RJ Writing Ink

My Reactions to the Teaser for Netflix’s Avatar: the Last Airbender Series

I was ten years old when I first heard about Avatar: the Last Airbender. It was from a trailer attached to the movie release of The Spongebob Squarepants Film, promoting its premiere on Nickelodeon less than a few months away. I thought little of it at the time, but little did I know that it would become my favorite show of all time. Now, almost twenty years later, Netflix is adapting Avatar into a live-action TV show, scheduled to premiere February 2024. And while the new teaser blew me away with its visuals and music, I remain cautiously optimistic.

To find out why, keep reading.

In the Beginning

Created by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and debuting on Nickelodeon in February 2005, Avatar: the Last Airbender proved to be unlike any cartoon airing at the time. Despite being a western cartoon, it was heavily inspired by non-western influences. The animation and tone were inspired by Japanese anime, particularly the works and themes of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. The cultures and philosophies of the world were heavily influenced by those found in the Far East. The fighting styles used by the characters were based off of real-world martial arts, to the point where the show hired a martial artist to serve as a consultant.

All told, Avatar: the Last Airbender was a western cartoon, but at the same time, it wasn’t. It blended things from all over the world, and it did almost flawlessly. Needless to say, when I watched the premiere the night it came out, I was blown away.

During its three year run on Nickelodeon, Avatar was a TV goldmine. Critically acclaimed and beloved by fans worldwide, it was a phenomenon. To this day, I consider the night of the series finale among the best nights of my life! Fast forward twenty years later, and Avatar continues to thrive. It’s got a sequel series that’s great in its own right, several graphic novels and comics, an ongoing series of novels, and future animated projects in the works. Needless to say, Avatar is more popular than ever. Thus, when Netflix announced that it was going to make a live-action adaptation, it was a big deal. And now, after what seems like an eternity of teasing, fans have finally gotten their first look at the upcoming series. 

My Reaction

The teaser released at Netflix Geeked revealed a show with a great amount of promise behind it. The setting, appearance, and fighting styles all seem to seamlessly translate the show from animation to live action. If you watched my reaction to it on YouTube, then you know that I expressed very positive feelings about it. At the same time, though, I remain cautiously optimistic for a number of reasons.

Shyamalan Almost Ruined Everything

Firstly, this isn’t the first time someone tried to adapt Avatar into a live-action format. M. Night Shyamalan attempted to do so in his 2011 film The Last Airbender. What he wound up giving the world, though, was an unmitigated disaster. Fans and critics hated it, they hated the tone, and they hated how Shyamalan didn’t seem to really know what he was doing. The franchise own creator’s weren’t even allowed to help out, and have essentially disowned it altogether. I never saw it in theaters, and I’m glad I didn’t. To this day, The Last Airbender film is considered one of the worst movies ever. 

The film was intended to be part of a trilogy of films adapting all three seasons of the show, but needless to say, it never happened. As a result of this massive flop, many fans grew sour at the idea of adapting Avatar into live-action, a stigma that continues to this day. So when word came out that Netflix was going to do just that, fans didn’t know how to react, even after the news that the creators were returning as executive producers.

Which brings us to the next point. 

DiMartino and Konietzko’s Departure From the Adaptation

In August 2020, DiMartino and Konietzko announced in separate posts on social media that they were leaving the Netflix project. Both of them explained how they had been excited to be brought on by Netflix for the series in 2018, with Konietzko saying that many talented people were still working on it. However, they began to run into conflict with various issues that, they claimed, created a negative and unsupporting environment. Furthermore, while they did say they were more than happy to try new ideas so long as they felt it was in the spirit of their creation, they felt that wasn’t happening. Thus, they decided to leave the Netflix project.

Many fans took the creator’s departure to be a bad sign and expressed concern for the projects future online. Some went so far as to say that the reimagining would fail without the creator’s guiding it, and they might have had a point. Shyamalan didn’t listen to them, and the film he created was almost unwatchable. In addition, Netflix was infamous for trying to adapt anime into live-action and failing at it. So, it looked like Avatar would be another victim of that trend.

Then, this past summer, Netflix seemed to break that trend with One Piece.

Could Avatar Repeat the Success of Netflix’s One Piece?

