Centaurworld is an American animated television series produced by Netflix. The series combines musical comedy and fantasy adventure elements and is notable for its unique visual style, which blends 2‑dimensional animation with three‑dimensional character models.
Premise
The narrative follows a teenage human girl named Eddie, who, after being summoned from her world, befriends Beryl, a pink centaur who is the last survivor of a once‑vast centaur society. Together they travel through a surreal, ever‑changing realm inhabited by a variety of anthropomorphic creatures, many of which are centaurs with distinct personalities and musical talents. The duo's goal is to locate and reunite the scattered centaur herd and ultimately return Eddie to her own world.
Production
- Creator: Megan Nicole Dong, who also served as writer and executive producer.
- Developed by: The series was developed in collaboration with Netflix Animation and the production studio Bento Box Entertainment.
- Directors: Multiple episodes were directed by Rachel Seifert, Mark Wiggins, and others.
- Music: The show features original songs composed by members of the band The Fire Dominoes and additional contributions from composer Alex G. Sutherland. Musical numbers are integral to plot development and character exposition.
Release
- Debut: The series premiered on Netflix on July 10, 2020.
- Seasons: Two seasons have been released.
- Season 1 consists of 10 episodes, each ranging from 24 to 28 minutes.
- Season 2 was released on September 23, 2021, also comprising 10 episodes.
- Availability: All episodes are streamed globally on the Netflix platform.
Cast
- Eddie: Voiced by Gemma Burgess.
- Beryl: Voiced by Angelique Cabral.
- Supporting cast includes performers such as Keith Ferguson, Kathreen Khavari, Melissa Sturm, and others, providing distinct voices for a wide array of centaur characters and other inhabitants of Centaurworld.
Reception
Critical response to Centaurworld has been generally positive. Review aggregators reported favorable scores, citing the series' inventive animation, memorable musical numbers, and subversive humor. Notable publications highlighted its appeal to both children and adult audiences, noting themes of friendship, loss, and resilience.
- Rotten Tomatoes: The series holds a Tomatometer rating above 80 % based on critic reviews (as of the latest data).
- Metacritic: It has a Metascore reflecting generally favorable reviews.
Critics have particularly praised the series' willingness to explore darker emotional content within a format marketed as family‑friendly, while maintaining a whimsical tone.
Awards and Nominations
Centaurworld has received nominations for several industry awards, including:
- Annie Awards: Nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Animated Effects in a TV Production.
- Kids' Choice Awards: Nominated for Favorite Animated Show.
Cultural Impact
The series has cultivated an online fan community that creates fan art, covers of its songs, and discussions of its mythological motifs. Its musical tracks have been released on streaming platforms and have amassed millions of plays collectively.
See Also
- Netflix original programming
- Animated musical television series
- Modern reinterpretations of mythological creatures
References
- Official Netflix press releases (2020, 2021)
- Interviews with creator Megan Nicole Dong in Animation Magazine and Collider
- Review aggregators Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic
- Annie Awards nomination listings (2021)