Visual development artists spent months refining Pua’s silhouette before rendering him in 3D computer graphics. Original concept art explored various native Pacific island swine breeds, many of which had bristly brown coats, elongated snouts, and lean frames. Visual development artist Neysa Bove and character designers opted to stylize the creature, blending the anatomy of a miniature pig with expressive canine features.
Animators observed real potbellied piglets at local farm sanctuaries to nail the biomechanics of his trot, ear twitches, and nose snuffles. To prevent the character from looking overly cartoonish against the hyper-realistic ocean water simulations, artists developed complex shading layers for his skin, simulating subsurface scattering where sunlight passes through thin cartilage in his ears. The result was an animal companion that felt tactile, warm, and instantly recognizable.