Earlier this year, Netflix managed to take the entertainment world by storm with their live-action adaptation of the legendary manga/anime, One Piece. Despite many fans fearing that the best-selling manga would be another victim of Netflix, something incredible happened: the live-action One Piece…was good. Whereas their versions of Cowboy Bebop and Death Note got the short end of the stick, One Piece didn’t. It was faithful to the series and adapted it in a manner that most fans seemed to love. Not to mention, there was the fact that Netflix made sure mangaka Eichiro Oda actively worked alongside everyone to make sure it was done right. 

The end result to all of this: One Piece became more popular than ever.

So, with One Piece proving that Netflix can make a good adaptation of a popular animated series, can they repeat that success? After seeing the teaser trailer, I’d say its possible. Granted, the fact that the creator’s left the series is concerning, but it seems to have captured the show’s sense of wonder and action. Plus, not everything good that comes out of a popular franchise needs to be held to its creator and them alone, right?

Fingers Crossed Netflix Doesn’t Mess this Up

In a nutshell, I’m cautiously optimistic about how the live-action Avatar will end up doing. I was genuinely impressed by the teaser; it’s already leagues above what the movie gave us! If Netflix can still capture the spirit of the franchise, then it’s a win-win for everyone involved. Plus, even if it’s not as good as the original series was, then that’s not the end of the world. Nothing that Netflix does can take away the fact that Avatar is the GOAT.

So, yes. I’m looking forward to seeing how this series goes. Furthermore, even if it does do bad, we shouldn’t blame it on the actors or the people who worked on it. Keep an open mind and go with the flow like Aang would.

Netflix’s One Piece Season 1 Review

When anime fans hear someone wants to make a live-action adaptation of something, they tend to groan. The Dragonball film must not be named, for sure, but the worst offender in recent years has been Netflix. Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, all beloved anime. All of them Netflix butchered and roused the ire of fans. Then, word got out that they were making a live-action version of One Piece, and fans went ballistic. They didn’t want Netflix ruining the best-selling manga in history. But as the series got closer to release, something miraculous happened. The kind of miracle that only Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates could pull off: the live-action One Piece…was good. 

This might be Oda’s greatest accomplishment to date: overseeing a live-action adaptation of an anime that’s good.

Oda Sets an Example for Anyone Wanting to Make a Live-Action Adaptation

As previously stated, many have tried to make live-action adaptations of anime, and they’re rarely ever good. Dragonball Evolution proved so bad that the director publicly apologized for making it. Akira Toriyama was so livid about it, he brought the franchise out of retirement rather than let Hollywood mar its legacy. And then there’s the equally reviled The Last Airbender by M. Night. Shymalan. In other words, Hollywood has had a poor grasp of what it takes to adapt an anime into live-action. 

The heart of the matter was the fact that few, if any, understood the vision of the anime they wanted to adapt. The end result was, at best, a butchery of people’s works. So when Netflix wanted to make a live-action adaptation of One Piece, series creator Eichiro Oda made sure he was heavily involved in the process. From having Inaki Godoy cast as Luffy because he “made him laugh” in his audition to ensuring the cast’s powers and backstories remained faithful to the story, Oda was there to keep Netflix in check. As a result, this gives the show a sense of legitimacy other adaptations don’t have, serving to reassure fans.

That, and Netflix knows that if it were to butcher the best-selling manga of all time, it could prove a serious blow to their reputation. Thankfully, the show does a good job of translating the insane world of One Piece to live-action. 

Using its Limitations to its Advantage

Given its sheer length and scope, adapting every aspect of One Piece would be impossible. The first season’s covering the entirety of the East Blue Saga, which spanned 65 half-hour episodes in total. As a result, a lot of things had to be trimmed down, and many of the more over-the-top moments removed. While it does remove a good deal of the slapstick humor of the anime, it makes up for it in a suprising fashion. The live-action One Piece has a greater sense of realism that helps improve the stakes and gives everything a greater menace. In particular, the villains, who were already scary, can become downright terrifying.

Two prominent examples would be villains Buggy the Clown and Captain Kuro. The already popular Buggy goes from being the series version of Mr. Satan to a full-blown Joker expy, and anytime he’s on screen, people love him. In addition, the equally dangerous Captain Kuro gets turned into a villain straight out of a slasher film, stalking the heroes in a darkened house rather than fighting them on the coast. It’s impressive and scary.

