Koala Man
Adult Swim recently took a chance by give some very popular uTube cartoonists a shot to make a one off special for the network. It was so popular they made an entire series that has received nearly universal praise for being so fresh, interesting and funny. Somehow Smiling Friends retained the feeling of that random uTube kind of content you see online, appealing to the literal millions of people that consume content on social media platforms.
So it is no surprise that Michael Cusack one of the creators of Smiling Friends and who supplies the voice of Pim, is getting offers from all over the shop. So here we have a new "adult" cartoon from someone that many feel is a fresh voice in animation right now.
The problem is that Koala Man despite having some charm lacks all the daring innovation that made Smiling Friends stand out so. This show is just another in a long list of wacky cartoons full of jokes, violence and swearing. I am not sure what I was expecting from this show but I was not expecting it to be a by the numbers show that could have been done by anyone or been any of the many released in recent years. It really is "more of the same".
That is not to say the show does not have its upside. As an Australian myself, there is a defiant appeal in the show due to it being the kind of understated "chill" but sarcastic and, well... kinda mean, "taking the piss" humour that is so common over here. As someone that consumes so much media having Australian sensibilities in a show does feel great. So despite this show's issues, it does have a unique voice in that regard.
The problem is that this show just feels like more of the same. Wacky stories with painfully obvious "lessons" like "don't just chase popularity" or w/e that we have seen a bazillion times. It lacks the subversive edge of Smiling Friends and I couldn't help but feel that Michael Cusack is being held back by following the "Simpsons" format so closely. Basically, I thought this show would be a lot more insane.
Is this show terrible? No. It has a real charm to it and I did enjoy it, some. The issue is that I doubt this show will get a lot of traction beyond the initial curiosity from the early days of release. What I liked the most about this is that as a Australian I could relate to it. For an international show that being the only real draw is a problem.
It should be noted that Koala Man is not a new project. Michael Cusack did a really fantastic Rick and Morty parody called, Rick & Morty Down Under which got him a lot of attention. he then started work on Koala Man shortly after for his uTube chan around 2018. The splash image above is in fact taken from the old ABC pilot for the show that never eventuated. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
: Verdict :
This show is alright. Nothing special, nothing terrible. Maybe it would grow on me as I got more comfortable with the characters, but I would have to remember it exists first.
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