Ladybug & Cat Noir

The hit French animated series about animal-themed superheroes hits the big screen with its first full-length feature. It’s a little more muddled than the original TV show and the movie version fumbles with its melodrama, but it still packs in enough high-octane action to satisfy superhero fans of all ages.

The story centers around Marinette Dupain-Cheng (voiced by Cristina Vee from K-ON! & Sailor Moon) and Adrien Agreste (voiced by Bryce Papenbrook from Attack on Titan, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Sword Art Online). The two are typical teenage school klutzes, but they have one secret other teenagers don’t: they live double lives as crime-fighting superheroes, Ladybug & Cat Noir. Together they defend their native Paris from the supervillain Hawk Moth and his team of akumatized bad guys, who are people transformed into evil creatures like glitter monsters and even a murderous mime.

This show is a lot of fun and it definitely owes a huge debt to Sailor Moon, but it is also unique in its own way. The characters are well-written and engaging. There are a lot of great visuals in the show, including some cool 3D scenes and a pretty catchy soundtrack. The animation quality is good, although some of the characters and settings look more stylized than others. And the action sequences are fast-paced and well-choreographed.

Unlike other kids shows where the main characters are either good or bad, this show has a strong message of female empowerment. When morphed into her superhero persona, Ladybug is a clever leader who uses deduction and observation rather than brute force to defeat her enemies. And though she occasionally indulges in some girl power mooning, she largely behaves as a competent superhero. Her partner Cat Noir flirts with her a lot but always treats her as an equal. The fact that they’re a couple in real life helps to reinforce this message, and it’s nice to see a male-dominated genre take note of the need for more role models for young girls.

The only downsides are that the show can sometimes veer into a kind of creepiness and there are some sexual innuendos. For instance, in one episode, Marionette sneaks into Cat Noir’s house to sniff his pillow and he doesn’t seem to notice anything wrong with that. It’s a minor complaint but worth mentioning. The story is fun and it’s a good addition to the superhero anime pantheon. It’s a great way to spend some time with your kids.