70s disco-esque theme song. 80s influenced colors and visuals. Dragon Ball Z esque action/humor! What more can you say about OK KO?
Ian Jones-Quarterley's lovechild of 90s media nostalgia is a welcome antidote against Cartoon Network's otherwise abysmal programming. Consisting of the exploits of the naive yet eager KO(knock-out to the layman) and his more cynical teenage companions, Radicles, the picolo inspired alien show-off and Enid, the Shantae inspired slacker.
All three work for the overbearing commandeering shirtless Mr. Gar at Lakewood Plaza Turbo. Rounding out this offbeat group of heroes is KO's wrestler mom, Carol, who works as the next door judo teacher nearby. The series keeps at a very quick pace right from the get- go, anime-expressions galore, and wacky out-of-nowhere visuals. It's not exactly clear what type of world the characters inhabit, but it's main premise should be relatable to anyone. It's amazing how they get so much out of these rather simplistic character designs. It isn't exactly Adventure Time influenced, it's more Steven Universe/Bee and Puppycat influenced, yet has as much of a violent sadistic bite as the classic Powerpuff Girls. Another part that I like about it is that it's character outlines resemble the roughness of a pencil, as if they were actually drawn.
If you don't really play classic 16 bit video games, or 1990s Japanese anime, it's likely a lot of these references will go over your head. But if you want a kick-butt show on Cartoon Network, look no further than OK KO: Let's be Heroes.
