Cidade de Fantasmas

I wasn't expecting this show to be as good as it was, but goddamn, it is really worth checking out! It is quite different to many of the other cartoons that came out in the last decade.

Many of them are action-packed & fill with so much emotion & adventure. This one however is more chilled-out & just plain nice. The home movie/mockumentary style writing was really enjoyable as well & the characters are really lovable, not to mention their voices seem very natural.

But for me, it's the animation that stood above the rest! To put it simply, it's creative & amazing to look at.

So, if you're stressed or need something chillaxing to watch or you want something very different in today's cartoon society, then this show is for you!

I am 27 years old and this show brings me so much joy. It is created as a kids show, but the animation is absolutely beautiful and the characters and stories are so sweet. Each episode brings a different element, sharing different historical aspects of Los Angeles. I walk away from each episode smiling with my heart feeling a little lighter. I've gotten quite a few of my friends and family enjoying this show as well. Very much looking forward to a potential season 2!!

Elizabeth Ito, the creator of this show, also made the Welcome to My Life pilot for Cartoon Network. It was a very calming pilot, with a mockumentary style, improvised dialogue, and a unique, claymation-like CGI animation style.

Welcome to My Life was rejected, but Ito created City of Ghosts instead, which is a lot like Welcome to My Life in a lot of ways. The young child actors adlib their dialogue, with stutters, mumbles, and losing their train of thought, which gives it a home-movie feel. The whole show is like a documentary, with our young characters interviewing people around Los Angeles, to find ghosts and learn how various diverse cultures shaped Los Angeles, in particular, many BIPOC cultures.

All of our main characters are people of color, and one of them, Thomas is non-binary (they also have a trans voice actor). Many snobby elitists in the cartoon community want every show to be plot-driven, drama-heavy, and have a ton of ships for the fandom to argue over. City of Ghosts is more episodic, and is more of a slice of life show with supernatural elements, and a calming atmosphere.

Indeed, the animation is beautiful. Especially the backgrounds, which look like paintings. If you just want to relax, put on this show.

Sometimes I get tired of all the rapid-fire, highly stimulating children's programming. This show is a breath of fresh air. It feels organic with the audio of the characters. It's cute without being cutesy and well animated too. My kids range from 9 to 14 and they all enjoy watching it together. It doesn't insult their intelligence and we really like the quirkiness of the show. There's diversity and inclusion to boot. I hope there's more to come.

What could possibly be clever, charming and also refreshing? The new short series City of Ghosts! Displays a new authentic animation style that is really pleasing to the eye and will make you want to watch the show more and more. The show delivers a very creative plot that makes you fall in love with both the show and its characters.

City of Ghosts follows a group of children that love ghosts. Together they decide to make a homemade show discovering different ghosts around the city. The children go to various places meeting new people and new friends.

City of Ghosts has a very different animation style than most other shows. The physical characters are animated, but the environment around them is real world settings. This seems odd at first, but over time you start to adore it. The animation really stands out because of this creative new angle of animation it delivers.

The show has many themes of friendship, family and exploration. City of Ghosts also has many morals. It teaches children the importance of creativity and the concept that you can do anything you put your mind to.

I give City of Ghosts 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it for ages 2 to 6. Reviewed by Jude A., KIDS FIRST.