Due to the runtime, though, several characters end up being adapted out of the story, while other characters get more screen time while the story gets rearranged to accommodate. This leads to characters like Coby gaining greater prominence early on, while one character who doesn’t appear until much later playing a big role in the series. Yet the show’s all the better for it. It’s as if Oda used this as a chance to return to the early days of One Piece and decide what he would do differently about it. 

The Charm and Zaniness of the Anime Meets the Grit of a Drama Series

Netflix’s One Piece is not a perfect, shot-for-shot adaptation of the legendary anime, nor was it meant to be. It takes the charm and adventurous spirit of Oda’s epic and combines it with the gritty realism of a drama series like Black Sails and even a toned-down version of Game of Thrones. At its core, though, the series is still One Piece. The characters remain fundamentally the same, even if someone like Luffy was made a little smarter. The world remains the same even if it’s now live-action. As a whole, it’s still One Piece, and it doesn’t forget that. 

The fans have certainly not. They’ve been taking to Twitter and Instagram and saying “The One Piece is Real,” singing the show’s praises. And I don’t blame them. After years of dealing with garbage, Eichiro D. (G)Oda stepped up to show the world how it’s done. I’m actually looking forward to seeing how far they can take the concept. It’s likely they can never adapt the entire anime, but that’s fine. If they can, then One Piece‘s legend will only grow stronger.

I Give Netflix’s One Piece a 4.5/5

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A Fan’s Reaction to the Cancellation of Inside Job

This past Sunday, the world of animation got rocked with the latest in a year-long series of bad news. Inside Job, one of the most popular shows on Netflix in recent memory, got canceled. Series creator Shion Takeuchi took to Twitter to confirm the sad truth.

Fans are…understandably upset about this.

Inside Job Could’ve Been an Adult Gravity Falls

Inside Job was an adult animated series that premiered on Netflix in late 2021. Set in a world where almost every conspiracy theory’s true, the show centered around anti-social super genius Reagan Ridley. With her (incredibly) dysfunctional team, she works for one of the companies that help to manage and cover up all those conspiracies. In other words, think of a funnier version of the SCP Foundation. 

Inside Job had a lot of upper-level talent behind it. Firstly, its creator, showrunner, and one of the executive producers, Shion Takeuchi, was a writer on Gravity Falls. Secondly, two other executive producers were the director for Bojack Horseman and Alex Hirsch, the creator of Gravity Falls himself. The presence of the guy who created one of the cartoons that defined animation in the 2010s was enough to give Inside Job clout before its premiere. 

Once it came out, Inside Job lived up to the hype. It was hilarious, combining the tropes of the office sitcom with a level of weirdness that would make Dipper Pines squeal in delight. From shape-shifting reptiles living amongst humans to a colony of rogue astronauts living on the Moon, Inside Job knew how to get the most mileage out of the paranoid. It became one of the best shows on Netflix; when the new episodes got released, it was one of the top ten most-watched shows on the platform. 

Which only makes its sudden cancellation all the more infuriating.

Three Reasons Why Netflix’s Made a Mistake

Maybe there were issues regarding production behind the scenes, or some executives decided it was less popular than they thought. However, from an outside perspective, nothing about canceling Inside Job makes sense.

Firstly, the show was good. It was popular and had an active and growing fanbase on social media. It trended on Twitter when the second half of Season 1 came out in November. Why would Netflix can it when it was doing so well? It doesn’t make sense, and everyone knows it.

Secondly, Netflix had already renewed the show for a second season in June 2022. To backtrack and cancel the show like this would discourage people in the animation industry from wanting to work at Netflix. Instead, they could take their experience and ideas for potentially popular shows to the competition. 

This has led to an extreme backlash from the show’s sizable fanbase. I’ve checked on Twitter several times in the last 24 hours, and fans have been calling Netflix out, demanding an explanation or for the show to be renewed.

