Donovahn Wyatt is a critic for the Samford Crimson. The views expressed in this opinion article do not necessarily reflect the views of the Samford Crimson or Samford University.
The 2010s were a pivotal time for American animation. Stylistically and tonally, things were changing in ways that hadn’t been seen up till that point. At the forefront of this shift was Pendelton Ward’s iconic series, “Adventure Time.” The series follows Finn the Human and Jake the Dog as they go on a variety of adventures in the Land of Ooo, a post-apocalyptic world populated by strange beings.
Figure 1 Main Title Card. From Wikipedia.
The show is highly imaginative with simple, yet expressive character designs. The animation takes full advantage of this with Jake specifically. He has the ability to stretch and change his body into anything he can think of. This also feeds into the show’s overall use of absurdist and surreal humor. There are too many examples of it to list here (it’s one of the show’s hallmarks), but one of my favorites is in the episode “Ocean of Fear.” The plot follows Jake as he tries to help Finn conquer his fear of the ocean. This next image is how Finn reacts to just a small bit of ocean water landing on his face.
Figure 2 Finn vs The Ocean. From IMDB
Insane, right? “Adventure Time” heavily influenced Gen-Z’s sense of humor along with the rise of meme culture. The show has spawned countless memes and reaction images that showcase the tremendous impact it had on the target audience. The series has an undeniable charm that viewers of all ages can get behind. Finn’s boundless energy and desire to do good in the world by being a hero makes the show worth following. Furthering this is Finn’s dynamic with Jake. Jake may be a dog, but he isn’t quite Finn’s pet. In fact, he’s basically his brother.
Figure 3 Finn and Jake. From The Direct
Highly imaginative and downright chaotic, “Adventure Time” is excellent. The first season sets the tone and status quo for the series going forward. So come on, grab your friends and give this show a watch.
