Tak and the Power of Juju

Title: Tak and the Power of Juju

Episode(s): #01a: "Woodiefest" and #01b: "Loser"
Channel: Nickelodeon
Format: two twelve-minute episodes
Official Website: Available at Nick.com
Airdate (premiere): Friday, August 31st at 8:00pm (ET)
Airdate (regular): Sundays at 10:00am (ET)

A.I. News: Nickelodeon 2007/2008 Programming Slate
A.I. News: Series Premiere Scheduled
A.I. News: Episode Descriptions

Images: Click to Enlarge [all],
All TAK images & properties © Nickelodeon 2007.

Nickelodeon will be offering television viewers a ton of neat little surprises in the way of series' premieres and television specials come the fall season, many of which span the scale of demographics rather widely. One program of which is the in-house production Tak and the Power of Juju; the television animation adaptation of the popular platformer co-developed and published by THQ. Though I haven't any personal experience in playing the three-game franchise I'm relatively familiar with the property's concept, this having--at the time of the first game's release back in 2003--then been an avid gamer.

Now, no longer interested in console gaming, it's certainly an odd feeling seeing an animated television series developed and produced based on a property that I was familiar with in what seems like a "former life" of recreational habit. Regardless, Tak and the Power of Juju as a CG television animation is looking markedly interesting. Featuring priceless background artwork, unique music, colorful character designs and some rather good dialogue, Tak and the Power of Juju is a well-balanced TV series that should open the doors for future computer animation productions at Nickelodeon.

Tak is the kind of kid you've seen before… he's the type of guy whose always looking to prove himself to those around him, the type of guy who isn't to certain of who he is and where he's going; Tak's the type of guy whom although unsure of what his role in the village happens to be, is a kid willing to lay it all out on the line for sake of self-discovery. That said; Tak is blessed (or is it cursed?) with a knack for magic as well as for communicating with the mystical beings that run the world, the Juju. With his trusted staff and best friend through thick and thin in tow--a practical gal named Jeera--Tak's bad luck and overeager sense of entitlement are what drive the series forward.

Tak and the Power of Juju is about a boy and his magic, and about the boy's ultimate lack of adequate problem solving skills. The program in a nutshell tracks Tak and whether or not he's capable of handling the power of Juju, that is to say, to be an individual of moderate responsibility and yet of remarkable power. Of course, whether or not Tak's self-sufficient village--the clan of the Pupununu--actually needs or is in need of a magic wielding boy, is another question. Regardless, Tak's journey into adolescence has only just begun.

A startlingly generous blend of physical humor and an elaborate and colorful cast of characters, Tak and the Power of Juju is a fun, creative CG series you'll want to enjoy. It's clear from the start that the goal of this series' producers is to create a television viewing experience that does more than attempt to resonate with consumers on multiple media platforms; the goal is to invent a constantly, and consistently, funny program where elements of visual and technical design flourish in conjunction with the story.

With eleven-minute installments of a-part and b-part episodes, viewers of the show should expect the plotting to frequently run rather thin. But with a sizeable cast that includes Tak, his best friends Jeera and Keeko, his uncle and tutor Jibolba, the village Chief, the village Chief's family, and any other array of magical Juju, village idiots and/or tribes-people; Tak and the Power of Juju yet accurately serves it's short adolescent adventures well with only three or four characters at the center of/involved in each episode part. Ensuring that there's always one key, immensely humorous facet of the plot that connects any variety of relevant characters, Tak and the Power of Juju manages to routinely abuse its characters fairly well: throwing them off cliffs, crushing them under rhinos that fall from the sky, sending them tumbling down a mountain on a lava rock.


Keeko	Jeera