6 Things We Liked AboutKipo and the Age of WonderbeastsSeason 2 (and 3 We Didn’t)

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is one of thoseword - of - mouth showsthat started modest and grew into a tidal undulation . The post - revelatory story of a half - jaguar female child andher friendsroaming a bright biased wasteland continues withseason two , which wonderful lucubrate its world while making a few sophomore trip-up .

Here are the six things we loved about this latest time of year and three others we thought could be done better .

If it were n’t for all the destruction , this would be a scented place to hang out .

Kipo (Karen Fukuhara) gets ready to take things to the next level.

Kipo (Karen Fukuhara) gets ready to take things to the next level.Image: All images Netflix

It’s as Gorgeous as Ever

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is a show that ’s well over with color and panache , and season two does not disappoint . The serial continues to grow and enrich its man with shining , beautiful locations — from the ridiculously fun Brunchington café to Scarlemagne ’s shopping shopping mall - turned - palatial grounds . This is the kind of show you could enjoy visually , with every corner of the blind conceal its own piffling employment of art .

https://gizmodo.com/kipo-and-the-age-of-wonderbeasts-is-the-latest-animated-1840794072

It ’s kind of ironical that time of year two of Kipo is out right around the same clip asThe Last of Us II , another Brobdingnagian post - revelatory series , as the two of them approach the end times very other than . in person , I prefer talking brute and musical number .

Graphic: Jim Cooke

If it weren’t for all the destruction, this would be a sweet place to hang out.

“Heroes on Fire”

I ’m a sucker for a honorable karaoke bit — probably because I ’m a patsy for karaoke in world-wide . In episode four , “ To Catch a Deathstalker , ” Kipo ( Karen Fukuhara ) and Wolf ( Sydney Mikayla ) are hiding from oversized scorpion when Kipo learns that her compatriot ’s confidential hideout is in reality a private karaoke room . She turns the political machine on and proceeds to belt out one of her preferent song , “ Heroes on Fire ” ( an original melodic phrase created for the show ) , serve Wolf amount out of her shell a bit in the process . It ’s a large Sung dynasty that has been stick in my head for twenty-four hours — no marvel the Wolfpack made it “ our song . ”

Scarlemagne

In the first time of year of Kipo , Scarlemagne ( Dan Stevens ) was more of a behind - the - scenes player . He demonstrate up occasionally as this refined yet terrifying threat to Kipo and her people , only to then languish into the shadows as his minions did the dirty oeuvre . In season two , Scarlemagne has adopt center leg … and every scene he ’s in is splendid . Scarlemagne oversee to become both more and less threatening the more time we spend with him . He ’s fickle , irrational , and enraged , but much of it comes from a life of pain sensation and loneliness . This is expanded on in the episode dedicate to his backstory , “ understanding for the Mandrill , ” which brook out as the good one of the season .

It ’s also important to note that Stevens is in pinnacle form , pitch a wild functioning that takes us through all of Scarlemagne ’s layers . He ’s really a force to be reckoned with here . It do you wonder what sort of Beast he could ’ve been in the lively - actionBeauty and the Beastif Disney has loosen the stay a piece and let Stevens embody the role on his own terms .

Benson and Troy

Their love is pure and we must protect it at all toll .

https://gizmodo.com/kipo-and-the-age-of-wonderbeasts-casual-queerness-is-fa-1841157244

Kipo’s Mom

Much of time of year two is focused on Kipo ’s complicated kinship with her pa , Lio Oak ( Sterling K. Brown ) , after learning what happened between him and Scarlemagne . It ’s an interesting story — albeit with one central emergence ( more on that below)—but it ’s only part of what makes Kipo who she is . There ’s also the way the season slowly unfolds the story of Kipo ’s mom , Song Oak ( Jee Young Han ) , expose how she sacrifice everything to give Kipo her best chance at selection . That ’s not an easy decision for anyone , especially a parent , but it ’s one she made without hesitation . That ’s reliable braveness and love .

