Prepare your buns, Adventure Time is back. Finn and Jake are returning to our screens in the all-new spinoff series, Adventure Time: Side Quests, with a fresh look, familiar faces and plenty of chaotic best bud shenanigans.
While the original series ended back in 2018, Adventure Time has remained a cult favourite for many (myself included), so naturally, there are some big boots to fill when it comes to the new spinoff. Predictably, not all fans are digging the new animation style, which is why I'm here to say, with peace and love, they're wrong.
I'm going to hold your hand when I say this – it's been almost 2 decades since Adventure Time first dropped, but thankfully, if you're feeling nostalgic, this could be the cure. Taking us all the way back to the beginning, Side Quests follows young Finn and Jake the Dog as they begin their early monster-hunting adventures in the land of Ooo, with appearances from fan favourites like BMO, Princess Bubblegum and the lovably loathesome Ice King.
Created by "some of the humans" behind the original series, Side Quests has already filled me with a lot of hope, but it naturally has a lot to live up to. While the characters, setting and whimsical plotlines all feel pretty familiar, the new animation style has been cause for contention among some fans, with some mourning the original's animation aesthetic.
"That art style is highly off-putting," one critic wrote, while another added, "Visuals are definitely a downgrade." While a little backlash was to be expected (as we know, the internet hates change), the criticism of the animation aesthetic has perplexed me.
The soft, almost childlike art style seems the perfect accompaniment to the innocence of the original's early seasons, bringing a youthful playfulness to the design. Paired with imperfect, handwritten-style typography, the new series' aesthetic captures the lightness and joy of Finn and Jake's early adventures without feeling juvenile or losing the original's chaotic energy. I will defend it with my life; it's perfect. No notes.
For more animation news, check out how KPop Demon Hunters' animation process was transformed by Unreal Engine 5 or take a look at Godiva's nostalgic handcrafted animation that celebrates a century of artistry.
