Today we are looking at 3Below: Tales of Arcadia which is the second part of the Tales of Arcadia trilogy from Guillermo del Toro. Whereas Trollhunters, the first part of this series had a fantasy vibe, 3Below is more of a sci-fi kind of story. Like the first series, this would be a Netflix original animated series. Netflix would give the show two seasons and it is a show that I hold in very high regard.
How to Download 3Below: Tales of Arcadia
You can download or stream the film from Netflix. Click on the Download button at the end of this review.
The Movie Review
Just like with Trollhunters, 3Below has an awesome voice cast bringing this wonderful story to life. Tatiana Maslany and Diego Luna in the lead roles of Princess Aja and Prince Krel are just wonderful. However, it was Ron Swanson himself, Nick Offerman, as Vex that I got a real kick out of.
As I said, this is a more sci-fi show and it is one that I think is enjoyable for kids and adults. We have a brother and sister Aja and Krel who are forced to leave their home planet after there is a coup. They head to Earth with their “dog” lug, bodyguard Vex, and their parents who need to heal.
Of course, they want to go back to their home planet and take back the throne which was taken from them. However, they are stuck on Earth for a while as they need to repair their ship and let their parents heal. Complicating matters is General Val Morando who is the one who has taken the throne on their home planet. He sends out a team of bounty hunters to track the brother and sister down to prevent them from ever coming back to take the throne.
Now, you may think that 3Below: Tales of Arcadia is just another sci-fi-type story, but there is way more depth than that here. You see, you have these “aliens” that have to adjust to earth culture and customs so that they can blend in. many people have praised this show for the way it basically deals with “immigration” and what people who move to other countries can face, but they do it with aliens and a sci-fi story.
What I think is great about this show is that it has something for everyone. You have some very strong characters here and the Prince and Princess are quite different and have different things that they want out of life. Seeing them grow and become better people and adults is something that the show does really well.
I know that two seasons may not sound like much. However, I think that two seasons was the perfect length for 3Below: Tales of Arcadia as it wraps everything up by the end of it. There are no filler episodes here. Each of the 26 episodes feels like they are important and move things along.
I already praised the voice acting, but just like Trollhunters, 3Below: Tales of Arcadia is a decent-looking show! It may not match what DreamWorks does with their movies, but it is still very appealing to look at. As a huge sci-fi lover, I thought it was neat the way the show blends what they do on Earth in everyday life with more sci-fi types of stuff.
It is very hard for me to say which out of Trollhunters and 3Below I like best as they are quite different shows. As I lean slightly more towards sci-fi over fantasy, I think I would pick this, but only just. The whole Tales of Arcadia series is something I have had a lot of fun watching with my son and this second part is just as good as the first and well worth watching.
