This review was made possible by screeners for Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, which is set to arrive on Max on August 31.
Back in 2018, it was curtain call for Adventure Time an animated series that’d run for over 8 years and become the fourth longest-running series on Cartoon Network. The ending of the series was followed by a set of specials set around the Adventure Time Universe. It wasn’t until the announcement of Fionna and Cake that we’d got anything consistent in a follow-up to the popular animated series. I am overjoyed to report that Fionna and Cake is not what you’re expecting at all and a much more mature visit to the land(s) of Ooo, of course in the absolute best way possible.
All Grown Up
Perhaps the best aspect of the series is the creative team knowing who their audience is. Adventure Time premiered over ten years ago, much of its audience has grown considerably since then, with many entering college or already in their mid-20s, beginning a whole new adventure of their own. The spin-off centers around Fionna Campbell, a young girl in her 20s just trying to get by and find a stable job and just be able to pay her rent, just feeling devoid of purpose and looking for a new outlook on life.
A very different setting from the last time we’d seen the alternate adventure duo. The series has a very prominent theme of finding purpose, and striving towards something greater in life but also the struggle to achieve said goals. The series knowing the age range of its audience being in a great transitional period in their lives is a perfect combo.
‘Fionna and Cake’ Is Not Another Multiverse Story
Without diving into spoilers, yes, this is a multiverse story. Obviously, there are a lot of them right now and everyone just wants to be able to make the best one possible, standing apart from the others that just won’t quit. What sets it apart is its creativity and willingness to introduce new universes and actually flesh them out and build a story around them, which many fail to do, instead entertaining the novelty of it being an alternate reality where things are just different. Some are so wildly unalike in tone from the others is what helps the series feel so fresh and different from Adventure Time.
So many of these universes are just so different from each other, some are even quite familiar, *cough* Farm World *cough*. They take some real creative strides with these worlds, one icy world in particular is incredible and the musical number that follows may take the cake for one of the series best.
Familiar And New Faces
Fans will be delighted to hear the return of Madeleine Martin and Roz Ryan as the titular duo here, both turning in fun voice performances as their characters once more. It may also be of interest to some to know that Donald Glover does indeed reprise his role as Marshall Lee, the alternate version of Marceline the Vampire Queen. Prince Bubblegum does indeed return but I am unsure as to who his voice actor is due to credits not including a cast list and one not being available anywhere.
Also, it should be noted that everyone’s favorite space cube dwelling, wall-art-man, Prismo returns! The bad news, however, is that Kumail Nanjiani does not return with him. It feels unfair to critique a series for something like that, due to the fact that it’s just, unfortunately, something out of their hands as Nanjiani has become a much bigger star in the past few years but he is sorely missed in this role, his voice was so unique and made Prismo so much fun, they didn’t even try to replace him with someone that sounds similar…
Tom Kenny valiantly reprises his role as the trouble ex-Ice King, Simon Petrikov and absolutely brings his A-game. A standout performance within the series and quite possibly his best turn as the character. Simon’s story always felt a bit open-ended and there was always something else lingering in the character that is excellently explored in the series.
Final Thoughts
Fionna and Cake puts a whole new look on the land of Ooo and the characters within it, and even beyond it. The series will surely delight old fans while also welcoming new ones, although it may be quite confusing and inaccessible to those unfamiliar with the original series.
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake arrives on Max on August 31. Check out the trailer below.
