For those of you who may not be familiar with this show, KIPO (or KaTAoW as some prefer) is a Netflix coming-of-age animated series set in a post-apocalyptic earth 200 years in the future. It stars Kipo, an enthusiastic pink-haired burrow girl who gets stranded on the surface of said earth. The surface is an intimidating place, dominated primarily by intelligent human-animals or ‘mutes’ as they are referred to throughout the series, who have a distaste for humans. As Kipo navigates this outside world, she finds herself with new friends, enemies and revelations. Little did anyone know though, that her introduction would soon change the world as they knew it. 

Created and produced by none other than Radford Sechrist, the creator of How to Train Your Dragon, KIPO has been appraised as a revolutionary show filled with unique characters and charming elements, expertly portraying real world issues while maintaining the facade of a family-friendly animated series. So you can be sure to be in for a treat! 

And with that, let’s get into the details of why, exactly, you and your friends should watch Kipo and The Age of Wonderbeasts! Don’t worry, there aren’t any plot-relevant spoilers. 

All the main characters are POC! Kipo is half-Asian and half-black. Wolf (on the left, voiced by Sydney Mikayla) and Benson (on the right, voiced by Coy Stewart) are both black too, with the latter canonically, on-screen queer! Many of the side characters are also from different ethnicities and identities, which is reflected in the production team and voice cast as well! 

Photo credit: DreamWorks Animation (2020) 

The setting may not be the first of its kind but it's a unique take on the concept of a fantastical post-apocalyptic world, with humans living underground in settlements called ‘burrows’ and intelligent mutant animals residing above. There are many breath-taking scenes throughout the show, depicting the strange beauty surrounding nature that envelopes the remnants of a bygone era. 

Additionally, character growth pushes the story forward and vice versa, allowing the characters to believably interact with the world of KIPO. The story flows almost seamlessly with a steady pace so viewers can digest each episode with content. 

If one of your concerns is time, not to worry! KIPO is actually a rather short series. As of 12 October, Season 3 had been released along with its finale, wrapping up the show in the span of less than a year. Consisting of only 10 episodes per season, the series made its debut with Season 1 in January this year and released Season 2 in June. The complete series is still available on Netflix as of this date, so do watch it soon! 

Do not judge from just the short viewing time though, because while some may not believe it, no significant plot points were taken or stripped from the original plot. In fact, the crew was able to keep the script as close to the original as possible, minus the more graphic bits. 

This is because these 3 seasons were planned beforehand, and as DreamWorks Animation Studios had already produced shows like She-Ra and The Princesses of Power and Voltron: Legendary Defender, the show got approval for the script from the start! In other words: no weird plot holes! 

In many episodes, the distrust between humans and mutes, as well as among the different mute groups can’t be ignored. The show addresses the problems of stereotyping and profiling, with the main characters having to deal with said problems, mirroring how minority groups have been mistreated in the real world. 

While the show is indeed for family-friendly viewing, none of these issues are downplayed or sugar-coated. Rather, they are narrated in simple, easy-to-understand terms for younger audiences to understand, while older viewers would be able to pick up on the heavier implications and identify their own experiences in the characters’ journey. 

5) Exciting battle and chase scenes 

What’s an adventure without a good fight? KIPO showcases a number of exciting battle sequences and chase scenes, with cutthroat characters proving exactly how potent their skills are, honed by the rough life above the ground and with a sense of justice (or bloodlust)! 

Throughout their journey, Kipo, Wolf, Benson, Dave and Mandu have to face various foes. The tension and imminent danger are real, and they have to gather all their courage and wits to properly get through the situation together. The show, however, diverts slightly from the traditional good vs bad to provide younger viewers with the notion that nothing is ever black and white. 

Similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender (2004) in this aspect, the creators were careful to portray the flaws and issues faced by the main cast to encourage acknowledgement of such traits but never to excuse them. The same goes with the antagonists. The show narrates that no one is born evil but can become so as a result of a series of unfortunate events. However, the past and personal issues should never be used as an excuse for evil deeds. They were sure to make that clear, making confrontations between opposing parties all the more so impactful and dramatic. 

