Kid Cosmic (2021–2022) User Reviews

A must watch for Craig McCracken fans!

[Ika1506 · 8/10 · 3 February 2021]

When this show was first announced I was quite worried since the premise didn't sound all that original. The biggest selling point for me at the time was it's creator the legendary Craig McCracken who is behind some of my favorite cartoons of all time. My feelings on it became more positive when it's trailer was released but I was still cautious.

And when it finally released let me tell you. It did NOT disappoint. This may be shaping to be one of my favorite netflix originals ever. It's Tintin inspired art style helps it stand out from a lot of cartoons of today and I can't get enough of these backgrounds and colors. Mercury Filmworks did a stellar job on the animation making it an all round pleasing cartoon to look at. The soundtrack is also really good and I hope it gets an official release some day.

The story follows a young boy named Kid who stumbles upon some strange super power giving space rocks one day of which he uses to bring together some local town residents to form his own superhero team. Each episode of the first season is engaging and I never found myself zoning out while binging it. Episodes never feel like they are dragging and this may be because the crew wasn't forced to make them all half an hour long. The show balances great humor, fast paced action scenes and emotion spectacularly and I'm excited to see where the plot goes in the next seasons.

The characters are just as great as the story and visuals. Let's start with the main protagonist Kid. He is an energetic young boy who dreams of being a superhero, just like the ones in the comic books he reads. Lucky for him he found 5 space rocks which could grant those wishes. Throughout the season we see him struggle to handle his superpowers and these were some of the most relatable moments of the show to me. We also learn more about his tragic past as the season goes on which really made me sympathize with his character. Next we got Jo a teenage girl who works at a her mothers coffee shop and wishes for more excitement in her life, which she does get when she is approached by Kid to join his superhero team. She acts as a great foil for Kid and as good leader figure for the team. Rosa is toddler, I don't have much to say about her but I really did enjoy her. Chuck is a sarcastic alien stuck on earth initially with the desires to get the cosmic stones to please his ruler. We see him change from enemy to ally and I found him really admirable. Papa G is an old man who I believe is Kids parental figure. You can tell he genuinely cares for Kid and tries his hardest to keep him happy despite life not being the kindest to him. Lastly we have Tuna Sandwich. He is a cat which loiters around the local coffee shop and is also my favorite character. I love him because of his smarts and the genuine appreciation he has for Kid. Also he is a cat.

In conclusion Kid Cosmic is a must watch for Craig McCracken fans and one of the best animated series of the year so far. Go and watch it if you haven't.

so, a kid...

[valentinionut · 9/10 · 4 February 2021]

...finds 5 coloured gems or stones after an aliens space ship bumps into the Earth after a space, obviously, fight with another space ships. He puts the stones on rings and, being a fan of space, he activates one. Suddenly he can fly. The other rings have different powers: multiply, big, portal, pre cog. And the heroes are: a fast food working girl, a baby girl, gramps and a cat. A pre cog cat. She s scary. The antagonist is a silly alien that wants the stones. He wanted em first, its true. Reminds me of old CartoonNetwork. A good, funny show.

Shout Out to Craig McCracken!

[nasdagoodshepherd · 9/10 · 2 February 2021]

Craig McCracken, the guy who made three of my favorite animated shows, The Powerpuff Girls (1998), Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends and Wander Over Yonder. And now he made a new show on Netflix called "Kid Cosmic" which features a boy called "Kid" (that's his actual name) and he is obsessed with superhero stuff. He likes to help people around until and he found five cosmic stones and he has super powers. His other friends and family has super powers to due to them having different separate cosmic rings. The animation is pretty good and both the comedy and the writing are clever. Also it has a story development which is one of the codes of the show. Kid Cosmic is considered recommendable, if you are fan of The Powerpuff Girls (1998), Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends and Wonder over Yonder, you are gonna enjoy this show. I give this show a 9.8/10

A Show Worth Watching

[ryanperez-1999 · 10/10 · 5 February 2021]

