Reunion
Some people may look at a show’s mostly episodic content and
not think much of it, and believe such works are out of place when things
decide to get heavier. For this show,
anything lighter and seemingly innocent is what makes this Season 1 finale so
impactful. It takes its cast to real
high-stake situations, allows many key players to grow when overcoming them,
and doesn’t pull any punches with the emotional aspect. None of these elements would be effective
without getting to know the cast so well.
As an extra touch, everything is driven by development of a topic that’s
given welcome exploration, Anne’s relationship with her friends, specifically
Sasha.
From the moment it was shown that Anne coming to this frog world was because of her friends pressuring her into crime, it was clear her ties with them were quite unhealthy. When it comes to Sasha, given that this season has a cartoon showcasing her nature of getting around in life, it’s established that she’s a major source of toxicity. At the same time, the fact that there were also glimpses of genuinely caring for Anne has made Sasha’s portrayal more complex than one may think.
This is made even a clearer in a flashback
that kicks the finale off, showcasing what happened before the events of the
series. It also shows a lot about Anne’s
background. A scene of another girl
bullying her and stealing her food gives strong suggestions that Anne did not
have the best social life back home. Her
two friends seemed to apparently be the sole figures she could turn
to. Regarding Sasha, she appears to have
been a loyal caring friend on a surface level.
She told the bully to leave Anne alone, and gave Anne a good chance to
really live it up by going around town and making the most of the day. It’s the latter gesture though that starts
raising points of concern. In allowing
Anne a day of great fun, Sasha encouraged really disobedient actions involving
playing hooky from school. Then, it
turned out that even her friend wasn’t spared of her ultimate power of
manipulation. Anne had arranged to come
home to her parents at a certain time, but Sasha had none of that and pressed
for going to the thrift store to check out that very frog music box. No matter how much Anne protested, Sasha
stood her ground and used an authoritative tone to convince Anne to go along
with the heavy words: “end of
discussion.” Yes, to say this
seemingly pleasing friendship is a toxic one is a clear understatement,
especially with what all of this led to.
To add insult to injury, all of this happened on Anne’s birthday.
It’s after this flashback when we cut back to the present,
aware of the depths to Anne and Sasha’s friendship. Now that she’s found Anne in the middle of her
own Frog of the Year party, it’s both very nice to see these friends reunited,
but also concerning knowing the power Sasha has over Anne. She’s risen in the ranks and has an entire
toad army at her arsenal with the notorious Captain Grime by her side. Given the reputation of the toads amongst the
frogs, everyone appropriately responds with fear at first. Then it turns out they’re here to treat the
frogs to a celebration by inviting them to a banquet at Toad Tower. Truthfully, such monstrous figures seem
perfectly hospitable to the frogs. They
have specially arranged transportation to the tower, and the banquet appears
perfectly appetizing. Anne is also
treated well, given she’s friend to the captain of the guard. She’s invited to experience how Sasha’s been
living it up with the toads, with luxurious amenities all around. It all seems great indeed, but then you
factor in Sasha’s talent for manipulation, how it’s worked on Anne, and even
how she used in on all the toads in one past cartoon…
As you can guess with this in mind, the banquet is nothing more than a trap for the toads to imprison the frogs and establish themselves as the dominant amphibians. There’s weight to their actions with claims that they’re way of life is at stake, suggesting deeper reasons, but it’s a bleak setup nonetheless. Out of this though are shining moments for the main protagonists, propelling the story into the boldest direction the series could imagine. After being established as plucky, adventurous, and particularly reckless throughout this season, Sprig gets a shining moment of growth. He expertly seeks weakness within a toad guard and is able to figure out that everything the toads have done is a sham. This in turn leads to a riot with all the Wartwood citizens immediately ready to rebel, and it’s all because of the surprising actions from a usually excitable carefree kid.
It turns out
that the frog the toads are after the most is Hop Pop. For someone known to prefer tradition and the
old ways, it’s surprising that Hop Pop has actually inspired several rebellions
across Amphibia, but it’s still good development for him. Thanks to Anne’s influence, he’s changed a
lot in his views when the situation calls for it, and moments like standing up
to tax collectors and running for mayor are no doubt big milestones. The conflict of this is that the toads want
to execute him so that nothing stands in the way of their rule.
