'Toon Reviews 19: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Season 1 Episode 12: You Are Rad

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You Are Rad

I mentioned in the last review that there are several times in this show where the all characters act incredibly dense and lacking in logic in order for the plot to work.  Moments like this are often really dumb and lower the cartoon’s appeal with so many characters blatantly ignoring the obvious up to the point where it gets frustrating.  This cartoon to me is the worst example of this trope. 

K.O. comes to work realizing he doesn’t have a nametag, so Rad, deciding to bail out, nonchalantly tosses him his nametag.  Now, K.O. seeing himself as Rad just because he’s wearing his nametag is fine enough since he’s just being a cute little kid.  However, the setup becomes more stupid as the cartoon goes on when everyone else around Lakewood Plaza Turbo thinks K.O. is rad because of that nametag.  If it was just for one short moment, the ensuing stupidity wouldn’t be an issue, but this idea goes on throughout the entire runtime, resulting in persistent frustration that prevents the cartoon from standing as great.  Not only that, but unless you chalk it up to his typical headstrong persona, Rad himself escalates the issue by believing that K.O. is really him from the nametag and claiming that the “imposter” committed identity theft despite the fact that he himself gave K.O. the nametag in the first place.  I’m all for creative concepts, but the execution leaves no good reason for the characters to believe what they do, so it’s easier to be annoyed by the incessant stupidity. 

That said, there are still some worthwhile things to take from the cartoon.  While living the misconception that he’s Rad, K.O. ends up doing things that Rad would usually do such as heavy sporty games at the arcade, and he wins.  Since this is actually K.O. doing them, it subtly brings the idea that this little kid is stronger than he seems.  Also, while the main premise for the cartoon is dumb, it’s an interesting way to also show that Rad is more than what he seems.  He may look and act strong and act cool, but as K.O. walks about the plaza with Rad’s nametag, everyone mentions Rad having an interest in things like kittens and doing things like yoga and babysitting.  It’s nothing new for a tough guy to be much more caring unbeknownst to others, but I do have to give credit for the interesting way Rad’s soft side is revealed through K.O. living a misconception. 

Plus, the climax is a lot of fun where Rad and K.O. compete for who the real Rad is where K.O. keeps winning the competitions through doing things like burping and stocking less impressively while Rad comes up with convoluted reasons why K.O.’s ways of doing them were better. 

It all leads up to a rap battle to decide the true Rad where K.O. performs a mix between usual rap and traditional children’s songs, an adorable play on the less appealing musical style that lets the deeply cute attributes he learned about Rad.  In the end, Rad covers up these reveals while also dropping a hint that he is into being cute, but isn’t open to share that information with others.  This is what makes everyone realize the truth no matter how obvious it always was, and leaves Rad as more in depth than he lets on even if he chooses keep it as a secret. 

The cartoon is held back by incredibly overbearing denseness from most of the characters, but even with that, it’s impressive that it can still work in solid comedy and character development.

C

The Ranking

1. I Am Dendy
2. You Get Me
3. Let’s Be Heroes
4. You’re Everybody’s Sidekick
5. Jethro’s All Yours
6. My Dad Can Beat up Your Dad
7. Let’s Be Friends
8. We Messed Up
9. Sibling Rivalry
10. Do You Have Any More in the Back?
11. You’re Level 100
12. You Are Rad

The next OK K.O. review sees what K.O. gets up to when he finds a way to grow huge and be like all the big heroes he looks up to.

Next time on MC Toon Reviews is another Star vs the Forces of Evil review on "Game of Flags" and "Girls' Day Out."

If you would like to check out other OK K.O.! reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.