Duo the Duolingo owl has already done a lot in what's been a relatively long life for an owl. Depending on the species, owls live on average around a decade, but then most aren't bright green multilingual celebrities with a morning routine like Ashton Hall's.
Duo died briefly earlier in this his 13th year since the launch of the language learning app in 2011, but was soon fit enough to appear patched into Resident Evil. Now he's to become a cartoon star with the launch of a Duolingo anime series. But it it really anime? The announcement has sparked fierce linguistic debate (see the trailer below).
Entitled 最後の決戦 (The Final Test), the 'first Duolingo anime series' (you mean we'll be getting more?) will premier on Duolingo’s YouTube channel on 13 October. There will be five 60-second episodes in total, all in Japanese.
The series is an unexpected and extravagant way to promote Duolingo’s updated Japanese courses, which are now available to learners in all languages. The company says it will build on a growing connection between anime fandom and language learning (Maybe they saw all the Duo fan art about on social media).
The animation will introduce a new backstory for Duo and friends, showing that before becoming 'guardians of the streak', they were ordinary people. Duo is described as “a persistent, social and emotional boy who communicates via text, and is a day owl.” Duo will speak in the series, but in his own language, which sounds similar to in-app sound effects like 'wah-bing!'
Given that Duolingo laid off a whole lot of contract workers at the end of 2023 as part of its shift to an 'AI-first' strategy, some naturally fear that the Duolingo will be some abject AI slop. That appears not to be the case. The series was produced by the animation studio Titmouse and all voice acting is in Japanese.
Many Duo fans are surprised but excited about the series. Some are already dissecting the trailer above, picking out an apparent references to Sailor Moon, JoJo and Kimetsu No Yaiba and the magical girl subgenre.
”This is literally Danganronpa but more innocent and not a killing game,” one person wrote on X.
But others claim that Duolingo is using the 'anime' term incorrectly given that Titmouse is based in LA not Japan. 'Anime' is simply Japanese for 'animation'. Although it doesn't necessarily refer to a specific style, some argue that for an animation to be described as anime, it should be Japanese-made.
”That's not anime. That's the same style as that trash anime Crunchyroll made, more akin to the anime-inspired cartoons in the west like Totally Spies or Ben 10. And even then, those are leagues above in style than this. Its like CalArts anime,” one person wrote in a devastating critique on X.
“Why does this look like they're trying to copy the animation fluidity of the Tom and Jerry Japanese exclusive short series but fail to do it? There are hints of the ugly Steven Universe art style in it? It actually looks uncanny,” one person wrote.
Watch out. Duo will be coming for you!
To work on your own 'anime', see our picks of the best animation software the best laptops for animation.
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