This in turn brings on how Anne approaches the situation which becomes difficult for her having just reunited with her friend. Believing she’s on the same page as her, Sasha lays out everything to Anne with the toad’s need to rule, Hop Pop being a revolutionary figure, the execution plan, etc. However, this is where Anne’s many adventures lead to something huge. Her fondness to this world and its inhabitants tell her heart that something needs to be done to save everyone from impending danger. Behind Sasha’s back, she poses as a guard and leads everyone out of the tower to safety. Just when all seems well though, Sasha and the toads end up catching them and proceed to go with the plan as originally orchestrated.
It’s in this
moment where all the wisdom of friendship Anne has gained leads to something. At the same time, the conflict of her and
Sasha’s views proves to be expertly written.
Though Anne cares deeply for the frogs’ safety, Sasha points out that
everything she’s doing may be extreme, but it’s for the good cause of trying to
find a way home. After all, they’re
still technically outlying humans in this world, and they have families they
need to get back to. The latter point
is almost instantly heavy-hitting from the sound of it. The fact that even the audience can see the
merit to what Sasha says, cold as it is, allows it to make sense that Anne
would be moved to obey. However, Sprig
steps in with faith that Anne’s moral values won’t be ruled out, and in turn,
that inspires Anne to do what’s right.
For the first time, she lets it be known that she doesn’t approve of
Sasha’s delinquent ways, and stands up to her.
When swords get involved, you can feel the intensity.
Yes, what becomes of Anne and Sasha quickly goes beyond your average rough patch given how they ultimately end things. First, their fighting skills are put to the test when Anne dares to face Sasha in a sword fight in exchange for freedom of the frogs. The swift movement of the fighting, the dramatic staging, and accompaniment of the voice work and music sell the moment as a true dramatic high point. The characterization, one of the mainstays of the series’ quality, is no doubt on great display too. Anne, with all her heart, believes in justice for all as she battles, growing a long awaited backbone as she tells Sasha that she won’t be pushed around by her anymore. All the while, Sasha continues to intimidate, but also try to be an understanding friend, legitimately unsure of why Anne is fighting against her, a close friend since childhood. That all soon make sense to her with what follows.
After Anne wins the sword fight, but the toads go back on their word, a sneaky act causes an explosion beneath Toad Tower. During the scramble to get to safety, Anne and Sasha’s friendship goes out on a note fueled by complexity. A singular situation of Sasha close to falling off the crumbling tower while Anne tries to save her is given a lot of focus, and is thoroughly engaging from the genuine emotions applied. The use of the song playing in the background, “Lean On Me” by the late Bill Withers, expertly separates what happens between them from the rest of the destruction. It also works surprisingly well to highlight the ensuing heartbreak where Anne and Sasha both need “somebody to lean on” but it turns out to not be either of them. The Plantars come to save Anne which only causes the tower to crumble more, and Sasha notices how much they’ve come to love her as a family. It’s the kind of love she never showed Anne all because of her manipulation. She tells Anne that she’s better off without her, and willingly lets go of her hand. This could be considered willing suicide, but Grime manages to save her, and he and the other toads carry her unconscious body into the woods.
The girls now know
their place in this world, and have to consider themselves enemies because of
this. The circumstances make sense given
the toxic nature, but how long they’ve been friends, as well as instances of
genuine care still make it hard for them.
Anne’s response of crying softly over losing her friend like this after
just reuniting with her as the Plantars console is the final straw in a truly
successful emotional high point. At the
same time there’s good reassurance to go out on for this season. Anne is happy to consider the Plantars her
family, and shows clear readiness to face whatever lies ahead. The Plantars also promise willingness and
loyalty to helping Anne get home, even if it means eventually saying good-bye to her, as
well as any potential danger. It builds
up strong anticipation for what’s to come, and balances out the heavy drama
with sweet heart perfectly.
This season finale goes to show how seamlessly any show, no
matter what it’s like, can grow to be so emotionally engaging. Thanks to every random thing the cast has
experienced prior, when the time comes for heavy game changing events, the audience is easily invested in whatever happens. What goes on
here sends emotions for all sorts of highs
and lows, and leaves something to look forward to with the next part of the
main story. It’s the ultimate
culmination of what the show has offered, and sets itself up to go even
further, presenting the makings of an animated marvel.
