I honestly believe Disney has really stepped up its game on animated shows. With the studio coming up with amazing new stories revolving around fantasy-adventure, there just might be hope for them on TV yet! Some animated shows of theirs have come and gone either forgotten or left on a high note, but where Gravity Falls and Star Vs. The Forces of Evil left off? Amphibia is culturally inviting with both lighthearted moments and diversity addressed too.
Enter Anne Boonchuy (voiced by Brenda Song), a thirteen year old Thai-American teen from LA who is transported along with two of her friends Sasha and Marcy to a mysterious world called Amphibia. A place inhabited by anthropomorphic frogs and toads. There, she is separated from her human friends but makes new friends in ten-year-old frog Sprig and his family, little sister Polly and grandfather Hop Pop (Goofy's Bill Farmer) in their home of Wartwood.
Brenda Song is an interesting choice in voicing Anne following the end of her sitcom Suite Life On Deck as she now follows the trail left behind by fellow sitcom costar Ashley Tisdale in voice acting. Anne does give off a hint of London Tipton vibes in some situations, but is a character that is her own. Upon viewing a sneak peek at San Diego Comic-Con in 2018, I used to think from the beginning this show is played more on whimsical misadventures for laughs. However, I had no clue it would get serious with the lore and a sinister plot building up as time moved forward in each episode.
I recommend it for those wanting a fix in fantasy-adventure. I can tell creator Matt Braly wanted to express his cultural roots through a cartoon show, but he sure made a story that isn't limited to comedy alone. There's depth explored in each of these characters and with world building on each place Anne and her adoptive frog family come across.
