Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Excellent game-inspired anime has likable hero at heart.
Parents Need to Know
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Any Positive Content?
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Wakfu
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
What's the Story?
WAKFU is the story of Yugo (voiced by Jules de Jongh), a 12-year-old boy with mystical powers and an even more mysterious destiny. Adopted as a baby by kindly Alibert (Matthew Gèczy), Yugo grew up helping out in his father's inn, knowing nothing of his powers or of his true identity among legendary people called Eliatropes. But when a strange monster's arrival in their town awakens his magic and Alibert divulges the message that accompanied Yugo as a baby, the boy sets off to find his real family and learn of his destiny. He's joined by his faithful bird friend, Az; the feisty Adventurer-Princess Amalia (Jessica Bell); Amalia's bodyguard, Evangelyne (de Jongh again); Alibert's faithful friend, Ruel (Hugo Chandler); and devoted Percedal (Ross Grant) and his demon sword, Rubilax (Keir Stewart). Many dangers befall the intrepid travelers, but their greatest threat comes from ruthless Nox (Arthur Bostrom), who's dependent on the life essence Wakfu for survival. As an Eliatrope, Yugo's Wakfu is abundant, making him a prime target for the parasitic villain.
Is It Any Good?
The vibrant colors and striking soundtrack combine to make this really enjoyable to watch, and the very intricate story keeps you guessing about what comes next. There are some visual similarities between Wakfu and the gaming animation from which it takes its inspiration. As for the characters, whether villain or hero, each has a complex history that evolves as the story does, making for more thoughtful content than your average cartoon offers.
Violent exchanges mark the heroes' encounters with a variety of villains, but nothing about them should come as a surprise to grade-schoolers who watch any other action-adventure cartoons. What stands out instead is the unlikely hero in Yugo, who proves that qualities such as gentleness, compassion, and resourcefulness are just as heroic as size and strength. Even better, he welcomes the help of his friends and values their talents as highly as his own, the true mark of a leader.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of destiny, both in general and in Wakfu. In what ways do we create our own futures? How do our choices today affect what happens tomorrow? Do you think there is such a thing as destiny that's unaffected by our own plans?
What qualities are important in a strong leader? Which of these qualities are apparent in Yugo? Do your kids like to be leaders? What responsibilities accompany that role?
Kids: Were you familiar with the Wakfu name before watching this show? Now that you've seen it and know the characters, are you inclined to want the video games? Do you think watching TV influences your desires? Is that necessarily a bad thing?
How do the characters in Wakfu demonstrate courage and compassion? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 14, 2014
- Cast: Jules de Jongh , Jessica Bell , Hugo Chandler
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Anime
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Courage
- TV rating: TV-Y7-FV
- Last updated: August 3, 2023
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