just finished kipo and the age of the wonderbeasts and here are my thoughts.
spoilers for Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts.
1: fucking fantastic. representation, unyielding optimism, a child friendly explanation of eugenics and genocide because fuck that shit.
2: I love how Dave and Benson’s friendship continued to evolve throughout the show, especially when Benson made a comment about how he wishes he could have the “fun Dave” back and that hurt Dave. but at the end of the episode, Benson says that he wants Dave as a friend no matter who he is. all version of Dave are valuable and loved.
this sort of feels like a metaphor for loving someone with mental illness or nuerodivergence that affects the way they act. you can love someone, not matter how they are.
3. Wolf’s storyline with betrayal means her trusting Kipo and Benson and Dave is so so important. From the first season, she was starting on an arc to trust, forgiveness and by the end, moving on.
She learned to let go of the past when her beloved weapon was shattered and hung up her wolf cloak. Her character arc is gorgeous and i love how her relationship with Kipo grew and changed.
4. I am a strong believer that redemption arcs need to take a long time. But Hugo hit the marks in 10 episodes. Thanks to Kipo’s optimism and trust, Hugo was able to grow and change. in the end, he was a traumatized kid. he wasn’t too much older than Kipo. he wanted to be loved and was betrayed. his quest for power was just a reflection of his pain.
but when he realized he could find power in kindness and compassion, he softened. He was forgiven by those he hurt which is so important. I love that his sacrifice wasn’t a split second decision of heroicness. it wasn’t a darth vader/anakin skywalker thing. he had his redemption arc and made a sacrifice as a way of finally completing it. all he wanted was a family and he was willing to die to keep that family together.
5. I loves how the mutes Kipo and the gang meets in the first season are brought back throughout and how they all unite. I also love the weird quirks of each of them like rock star snakes, motorcycle skunks and lumberjack cats.
6. Kipo’s birthday present to Wolf was actually the greatest. she notices something so tiny and got Wolf something to help. it was beautiful.
7. Kipo’s undying optimism is so important but I also appreciate how in seasons 2 and 3 she got mad and frustrated and scared. she was just a kid and i’m glad that got to be shown.
(march 23 2024) varian is excitedly talking about chemicals or something idk and hugo’s ass is NOT listening— last year’s day four drawing under the cut!! ^^
i did a sequel to the fairy au because i wanted worldbuilding
Hugo could still place exactly where that stupid blue streak flowed against the rest of his hair. He could still count the freckles that dusted the tip of his nose and the edges of his cheeks. He could just about remember how his lip would curl when he smiled. It was lopsided- the left side of his mouth always pushed up just a little bit more than the right.
He was a shadow, an echo of something he never deserved. He could still feel the rough calluses on his hands lightly scratch across his cheeks. His lips still tingled with the memory.
Or: The bridge connecting the human kingdom of Ingvarr and the fairy kingdom of Corona has been shattered. After being forced into hiding after the events of last year, everything familiar to Hugo was now gone.
And yet somehow, ghosts from his past still manage to sneak their way back into the fragments of a life he had cobbled together. Who knows how much longer he can hold on.
The other blonde twink has a villainous backstory and a bad haircut, they’re basically the same person
I was gonna argue that Hugo does NOT have a bad haircut but then I remembered that his hair is stupid actually and that's why I draw it differently so yeah you're right dammit
One thing that rings of power has done is successfully make me dislike Peter Jackson's lotr. Literally everyone and their mother praising it as if it has no faults is swinging me towards genuinely disliking it
🖌 I'll have you know that Julia is the cutest ship name 😤 Juliet is so cute I have no doubts that those two could get along splendidly even if Caria is hesitant to love 🤲🏻😭 🖌
✰ OH YOU ALREADY KNOW IT 💪💪💪 im living for the “hesitant to love X helpless romantic” dynamic they got goin on! I think it could be especially interesting when Juliet’s curse comes into play 🤔 ✰
I would have a request: Varian running with Hugo and Nuru tugged under his arm like luggage and Yong sitting on his shoulders. I like the original storyboard art of Vat7k with the group fleeing from a giant newt with Yong carried under Varian's arm and I think it would look cute if Hugo and Nuru could experience that too. Varian is the strongest and the fastest of the group and also terrible protective of his friends.
I BELIEVE IN STRONG VARIAN SUPREMACY!!! But rlly tho I had so much fun drawing this omg,
Also like the comedic potential tho omigosh
after they get away the gang is just like: ‘HOW TF DID U DO THAT????!WHAT???!!!?’
So varian has very much that pathetic wet cat look that a transmasc has /pos. And Hugo plays with gender like is play-doh, he goes around molding according what crimes they commit
literally t4t gay little evil scientists why wouldn't you vote for them. hugo is genderfluid and varian is a trans man (personal hc but these are widely accepted by varigo fans!!) a vote for them is a vote for fucked up little guy supremacy and trans rights and wrongs 💪💪💪
Varian Week Day 3 — Varian and the Seven Kingdoms!!
(march 22 2024) aAA i remember really liking last years day three piece, but I’m rather happy with how this one came out and I think I may like this one more :DD last year’s is under the cut!!