Dr. Kon Chunosuke

**Dr. Kon Chunosuke** is a character from the *Jungle Cruise*.

#### Background

Dr. Kon Chunosuke was an esteemed Japanese entomologist in the early half of the 20th century. By 1938, Kon had become a member of the *Society of Explorers and Adventurers*, an international guild of colonial thieves and globetrotters. While the S.E.A. was traditionally a secret society, by the time Kon earned membership it was much better known to the public.

Kon spent some time in Mystic Point, a Papua New Guinea colony historically owned and operated by senior S.E.A. member Lord Henry Mystic, an aristocratic British colonist who travelled the world excavating, stealing, bartering and graverobbing for his Mystic Point collection. He also created a collection of dead insects in glass-cases, many of which he provided the boathouse of the colonial *Jungle Navigation Company* to put on display by 1938.

#### Jungle Cruise

In 1938, Dr. Chunosuke left Mystic Point to study the rare, "Ant Lion" insect *Myrmecoleon* in the, "Wilds of Adventureland", a realm of different exotic regions connected by the supernatural *Rivers of Adventure*. Here he met Alberta Falls, the president of the *Jungle Navigation Company*. Alberta recognized Kon's S.E.A. insignia due to her grandfather Dr. Albert Falls having also been a member of the organization. Because of this, Alberta invited Kon to join her on a VIP, "Jungle Cruise" tour of the Rivers of Adventure on the Kwango Kate along with Siobhan Murphy, Dr. Leonard Moss and Rosa Soto Dominguez. Doctor Chunosuke was also given a package containing a telescope lens by fellow SEA member Aya Kouame-Beauciel in the Ivory Coast, for her to hold onto for a prospective SEA member living in the Adventureland Treehouse.

The expedition seemingly embarked around December from the company's boathouse in the Amazon rainforest and made a stop in their base in the Lost Delta of India. This tour went sour when the Kate's, "New guy" skipper Felix Pechman XIII crashed the ship in North Africa (either Sudan or Egypt). Kon and the rest of the party had to abandon ship and find sanctity in the African veldt, only to be chased up a tree by a rhino. The group was still stranded in December when they were passed by at-least two, "Jingle Cruise" tour boats.

#### Later life

After returning to civilization, Dr. Chunosuke continued his operations into the 1970s.

### Development history

Dr. Kon Chunosuke was created for the 2021 refurbishment of the Jungle Cruise. This refurbishment was largely aimed at removing racist stereotypes from the Jungle Cruise and Kon was created to replace the African stereotypes on the original Lost Safari scene. In both incarnations of the safari, the doctor replaced a fez-wearing person of colour. Chunosuke was also made a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, a fictional organization which originates from Tokyo DisneySea's *Fortress Explorations*.

## Appearances

### Adventureland Treehouse

Aya Kouame-Beauciel's letter in the daughter's study mentions Dr. Kon Chunosuke.

### Club 33

During the Tiki Takeover event, tickets belonging to Kon were located in the drink menu. The tickets are for, "Plane Crazy Airlines" and are for a trip from Toronto, Canada to Haneda, Japan on the August 18th of 1975.

### Jungle Cruise

Dr. Chunosuku appears in the African veldt scene, stuck on the tree chased up by the rhino. In the queue, there are preserved insects on display from his collection. His silhouette also appears on the 2021 updated poster for the attraction.

## Trivia

* Chunosuke's name might be influenced by historic 18th century Japanese castaway and treasure-hunter, Chunosuke Matsuyama.
* His name is also most likely a pun on the japanese word "konchu" (昆虫), meaning insect.
* The cricket-wallet on Kon's belt resembles one used by Grandmother Fa in the film *Mulan* (1998).
* "Plane Crazy Airlines" which Dr. Kon used in Club 33, is a reference to the 1928 Disney short *Plane Crazy*, the first appearance of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.
* A tarantula from the Jungle Cruise's queue in the Magic Kingdom was retconned into being part of Chunosuke's collection.
* In 2023, various boxes for bugs similar to those which Dr. Kon Chunosuke has were added to the ceiling of *Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar*, along with a bag containing a butterfly net on the wall, possibly referencing Chunosuke. They were added along with direct references to Dr. Leonard Moss.

## References

1. ↑ https://jungleskipper.com/news/even-more-s.e.a.references-inside-club-33
2. ↑ https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/07/photos-new-jungle-cruise-poster-pays-homage-to-original-features-new-characters-at-disneyland/