A+
The Ranking
1. Reunion
2. Toad Tax
3. Anne vs
Wild
4. The Domino
Effect
5. Prison
Break
6. Anne of the
Year
7. Contagi-Anne
8. Best Fronds
9. Family
Shrub
10. Hop-Popular
11. Wally and
Anne
12. Children of
the Spore
13. A Night at
the Inn
14. Lily Pad
Thai
15. Dating
Season
16. Anne or
Beast?
17. Combat Camp
18. Cursed!
19. Snow Day
20. Civil Wart
21. Stakeout
22. Croak and
Punishment
23. Taking
Charge
24. Flood,
Sweat, and Tears
25. Bizarre
Bazaar
26. Trip to the
Archives
27. Anne Theft
Auto
28. Hop Luck
29. Hop Pop and
Lock
30. Plantar’s
Last Stand
31. The Big
Bugball Game
32. Fiddle Me
This
33. Family
Fishing Trip
34. Girl Time
35. Breakout
Star
36. Grubhog Day
37. Cane Crazy
38. Sprig vs
Hop Pop
39. Cracking
Mrs. Croaker
Final Thoughts
With the completion of this look at Season 1 of Amphibia, a point is certainly made
about how appealing a show can be no matter what the subject. Some might not think much of it at first
glance, but through actually viewing the series, one could discover that it has
the qualities of a thoroughly amazing series.
It’s a series that greatly specializes in the craftsmanship of its
world, the appeal of the cast, and the strength of its styles of entertainment.
A main topic of a world of talking amphibians doesn’t sound like an immediate winning concept, but this show takes the right measures to present its potential. In just about every piece of craftsmanship, it takes the subjects of its premise and has no less than a lot of fun with it. The frog-inhabited world is alive with visual appeal specializing in the very things one would associate with such creatures. Several settings are rooted in nature with homes and buildings associated with swamps, complete with a lush color scheme to highlight everything. It’s a clever way of bringing a truly out-of-the norm world to life. As a product of animation, there are also several imaginative elements to make everything stand out but also fit the featured aesthetic. Each frog has its own unique design and palette going beyond what nature usually provides, making it easy to point out each member of the cast. Along with that cute creative detail, there’s also a solid approach to the area of danger. Very often, characters will encounter giant monsters in the form of creatures who are amphibians’ natural predators like snakes, birds, and weasels. This even applies to insects that one would commonly associate with amphibians’ prey being common monsters of noticeably big proportions. That in turn helps in building obstacles for non-amphibian inhabitants of this world like Anne.
That’s not even mentioning how the art of the
series contrasts with different types of classes of amphibians. The frogs of Wartwood are certainly warm and
inviting, but then you have the toads.
In addition to being much taller and muscular, and holding the
responsibility to rule over the frogs, they present a much more threatening
presence. The duller colors to
their character designs and moodier highlights and hues to their main hubs like
Toad Tower say a lot about their hierarchal position. Bringing both classes together, as well as a few
hints of aristocracy from the occasional newt appearances, it’s a very
intriguing character clash. Basically,
from a purely artistic stand point, the simple idea of a frog world is mined
a lot for creative potential, successfully mixing imagination, staging, and
biology.
While the art direction for the series is certainly appealing on its own, there’s something to be said about the tone of the series. The very premise of everything has a lot of heavy elements to it when you get down to it. You’ve got Anne, an average teen girl without many friends and the ones she has have left questionable influences, transported from her world to this very estranged world. Rather than just rolling with being in a new world, several times the magnitude and serious implications of Anne being far from home are topics of discussion. Through constantly coping with missing things from her old life, thinking of how her family’s getting on without her, and dangerous quests just to get home, the situation feels so real.
On the subject of danger, that’s also a major
point of attention that captures what it most likely would feel like to be
trapped in a strange world. As
previously mentioned, several adventures involve dealing with giant monsters in
both the amphibian predator and prey variety.
Threats like this are huge enough for a total outsider like Anne, but
regularly being so close to death is very in line with the natural cycle,
especially for creatures like frogs.
