hitter who desperately wants to impress her father or an umpire crippled by loneliness, everyone has a story that matters. 

After all, the series opens with a reminder that, for every winner, there are also losers. And those losers have stories to tell as well.

In terms of animation, Win or Lose feels more closely related to Luca and Turning Red than titles like Inside Out or The Incredibles. This is meant to be a world where anything can happen—and frequently does. As we delve into the minds of each character, their mental realms feel unique. Whether it’s mental ‘armour’, immersive dating apps or sweaty imaginary friends, every character’s way of viewing the world establishes the way that they interact with it. Carrying their burdens, fears and hurts, their lives are blurred with the events on the field. And nobody else really knows what’s going on. (I mean, how many times have you booed the decision by an umpire without considering what their lives are like off the field?)

WIN OR LOSE – Sweaty blob and Laurie. © 2024 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

What’s more, because each episode feels (almost) self-contained, Hobson and Yates give us the opportunity to genuinely care about them. These may be ‘side characters’ but the beauty of them is the value that lies in their perspectives. Shifting the voice entirely ensures that everyone of them becomes the protagonist at one point of the story. Each viewpoint is unique as each story weaves in and out of the others. They’re funny. They’re earnest. And, most of all, they’re important.

But that’s when Pixar is allowed to be Pixar. By shifting perspectives, we feel as though we’re engaging the hearts and minds of these characters in meaningful ways. Themes of loneliness, shame and anxiety may seem on paper like they’ve been taken out of the pages of a lost script for Inside Out but Win or Lose makes them entirely new experiences. Since they broke through with Toy Story in 1995, Pixar has always been the leader in making characters feel like one of us, whether they’re a toy cowboy, a race car or a baseball player. 

And that’s on full display with Win or Lose.

STAR PITCHER — In Pixar Animation Studios’ “Win or Lose,” Yuwen (voice of Izaac Wang) is the pitcher and resident jokester of the softball team. On the surface, he seems cool and confident—he loves to be the center of attention. But he’s constantly in conflict with Little Yuwen—his childlike, vulnerable self who shows up in Yuwen’s mind at the worst possible times. Directed, written and executive produced by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced David Lally, “Win or Lose” begins streaming on Disney+ Feb. 19, 2025. © 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Because everyone matters in Win or Lose, we are guaranteed to find someone that feels like… us. (And, maybe, more than one of them.) For that reason, the series is an absolute home run. Whether you’re drenched in sweat or afraid for your kids, you’ll probably find yourself somewhere on the field. And, maybe, it’ll show you what it means to really win as well.

The first two episodes of Win or Lose are available on Disney+ on Wednesday, February 19th, 2025, with new episodes weekly until April 2nd, 2025.