“Adventure Time! C’mon grab your friends, we’ll go to very distant lands. Jake the dog and Finn the human, the fun will never end. It’s Adventure Time!”
Now if you read that aloud then it should ring a bell. If you have no clue what I’m talking about, this is the theme song for the hit Cartoon Network show Adventure Time, an animated show that aired from 2010-2018 and brought in millions of viewers throughout its run.
And because it’s such a thrilling show to watch, I want to share with you what is Adventure Time and why you should watch it alongside with me.
Adventure Time started off as a 2006 short film that was pitched to Nicktoons. The short film then got leaked online and went viral, garnering millions of views. It was even nominated for an Annie award, an award given to acknowledge excellence in animated cinema and television. After the massive success of the short film, it was pitched to Cartoon Network as a full series by creator Pendleton Ward. In 2010, Adventure Time debuted as a full animated series on Cartoon Network and the rest is history.
It focuses on a place called “The Land of OOO” 1000 years after The Great Mushroom War took place and transformed the landscape. In this world, Finn, who seems to be the last human on earth, and his brother, Jake, who happens to be a magical shape-shifting talking dog, travel around OOO embarking on new and exciting adventures. These adventures include fighting evil, treasure hunting, protecting princesses, talking to the king of Mars who has a striking resemblance to Abraham Lincoln, traveling on a dungeon train, becoming friends with a pink, wish-granting entity, fighting zombies at a slumber party, and so much more.
Finn the human is our main protagonist. He starts off the series as a 12-year-old and, by the time the series ends, he is 18. As the show progresses, Finn grows not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. We can see him mature in how he handles his relationships, his emotions, and even in how he fights monsters. Seeing Finn grow over the 10 seasons allows the viewers to grow along with him. We get to go through the same changes and heartaches that he has and connect on a deeper level. Though he starts off as a kid with no sense of responsibility, as the show ends he shows the audience that he has grown into someone who doesn’t just fight evil and go on adventures but someone who is self-assured and can properly process his emotions.
Jake the dog is the second protagonist. As the series starts, he is just as immature as Finn and doesn’t take responsibility for anything. Despite being an older brother to Finn, he doesn’t give the best advice or take anything seriously. By the end of the series, Jake is a father with 5 rainicorn puppies and has started to mature along with Finn. He becomes more responsible and looks out for Finn just as an older brother would. Though a shapeshifting talking dog may not seem relatable in any way, the way he acts and matures throughout the show is something many people resonate with.
Relatable characters are definitely a huge reason to give this show a watch but there are so many other aspects that make people love this show. Adventure Time offers a unique take on a post-apocalyptic world. Yes, we’ve seen many shows take place after some type of apocalypse but Adventure Time breaks away from any other show that has aired. It offers a fantastical and magical outlook while still allowing its characters to grow and learn. This show also has a rich storyline and intriguing plots that always relates back to the lore of the world. Adventure Time’s world is so elaborate that it manages to relate a sentient root beer float to the main storyline and it all works well together.
Adventure Time has everything that you could want and wish for in a show: action, drama, romance, quirky characters and an abundance of interesting plotlines. If you like good animated TV I urge you to give Adventure Time a watch. You definitely won’t regret it.