Monday, July 19, 2010

Adventure Time


My new favorite kid's cartoon is Adventure Time and it's on the Cartoon Network on Mondays at 8pm. I feel a little shame watching a kid's cartoon, but this one is so good. I'm not sure why .. I think it's because the cartoon is so unexpectedly violent and anarchic that makes it so much addicting to watch. My daughter put on the cartoon and I thought well this is just silly, but then I got lost in the mayhem - almost hypnotized.

There are real twists in the plot and the characters are deterministic, yet vibrant and chaotic. It's just really cool okay.

The cartoon focuses on two main protagonist. Finn (a 12 year old boy) and his dog Jake (28 years old - dog years).

Finn is a kind of Peter Pan character. He is a maverick and dramatic and above all chivalrous. Finn is skilled in all kinds of combat, including the psych attack where he looks like he's going to kick but at the last moment does an upper cut.

Jake is wise, at times apathetic and the moral compass for the team. Jake also has magical powers such as growing super large, long stretching appendages (including nose). And to top it off the dog speaks fluent Korean.


Together they go on wild and adventurous quests. Their goal is to defeat and vanquish the main antagonist the Ice King.


The Ice King and his disembodied heart are the only antagonist so far. The Ice King is old and corrupt. He lusts after the Bubblegum Princess. He has magical powers in his frozen kingdom. He can throw ice-lightning bolts and freeze characters and objects in ice.


Sound interesting? Here is a trailer for the cartoon.

Adventure Time Epic Trailer

The setting and characters do remind me somewhat of Homestar Runner. Maybe it's that Princess Bubblegum and the Ice King in Adventure Time remind me of King of Town and Marzipan in Homestar.

As you can see in the trailer the cartooning is excellent. The character are so fluid and the animator have a way of breaking every boundary but still keeping it real. I especially the rubber hose arms and legs.
 Like Ren and Stimpy from time to time there is a close up / freeze frame to show more detail or the convey a strong emotion.

Adventure Time takes absurd to a whole new level and I like it.

3 comments:

  1. 7/28/10
    RobGems.ca Wrote:
    I Think "Adventure Time Is A Quirky, weird & Delightful Cartoon. A Crackpot's Description Of the Old 12th Century Swashbucklers, to Be Exact, but with more eccentric characters. my Particular Favorites Are Princess Hot Dog, a princess Who happens To be A Canine, complete With a Doghouse for a Palace,& sweet, sincere Tree Trunks, A tiny elephant Who Befriends Jake & Finn, But Lets her Naievety Gets the Better Of Her Around Foes at Finn's Expense. As For the Villain, the Ice King, What would Keith Moon Have Thought Of his Bad Drumming On a Drum kit With The Laughable expression "#1 Babe" On The Drumhead? Talk about Your Pathetic Attempts To Demolish A Drum Kit.The So-Called "#1 Babe" is No Hal Blaine Or Gene krupa, That's for Sure.

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  2. Thank you for your great comment. There is something so magical about Adventure Time .. I like that the Ice King has such weird motivations.

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  3. 8/24/11
    ROBgems.ca Wrote:
    It's Been over a year since I posted my last note about "Adventure Time",and now with great fanfare, it's been announced recently on Cartoon Network that "Adventure Time" is now the top rated show on Cartoon network for 2010-2011, the only real stiff compettition coming from Disney Channel XD's "Phinneas & Ferb"show. I still like the show, and included two more favorites of mine: the brain-dead Poo-Brain the horse who does nothing but stare blankly at Jake & Finn for nearly 15 minutes while they try to sleep, until the end of the episode it is revealed that "Poo-Brain" is nothing more than the Ice King in a stupid fake horse costume. The horse costume is really priceless; it looks more like a fat lavender guinea pig than a horse to me(LOL.)My other favorite is the grumpy LSP cloud princess, voiced by none other than creator Pendleton Ward himself. Boy, does she has issues or what? (LOL again.)Princess Bubblegum is cute as well, even if she is a bit haughty at times; Oh well, with troublemakers like the Ice King & Jake & Finn taking up much of her precious time, she has a right to be.

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