A show created by Craig McCracken is enough to get me excited especially since I grew up watching The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends. So, Kid Cosmic is a fun show with its clever storytelling and great characters about a boy named Kid who finds five cosmic stones and assembles a team of people he knows to become heroes. Each episode is a lot of fun and will get you pumped for season 2 like each Marvel movie gets you excited for the next movie. It's a great show for superhero fans and fans who grew up in the 2000s when Craig McCracken's shows ruled television. Also, if there's a character that won me over, it's the little girl Rosa. You'll see what I mean. This show is like The Avengers but it's more like a wonderful tribute to comic books.

Craig McCracken's finest

[BoxwoodExpress · 10/10 · 27 February 2021]

I love all of Craig McCracken's work - The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Wander Over Yonder. Powerpuff is a pastiche of the superhero genre, Foster's is imaginative and whimsical, and Wander was upbeat, and was Craig's earliest foray into story-driven animation. Disney cancelled Wander because they thought they already had story arcs covered with Gravity Falls.

Kid Cosmic is story driven from the get go, but isn't 100% edgy, melodramatic, and dead serious. There are many funny and lighthearted moments to counter the action/ serious ones. Like Powerpuff, it parodies the superhero genre while also powerfully deconstructing it and its archetypes, particularly the Five Man Band trope.

The whole aesthetic and animation of the show is a call back to Silver Age comics, and the show's animation is stylized to look limited. Mercury Filmworks never misses. And the show has a punk rock soundtrack to go with it.

All the main characters are excellent and have their own individual arcs and plots, even the cat Tuna Sandwich. Kid's is my favorite. He's a nerdy little kid (badumtsh) who wants to be a hero more than anything, and gets all his knowledge of heroics from comics. He also has a tragic backstory, as his parents were killed in a car crash on Route 70. This drives him to become a hero so he can save people, because he couldn't save his parents. That's just downright powerful.

I recommend the show to everyone. Everyone will love it.

Good stuff

[wayofthecray · 9/10 · 12 February 2021]

Watched for some kid show light entertainment but got caught up on the story.

Guardians of New Mexico

[a34trgv1 · 9/10 · 9 February 2021]

Following the ending of Wander Over Yonder, Craig McCracken teams up with Netflix to create his first serialized show in the form of Kid Cosmic. In one of the rare occasions where a great concept is given an equally great execution, Kid Cosmic brings the best out of the man who brough us The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends with an amazing cast of characters, excellent animation and really strong writing.

Set in the rural desert in New Mexico, a young boy named Kid finds 5 cosmic Stones of Power that fell from an alien spaceship. A lover of superheroes and comic books, Kid dreams of being a hero like the ones he idolizes. However, things don't go his way as he's super team consists of a waitress named Jo, his grandfather, Papa G, his 4-year-old neighbor, Rosa and his cat, Tuna Sandwich. Together they fight off alien invaders while also learning how to work together as a team and what it truly means to be a hero. Each episode focuses on Kid trying to be the best hero he can be yet his struggle comes from the fact that real life doesn't play out like the comics. In addition to subverting tropes found in superhero stories, this series also makes subtle yet much appreciated refrences to classic comics. It also helps that this show is very funny, making great use of classic slapstick, clever word play and moments of general silliness. And given that this is a superhero show, it only makes sense that this show delivers on the action. The action scenes are fast paced, funny, and have genuine stakes behind them. They're also clear and concise so that you know exactly whats going on.