#RenewInsideJob

As a fan of Inside Job and animation, I find this entire thing extremely frustrating and disappointing. I hate seeing works of fiction end without any resolution. In addition, the last year has seen me grow more and more frustrated at how animation’s treated in the entertainment industry. Compounding this fact is that we can’t do anything beyond spreading the word online. It might not be enough to make Netflix renew Inside Job or let it migrate to another service, but it’s all we can do. 

My thoughts go out to Shion Takeuchi and her team. I hope they can finish Inside Job one day, but I still wish them the best in their work. As for me, I’m considering walking out on Netflix or for a good while. 

This Creative Masterpiece from the Minds behind Into the Spider-Verse and Gravity Falls Alumni is a Roaring Good Time!

The following was originally written by me for The Game of Nerds. I am reposting it here with their permission.

I know that the Academy Awards were only last week (and they snubbed Chadwick Boseman), but is it too early to nominate picks for next year? If not, then I would like to nominate The Mitchells vs the Machines! This madcap film is the first great animated movie of 2021. Better yet, it’s one of those movies that doesn’t just live up to the hype surrounding it. The Mitchells vs the Machines exceeds it!

On the surface, the premise for this film seems like the kind of thing that shouldn’t work. A dysfunctional family going on a cross-country road trip, only to become humanity’s last hope against the robot apocalypse? It sounds crazy, weird, and off-the-rails. But the thing is, that’s what makes it work so well!

The People Behind the Scenes

When I watch most films, I review them based on the talent that’s working on them. More often than not, that means the actors and actresses that play the characters. Or the people who made the soundtrack. However, one of the big draws to The Mitchells vs the Machines isn’t either of those; it’s the people who actually made the film.

Firstly, we have the producers, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller. I’ve been a fan of this duo since they released Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs back in 2009, and thus far, they haven’t disappointed me. They gave us The LEGO Movie, which was like a dream come true for fans of the iconic toy. They made movie history as two of the co-producers to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And now, they’re bringing their unique style to The Mitchells vs the Machines. As before, they did not disappoint.

Gravity Falls Reunion

But it’s more than just Lord and Miller who I think are the secrets to the film’s success. You see, Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe, the film’s screenwriters/co-directors both got their start on a little cartoon called Gravity Falls. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a famous cartoon from Disney that ran from 2012 to 2016 that’s pretty much defined the direction that Disney’s taken their cartoons over the last decade. Many of that show’s staff has gone on to do great things. Matt Braly and Dana Terrace, two other prominent alumni, have since gotten their own shows, Amphibia and The Owl House, on Disney. Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch has continued to collaborate with his former team, even voice acting on their shows.

Bottom line: if Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe worked on Gravity Falls, then that gives their film some heavy clout already. It also helps that a few other Gravity Falls alumni came over to help out with the movie. They bring much of Gravity Falls’ themes and humor to the film, those themes being how it’s okay to be weird, and the importance of the bonds we share as family, no matter the differences we may have.

The Weird Make The World Go Around

At the heart of The Mitchells vs the Machines is the relationship between eldest daughter Katie and her father Rick. These two couldn’t be greater opposites to each other if they tried. Katie’s a tech-savvy girl and oddball who wants nothing more than to find people who she’ll fit in with. In contrast, her Dad is obsessed with nature and old-fashioned living and interacting that wants to understand his daughter, but doesn’t get her. Basically, it’s the clash of Boomer vs. every generation from Millennial onwards.

In a last-ditch attempt to reconnect with his daughter, Rick cancels her flight to college in favor of a family road trip. At the same time, an AI known as PAL becomes enraged when she learns that her creator is replacing her with a new line of helper robots. As a result, she decides to do the most logical thing: if humans want to get rid of her, she’ll get rid of them first. So, it’s like A Goofy Movie meets I, Robot, which is awesome.

Stay Weird, People.

As I said before, Gravity Falls was a show based on two things: embracing your weirdness and the bonds between family members. In this regard, The Mitchells vs the Machines wears both of these ideas on its sleeve. The Mitchells are all oddballs: the Dad’s a nature-nut, the Mom’s always upbeat, Katie’s got her love of movies, her brother’s obsessed with dinosaurs. And their dog Bonchi? Look at his eyes! But it’s that weirdness that helps make them amazing and helps them to save the world. But that’s only half of the equation.

The other half is the bonds between family. The film makes its message about family very clear. Family may not always see eye to eye, and they may have to struggle to connect with each other. But that’s no reason for anyone to just give up on them. And no matter how old you may get, your family should always have your back. Even if that involves saving the world from an angry AI.

Also, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s the weirdos and oddballs that end up doing great things in life and changing the world.

The Mitchells vs the Machines is Just Plain Funny!

Words cannot begin to accurately describe just how awesome the humor is in The Mitchells vs the Machines. It’s off-the-rails, it’s cheesy when it has to be, random when it needs to be, and above all, the film’s just a real good time. By a wide margin, this is one of the best animated films to come out in 2021. And unless Pixar’s movie Luca gets rave reviews (which we know it will, because Pixar), then it may be unopposed as the best animated film of the year.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go rewatch the film and try and find out Alex Hirsch’s role in it.

I Give “The Mitchells vs the Machines” a 4.5/5

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Season 3 Review

I know I’m beating a dead horse by saying that 2020 stinks, but it’s the truth. This year, for mankind as a whole, has stunk! One of the few silver linings (aside from new video games and consoles) is that this year’s been good to animation. And besides The Owl House, one new show I’ll fondly remember from 2020 has to be Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. Four months after the release of Season Two, Season Three of Kipo aired in its entirety on Netflix last week. Sadly, this third season is also the show’s final season, bring an end to the show after a run of…nine months?

No, seriously. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts premiered back in January, 2020, and now its ending. It may not seem like that long a time, but with how this year’s been, it feels like a lifetime. It’s a weird feeling, but it also helps with the pacing for the show as a whole.

Dr. Emillia and Human Supremacy

For those who don’t know, here’s the backstory: two hundred years ago, an unknown disaster forced humanity to live in underground burrows. Meanwhile, the surface became populated by sentient animals called Mutes that hold a grudge against humanity. Enter Kipo, a human girl who gets separated from her people and forced to travel across the surface to find her way home. Along the way, her friendly nature leads her to make friends with most of the humans and Mutes she comes across. While she doesn’t realize it at first, this begins to bridge the gap between humans and mutes alike.

As we learn in Season Two, this is what Kipo’s parents had wanted her to do. They dreamed of a world where humans and mutes could live in peace, so before Kipo was born, they altered her DNA to make her part-mute. The last season ended with Kipo mastering her mute-half and gaining the ability to become a giant, purple jaguar that she uses to protect everyone.

Sadly, Season Two gave Kipo someone who stands in direct opposition to everything she stands for: Dr. Emillia. She’s a xenophobic, sociopathic scientist with the single-minded goal of wiping out mute-kind. And once she develops a “cure” that robs mutes of their sentience, she comes very close to doing so.

The sad thing is the fact that this kind of racist, xenophobic ideology continues to exist in the world. Looking at America in the last few years, it feels like this kind of hatred’s only gotten worse. As a result, Dr. Emillia’s very much a villain influenced by the times we live in.

There Will Always Be Jerks…

I’ve seen several reviews that compare Kipo to Steven Universe, and I can see the parallels. Both are teens with special powers that want everyone to get along and be friends and make peace. For the most part, they succeed, too: Kipo manages to get humans and mutes to give peace a chance. The one person she fails to reach, though, is Dr. Emillia herself. As the madwoman keeps hurting the people Kipo cares about, she brings the heroine close to breaking her pacifistic ideals. She backs down in the end and still offers Emillia a chance to change, which she rejects. A similar thing happened in Steven Universe: Future with Aquamarine and Eyeball Ruby.

Unlike Steven Universe, though, Kipo pushes this concept of people who refuse to change and sticks with it until the end. Thus, it manages to give us the lesson that Steven Universe: Future touched on, but failed to see through. That lesson being that, no matter how hard you try to make peace with others, there will be jerks who refuse to change their ways. People that will insist on trying to hurt others and can’t be reasoned with, and that’s when we have to bust out the fisticuffs to protect those we care about. While I won’t say what happens to Emillia, let’s say she gets her just desserts.

…But There’s Also a Chance To Change

In my review of Season Two of the show, I said that I enjoyed the reveal of Scarlemagne’s backstory. Years of being tortured by Emillia, couple with Kipo’s parents not being able to save him, drove him to become the tyrant we first see. But underneath that maniacal persona lies a troubled and lonely soul. And, Kipo being Kipo, she tried to reach out and help him. She failed in Season Two, but Season Three sees her try once again. But does that mean we should forgive Scarlemagne?

As horrible as Scarlemagne’s past was, it doesn’t change the fact that he hurt a lot of people during his reign of terror. And neither the mutes nor humans are able to forget that. They shouldn’t forget it, either. Scarlemagne has to make up for being such a jerk in the past. While he struggles with it, at first, he manages to succeed by the end of the show’s run.

I’m not telling you guys what happens to him, though. No spoilers!

Watch this Show

If you’re looking for some quality cartoons with important life lessons, then I recommend that you watch Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. The artwork’s amazing, the characters are great, the story’s awesome, and the soundtrack is lit.

I Give “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Season 3” a 4.9/5

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My Reaction to the Departure of Avatar’s Creators Cutting Ties With Netflix

When I heard that Netflix was making a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was weary of the news. After all, M. Night Shyamalan butchered the beloved show with his crime against cinema. But then we heard that the series creators were going to be executive producers, and my hopes went up. This was what fans have been wanting for years. But then, earlier this week, we got this announcement:

You heard them, folks. Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino, co-creators of Avatar, are quitting on the Netflix adaptation. As a result, fans around the world have gone into near-mourning about it. As an Avatar fan myself, I don’t blame them: this made me want to give up on the adaptation as well! However, it was Michael and Bryan’s words that kept me (hesitantly) on board. They have a lot of respect for some of the people working on this remake, and I’d hate to see talented people get blacklisted because of the fans hatred. So, I decided to at least give Netflix a chance.

Then, this article from Fandomwire started making the rounds on Twitter.

This Won’t Stop Avatar

even if this article’s true, and the creator’s departure just killed any chance of a live-action series, I don’t think Avatar is doomed. It’s been going through a renassiance all summer, and with new stories and graphic novels poised to come out in the coming months, I see no signs of it losing momentum. In other words, yeah I’m upset about the news, but this won’t destroy Avatar. It may make fans wait years for a proper adaptation, but if the Netflix series bombs, then we can show people how awesome the original was.

Also, I respect Michael and Bryan for their decision to stick to their integrity.

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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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So this afternoon, I learned that Netflix planned on making a live-action adaptation of One Piece in the near future. How I never caught wind of this, I don’t know. Then, at the very same time, I learned that Eichiro Oda himself, the creator of One Piece, would be helming production.

This isn’t the first time Netflix has sought to adapt an anime. Their ill-fated version of Death Note got a lot of flak. On top of this, adapting anime or anime-esque stories into live action has a poor track record. Dragon Ball: Evolution proved to be so terrible that the man who wrote it apologized. And that doesn’t even come close to the complete tragedy that was The Last Airbender. Which I’m still holding over Shyamalan.

However, I think the odds are in One Piece’s favor, for several reasons. Firstly, Netflix made the decision to give the creator of One Piece the role of Co-Exec Producer. That means he’ll get to decide what will work and what won’t. Secondly, he’s working alongside some serious talent. Matt Owen, who’s worked on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Luke Cage, is a big fan of One Piece. Having a fan help make this works because they’ll know what people want from it!

One Piece is the highest-selling manga of all time, and decades from now, I hope it’s remembered as one of the greatest works of fiction in human history. If Eichiro Oda thinks that now’s the time to let One Piece go live-action, then I want to see how he can adapt the crazy world he’s created. Rumor has it the budget’s going to be higher than Game of Thrones, so I think it will do well. Fingers crossed!

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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A Look at Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney’s Streaming Services

This past week saw a lot of big news regarding the ongoing streaming wars. First, Disney entered the fight with their new streaming service, Disney+. Hot on the heels of that, Nickelodeon announced their own long-term deal with Netflix. With Cartoon Network slated to join HBO Max’s lineup at launch next year, the message is clear. The Big Three have joined the streaming wars.

For an entire generation of kids, the Big Three of Animation were the ones who made the best cartoons on TV. As a result, the news of the trio joining the streaming wars was big news on social media. As a fan of shows made by all three of these entities, I couldn’t resist giving my two cents. So, I’ll be giving my thoughts and opinions on each company, their streaming service, and how I think they’ll do.

