Iwájú

Very good. In fact, really good. Probably the best thing to come out of Disney Animation since Encanto or Once Upon A Studio, and especially since most of their recent projects, with these exceptions, have been sub-par to say the least. So, it was quite a surprise to me when I found out the studio were doing this little show. However, it kinda went under my radar for about a month, which isn't a shock considering they put in little to no marketing for this thing. I did see a trailer for it which got me a little interested but not enough to fully convince me to watch it in a hurry. But when I eventually went to watch it, I was genuinely shocked by just how good it was. There's a great amount of world building and cultural representation which I appreciate the team for doing since it was a show about Nigeria. I was also shocked by the amount of serious subject matter discussed in this show. About poverty, the upper class vs the lower, and the conflict between their economic values and moral judgment. The studio had covered racial issues before in Zootopia but nothing on what the levels of thus series has. No spoilers but there's plot detail and twist halfway through with Tole's best friend, Kole and his mom involving the lead villain that I think goes in a particularly dark place that I wasn't expecting. Not to mention, it can get really sad abd emotional with the character's and their relationships in a way thats dramatic but also feels so real and impactful. On top of that the animation I'd still relatively good. It's cheaper by the standard of their movies, but it has that Disney Animation touch with the character animation and the assets that feeks more high quality than most straight to streaming shows. (*cough Megamind vs The Doom Syndicate) If I had any complaints about this series, it'd be the ending act. While I won't say it's bad, but I feel it was a little undercooked, especially with the villain who gets defeated way too easy in my opinion. Plus, the lizard wasn't used nearly to the potential I thought they were building up to in the trailer. They did show it's powers sort of, but not enough. Really it was just false advertising IMO. However, it was still a great series that was a pleasant surprise. It's severely underrated and hope more people give it some attention. Kudos to the people who made this show and how much heart and effort they really put into making it. Hope they make more original short form mini-series like this one.

This was unexpectedly really good! It had really clean animation and the story line was great. I love how they merged present and future realities both the hardships and opportunities. I also really enjoyed seeing the culture (at least I imagine it's actually the culture) of Lagos, Nigeria. From the language to the food it felt authentic while also giving us that futuristic vibe! My favorite part was the tech and imaging things like that actually happening in the very near future. Additionally, while it's unfortunate, they touched on a huge issue that is seemingly ignored by the masses and that is human trafficking/abduction of children. I am glad I watch and that the creators brought it about and Disney put it on the platform...fingers crossed for a season 2!!

Such a cute show and nice storyline. I think I enjoyed this as much as my daughter did. I really appreciate Disney for streaming this and letting it stay true to its origins. It's always refreshing to see other countries being represented in the media here in America.

I really like how they used Nigerian actors to tell a Nigerian story, and kept the dialect accurate to the country. I think Disney should be open to doing more projects like this in the future. I think it would be nice for the younger generation (the one my daughter is in) to be able to see multicultural representation on major platforms, such as Disney.

It's always nice to see things that reflect our culture on the big screen and after watching the whole series at a sitting also watch the making and enjoyed seeing what went into it. I was curious as to the theme but listening to the making put that in context.

I hope to see more things like this using artistes from the cultures represented. Nigeria is a multifaceted country and hope to see more content showcasing the many different cultures like Hausa, Igbo, itshekiri, ibibio, etc. However, this is a good start. I also loved the fact that this was a work that took almost 4 years to realize. That's not normal for Nigerian movies and it shows.

Thank you and looking forward to seeing more representation. It's important.

This animated children's show is set in Lagos and follows the adventures of Tola, a ten year old girl with a heart of gold. The show focuses mainly on class differences between the islanders and the mainlanders. Over the years, Disney has always been able to do a nice job of highlighting cultures from around the world (Coco, Moana, Mulan, Aladdin, etc.). In Iwaju, they celebrate the Nigerian culture, not only on screen, but also by featuring a mostly Nigerian cast and crew.

If you do plan to watch this show, just remember that it is a children's show meant for children. If you are expecting the next great animated series, you will be disappointed. Although I enjoyed the story and feel that this is a good show all around, there were moments where I did lose interest for a little bit. Overall, I would rate this show a 6/10.

If you are looking for an easy quick watch (6 episodes 25 mins each) that the whole family can enjoy, I recommend checking this one out on Disney+.

Thank you!