Despite being one of the highest quality and most original animated shows on Netflix right now, not much buzz has surrounded Dreamworks’ Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. Originally a web comic by Radford Sechrist, the show follows a girl raised underground trying to sort out the world above the surface, but that world is far different from the one Kimmy Schmidt emerged to find. It is a world full of enormous mutant animals and plants, a world where humans are just one of many sentient races, and have been forced to live underground so as to not get squashed by skyscraper sized rabbits with extra legs.
The world Kipo discovers and the friends she makes along the way vary in a degree that is rare for western designed cartoons. But for all of its bizarre creatures and strange locales, the story consistently pushes toward very human themes about identity and how we find our place in a crazy world. Without giving away any of the show’s secrets or plot, here are five reasons why you should give this wild and fresh series a try in time for its impending conclusion.
It’s likely not apparent by looking at key art or screencaps of the series, but Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is actually neck-deep in post-apocalyptic storytelling. Unlike Adventure Time, with its noodly arms and dark magic peppermint cultists, Kipo’s world is inherently tied to the relationship between humans and the planet, and its sci-fi-fantasy elements build up an optimistic, vibrant, and off-beat take on the typically gritty and grimy genre. Bright and wacky mutants of various kinds and sizes ensure that going into any given episode, there will likely be something unexpected.
While it has become commonplace for western cartoons to move further and further toward episodic storytelling, many of them still walk a line where knowledge of previous events isn’t key to understanding current ones. This enables people to pick up the show more easily, but as a ‘built-to-be-binged’ cartoon, Kipo can approach things differently. Characters struggle to cope with trauma, backstories are doled out over time and in pieces, and meaningful life lessons are relayed in contexts that feel earned and plausible. All the while, the series somehow still captures the kind of vibe one might expect from Saturday morning ventures.
Netflix lists the show under its ‘Representation Matters Collection,’ and it’s no wonder why. Not only does it feature many characters of less represented backgrounds and identities, it never detracts from the world it has built. Even with its meta-layers of social commentary further in, the series keeps its focal point on its cast and their development. The variety of identities present is organic and true to life, and there may be elements of identities yet to be revealed, as the show trickles out information on backstories and identities at a reasonable pace. While it would be nice if people of color were more clearly involved at the higher levels of production (as seems to still be a recurring issue with the animation industry) it feels apparent that this show will inspire many lesser-seen people groups toward telling their stories in the future.
From early on, it’s apparent that Kipo intends to express a different style of music, tone, and animation than what is typically seen in the field of western-centric cartoons. From licensed songs you wouldn’t expect to hear in a ‘kid’s show’ to the sometimes elegantly incorporated flashbacks and unique action scenes, all the way to the comic-inspired slow build-up to the show’s title every episode, this feels very much like what it is – an adaption of a comic for television, made with love. Given that Studio Mir is involved, (The Legend of Korra, The Boondocks, and Voltron: Legendary Defender) it’s not surprising that the show isn’t afraid to show off some style.
Kipo is a great lead character who is steadfast and stubborn in her pursuit of salvation and friendship. Two seasons strong and her will is unwavering in a way that is reminiscent of titular hero Steven Universe, but with more consistency even when her efforts to placate someone fall short. She still makes mistakes, but always applies something learned from the same intention of doing good by those she cares about. All in all, Kipo manages to come across as a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world while simultaneously being self-confident in her personality traits and intentions, and serves as a positive role model in a medium that often doesn’t consider how its characters can influence a younger audience without talking down to them. With the show’s third and reportedly final season airing in October, it will be interesting to see how Kipo’s sturdy stances on love and friendship are affected – or affect the world around her.
Showrunner Bill Wolkoff recently tweeted, “Just to be clear, Kipo wasn’t cancelled. We got to tell a full and complete story over three seasons. Always had our eye on that. Can’t wait for you all to see it, it’s a rollercoaster.”
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is available to stream on Netflix, with its third and final season scheduled for October 12th.
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply