Review for Kipo and Age of the Wonderbeasts
Spoilers for all Seasons of Kipo, including Season 3's finale, so I highly recommend watching it all first! TL;DR and spoiler free version at the bottom
I, like many people, came to the show Kipo after watching Steven Universe, and Kipo does indeed have similar tones to Steven Universe. Just as Steven spread love and kindness where ever he went with his openness, positivity and love, Kipo went about the world seeing good in all mute and human kind, finding their soft spots and positive points and seeing the world as the best it could be. But Kipo isn't Steven, nor is she a cheap Steven Universe copycat. The show explores new routes and new ideas, and if you're a fan of Steven Universe and similar shows, I think Kipo is absolutely worth a watch.
When I first started the show as it came out, I thought it was a cute concept with a cool world with mutated creatures, big and small, living on the surface as many humans lived in burrows, trying to survive the outside world which had become crazy. The characters were interesting, the music and score memorable and well fitted to the scenes, and the world overall was a fantastic concept.
Kipo clearly took the path of friendship. There are many shows, especially shows marked specifically as kids shows, that focus on the power of kindness, love and giving people a chance, part of the cliche of "the power of friendship". And while this may feel cheesy, this is exactly what the world needs more of. Not all villains are redeemable. Not all people are willing to change. As with many villains in kids shows, some are just too far gone, unwilling to change and see things differently. But some people are, and there's often good and hope in people that initially feel like villains. More love and kindness in this world is something we desperately need, and I'm so happy to see shows like this bringing a little more of it into the world.
And then Scarlemagne's past is reveled, the biggest point of interest for me throughout the whole show. Nearly every villain has a backstory that humanizes them (in this case less literal humanizing, more revealing them as a complex individual, not simply an evil monster). Scarlemagne's origins as Hugo, a Mandrill turned mute through experiments, reveal that he didn't start evil or angry or mad. He started loving, kind, even naive as he dreamed of being a king on land with dances and parties. When he was left behind by his family, he was physically and literally scared, creating his own identity from his tragic past life.
Now I'm a sucker for these types of backstories, as are so many of us. They show that most people don't begin evil or monsters; they become that because of the way they are treated, by society indirectly and directly shaping who they are and who they are allowed to be. Monsters are rarely born, almost always created, and I love the depiction of that. Hugo/Scarlemagne's changing musical themes were often present in various scenes, and especially after his backstory is revealed, it pulled on my heartstrings. It made you feel for Hugo/Scarlemagne. Not just pity, but sadness, anger at how he was treated, his fear at living in a new world. Scarlemagne was a fantastic villain, one who worked to earn his redemption in Season 3.
But of course, he wasn't the main villain. The main villain became Dr. Emilia, the doctor who wants to cure all mutes, thereby destroying all the sentient, complex creatures and societies that have developed on the surface. Her basic sentiment is "humans on top," which is immediately troubling and a red flag to those who know the history of those who wanted certain races or factions on top. She is someone unwilling to change and so stubbornly stuck in her opinions and hypocrisies that she ends up destroying herself, as many kids movies and show's villains do. Kipo never stops trying to help her and forgive her despite her scorning that multiple times. Kipo shows great character growth, learning to stick to her morals instead of changing them just to get what she wants, and Emilia demonstrates that hate and bigotry lead to self-destruction. Though this is the path that most heroes and villains take in story lines like these, that didn't make this path any less enjoyable. It was very well done and heartfelt.
Unfortunately, this story line kept with the classic heroic sacrifice aspect as well. Scarlemagne, making strides towards his redemption and character growth, sacrifices himself to help Kipo stop Dr. Emilia. While his sacrifice is a relatively predictable path for the plot to follow, I was still very saddened that he lived redeemed and with a family again for such a short time. While I think the sacrifice and being remembered in death as a hero is meaningful, I do hope for more story lines where someone is redeemed and is then able to live on with the difficulties and beauty of their new life. They may always have those scars, like Scarlemagne, but I wish we had been able to see Hugo, no longer Scarlemagne, for longer than just his last few moments of life. He deserved to have a family again, deserving to live happily after so much time in pain and sadness and anger. Even so, his entire story line still tugs on my heartstrings. While also a commonly used story ending and trope, Kipo talking to him in the epilogue felt like the perfect ending to the series. A good, well done redemption arc is always welcome.
Along with the well done redemption arcs and overall season arcs, the show has many other amazing qualities. One of the biggest positives is their focus on diversity. Two of the main characters were black, two female (three if you count Mandu the pig animal companion), and one of them openly gay. None of the inclusion felt forced or shallow. It was naturally integrated, in some ways perfectly true to life awkward, as when Kipo feels like Benson and her are becoming romantically involved, only to be told by Benson he's gay and they're just amazing friends. The inclusion was far more than what we normally see and very nicely integrated and included in the story and scene.
There was a romantic
story element, but one that would have been nearly unthinkable on
kids TV even just a decade ago. He finds a wonderful boyfriend, and
they're able to have multiple on screen romantic interactions and
kisses. May not be much for straight romances, but this is a big plus
for LGBTQ+ representation on screen (and much more than the very
shallow nods many such as Disney offer). Benson got his love
interest, allowed to be openly gay and proud and absolutely adorable.
Other than that, however, none of the characters got swept up in
romantic side plots or unrequited romantic love stories. Both the
main character women, Kipo and Wolf, were completely devoid of
romance plots (other than Kipo's initial misunderstanding with
Benson). There is nothing inherently wrong with romance, but seeing
two women not forced into them as a main part of their character arc
as so many shows seem to do was incredibly
refreshing.https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/kipo-and-the-age-of-the-wonderbeasts-casual-diverse-queerness/
Some fantastic words by someone more qualified and much more in depth
about this representation.
That is not to say that love is not an incredibly important theme in the show. Instead of romantic love dominating, shows and movies like Kipo are starting to focus more and more on the love of friendship and family. Kipo has a loving, caring relationship with her father (as well as her mother once she is revealed back into the show), and throughout the show, Kipo's friends become family. They all love each other deeply as friends and like siblings. Kipo quickly begins to refer to Wolf as a sister, and though reluctantly at first, Wolf proudly takes up that title. Hugo loves Kipo's parents like his own parents. That's one of the reasons their abandonment hurt him so much, but also one of the reasons he began to redeem himself. Scarlemagne/Hugo also quickly began to see Kipo as a sister after he got to know her. In the last episode, Hugo is seen with Song and Lio like a family again, finally accepting Kipo's gift of a star blanket, and as he dies says, "I got to have a family." The focus on family love, both biologically and found family, is a beautiful focus alongside the themes of love and forgiveness making the world better.
Other assorted things I loved about the show are numerous.
They never really say how the world changed, other than a general nod to the change in Dave's strange backstory about his fan war with humans in Season 3. I don't want some in depth depiction of how the world changed because that honestly isn't important. I like the vagueness of it, allowing viewers to imagine it for themselves if they want. It keeps the focus on the present issues of the show and how they will live with the current situation rather than dwelling in the past as shows about post-apocalyptic type situations often to.
They keep the show to 3 seasons, just 30 episodes. While this feels so short for such a fantastic world and characters, I love that they didn't drag it out. They didn't add in a bunch of distractions or seasons long side plots. Each season had a very clear arc, each one as its own story line and conclusion even if that conclusion led into the next season. While I'm sad when a great show ends, I'm much sadder when great shows are ruined by being dragged through the mud long after they should have ended.
Again, the focus on diversity is fantastic. Both with people of different races, genders and LGBT representation, but also the diversity between mutes and humans, demonstrating that creatures so different can live and work together in relative harmony, if it's given a chance. The symbolism of diversity combined with actual, clear cut representation rather than vague nods creates the perfect mixture.
The music and recurring musical themes, especially Scarlemagne/Hugo's theme were fantastically woven through the show. Both the soundtrack and the songs sung by the characters are memorable, catchy and entertaining, and the score sometimes speaks for what the words of the characters cannot. Scarlemagne's theme often betrayed his thoughts and intentions before they had come to fruition, whether turning more light and positive or turning more dark and menacing. His theme especially pulls the heartstrings, but the music was also very nicely done for Kipo and her character development as well.
Overall, I enjoyed this show far more than I thought I would. It builds off of the success and inclusion of many shows before it, and I love seeing the progress of shows such as this. I'm optimistic that the growing inclusion and focus on love in show and movies like this demonstrates a more shifting attitude toward love and hope in society. Though it is more difficult in "real life," I want to be like Kipo. She is a wonderful example to young kids especially, but I think she can equally inspire all ages to be hopeful, willing to forgive and give people a chance, and overall, never give in to hatred, anger and destruction when love and care still have a chance.
TL:Dr and Spoiler free review
Kipo is one of the most recent in a line of increasingly open, inclusive and diverse cartoons, and it does not disappoint. The world of Kipo 200 years after some sort of societal breakdown and mutant outbreak is a wonderful, fantastical world immediately full of wonder and beauty, and the viewer gets to learn about it at the same time as Kipo. The main characters of Kipo and her friends are interesting and unique characters, each allowed to exist and grow in their own ways. They show the importance of trust and love, and they demonstrate the found family trope in the best of ways as the group grows to be a family to one another and the best of friends. The villains and opponents to the main characters are similarly very well written. The villains are no cold cut evil for the sake of evil villains. Even the irredeemable villains are given sympathetic origins and treated as people, not simple monsters, and this builds towards some of the main themes in Kipo such as forgiveness, trust, and the power of love and friendship.
Though the power of love may sound corny and highly overdone, Kipo does so in a way that feels true, interesting and quite powerful. She gives people the benefit of the doubt, always hoping and seeing the good in people even if she is proven wrong. Kipo, both the show and the character herself, are examples of what we need right now. It is full of open diversity of all sorts, including race, gender and LGBT representation, and it focuses on creating a world where diversity and differences are something to be celebrated and worked with, not destroyed or segregated. Without being overly cheesy or heavy handed, Kipo brings home a message of love and caring in a world torn and in chaos. In today's atmosphere, this is a sorely needed comfort. Dark and gritty can be entertaining in its own way, and at times may feel more realistic. But Kipo is the hope for a future that I desperately want and need. I greatly enjoyed this show, and I hope this trend of increasingly diverse and fantastic shows continues to thrive!
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