Adventure Time has returned for a brand new series going all the way back to the original spirit of the show, and it’s a pitch perfect revival of the Cartoon Network classic. You might have noticed lately how there have been a lot of new franchise revivals with Cartoon Network of the last few years. Franchises from the 2000s and 2010s have been coming back with new revivals, reboots, sequels and other projects, but it’s been a different kind of track for Adventure Time. It’s been active for even longer than the others.
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Adventure Time might have ended its original TV run back in 2018, but in the near decade since the franchise has been staying on our screens with new specials, collaborations, and even multiple seasons of a spinoff series. This makes Adventure Time: Side Quests all the more notable as it serves as a revival of the franchise as it takes it all back to the earliest days (and humor) of the show. And with it, Adventure Time: Side Quests is such a perfect revival that it feels like Finn and Jake are right back into their old shenanigans yet still have plenty of new adventures to come.
Rating: 5 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| Finn and Jake’s core dynamic returns | Doesn’t have the lore of later Adventure Time seasons |
| Looks incredible in motion | Fart and butt jokes |
| Fart and butt jokes |
Adventure Time: Side Quests Goes Back to the Beginning
Adventure Time: Side Quests isn’t a full reboot as one would expect from such an idea. Bringing together a production team that includes both veterans who worked on the original series and new talent, it’s set within the earliest days of the original Cartoon Network series. Rather than approaching the idea as a prequel or something of that nature, this new take instead is more like these are just extra adventures in the first two seasons of that original Adventure Time run that fans never got to see. And with it comes a return to that energy.
One of the aspects of the later Adventure Time episodes was the fact that it steadily became more serialized. It often took on a more mature tone as Finn started to grow up and learn more about how he interacts with the world around him. The wacky nature of the Land of Ooo started to give way to bigger event episodes that expanded on the lore, and eventually led to a series finale that wrapped up these big stories. But it was also admittedly a far departure from the much wackier and lighter series that Adventure Time began as with its first couple of seasons. It grew up with its audience, but left any new potential kids behind.
That’s going to be the main draw for Adventure Time: Side Quests as this new era of the franchise is tapping into the same episodic storytelling of the original, and it doesn’t miss a step. You’ll have wacky side characters, episodes about farts and butts, and Finn gets into trouble that he needs to punch his way out of. He’s not exactly learning lessons or dealing with more mature issues, but it’s also not like he’s been dumbed down for this new era either. It’s so impressive that the team was able to recapture Finn and Jake’s earliest dynamic without feeling like either character had taken a hit in the transition.
With this return to its early days and tone, however, it’s also going to make for a divisive element among Adventure Time fans. Those fans who were more attached to the lore heavy episodes of those later seasons won’t be able to fully sink into this new era as it’s not trying to do that at all. It is just Finn and Jake getting into wacky adventures, but there are teases to some future events and fun shout outs sprinkled throughout. That’s just not the main attraction here as it’s all about having fun with the dynamic duo at the center of it all.
Adventure Time: Side Quests Looks Absolutely Fantastic
One thing that will stand out immediately with Adventure Time: Side Quests right from the opening, however, is the fact that it looks absolutely incredible in motion. Seemingly inspired by the painted title cards of the original series, the show has painted elaborate backgrounds that immediately help Finn and Jake (and all of the other characters) pop on screen as a result. Gone are the bolder outlines, and instead it makes for a character design that flows much better when the two of them are in the thick of the action. It’s especially good when it comes to Jake.
With this return to the earliest vibes of Adventure Time‘s classic run, there’s also a lot of fun to be had with how Finn and Jake look throughout the episodes. Side Quests is not afraid to make the duo as ugly as they can be to make a joke land, and it really amps the hilarity when seeing Jake laugh in a particularly wild (and almost gruesome) manner. In Finn’s case, there’s a flexibility in his faces to make him as precocious as possible and it really does help to hammer home how much more youthful energy that this version of Finn has.
There’s a delicate balance that Adventure Time: Side Quests walks, and it’s able to do so thanks to the strong performances at the center of it all. John DiMaggio has not lost a step at all as Jake, and he easily falls back into the rhythm of their character dynamic. Newcomer Sasha Knight needs to be commended for his take on Finn. Not only does he get to add his own flavor to Finn, but he also matches up with the energy of original star Jeremy Shada’s own performance. You’d be able to jump into an episode of the classic series and this new one, and Finn would feel exactly the same.
Adventure Time: Side Quests Feels Nostalgic, Yet Fresh
There’s just such a great balance for Adventure Time: Side Quests in general. These episodes feel fresh and fun, and they are still offering new takes on Ooo after all this time. But at the same time, these episodes also feel classic in tone that they fit perfectly into the original Cartoon Network series without much issue. It’s perfectly fit as a companion to the original Adventure Time, and is not setting out to replace it or start out from a new point of beginning.
Using this show as a base, Adventure Time can go on to have a whole second life for years to come if the team (and Hulu and Cartoon Network) wanted it to. There’s a new generation of fans who can use this as a launching point for their own Adventure Time obsession. As for fans of that original Cartoon Network show, Adventure Time: Side Quests will make you feel like a kid again.
Adventure Time: Side Questsย debuts with Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ on June 29th in the United States, and then airs with Cartoon Network and streams with HBO Max in international territories on October 5th. What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in theย ComicBook Forum!
