Kid Cudi released an animated Netflix special called Entergalactic, which serves as a companion piece to his 10th studio album of the same name. The special follows the stories of two young creatives, Jabari and Meadow, who are neighbors in New York City and fall in love. Kid Cudi originally conceived Entergalactic as a live-action series, but eventually decided to make it an animated special after discussing it with Kenya Barris. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Kid Cudi suggested that Entergalactic may be his last album under his musical alias. However, he has also expressed excitement about his new production company, Mad Solar, and the projects he is developing with it.
Trailer
About the Movie
Entergalactic is an adult animated rom-com that depicts the comings and goings of street artist Jabari during a transitional period of his life. Recent success with a promising new job has led to financial stability. A better apartment and a somewhat improved social life are a result. Things are moving fast for Jabari, so much so that he forgoes the notion of dating, since he just wants to focus on his art. However, after a chance run-in with his cool new photographer neighbor, Meadow, Jabari has to figure out whether he can make space for love in his life.
The film primarily focuses on how Jabari deals with his ex-girlfriend, Carmen, and his newfound love for Meadow. Besides that, the narrative also explores the sexual politics of modern-day relationships, street art, and hip-hop. The film is a 92-minute companion to Kid Cudi’s album of the same name.
The film’s side characters still feel extremely reminiscent of the kind of best friend figures that have been showing up in the rom-com genre for decades. The film, therefore, never strays too far from the genre’s conventions. It’s an experimental form, using plot and characters to present a collage of multisensory art.
The Style
The animation style of Entergalactic is a blend of 2D and 3D animation with a creative use of a slower frame rate, giving the special an otherworldly atmosphere in some scenes. The animation is reminiscent of “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse” in its blending of 2D and 3D animation. The animation style is distinct, fantastical, and echoes the traits of comic books or stop-motion animation. The brush strokes are visible on backgrounds, while bold colors swirl, and sharp compositions chart each scene. The effect is that Entergalactic looks both unique and nostalgically familiar. The animation is a technical triumph, and it looks like nothing you’ve seen before, both seemingly hand-painted and computer-animated. The animation had to look and feel handmade, and it’s about two humans, so the characters had to emote in a believable way. The animation is intimate compared to “Spider-Verse,” which is more dynamic.
The Film’s Reception
Here is what reviewers had to say about Entergalactic:
- A low-key romantic comedy with a blissful, lovelorn vibe. The album shares the feature’s low stakes and is enjoyable music. The album is a product of Kid Cudi’s ambitions to conquer film and television. – Pitchfork
- A good romantic story with likable, down-to-earth characters, and a banging soundtrack. The animation is imaginative, and the film is a dope animated film in its own right. The review praises the talented young actors and popular musicians engulfed in the animation. – IGN
- A project that challenged Kid Cudi to employ all of his gifts in fashion, music, and film. The review praises the album and the Netflix animated rom-com of the same name. The review describes the project as a sort of psychedelic outgrowth of a studio album that hits its marks. – Vulture
- A top-notch show with deep characters, insane visuals, and music. – IMDb
- A rare gem of an animated work for adults. Kid Cudi’s guidance on a sublime journey that explores the bond between two people drawn together by chance. – Collider
What Was The Inspiration Behind the Animation Style of Entergalactic
The inspiration behind the animation style of Entergalactic was to make it look like a moving painting and feel handmade. The writers dubbed it an “analogue love story,” and the goal was to hide the computer’s role as much as possible. The animation style is reminiscent of comic books or stop-motion animation, with brush strokes visible on backgrounds, bold colors swirling, and sharp compositions charting each scene. The animation is a blend of 2D and 3D animation with a creative use of a slower frame rate, giving the special an otherworldly atmosphere in some scenes. The movement of the lead characters had to be believable, and every pose had to be hand-positioned by every animator, like in stop motion, not enabling the computer to fill in frames. The animation had to look and feel handmade, and it’s about two artists, so the characters had to emote in a believable way. The animation style is versatile enough to tackle adult stories, and it explores the worlds of everyday adults and isn’t ashamed to be mature. The animation style is influenced by “making of” art books from studios like Pixar and Disney.
Challenges
The production of Entergalactic was not without its challenges. Here’s a rundown of what the animation team faced:
- The animation had to look like a moving painting, and the computer’s role had to be hidden as much as possible, making it imperative that the film looked and felt handmade.
- The animation style was a blend of 2D and 3D animation with a creative use of a slower frame rate, which was a risk, especially on a super-fast schedule. The animation might be more choppy than what people are used to.
- The movement of the lead characters had to be believable, and every pose had to be hand-positioned by every animator, like in stop motion, not enabling the computer to fill in frames.
- The animation style had to be versatile enough to tackle adult stories and explore the worlds of everyday adults and wasn’t ashamed to be mature.
- The animation style had to be influenced by “making of” art books from studios like Pixar and Disney, which is evident in the look of the special itself.
- The animation had to be eye-popping, with strong character designs accented by striking colors and bold silhouettes, and the narrative and the characters had to be as strong as any other show.
Entergalactic marks Kid Cudi’s foray into the world of animated storytelling, and it is a triumph in both artistic vision and narrative execution. Kid Cudi’s ambitious venture into film and television has yielded a remarkable result, showcasing his multidimensional talents. With its memorable characters, breathtaking visuals, and stellar soundtrack, Entergalactic stands as a testament to the power of creativity and innovation in storytelling.