Whether the cause is a misconception, poor decision, or the nature of
certain locales, the fight for survival almost never lets up. Yet, for all of this foreboding tone, things
are also impressively light-hearted. It
may seem inconceivable putting opposite tones back to back, but not only does
it work, but it makes for a feel that makes the series all its own. Even in the face of hard times or even death,
there’s a constant amusing approaches and perception from whoever’s in the
situation. In fact, the comedy in
general is especially strong here coming a variety of organic sources, maybe
the most organic sources of all. With
the characters having such defining personalities, they’re the ones to bring
levity into any circumstance. You’ll
often hear random statements, dry comments, witty banter, or long pauses before
reactions to huge occurrences. This
isn’t the expected reactions or approaches to darkness, but it’s certainly full
of personality and spunk no matter what, and further helps the series stand
as something all its own. In short, it’s
clear you’re always going to be in for a fun time with this show. It does a lot of good in both showcasing the
effects of a dark situation and amusement from how the characters take in
everything.
As I have found in many great animated works, the key source
of appeal lies within the likable cast, and there certainly is a lot to like
about these characters. They’re the
ideal personalities to follow in any event, whether they be humble or
dangerous. The central figures are Anne
and the Plantar family who right at the start prove worthy of getting the most
of attention as individuals and within their own dynamic. Anne herself in particular is a very strong
lead character with a lot to explore. On
the surface, she seems like your average contemporary teen, following popular
trends, obsessing over her phone, and having a noticeable edge to her
attitude. Throughout the series, she proves
to be more complex than that. Her
questionable qualities are given legit background from noticeable toxicity from
her human friends, mainly through how their influence led them to this world in
the first place. The truth is that Anne
is actually very sympathetic and plenty admirable. She clearly has a lot to deal with as an
outsider in this strange world right down to her design of missing a shoe and
having leaves and twigs in her hair that never seem to go away. Also, at heart, she’s very caring and loyal to
those in her life, and genuinely talented in many areas, making for endearing
setups of her sharing her human customs with the frogs. This is one of many things that makes her
dynamic with the Plantars as nice as it is, all of whom make for solidly
entertaining figures in their own right.
Sprig is Anne’s main confidant in many adventures, and the
two of them instantly show great chemistry.
He’s energetic and excitable which nicely mixes with Anne’s laid-back
mannerisms which is always nice to see.
However, when either of them are out of line, they’re both capable of
voicing reason, benefitting development for both of them, especially by this
season’s end. In addition to Sprig, the
rest of the Plantars have enough focus to present them as standout
personalities too. Polly, the young
tadpole of the family, is the least developed, but she’s still pretty great as
she is. Her one-liners and witty
comments to any situation bring very strong levity, and in many instances, she
has the most logical judgements of what’s going on. She may not experience much change or have
that broad of a background, but it’s still remarkable how much character can go
into someone of her stature. Then
there’s Hop Pop, the parental figure of the Plantars with a quite a lot of
detail to him as revealed in Season 1 alone.
Not only is he the sole adult figure of the family, but an elder one at
that. Along with the general predator
heavy nature of this world, it’s remarkable just how many challenges he has to
face in order to keep everything in check.
The family isn’t very affluent nor does it have the best reputation
among the town, and Hop Pop has to bear the brunt of those burdens. Still, he has plenty of interesting qualities
to his personal life. We have him trying improving his love life, utilizing his
farmer knowledge, and having tendencies to uphold tradition amongst his
contemporary kids. At the same time, he
appears to know a lot more about the mythos of this world than he lets on. Several cartoons cover his knowledge of
strange creatures, deeper backgrounds of the Plantar family, and especially a
dark secret of the music box that brought Anne here. The latter really begs a lot of questions
when at one point he’s led to bury the box with little explanation as to how this
will be safer for everyone. As you can
tell, the Plantars are a highly investing family with a warm welcoming
atmosphere, humorous quirks, and even mystery, the makings of appealing central
characters.
Also beneficial to the cast is how the rest of the characters
have their own strong appeal as well.
