Regular Show is a highly praised series that debuted on Cartoon Network. The show's creator, Owen Dennis, has also created another Cartoon Network series -- Infinity Train.
Infinity Train - Book One: The Perennial Child is the title of the first season, which recently released on DVD and Digital at the end of last month. Cartoon Network has asked us to share our thoughts with you on the first season of the series and of course it wouldn't be possible if they hadn't shared a review copy with us, so as always, we want to thank them. That being said, let's dive into the thick of things.
First of all it is important to note that even though the seasons each have book in the title, this is in fact a cartoon. It is similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender in the fact that Aang's adventures are also chronicled as books instead of seasons.
I'm not sure what I expected from Infinity Train before going into it. I had never heard of it, yet it was on Cartoon Network so I was very intrigued. Being a quarter hour series, it interested me. I enjoy when creators use the medium of television to pump out short stories contained in episodes that barely pass the ten minute mark. Growing to care for characters in such a short time is an example of how well the writing is and how exciting the story is.
The story of Infinity Train surprised me and impressed me. Following a young girl with dreams of becoming a game designer, the show focuses on Tulip's struggles with her parents divorce. As she puts it, there is only one of her and two parents, so she doesn't understand why they can't make time for her.
Running away from home in an attempt to reach Game Design camp on her own, Tulip boards a train with the destination of Oshkosh in mind, but instead finds herself on a literal Infinity Train -- one that never seems to end.
Each car of the train contains what seems to be it's own universe, though they are all connected. Every room Tulip enters is wildly different than the last, leading her on a thrilling journey into the vast unknown.
On her adventure Tulip is joined by a colorful cast of characters including an amorphous blob named Randall, a curious cat, the king of the corgis, and most importantly, a robot named One-One. One-One is one of the most interesting members of the cast in the fact that it is actually two halves of one orb connected, both of which have their own personality.
Named Glad One and Sad One, they are the opposite of one another and constantly swap between personalities mid-conversation, which makes for a hilarious back and forth that adds some levity to the increasingly dire tone of the story. The first thing One-One asks everyone it meets is "Are you my mom?" including Tulip just after her arrival. Though Tulip is initally annoyed with the robot, it eventually grows on her to the point that she would risk her life for it.
There is depth to Infinity Train in the fact that each of the cars lends a piece to the larger story and ultimate lesson for Tulip. She is faced with her reflection, her selfishness, her fears, the truth about her memories, and more.
While I only managed to watch the first season so far, Infinity Train is something I would happily recommend to both children and adults. With deep themes underneath a fun-filled fantasy land, family members with different perspectives will be able to appreciate the show for different reasons.
Despite premiering less than a year ago, Infinity Train joins the ranks of beloved series such as Regular Show and Adventure Time with graceful ease. Cartoon Network made the right choice in teaming up with Dennis again for what is likely to become another homernun. A single season of Infinity Train has proven that Cartoon Network can still produce pieces of art thirty years after the channel's creation. - Five out of five.
Following on the success of Regular Show, Cartoon Network show creator Owen Dennis introduces a new animated series highlighting the adventures of a preteen and her robot companion. Tulip Owens is a 13-year-old girl who aspires to become a computer game programmer but finds herself trapped on a train one day and is looking for a way out.
She meets a robot called One-One, which consists of two spherical robots containing contrasting personalities that can combine into the shape of a basketball. Together they search the train, meeting a cast of strange characters along the way and hoping to find clues that will help Tulip find her way home.
Infinity Train Book One: The Perennial Child is currently available on DVD and Digital from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and can be purchased here.