Now on to the characters, who are all very well written and develop naturally as the show progresses. Starting with Kid, he's a lovable comic book fan who just wants to live his dream of being a superhero. As the show progresses, he learns that being a hero is more than just beating up the bad guys and getting recognition. He's equipped with the green Stone of Power that allows him to fly, though slowing down is rather difficult for him. Jo is a waitress who wants to see the world, but when she's brought into the conflict of alien's invading, she has to make sure Kid doesn't get hurt like an older sister. She's equipped with the purple Stone of Power, which allows her to create portals. Rosa is the rambunctious toddler who sees Kid as an fun older brother and likes playing games. She's equipped with the blue Stone of Power, which allows her to grow up to 40 feet tall. Papa G is the quirky grandfather of Kid who's more than willing to help him out. He's equipped with the yellow Stone of Power, which gives him the ability to duplicate himself. Tuna Sandwich is the cat Kid looks after at the diner. He's equipped with the red Stone of Power, which allows him to see into the future. Then there's Stuck Chuck, the alien that started off as an antagonist who just wanted the stones for his leader, but his plans are foiled when he's stuck in Kid's trailer. Other characters that make notable impressions include Flo, Jo's Mom who owns the diner, Carlos and Ramona, Rosa's parents, Carl and Carla who come to the diner often and the mysterious Biker in Black.

What truly brings the characters to life is the amazing voice acting on display. Jack Fisher knocks it out of the park as Kid, making him sound like a genuine superhero fan who's still an excitable child. Amanda Celine Miler brings out an older sister vibe that's perfect for Jo's character. Lily Rose Silver nails the rambunctious nature of a 4-year-old and sells every line delivery. Of course praise should also be given to the veteran voice actors, Keith Ferguson, Tom Kenny, Fred Tatasciore, and many more who all bring their A game to each of the characters they perform. Credit should also be given to Sam Riegal for his amazing voice direction and making sure everyone sounded authentic and well rehearsed.

Visually, this show looks amazing and brings Craig McCracken's style to a new level. Mercury Filmworks (who previously worked with McCraken on the first season of Wander Over Yonder) provided the animation for the show with the use of Toon Boom Harmony software and it looks very well crafted. The characters have a unique design that's reminiscent of comics such as Dennis the Menace with black dots for eyes, round heads and distinct body types. The character animation flows very naturally and makes great use of squash and stretch, especially during the action scenes. The alien designs were all very well crafted and they all feel very distinct from. On another.

I suppose the one downside is the backgrounds, while well detailed (especially with some uses of 3D), feel inherently empty because its the rural desert in New Mexico. This isn't even a small town, this is a truck stop. Hopeful subsequent seasons will remedy this little gripe.

Kid Cosmic is without a doubt Craig McCracken's best show after Wander Over Yonder. With strong writing, very funny humor, an excellent cast of characters and amazing visuals, the show is off to a fantastic start as it provides well crafted action and tackles themes about true heroism. Do yourself a favor an binge the entire first season on Netflix. It's very much worth the watch.

Palate Cleanser

[Ratpires · 7/10 · 8 September 2022]

Kid Cosmic, compared to a lot of cartoons aimed at kids, is a pretty refreshing take! It's got characters you care about, character development, and a memorable (if not a bit nostalgic) style to it.

Season two can get frustrating and even a little bit formulaic, hence why I deducted a few stars off the review, but was still able to illicit strong emotions in the scenes surrounding Kid and his dark past. Not many TV shows can make me tear up, but this one definitely succeeded in that.

If I could change anything, I'd probably make the series revolve a little more around Kid, just because he's got a lot of pain that I can relate to, but the cartoon wasn't made for me! So I understand why that's not the case.

Anyway, I like the fact that the show subverts expectations a lot, and changes made to the cast are VERY permanent. Not a lot of cartoons have lasting consequences like this one does. That reason alone sets it apart from a lot of other kids shows.

I like a lot of things Craig McCracken has done, and his work has influenced who I am since I grew up on his cartoons. I'm glad he's still creating them for the younger generation too!

NETFELX YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF GOD!!!