That’s the best one can ask for in a series that takes place in a small
town. Not only does it make for many
more colorful characters, but varying personalities as well. One-Eyed Wally fully owns the role of a
wandering fool with a thick cockney accent, accordion playing, and other weird
habits, but is also very endearing. The
Sundew family is also very charming in both design and personality with
charmingly organized Felicia, open and accepting Sylvia, and caring and
adventurous Ivy. It should also be noted
that the show gives many good reasons to support the latter two’s romances with
Hop Pop and Sprig respectively. Young Maddie Flour amuses with dark arts whether she’s being herself or really
proving that appearances aren’t everything when using her powers for the good
of her friends. Shop owners like Loggle
the woodman and Stumpy the chef stand out with their own quirks while also
trudging through legit challenges of keeping their businesses open. Mrs. Croaker is mostly just a basic kindly
old woman, but still has a very nice connection with the Plantar family as well
as a potentially interesting past. Even
the mayor of Wartwood is a very interesting figure. He mostly seems like just a corrupt
politician with several shady practices, but there's much more to him. For all his insults to his people,
taking his assistant for granted, and using tax money for his own gain, near
the end, he’s shown to also care for his assistant, be able to give credit to
legit smart moves, and even be an active hero in times of crisis. That’s just one example of one major virtue
all these citizens have in common, change, mainly when it comes to the arrival
of the human Anne. At first, they’re quick
to judge her for being different, and for quite some time consider her an ugly monster. It goes on for a while, but
several instances show progress in learning to accept Anne as one of them
thanks to frequent gestures of helpfulness and bravery from her. They even appreciate her so much to name her
Frog of the Year and trust her with their lives by the end of the season. This shows that despite any shortcoming, like
with Anne and the Plantars, they do have hearts and are capable of seeing the
good in anyone, further cementing the appeal of the cast.
The characters in this show define it so much, that they’re daily lives can be considered the main story, at least for the first season. The cartoons are largely self-contained mainly featuring the characters going about their lives doing an activity or venturing to some strange area of the world. Some could see this as a problem for making the show feel directionless and not that engaging, but at the same time, there are elements to make every little thing come together. For one thing, it’s almost always a good time with the distinct personalities and the strong comedy working off each other well in just about any story. In addition, even if most of the stories are self-contained, a couple also share main topics like the mystery of Anne’s music box; the Plantars trying to obtain a better life; Anne gaining the town’s respect; and trying to find alternate ways to get Anne home. In this regard, the story feels much more connected than it may seem at first, and that’s not all.
Credit should also be given for how the tone
is laid out. In the broad sense, it’s
primarily light-hearted with constant hints of dry dark elements, but it also
knows how to get legitimately dark and serious.
Those moments are reserved for season milestones like the midpoint and
the finale. There, focus is given to the background of the authoritative toads and the darkness that has befallen one of
Anne’s human friends, Sasha. She has a
history of manipulating Anne into going against morality, and when she’s taken
prisoner by the toads, she gets around it and even raises in the ranks through
such practices. When she and the toads
eventually get to the frogs, this does not only warrant a truly dark encounter.
With the friendly and inviting bond between the frogs and Anne, it’s easy to
feel for them when this genuine danger closes in on them. As a result, the
finale to the season stands as a grand experience of major growth, hard-hitting
emotions, and big potential for what’s to come next. After all, there are still many things this
season doesn’t get to like what’s beyond Wartwood, what became of Anne’s other
friend Marcy, and again how, that music box is dangerous. It should be noted that all of these elements
are explored in Season 2, but thanks to the craftsmanship of Season 1, you’re
engaged enough to prepare yourself for all upcoming answers.
Ultimately, with great creativity, solid entertainment, and
endearing characters and relationships, Amphibia
instantly proves itself as a worthy animated series. While you might not expect a lot from a series of adventures in a frog world, it has the right atmosphere to keep
everything fun, investing, and universally appealing. That is, after all, the best one could ask
for from an animated Disney production.
Really, as one of today’s most enduring animated series, for all its
antics and fantasy elements, it has the capability of making anyone feel
right at home.
Highly Recommended
That's it for the first season of this series. Next up, this blog will finally be covering the final batch of episodes of the Nicktoon classic, Rocko's Modern Life. Until then:
Stay Animated Folks!
Yes! Rocko!
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