Kipo and The Age of Wonderbeasts is this animated gem by Radford Sechrist. It follows Kipo, a girl on a quest to find her dad in a world where animals have gone full mutant. She teams up with a quirky bunch of humans and mutes for an adventure that is part danger, part mystery and all kinds of weird. Each character brings their own flair to the mix. So, buckle up for a ride through chaos and friendship!

Meet the characters from Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Kipo Oak

Kipo is pure, weird sunshine shoved into an apocalypse and honestly it’s adorable and slightly terrifying. She’s endlessly curious, sings at random (and yes, sometimes in the middle of a fight), and has this stubborn optimism that somehow pulls everyone along whether they want to be pulled or not. She’s brave but also painfully unsure at times — like she’ll leap before she thinks and then spend five minutes apologizing to a tree. Also she likes peanut butter? Or is it honey? I can’t remember, but it’s definitely cute.

Wolf

Wolf is the cool, silent warrior type with a soft center if you dig hard enough — which you probably shouldn’t, because she’ll kick you. She’s fiercely independent, ridiculously competent, and has this whole “don’t touch my hair” energy that’s both intimidating and oddly relatable. She acts like she hates feelings but then does exactly the sensible emotional labor everyone needs (grudgingly). Sometimes she’s all edges and leather, sometimes she’s a cat that naps on your face, emotional whiplash and I live for it.

Mandu

Mandu is chaos in a tiny, adorable form — mostly squeaks, lots of appetite, and somehow the show’s emotional punctuation mark. She will eat anything once, be suspiciously brave for a blob-of-a-pet, and occasionally do something that is 100% a plot twist (like, was that a strategic talent or just luck?). She’s mostly comic relief but also low-key a hero, which is unfair and delightful. Also, totally thinks she’s human sometimes which is the best delusion.

Dave

Dave is that goofy, lovable friend who’s somehow the soundtrack of a road trip — he’s loud, manic, and probably will invent a wildly unnecessary gadget just because. He’s loyal to a fault, makes terrible decisions with supreme confidence, and has this surprisingly big heart tucked behind bad jokes. He’s the type to wear glitter and then start a religion based on tacos, but also the one who shows up when it counts. Slightly melodramatic, always extra, I stan.

Benson

Benson is the cheerful, caffeinated moral compass who wants everyone to be okay but also will absolutely punch you if needed. He’s organized-ish (emphasis on ish), loves schedules and snacks, and has a laugh that fills a room — sometimes literally, he’s loud. He’s like the group’s social glue: supportive, earnest, and occasionally a walking motivational poster. He also keeps weird little mementos in his pockets for reasons he’ll never explain.

Cotton

Cotton is nervous energy personified — jittery, conspiratorial, but brilliant in a weird, frenzied way that makes you trust his plans until they explode (which is a frequent occurrence). He’s paranoid about absolutely everything, hoards information like it’s candy, and yet will blurt out the single-most helpful thing at the perfect time. He claims to hate attention but secretly craves it, especially if there are charts involved. He also likes to smell weirdly expensive hand lotion when stressed, which is a detail I refuse to forget.

Scarlemagne

Scarlemagne is theatrical villainy with a side of tragic backstory, all wrapped in velvet and a terrible sense of self-importance. He’s cunning, flamboyant, and loves a grand speech — will monologue for hours if you let him — but there’s this weirdly tender strand of genuine insecurity underneath the crown. He does monstrous things and then sometimes makes you feel bad for understanding why, which is manipulative and brilliant. Also, he collects tiny glass animals and might cry about them, but also will absolutely order your execution if you laugh at his hat.

Lio Oak

Lio Oak is complex dad energy turned authoritarian revolutionary, and no, you can’t have both at the same time but somehow he does. He genuinely believes he’s saving the world, which makes him both sympathetic and terrifying; he’s patient, philosophical, and has a way of making brutal choices sound like bedtime stories. He drinks tea and quotes history, then immediately unleashes military-level plans — very confusing but effective. Occasionally he smiles like a grandfather and then orders a tactical strike two minutes later, which is the vibe.