[u-81434 · 9/10 · 2 April 2021]

This is a show of a kid named... kid (mean parents huh) who goes on adventures. He pretends he is a super hero but then he find ACTUAL SPACE ROCKS FROM SPACE witch he calls cosmic rings. Then he goes on to make a team and blah blah and all that good jazz. I dont want to spoil the show cus well. IT WAS FROM GOD HIMSELF!!!! THIS IS IN THE CATEGORY OF BUDDY THUNDERSTRUCK AND STRANGER THINGS CUS HOLY HELL THIS IS GOOD!!! So yeah... watch.. OR U GONNA PAY!!! (with your life)

1 exciting season, 1 beautiful season & 1 annoying season

[sisubalan · 7/10 · 20 September 2022]

It was okay. 50% awesome 50% annoying. The main characters were taking turn in becoming annoying characters for each season lol. Plot wise something we could all agree in experiencing literally in many scifi alien-esque storylines (ben10, most netflix animation, japanese anime, jetex, etc). Each season comes with both exciting and annoying moments. Some beautiful scenes and lovely interactions among all the characters. Not a big fan of some of the voice casts and characters' design (not a fan of the animation style either as for me it doesnt suit the tone) Overall entertaining but the ending was rushed. Favorite was season 2. The rest okay. Recommended.

What a show

[barrelcactus · 8/10 · 2 February 2021]

Recently watched the show and long story short I had a blast. The show did not have a disappointing episode each ranged from good to amazing. Every character is great. And although kid cosmic can come off as annoying he is a great protagonist who is young spirited and courageous. This show is probably the most stunningly animated of all of Craig Mcrackens cartoons and the show feels like your in a comic book. One downside I say is the use of hero cliches and the (spoiler) liar revealed trope but I can't be mad at it as it does build on kid cosmic as a character. All in all a fantastic show that deserves a watch. Well done Craig.

what the hell happened

[rheannabrewster · 3/10 · 16 September 2021]

I love this show so much and I watched season one multiple times after this release. What the hell happened with season two. I'm sorry but the quality and writing of the show became extremely messy and I was confused the entire time I watched it. How did the main villain turn into a dishwasher with less than two minutes of screentime, THANOS???, the POWERPUFF GIRLS??? I know it was most likely the writers having fun with the show but now it just led to a terrible season that doesn't even feel like the original show. I dont even know if i have any actual criticism but if this is becoming a ppg crossover I better see tuna interact with talking dog.

Prometedor

[juanleochurchill · 9/10 · 13 March 2021]

This series is a comedy action combo and a touch of drama quite wow the truth is that it is wonderful and powerful, the animation is very beautiful that reminds me of a comic

Great

[helaxious · 8/10 · 8 March 2021]

Fun story and great pacing, it has some ups and downs on quality of episodes, seemingly rushed, but it's much more than it's sum of its parts. Very excited for the next season.

Great for kids and adults so dang good

[patrickwelty · 9/10 · 14 June 2021]

I love this series and so does my 4 year old son. Noire yet modern and such great animation. Music is hyper but the messages are great for kids. "Freaking out, breath it out." We say this to our son and he actually does it. I enjoyed this as much as he did. What a treat.

One of the best toons in recent memory

[pdx-92142 · 9/10 · 5 June 2021]

Netflix knows its animation. For me, The Dragon Prince and Kid Cosmic are 10 for 10. Kid Cosmic is near and dear to my heart also because its animation style and its overall visuality is a refreshingly original one in today's animation landscape. It's wacky and cute.

Yes, the Kid is cringy, and he shouts a lot. But that's exactly because he is what he is. And he grows a lot by the end of the first season. He is totally relatable, because as Stuck Chuck put it ever so succintly, he "sucks" at being a superhero. But what he lacks in ability he more than makes up in heart.

But this is an ensemble show if there ever was one, and all the characters are good to great. My personal favourites? Stuck Chuck (absolutely hilarious, especially his Hungarian dub who adds yet another layer to his obstrusiveness), and of course, Tuna Sandwich.

And finally, about the storyline... It's hardly original, but it's really good, and the twists and turns in the last 3 episodes would fit a serious scifi series, too.

Crain McCracken did it again. BRING ON SEASON TWO!

