Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Episodes: 20
Duration: 10 min (per episode)
Bunnicula: Season 1, Part 1 (DVD) – Series Review
With Halloween creeping closer, people are preparing themselves for some horrific fun in this fall season. Children are also quite fond of this fest, as they can go trick-or-treating and enjoy some delicious candy and horror stories. Of course, some of them might be a bit too brutal, so that’s where Bunnicula comes in handy. If you’re looking for some child-friendly Dracula fun, be sure to read on.
As you might expect from the name, Bunnicula is a cute little rabbit with quite some fangs, which he uses to suck the life out of veggies. No need to worry for any unsuspected bites from this little fella. He was found by the human Mina and since then they’ve been inseparable. He likes his usual belly rubs, just like the other pets Chester and Harold. Chester, the feline companion, is rather unhappy by the new guest while Harold is just happy. As long as he gets his food, all is good.
Of course, having a vampire bunny with special powers bounds to get out of hand sooner than later. Monster friends visiting over, being haunted or other mysteries aren’t that strange anymore, which is not to the liking of Chester. He is against this new furry friend while Harold is … being Harold and following blindly. Each episode can be seen as standalone so you can actually jump in whenever you want. Only the first one contains a bit of details on how Bunnicula came into their lives, which might be interesting to know. Afterwards, you can choose any episode you want.
The episodes all have the same structure and, seeing that it’s only ten minutes long, a lot happens in this short session. Of course, something is going amiss which eventually gets solved thanks to finding the solution together, with Bunnicula’s powers as the key. Each story is nicely brought and will suck your children right into this more horrific setting, while you will have some fun as well with the more ‘adult’ jokes that are implanted here and there. Don’t expect any ‘dirty’ jokes, but some parents can relate to some of the puns that are made.
The drawing style itself is also rather appealing, especially since the colors really match the darker atmosphere. Don’t expect real-life visuals but really cartoonish drawings where everything stands out, especially the features of the different characters. For instance, when Bunnicula performs one of his tricks, it might be a bit over the edge which fits actually nicely in this setting. In a world of horror and monsters, nothing is weird. The voice acting on the other hand really fits with each character and helps with the immersion. You might recognise the voices from Chester and Mina as they are performed by Sean Astin (The Lord of The Rings) and Kari Wahlgren (Rick and Morty, Fairly Odd Parents).
It would have been nice if there were some extras added but sadly this isn’t the case. The only thing you can do is select the spoken language, which is available in multiple languages and select episodes. As this is a cartoon, it is maybe less conventional to add extras, but there was enough material to do so.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a more horror-themed cartoon for your children, it might not be a bad idea to check Bunnicula. This cute little mischievous rabbit will melt your hearts while spooking you at the same time. With Halloween on its way, this series is a good way to have some fun with the family, without giving your children nightmares from lifelike zombies.
Bunnicula: Season 1, Part 1 (DVD) – Series Review,
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