Unikitty! Sparkle Party brings a favorite character from The Lego Movie to the small screen in truly awesome and hilarious fashion. The colorful and heartwarming show brings something to the table that every member of the family will enjoy.
I had my reservations about this show when I first came across it. I enjoy a good cartoon when I come across them, but newer cartoons never seem to have the draw that older cartoons did. This show made me reevaluate my position on the matter.
First off, the show’s color scheme is vibrant and instantly gives off a fun, upbeat vibe. The animation is nice and clean. In other cartoons I’ve seen, the background sometimes feels like an afterthought and usually doesn’t include a lot of detail. It is apparent that Unikitty! was very well-planned and the animation team should take pride in their work. It’s nice to see a field with actual blades of grass drawn in. The show doesn’t reuse sets very often, so it often feels like the episode will take the audience somewhere new.
Even though this show is not animated like The Lego Movie, which was 3D animated, it still feels like you are watching Legos come to life. The animation department took some liberties in making pieces curve and move more naturally, but it works. For the most part, everything looks, moves, and acts like a Lego.
The show’s sound design team also deserves a round of applause. The music sounds as if it came from a movie score, the characters often make Lego noises, and most every time you see Hawkodile, Unikitty’s bodyguard, a screeching hawk noise is heard to announce his arrival. The sound makes the show just that much more fun to watch.
Each episode is unique and teaches lessons that parents usually teach their children. You see themes such as “be true to yourself,” “selfishness can hurt others,” “don’t suppress your feelings,” etc. It is important to have lessons such as these implemented into a show designed for a family audience because it’ll help reinforce the idea that these morals really help make a person better.
The show has a musical number and at least one pun in every episode that makes it that much more enjoyable to watch. Unikitty! includes a plethora of references to older pop-culture such as whole episodes designed like 80s action flicks or anime tv shows.
Traditionally, shows whose predominant color is pink are quickly written off as a show for younger girls. I admit, I fell into the mindset and was pleasantly surprised to find that I was wrong. The show does not solely focus on Unikitty and her (mis)adventures. Every character shares the spotlight, and it becomes apparent that the show was intended for the entire family to enjoy. There are action-filled scenes to contrast the optimistic, love-everyone nature that surrounds Unikitty.
Unikitty! does a great job about breaking traditional social conventions. You see how “macho” men are also able to keep in touch with their feelings and how activities are not inherently masculine or feminine in nature. The show’s primary recurring message is that it is important to be who you are and changing that can be hazardous to yourself, and potentially to those around you.
Unikitty! is an excellent example of how bringing comedy, morals, and fun together creates a perfect treat for the whole family. The show is non-stop fun from the very upbeat theme song to the interesting, and often unconventional, resolution in each episode.