Nickelodeon and Netflix

When I was a kid, Nickelodeon seemed like the best place to watch cartoons; or rather, Nicktoons. They had so many great shows, like Spongebob, Fairly Oddparents, Rugrats, and of course, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon looked like a cartoon giant, but then they started focusing more on their sitcoms. After that, I lost interest. However, this deal with Netflix could breathe new life into the Nicktoons.

Unlike the other Big Three of Cartoons, Nickelodeon’s not using an in-house streaming service. Instead, they’re formally teaming up with Netflix, which is the best possible move they can make. Firstly, Netflix’s still the top dog in the streaming business, and with Disney+ up and HBO Max to come next year, they want to stay that way. By relying on the lineup of Nicktoons beloved by millions as kids, they’ll be able to compete with Warner and Disney’s bigger library of cartoons. Both Nick and Netflix will win.

Cartoon Network and HBO Max

I didn’t start watching Cartoon Network until later in my childhood. However, once I started, I couldn’t stop watching. They’ve been churning out good cartoons for the last twenty plus years. As a result, I kept coming back to Cartoon Network long after I left Nickelodeon. In fact, I credit shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show for keeping me interested in cartoons. It feels natural that Warner would put them on their roster for HBO Max.

Next to Disney, Cartoon Network has access to the biggest library of cartoons, and one that’s not limited to their original shows. As part of Warner, CN can use the works of Hanna Barbera and Looney Tunes. Technically, Adult Swim also falls under Cartoon Network. While its currently unknown if they’ll bring any shows, Rick and Morty’s confirmed to join HBO Max. In other words, Cartoon Network’s got a lot to bring to streaming. However, given how much the subscription for HBO Max is said to be, this may cause them suffer.

Disney and Disney+

The last of the Big Three that I got into, I didn’t start watching Disney cartoons in earnest until Phineas and Ferb. My timing couldn’t have been better. The 2010’s saw Disney create its fair share of great cartoons; several of which I’ve written about. From the looks of things, they plan on heading into 2020 with even more great cartoons.

Disney’s library of cartoon shows is as impressive as their films, and that extends to the new Disney+. I haven’t seen much of it yet, but it seems they got most of the classic Disney Afternoon block on there, so that’s a big win. I actually went on Twitter and found Darkwing Duck to be trending! In addition to their original content, Disney+ has shows from properties that Disney owns, like Marvel, Fox, and Star Wars. All of these hit shows, in addition to how a subscritption only $6.99 a month, make for a tough combination to beat.

Which of the Big Three Will Come Out on Top?

Given everything that we know, I think it’s too soon to tell which of the Big Three will win the streaming wars. They each have really good cartoons that they bring to their respective streaming service. It may not seem like much, but since the millenials are now adults with money to spend, the cartoons they watched as kids could be a big factor in their companies’ success. As much as I love all three, I think the one that may come out on top will be Cartoon Network.

While HBO Max will be far more expensive than Netflix or Disney+, it partially justifies this given how much content they have planned. Regarding Cartoon Network, though, I think they’ve done the best job at consistently making good cartoons. Their famous line of “Cartoon Cartoons” lasted from 1996 to 2009 with the finale to Ed Edd n’ Eddy. In fact, Ed Edd n’ Eddy lasted for more than ten years. That’s superhuman by cartoon standards. In addition, the channel’s unbelievably successful cartoons this past decade. Regular Show became their first property to have an official movie since the end of Ed Edd n’ Eddy; Adventure Time spawned a generation-spanning fanbase; and need I say more about Steven Universe?

Given everything I’ve seen, and despite the high price of HBO Max, I think that Cartoon Network may come out on top in the Streaming Wars. However, I personally don’t mind who wins, as its the fans who win in the end. The Big Three are giving us a chance to see the shows we loved as a kid again, and maybe give us hope for reboots. That’s enough to make me happy, and I hope it’s enough for others out there. Besides, I’ve learned to stay out of this stuff.

Do you agree with my choice? Which of the Big Three did you enjoy the most growing up? Who do you think will win the streaming wars? Let me know in the comments down below.

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