Netflix’s Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is a coming-of-age story dressed as a post-apocalyptic adventure. The show follows Kipo Oak, a thirteen-year-old girl thrust into a world overrun by mutant animals, and it earns every bit of its 10.0/10 score.
Created by Bill Wolkoff and Radford Sechrist, the series premiered on January 14, 2020, and ran for three seasons across thirty episodes. It ended on October 12, 2020. The show was adapted from Sechrist’s 2015 webcomic Kipo, and it was produced by DreamWorks Animation Television in partnership with South Korean studio Mir.
Trailer, via Universal Kids.
Kipo’s World and Its Monsters
The premise is simple. In 2020, animals mutate into anthropomorphic creatures called “mutes.” These creatures rise up against humans, forcing most of them to live in underground cities called burrows. By the 23rd century, Los Angeles has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland known as “Las Vistas.”
The series opens with Kipo’s burrow being attacked by a “mega monkey,” a colossal, mutated spider monkey. Kipo is separated from her father, Lio Oak, during the attack. She emerges onto the surface and begins a journey to find him.
Along the way, she meets Wolf, a cold and hardened girl who has been surviving on her own after her adoptive wolf family turned on her. She also finds Benson, an upbeat survivor with an insect companion named Dave, and Mandu, a mute pig. Together, they form a ragtag team searching for the burrow where Kipo’s community fled after their first one was destroyed.
The DNA Twist
Kipo discovers early on that she has the DNA of a mega jaguar. This discovery allows her to transform her body, giving her powers that set her apart from the other survivors. The twist deepens the plot. Kipo learns that her parents experimented with mute DNA before her birth, making her a half-human, half-jaguar hybrid.
The revelation comes in the second season. Kipo discovers that her mother, Song, who was previously believed to be dead, is actually the mega monkey that destroyed their burrow. Song mutated as a side effect from her pregnancy and was mind-controlled with Scarlemagne’s pheromones by Dr. Emilia, her parents’ former employer. Dr. Emilia now leads a resistance group against the mutes.
Scarlemagne and the Resistance
The show’s antagonist is Scarlemagne, a mandrill mute who intends to subjugate humanity. He uses mind-controlling pheromones to force other mutes into a utopian empire that he will rule with a human army. The conflict between Kipo’s group and Scarlemagne drives the narrative forward.
Kipo also learns that Scarlemagne was originally an ordinary mandrill named Hugo. Her parents turned him sentient and secretly raised him as their son. The show explores the idea that even monsters have origins, and that the line between hero and villain is often blurred.
The Cast and Their Voices
The voice cast is led by Karen Fukuhara as Kipo. Sydney Mikayla voices Wolf, and Coy Stewart voices Benson. Deon Cole plays Dave, while Dee Bradley Baker voices Mandu. Grey DeLisle voices Cotton, and Amy Landecker plays Dr. Emilia. Dan Stevens voices Scarlemagne, Sterling K. Brown voices Lio Oak, Jake Green voices Jamack, Anna Vocino voices Greta, and Carlos Alazraqui voices Zane.
The casting delivers consistently strong performances. Each character gets room to breathe, and the show handles its ensemble with care. Benson’s upbeat energy balances Wolf’s coldness, while Kipo’s determination keeps the group moving forward.
Why the Show Works
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is praised for its design, characterization, music, world-building, animation, voice acting, humor, diversity, and action sequences. The show is particularly notable for its representation of LGBT characters and characters of color.
The animation style is clean and expressive. The world of Las Vistas is rendered with a distinct visual identity, blending ruined cityscapes with the natural world. The mutants are designed with personality, and each one feels like a fully realized creature rather than a simple threat.
The humor is sharp and age-appropriate. The show balances its dark premise with moments of levity, keeping the tone accessible to younger viewers while maintaining depth for older audiences.
The Music and Sound Design
The music is a standout element. The show’s score enhances the emotional beats without overwhelming the dialogue. The sound design supports the action sequences, giving weight to the battles and the transformations.
The Removal From Netflix
The show was removed from Netflix on June 26, 2026, due to the expiration of DreamWorks’ license to keep the series on the streaming service. That decision left fans without access to the full series for several years.
The final episode brings the story to a conclusion. Kipo’s journey is complete, and the show leaves the characters in a position that feels earned rather than rushed.
Comparing the Seasons
| Season | Main Focus | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introducing Kipo’s world and her new friends | Mega monkey attack, meeting Wolf, Benson, Dave and Mandu |
| 2 | Discovering Kipo’s true nature and her family’s secrets | Learning about Song, Dr. Emilia, and Scarlemagne’s origins |
| 3 | Completing the journey and resolving the conflict | Finding Lio, confronting Scarlemagne, ending the war |
The Verdict
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts succeeds because it treats its audience with intelligence. It trusts viewers to follow complex storytelling while keeping the emotional core simple: a girl looking for her father in a broken world.
The show is a masterclass in world-building. It creates a universe that feels lived-in, with rules that make sense and characters who act within them. The mutants are not mere obstacles; they are inhabitants of a world that Kipo must navigate.
The show’s legacy is secure. It paved the way for future animated series that balance darkness with heart, and it remains a benchmark for quality animation on streaming platforms.
The 10.0/10 score is well deserved. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is a rare example of a show that lives up to its ambitions. It is funny, thrilling, and deeply human. It is a show about growing up, about finding your place in the world, and about the strength it takes to face what scares you.
The series ends with Kipo finally finding her father. The journey has changed both of them, and the world around them. It is a fitting conclusion to a story that started with a girl stepping out of her burrow and into a world she had never imagined.
The show’s removal from Netflix was a disappointment for fans, but the quality of the series ensures that it will be remembered. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is a triumph of animation, storytelling, and emotion. It is a show that deserves to be seen by anyone who loves adventure.
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