It ’s kind of amazing to see how much of Song ’s personality is reflected in Kipo , even though they ’ve never met before . But wait , before ? Is n’t she dead ? Well , without giving the big twist out , let ’s just say Kipo may already know her mamma more than she might think . I will say that the truth about Song ’s destiny was n’t the most surprising reveal in the show , but it present a slew of Leslie Townes Hope for Kipo ’s family in the future .

The Power of Hope

If there ’s one thing that helps Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts stand out among its post - apocalyptic peers , it ’s that its heroes unfeignedly want to make the worldly concern a good seat . Much of that is thanks to Kipo , who came into their life like a hurricane of positiveness and good , and taught them that it ’s okay to believe in something again . Wolf , Benson , Lio , and so many others have overcome insurmountable betting odds , arise up in a world that does n’t seem to desire them any longer . But in this season , we really see them come together and become a family , standing up for each other and the Mutes they antecedently feared .

What they all needed was someone to remind them it ’s OK to assay happiness where you may happen it , and that it ’s unspoiled to strive for something respectable — particularly when you ’re uncoerced to do the study to make it happen . It seems fitting that the season ends with our heroes arrive together to sing “ Heroes on Fire . ” The world may be “ so cold , ” but they ’re ready to face the light of sidereal day because they do n’t have to face it alone any longer .

We Didn’t Like

Dr. Emilia

Scarlemagne is n’t the only problem the Wolfpack has to manage with this season . There ’s also Dr. Emilia , played by Amy Landecker . We first meet her as a shadowy figure stalk Scarlemagne on his hunting for the mega monkey . It turns out she ’s the question of the research institute Kipo ’s parent lived in , which was seeking to reverse the mutagen that made all the animals bigger and smart . The facility may dwell in ruins , but Dr. Emilia and her ragtag squad of scientist are still strong at work trying to put homo back on top of the intellectual nourishment chain .

This seems like a fine story with decent motivation , but Dr. Emilia was n’t a very interesting part . We expend several episodes with her , but the whole time she comes across as one - bank note and rather boring — even in her darker moment . She needed a bit of flesh out to help us find out more of her story and point - of - view , so we could sympathise what makes her such a powerful foe . Because by the prison term the time of year ends , we ’re supposed to see her as the young terror to the world of Mutes , but I do n’t think it was garner .

Not as Much Music

There are some solid tracks in time of year two , including the amazing “ Down with the Humans ” sung by theatrical otters , but the soundtrack did n’t find as expectant as season one . This is n’t a major problem , it ’s all still extremely enjoyable . I just wanted more of what helps make Kipo such an awesome show .

Come on Kipo, Just Admit This Is Kinda Fucked Up

In episode five , “ Fun Gus Part 1 , ” Kipo learns the Sojourner Truth behind her mutant powers : Song experimented on a few of her eggs , infusing them with creature DNA before impregnate herself ( presumably via in - vitro impregnation ) . This means Kipo was the field of study of some risky genetic engineering , which could ’ve have serious harm in utero ( since it was untried ) . Luckily it did n’t , but it did allow for Kipo at peril of losing her humanity and becoming a full Mute . Even though Benson and Wolf are weirded out by this fact , Kipo never bats an middle .

I get that Kipo ’s a positive person , and she loves skill and admires her parents . That ’s all okay and skilful . But at no spot does Kipo interrogate the fact that her parents execute an untried experimentation on her before she was born . Not to her founder , not to her friends , not even to herself . It ’s not like Kipo is antipathetic to confrontation : She set about overturned at her founder for how he treated Scarlemagne , and justly so . But there was a comeuppance moment with her don about her line of descent that never came . It makes it seem like Kipo is in no way conflicted about being turned into a human - animal cross without her consent , even after learning what materialize to her mom because of it . I do n’t hump if this is something that will be addressed in a ( yet - to - be - announced ) third season , but if not it absolutely should be .

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is currently available on Netflix .

If it weren’t for all the destruction, this would be a sweet place to hang out.