WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

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Scribble Kibble the Animation Show.

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Paws Out!

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Miraculous Ladybug is a French 3D animated
kid’s show that I only recommend if you’re

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like me and have a taste for pathetic romance
where the two main characters go round and

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round in circles about their feelings for
each other for who knows how many seasons.

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Let’s get to the true reason I wanted to
talk about Ladybug.

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I’m really dang curious about how this ended
up looking like this.

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It’s the most extreme difference between
a concept and a fully realized show that I’ve

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seen.

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Was Miraculous Ladybug conceptualized for
an older audience?

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Did it have a darker side?

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The more I dig, the more that seems to be
the case.

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Thomas Astruc’s first sketches of Ladybug
were inspired by a desire to make a Marvelesque

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superhero, but with a French basis.

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She incorporated the violence, sensuality,
and inner struggles of the superhero genre.

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And she was a huge risk.

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When these drawings were made, superheroines
were not popular.

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But when Astruc showed the drawings to others,
they loved her.

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The simplicity of her costume design is so
striking and unique.

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Ladybug’s development team grew, and the
hybrid influence of American comics, French

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culture, and Japanese anime turned into an
animated pitch that was never supposed to

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be seen by the public.

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It included Ladybug’s first Cat Noir partner,
a character that no longer exists.

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His name was Felix.

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A cold-hearted aristocrat cursed to never
be able to remove the ring that infuses him

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with bad luck.

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The only thing that will break the curse?

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A kiss from Ladybug.

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But this series wouldn’t sell.

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An uncaring guy who rejects Marinette and
is only interested in removing the ring to

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be normal didn’t make a good superhero.

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Anime does not sell well to the markets Ladybug
was meant for, and animating all of the spots

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on her costume by hand was a major problem.

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But the killing blow to this dark version
of the story was the project’s funders were

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not interested in another edgy teenage story:
where they saw the real potential was a superheroine

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very young kids could enjoy that could be
merchandised.

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That is how you go from this to this.

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So bear witness: if you ever end up developing
a major show for international broadcast,

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your idea is no longer yours.

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It will change.

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Well, now that I’ve done a bunch of research
and know too much about Miraculous Ladybug’s

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origins, there are a number of canon side-cartoons
and comics that are pretty interesting.

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The 2D chibi series is cute and it’s all
on YouTube.

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The official comics are kind of bizarre.

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I mean I like it, but it’s weird.

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Maybe that’s why I like it.

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To briefly summarize my thoughts on the main
series, the 3D animation is actually good.

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The French setting is fulfilling.

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The premise of two superheros who LIKE-like
each other at the wrong time provides for

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endlessly entertaining story ideas.

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But the show is hamstrung by its refusal to
ever advance the plot.

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It’s so formulaic.

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When you hit season 3 by making the heroes
face stronger versions of the same villains,

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that’s painful.

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I know the show is written this way because
it makes it possible to watch any episode

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in any order without missing anything.

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But come on!

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Are we going all the way to Season 5 with
the protagonists still clueless about each

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other and still fighting Hawkmoth’s flunkies?

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Oh well.

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If it’s not satisfying enough, you can always
dip your toes into the fanfiction.