7) Awesome soundtrack 

KIPO has a large musical element to it, with riveting sequences from Atomic Drum Assembly, raps and pop scores from various artists, as well as original pieces by the show’s own composer Daniel Rojas. The BGM pairs with each scene perfectly, setting the tone for emotional moments and riling up the atmosphere for battle sequences. Each piece is a guaranteed banger, and the full playlist is available on iTunes and Spotify! 

If you want to give it a listen, here’s a link to the Spotify playlist ;) : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0LLrXsn806vczIKvKMCP9A?si=Qqv7l8w5TJSOkK8XHX9IRg 

Anyone who watches KIPO will fall in love with the silly antics shared by the ragtag group of survivors. 

Kipo’s indomitable spirit of joy is absolutely infectious, constantly inspiring the people around her and rallying her friends when they’re about to do something crazy. Wolf’s cutthroat facade and hidden soft sides immediately strike into viewers' hearts as she tries to prevent her newfound friends from getting into unnecessary near-death situations. Benson and Dave’s (the mutant bug, voiced by Deon Cole) comedic duo and best friend dynamic never fail to alleviate the tension in scenes, sprinkling in expertly placed bits of humour. And Mandu the mute boar is just downright adowable. 

9) Overcoming trauma 

Many of the characters in KIPO have been subjected to traumatic experiences, including abuse, abandonment, and betrayal. The show evidently doesn’t shy away from the effects brought upon by these experiences, which often brings the characters to uncomfortable moments of confrontation with their past. 

What’s beautiful though, is how the characters rise above these challenges. The show teaches its viewers that recovery isn’t necessarily linear nor simple but can be made a little less scary to approach when the right people are beside you. However, one must be willing to change first, or else nothing will improve. 

Photo credit: Netflix (2020) 

Unlike most animated series that feature the main character developing into having some sort of romance, KIPO features familial love above all. Not in the “blood ties are absolute” sense but in the true parental and sibling kind. The show expertly depicts adoptive family, single parenting, non-toxic supportive parents and healthy sibling relationships, with all their rough ends and mistakes that either party can commit. It teaches its viewers that family are the people that you love and not necessarily who you’re born with, and that you don’t owe toxic relatives anything. 

This is not to say that there’s absolutely no romance, though. ;) 

11) “We don’t want the world to go back to the way it was!” - Kipo 

Throughout the series, the surface’s dangers are always emphasized as the characters face threat after threat. The surface is never, however, feared by Kipo. On the contrary, she finds beauty and wonder in it! She appreciates the amazing sights and creatures that roam it, welcoming each discovery instead of fearing them despite entering foreign territory. 

This is symbolic to the show’s ultimate message: Embracing change and embracing the future. Progress can’t happen if the world stays the same forever. Relationships can’t improve if neither party is willing to negotiate. This message is especially prevalent in today’s world riddled with uncertainties and the need for progressive change, with the pandemic, the climate crisis, racial injustices and ongoing civil wars. 

12) K-pop singing narwhals! 

An Instagram post from Rad Sechrist @radsechrist, regarding the concept sketch to final of the Narwhal K-pop Group (2020) 

Yeah, you heard that right! There’s a full-fledged K-pop group consisting four narwhals, the real mermaids of the sea, in the world of KIPO. Their smash hit Ocean of Love (Raymond Lee) is guaranteed to stay in your head for days on end. 

They’re just a small fraction of all the wondrous, fabulous and diverse species of mutes found above the surface though. There’s also the TimberCats, Hummingbombers, Megamute Dogs and more adorable mutes! 

And that ends this list of reasons why you should watch KIPO on a cute note. 

KIPO is undeniably a 21st century animation that carefully reflects the world we live in today, and the one it can be in the future. It’s highly encouraged to support revolutionary shows like this to reflect the current audience, so if this list has piqued your interest to watch KIPO, then I’m glad! Do pay the original creators a visit on Twitter and/or Instagram as well! Thank you.