Heartwarming 'Hilda'
SERIES HAS STORY AND STYLE
A
MID FOREST FOLIAGE and maroon hues, a young girl and her pet deer-fox scramble through grassy woods as a towering troll lumbers after them. Their ragged breaths tear through the darkening forest. But the girl laughs, taking in the thrill as she dashes over outlined logs and animated waterfalls under a sunset painted in stripes of deep colors. This is just one of the many stunning scenes from the award-winning Netflix Original “Hilda.” First created as a comic book series in 2010 by Luke Pearson, “Hilda” was later adapted by the streaming service in 2018 as an animated television series. The show follows a young, adventurous girl named Hilda as she explores a
Text and art by ZANDER LEONG
Scandinavian folklore-inspired world and ous: pieces of each episode are masterfully works to help the people and creatures woven throughout the entire series. The around her. Along with her friends, she en- service organization Hilda joins is forecounters paperwork-loving elves, enchant- shadowed in her adventures with the bird, ed mice and sassy teenage spirits as she and both episodes establish later events. travels from the open mountainside to her Everything leads up to the final episode new home in a thriving subur–– an exciting finale that ties up the season ban city. With the second seanicely. son set to release on Dec. 14, While many children’s shows we’re looking back on push the moral of the beautiful colors and “Hilda” delivers heartthe story in a way heartwarming story in that can seem forced, the fantastical world of felt lessons in a form “Hilda” delivers “Hilda.” heartfelt lessons in that can appeal to all. The show opens a form that can apwith a bright title sepeal to all. There quence featuring a fluid runare more to the themes than through of the series. Literally. Tothe usual “power of friendship.” In one gether with her friends and key characters, episode, viewers come to realize — along Hilda runs through scenes and locations with the characters — the message about that turn up throughout the season. The Hilda finding her real home. Suddenly, show’s unique colors and design imme- previous elements like conversations with diately shine through in the brief 30 sec- an old friend and Hilda’s general attitude onds. Set to a light, bubbly theme song by about moving to the city all click together. electropop musician Grimes, viewers get a These positive endings leave viewers feeling taste of the spirited, smooth and stylistic satisfied, a nice break from the dramatized aesthetic that “Hilda” totes. cliffhangers that keep you clicking “Next The show doesn’t have a single Episode.” running storyline, and instead fea“Hilda” is set in a world that is both tures individual episodic stories. One modern and fantastical, a combination that episode sees Hilda helping a talking isn’t often seen together. But the genres bird regain its memory, while the next cov- don’t clash: instead, they twist together in ers her adventures with community service an artful duet. In one scene, cruise ships and onion men. But the story is continu- lie in a harbor next to historical sailboats. In another, police rush by in capes, feath-
