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Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Season 2 Review

So, this weekend forced me to choose between doing one of two things for Saturday. My first option was to livestream some Pokemon Sword/Shield. My second option was to binge-watch the new season of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts on Netflix.

I think I made the right choice.

If you didn’t read my post on Season 1 all the way back in January, then I urge you to go read it now! If you have (or already watched it), then you know the first season ended with a bang. Kipo made it back to her people and dad, only for Scarlemagne to capture almost everyone. As a result, Kipo goes on a new quest to rescue her people and take down Scarlemagne.

As before, Kipo remains as colorful and vibrant as before, with the music as dope as humanly possible. What changes is the theme: whereas Season One was about Kipo learning about the surface world, Season Two focuses on learning who she is. The first episode confirms what we already knew: she’s part-mute, and can turn into a purple jaguar. It reminds me a little of how Naruto can turn into the Nine-Tailed Fox in Naruto. I’m not making that comparison because of appearances, though. I’m making it because, like Naruto, Kipo struggles with being able to control her wild side. Her trials whilst learning how to control her powers are the big drive for the season, and it pays off in a very emotional way. Long story short: love and friends are the keys to controlling it.

Scarlemagne Has One Sad Backstory

We had an entire season to see how cruel and insane Scarlemagne could be as a villain, and man was he a good one! But it turns out that there’s someone out that’s even worse than him. In fact, it’s someone who’s responsible for making Scarlemagne who he is now.

Enter Dr. Emillia, this scientist who worked with Kipo’s parents. She’s got this single-minded obsession with reversing the mutation of all animals on the surface so that humanity can reclaim it. Sounds noble, but then you remember that most of those mutes are sentient with their own societies. And she used Hugo, the future Scarlemagne, as a guinea pig to help learn how to reverse the mutation. The only people who cared about the mandrill were Kipo’s parents, and due to circumstances beyond their control, they couldn’t save Hugo.

I loved the reveal of Scarlemagne’s past. Firstly, it gives him a tangible connection to Kipo (they’re technically foster siblings!). Secondly, it makes him into a foil for Kipo. Kipo was able to make friends on the surface that helped her through what she went through, and she never gave up her positive outlook on life. However, Scarlemagne never had that comfort, and it broke him into what we see today.

Finally, the show sets up Dr. Emillia to be the big bad of Season three, as she’s determined to end all Mutes. Consider how this parallels the problems with racism that people are fighting right now, and one can appreciate how timely a hate sink like this woman is.

A Must Watch for the Summer

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts remains one of the best new shows on Netflix, and I enjoyed being able to binge the new season. And listen to the soundtrack. If you’re looking for a show that balances heart with story, humor, and topical themes about accepting people of all backgrounds, then go watch this show.

I Give Season Two of “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts” a 4.9/5

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Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Season 1 Review

Outside of Adventure Time, I can’t remember the last time I’ve wanted to live in a post-apocalyptic world. I admit, I enjoyed running around Massachusetts in Fallout 4. However, in that game I had advanced power armor and a tommy gun that fired exploding bullets. I wouldn’t last five minutes in a real life Fallout. Then earlier this week, I found Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts on Netflix, and now I want to live through the apocalypse.

Set two hundred years in the future, the show follows Kipo Oak, a 13-year old girl stranded on the surface. She sets out to find her father and people, but having grown up underground, she’s not ready for life of the surface. Especially considering most of that life consists of animals that are either sentient or giant mutants. As luck would have it, she doesn’t have to go it alone and gains a few new friends. With their help, she travels through the ruins of Las Vistas as she tries to find her way home.

The Setting

If there’s one thing post-apocalyptic stories have in common, its their lack of a diverse color palette. From Fallout to The Walking Dead, all these stories take place in worlds that are gray, somber, and reflect the depressing fact that civilization’s ended. Even Adventure Time’s not fully immune to this; while much of Ooo’s bright and full of life, the ruins of the old world can be gray and lifeless.

In stark contrast, Kipo depicts a world that’s bursting to the seams with vibrant colors. The ruins are covered in bright plants and bizarre flowers, the inhabitants are dressed in bright outfits, and the whole thing’s just amazing to look at. Too bad for Kipo that most beings on the surface don’t like humans.

In the two hundred something years since humanity went to live underground a-la Fallout, most of the animals up above mutated into sentience. What’s more, they each developed their own groups and cultures based on humanity. The Mod Frogs act like the old-school mafia, cats live the lumberjack lifestyle, and so on. They don’t trust each other that well, but most share a hatred of humans.

The Characters

Kipo’s group consists of four others, that each fill out an archetype in post-apocalyptic stories. There’s Mandu, the four-eyed pig who serves as Kipo’s loyal friend and pet. Wolf, the anti-social loner and fighter whose name fits her to a tee. Benson, the quick-witted and likable teen scavenger. Rounding out the group’s Dave, a talking bug mutant who goes through a constant molting cycle at the worst possible times; I don’t know what his role really is.

I’ve seen these kind of characters before, but as long as they’re done in an interesting manner, I don’t care. Thankfully, the cast of Kipo’s very interesting. Kipo herself is this wide-eyed optimist who, despite being in an unfamiliar environment, enjoys every minute of it. She provides the surface world with a long overdue dose of kindness that brings out the best in others. Even the ones who start as her enemies.

Speaking of enemies, this show’s got a real good villain in the form of Scarlemagne, a power-mad mandrill bent on world domination. He’s got an undeniable charisma to him: he’s very flamboyant, dresses extravagently, and enjoys classical piano. Barely concealed underneath, though, is a sadistic, evil monster determined to hunt down Kipo. With her, he can find her people and build an army big enough to conquer everything. He’s one bad monkey!

A Binge Worthy Good Time

All in all, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is one of the best new cartoons of the year. It’s setting and the “humans underground” backstory evokes the Fallout franchise, the colors and music are vibrant and enjoyable, and the whole thing’s just a treat to watch. It’s like if Fallout and Adventure Time had a kid!

Not to mention, the characters are great. Did you know that Benson nonchalantly admits to being gay to Kipo? That shows how far we’ve come since Korra. In addition, Kipo fits the mold of other strong, female heroines that have been appearing in cartoons in the last few months, like Anne from Amphibia and Luz from The Owl House. If you’ve got some free time this weekend, go binge watch Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts on Netflix. It’s worth your time.

I Give “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Season 1” a 4.8/5

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