Kulipari

Animated television series

Kulipari is an animated television series created by Trevor Pryce for Netflix. It is co-produced by Splash Entertainment, The Outlook Company and Telegael Teoranta. Its first season, subtitled An Army of Frogs, was released in September 2016. The show is based on Pryce's novel series of the same name. Kulipari: Heritage, a four-issue comic miniseries taking place between the first and second seasons, was published by Red 5 Comics and released from August to November 2016.^[2] The series was renewed for a second season called Kulipari: Dream Walker on March 8, 2017, which was released on November 20, 2018.^[3][4] A graphic novel called Kulipari: Warflower was purported to be released on January 1, 2019, but it was canceled.

Three compilation movies for season 1, Kulipari: An Army of Frogs, Kulipari: Mercenaries and Kulipari: Amphibian's Rise have been released on Amazon, Google Play and iTunes between 2017 and 2018.

On February 28, 2023, it was announced that Hulu will be continuing the series with a newly announced third season titled Kulipari: A King Rises, set to premiere at the end of the year, as well as a CGI film reboot of the first season, set to premiere in 2024. The first two seasons were added to Hulu in February.^[5] The first two seasons have also been remastered and include new opening and ending credit sequences.

Plot

The series takes place in the Amphibilands—a hidden village of frogs. For many years the inhabitants of the Amphibilands have lived safely, protected by a magical Veil and an elite group of poison frogs called the Kulipari. The story begins with the frogs of the Amphibilands finding their homeland threatened by an army of scorpions teamed up with the magically powerful Spider Queen. Our hero, Darel, a young frog that has always dreamed of joining the Kulipari despite his lack of poison, finds himself at the front of the battle. With the help of his friends, Darel must overcome his anxieties to embrace his dream of becoming a Kulipari warrior and save all the frogs from extinction.^[6]

Characters

Main characters

• Darel - The main protagonist, and an Australian wood frog. Son of Apari and Acala.
• Gurnugan "Gee" - Darel's loyal best friend, he is a fat, gluttonous, awkward Australian wood frog.
• Coorah - Another Australian wood frog who is also a friend of Darel, and brief girlfriend of Arabanoo. She has medical skills.
• Stinger - A young scorpion who is identified as being "of Marmoo's bloodline" by Old Jir.^[7]
• Tharta, Thuma & Tipi - Triplets, children of Apari and Acala and younger siblings of Darel.
• Old Jir - An elderly Kulipari frog warrior living as a hermit near the village.

Professional Kulipari Frogs

• Burnu - The green, wig-wearing male leader of an elite team of four Kulipari.
• Ponto - Yellow male medic of Burnu's team, brother to Dingo.
• Dingo - Brown female Archer of Burnu's team, sister to Ponto.
• Quoba - The green, hooded female scout of Burnu's team, and Lost all her poison.
• Wilka - The newest partner of Burnu, a white Kulipari female who was sent on a mission to infiltrate the spider god's fortress.
• Koa - A young Kulipari frog who was raised by geckos. He was briefly kidnapped by Darkan.

Villains

• Lord Marmoo - A powerful scorpion warlord who is the main antagonist of the first season and Darel's first biggest nemesis.
• Commander Pigo - Marmoo's younger brother and right-hand man.
• Spider Queen Jarrah - The queen of the redback spiders.
• Darkan - A giant marine iguana warlord ruling the fortress city of Cardigal.
• Nahradhan - The golden-colored "god" of spiders and their strongest Nightcaster, whom Falgha worked with after Season 1.
• Daly - A white female spider Nightcaster and Darkan's right-hand woman.

Other characters

• Apari - The late Kulipari and husband of Acala and Darel and the triplets' father (in the books, he is a corroboree frog).
• Acala - Darel's mother and widow of Apari.
• Arabanoo - A red-eyed tree frog, who initially thinks Darel will never become a Kulipari (in the books, he is a White-lipped tree frog).
• Turtle King Sergu - A wise old turtle and practitioner of Dreamcasting magic.
• Pippi - A young platypus girl and a Stargazer student who has visions that help Darel on his quest. She remains and becomes a Dreamcaster of the new settlement in Season 2.
• Killara - A green lizard mercenary leader who works for Marmoo with his people.
• Skink - A female skink mercenary working for Killara until Killara betrayed her and Nogo.
• Nogo - A large and strong male bearded dragon mercenary working for Killara until Killara betrayed him and Skink.
• Xava - An mute white male lizard living with in the village Darel founded.
• Caz - An elderly male scorpion who is the survivor of the Amphibilands wars. He was later killed by Stinger for poisoning Jir.
• Falgha - A female redback spider who is the current leader of the spiders after the fall of Cardigal.
• Yabber-A turtle who is the apprentice and star pupil of Turtle King Sergu.

More characters to be listed

Cast

• Josh Keaton as Darel, Nahradhan
• Mikey Kelley as Gee
• Lacey Chabert as Coorah
• Phil Lamarr as Arabanoo, Apari, Killara, Stinger, Darkan
• Keith David as Lord Marmoo
• Charlie Adler as Commander Pigo, Coorah's dad, Bindi, additional voices
• Wendie Malick as Spider Queen Jarrah
• Mark Hamill as Old Jir, Ponto (episodes 8–9), Caz
• Jess Harnell as Burnu, Yabber, and Sergu
• Candi Milo as Dingo, The Stargazer, Fahlga
• Cree Summer as Skink, Daly and Scorpicurist
• Kevin Michael Richardson as Ponto (episodes 10-present), Nogo, Tharta, Scorpion Warriors
• Kath Soucie as Pippi, The Rainbow Serpent
• Rolonda Watts as Chief Olba
• Amy Margolis as Quoba, Tipi, Akala
• Laraine Newman as Koa, Thuma

Production

The series is co-produced by American studios Splash Entertainment and The Outlook Company and Irish studio Telegael Teoranta. Animation was outsourced to Cartoon Conrad Enterprises for the first season and Oasis Animation for the second season.

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1: An Army of Frogs (2016)

Season 2: Dream Walker (2018)

Accolades

Mark Hamill was nominated for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program at the 46th Daytime Emmy Awards.

References

1. "SEPT. 2nd. is #AMPHIBIANSDAY @netflix #PICKYOURPOISON". Twitter. Twitter.com. August 20, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
2. "Trevor Pryce Continues His Netflix Show Kulipari As A Comic Book". May 22, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
3. Maddaus, Gene (March 8, 2017). "'Kulipari' Lawsuit Reveals Rift Over Netflix Show Financing". Variety. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
4. "Netflix's New Movies, Originals, TV Shows to Watch in November 2018 (US)".
5. "Hulu Unveiled as the New Home for the Animated "Kulipari" Franchise". The Futon Critic. February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
6. "Kulipari: An Army of Frogs - Netflix Trailer" (Press release). YouTube. September 1, 2016.
7. Pryce, Trevor. "Kulipari: Dream Walker, Episode 1". Netflix.com. Splash entertainment. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)

External links

• Official website
• Official website at Netflix
• Kulipari at IMDb