Another Animated Home Run for Netflix - and Craig McCracken As Well

[DefinitelyNotaPervert · 8/10 · 19 August 2021]

Anyone who calls themselves a fan of animation, particularly television animation, should know of the name "Craig McCracken". He, along with the likes of Genndy Tartakovsky, Lauren Faust, Butch Hartman, Rob Renzetti, and Seth MacFarlane, helped shape an entire generation of cartoons fans on the small screen. He's best known for creating shows such as The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Wander Over Yonder. He has since taken his talents elsewhere to the streaming world with the help of Netflix, with his new show, Kid Cosmic.

Kid Cosmic is probably yet another one of my favourite Netflix animated shows, alongside Hilda, Castlevania, Love, Death + Robots, and Green Eggs and Ham. While I may not necessarily held it in the same regard as those aforementioned shows, it doesn't mean what we have here isn't already great as is. This show has pretty much everything requires to make an animated show successful. A lovable cast of characters, an emotionally satisfying story and character arcs, clever writing and comedy, resonant and effective themes, and great animation.

Let's start off with the characters. You have Kid, who is quite a handful. I won't lie, in the first couple of episodes, Kid was a mildly annoying character. His energetic and often arrogant and entitled behaviour and how much he antagonises certain characters could often be grating. But at the same time, the show knows how far to pull it back, and still give Kid moments of development and nuance to his demeanor. So while you will need a certain degree of patience with his character, it isn't to the point where he's downright likeable or unsympathetic. At the end of the day, he's just a kid who wants to prove himself, and the show is empathetic and understanding of his struggles, so in turn, we are too. Around the end of the first half of the show, you start to really care and empathise with Kid, and you want to root for him to prove his worth. He slowly matures over the course of the show, and becomes more and more endearing and empathetic as the show goes on, even as early as the first episode, as we're given glimpses into why he is the way he is. Overall, he's a great protagonist that you can really get behind, even with all the annoyances that he starts out with, because without them, his arc wouldn't be nearly as effective.

You also have the side characters, like Jo, Rosa, Papa G, Tuna Sandwich, and Stuck Chuck. All of them are really likeable and well-developed in their own right. They each have distinct and memorable personalities with you can connect with. My favourite of which is Rosa, who is just downright adorable and the animation gives her a lot of appeal and quirkiness that you'd totally expect from a toddler. She's just an absolute bundle and joy and energy that you can't help but love. My least favourite character of the group is Tuna Sandwich, mostly because most of his character is just him meowing whenever he sees the future, and can't really interact with the rest if the cast in a way that would be super fun or interesting. That is, until he actually finds his voice with the device that Chuck gives him. When he gets it, he turns into a character that really becomes his own, and it was something that was really welcomed and gave his character a new dimension. There are other characters too that serve their own purpose, and they're effective and fun in what they're used for, but in the end, it's the main set of characters that we follow throughout the majority of the series that are the standouts.

The humour and writing in general is just great. There is a surprising amount of dark and edgy jokes that I'm kinda shocked that the show was able to get away with, especially for a kid's show in this day and age. The way the show is able to juggle tones in that respect is very admirable and skillful in that respect. One joke in particular is this extremely dark punchline revolving around Rosa where she throws space monkeys out into orbit and finds them "sleeping", but Papa G comforts her by telling her that they are indeed sleeping, creating a scene that's not only hilarious in how dark it is, but also wholesome and sweet and how it portrays Rosa and Papa G as characters, all in just a few seconds. This is extremely clever and thoughtful writing that you wouldn't see in many other shows of this kind. There's also a joke with a shot showing Tuna Sandwich walking on the road all the way to edge of the screen that lasts at least over a minute. That's some Andy Kaufman trolling right there, and it's so hilarious how long the scene drags out with this one single shot. You'd have to have a lot of faith and confidence to pull a joke like that off, and it certainly wasn't wasted. Beyond that, the comedy of this show is something truly special, and is something that adults will definitely appreciate in how clever and witty and it often is.

