A new animated series from Dreamworks is winning praise online, with viewers celebrating the show's strong writing, diversity of characters and charming aesthetic.
Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts is an animated family show based on a webcomic series called Kipo. Created by Radford Sechrist, the series follows Kipo and her friends as they search for her father in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
As the series progresses, it becomes apparent that Kipo (Karen Fukuhara) has developed a bit of a crush on her best friend, DJ Benson (Coy Stewart). After keeping her feelings to herself for a while, in the sixth episode Kipo finally works up the courage to tell Benson.
She braces herself for the worst.
“You like me as a friend,” she says, gauging Benson's reaction.
“Yes," Benson replies.
"Because I’m gay.”
For an all-ages animated series, the moment is pretty darn touching - and suggests we're moving leaps and bounds in the area of diverse storytelling for young people.
Viewers were quick to give the show's writers props for depicting sexuality in a positive light, with Kipo being immediately supportive of her friend, as well as for avoiding common gay sterotypes and tropes, such as over-sexualising Benson or making him white.
