The Cuphead Show A Vintage Series

SYNOPSIS

Based on the award-winning video game that smashed onto the scene with a gorgeous retro animation style, THE CUPHEAD SHOW! is a character-driven comedy series following the unique misadventures of loveable, impulsive scamp Cuphead and his cautious but easily swayed brother Mugman.

As the two scour their surreal homeworld of the Inkwell Isles in search of fun and adventure, they always have each other’s back. Unless there’s only one cookie left, in which case it’s every cup for himself. THE CUPHEAD SHOW! combines nostalgic delights, side-splitting gags, and a healthy dose of the heebie-jeebies—especially when a ridiculously weird nemesis, The Devil himself, arrives on the scene to toy with our heroes.

For King Features, C.J. Kettler will serve as the Executive Producer and Cuphead creators Chad and Jared Moldenhauer will serve as Executive Producers for Studio MDHR. The series will be produced by Netflix Animation and is executive produced by Emmy and Annie Award-winning producer, Dave Wasson (Mickey Mouse Shorts) and co-executive produced by Cosmo Segurson (Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling).

Vintage Animation

One thing that I was really attracted to when it came to The Cuphead show, was the vintage animation. It gave me old-school vibes in the likes of Mickey Mouse shorts meets Betty Boop. Now while some vintage animation can actually bring back some distaste in the sight of some, it was good to see that the animation team made sure to make this series with the purpose of creating a light and humorous series.

“The Cuphead Show” is filled with references and homages to classic Golden Age cartoons. For example, a memorable short in the middle of the season features a recreation of “The Skeleton Dance,” one of the most famous shorts in the history of Walt Disney Animation.

What Can You Expect From The Cuphead Show?

The Cuphead origin comes from a video game that wasn’t necessarily appeasing for small kids, which is why it was important that the show was family-friendly for all ages. Since I have a six and a nine-year-old I will say they watch the show together and get a kick at having two brothers help each other throughout the series.

The central relationship in “The Cuphead Show” is that between the impulsive, reckless title character and his paranoid, somewhat nerdy brother Mugman. Over the course of the 12 episodes, the two constantly bicker and fight, but ultimately always have each other’s back.

Andrea Fernandez

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Andrea Fernandez who is the art director of the show, it is great to see more women in these roles! Andrea is a Latinx artist and creator with experience working in animation and publishing.

Previously, Andrea provided Art Direction for Warner Bros’ animated series Unikitty!, airing now on Cartoon Network. She has also served as the Co-Creative Director of the breakout toy company GoldieBlox, recrafting the brand’s entire visual style and overhauling the characters, toy designs, and story.

Check out the interview below!