The action is also something that's really worth commending. While the moment-to-moment is fast-paces and exciting on it's own, it's really the vast amount of creative and interesting ways the characters use their powers that really sell the action, and even to their development as characters too. A particular standout is with Kid, where he steals all the rings to take on the alien invaders called in by Chuck, and seriously struggles with how much power he has. But this also allows for a wide amount of creativity and variety in how he handles these powers, which is also telling of his development not only as a hero, but as a character. The actions constantly feels engaging and unpredictable as a result of the amount of ways these powers are used by the characters, and I really gotta give credit to the people who came up with and storyboarded all these different scenarios.

The animation and voice acting are also worthy of note. The animation itself has this stilted, choppy quality that isn't anything like Foster's or Wander, but as a result, it creates something that feels distinct and unique, and gives the world a sense of character and believability that you wouldn't get otherwise with smoother animation, while also paying tribute to the comics it was inspired by. It's kinda like Into the Spider-Verse in that sense. The voice acting has a lot of personality, and each voice actor really gives their characters a memorable performance and identity. They're part of the reason these characters are as good as they are.

That's pretty much the gist of why this show is so good in the first place. There's orher aspects to consider too, such as the soundtrack, the lovely colour palette, the more serialised approach to storytelling compared to McCracken's other works, the little details with the animation, and so on, but that's as far as I'm willing to divulge into with this series. Bottom line - Kid Cosmic is a great, well done effort by McCracken and his team. It's a show filled with a heart, passion, energy, and an odd sense of wholesomeness that you wouldn't see the likes of in other shows like Hilda or Green Eggs and Ham. It's a wholesomeness of it's own breed, that's brought out by it's innocent and resonant themes of what it means to be a hero, but most importantly, the comradery and almost family-like relationship the five characters have with each other. It's almost like Guardians of the Galaxy in that way.

Anyway, just go watch it. McCracken and his team deserve at least that much. This show deserves a long and prosperous future, and I have faith that Season 2 will be just as good, if not better than last season, especially with the interesting shift in perspective over to Jo, which I can see giving this show a long life-span if they decide to give each main character of the cast their own season to develop them, which would definitely be really cool.

Consistently amazing

[dogrados · 10/10 · 11 September 2021]

Both seasons had me blown away. I love the art style and the music is really nice to listen to.

There's an awesome balance of humor, action, story, and character development that makes this one of my favorite kid's shows of all time. Even if you're not a kid, don't skip on this!!!

Unbearable cringy kid

[flamichou · 2/10 · 16 February 2021]

We follow the adventures of an orphan who still didn't get through the grief of his parents. Alright, that is sad for this kid. He finds some magical stones, and share them with his friends to protect earth from aliens. Ok, classic scenario, no problem with that. The thing is : he is bad at his job, always present things as if he is the one saving the day when he does nothing, or even sometimes worsen the situation, learns nothing about his failures and still cry and cry because he is not the hero he wants to be. So I understand that he is acting this way because he is hurt by the death of his parents, but all I see on screen is a little brat who keeps creating problems, never listen to anyone and put everyone in danger. This is getting on my nerves really hard and I just want to punch and scream at him. Don't recommend this show.

Criminally underrated and promoted

[ikennakanu · 9/10 · 3 July 2023]

A show that carries the quintessential "McCracken" charm that generally permeates through all his work. Loveable, appealing characters who receive solid development through the series. Deliberately unique and charming art style that looks straight out of a comic book. Deeply emotional and wholesome moments, good action scenes, all tied together by an intergalactic plotline (a personal weakness of mine).

Sufficed to say, Netflix did not give this show the fair promotion it deserved and sort of huddled it away once it was completed. In any case, if you love any of CMC's work, you'll adore this.

Cursing for kids

[megank-emery · 1/10 · 14 September 2021]

I'm not sure where society has gone wrong, but this kind of stuff isn't ok for kids. Cursing for 7 year olds now? Scenes of decapitation?