The first television show of Phase Six has arrived for the MCU, and this time we get another animated show, one that takes us back to the world of Wakanda. It’s the second after Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man of three from this year to be released. Ryan Coogler returns as producer with his production studio, Proximity Media, while Todd Harris acts as showrunner. The two Black Panther films that have been released have highlighted that there’s a lot of history within Wakanda, probably more so just in that one country than the rest of the Earth. Coogler and Harris deliver a show that further explores that history with animation that blends 2D and 3D to bring the landmarks and characters to life and a score that has you travelling from Wakanda to China.
Eyes of Wakanda follows the Hatut Zaraze, Wakandan warriors who carry out dangerous missions around the world in secret to retrieve lost Vibranium artifacts throughout history.
This is the first MCU animated show that’s set within the sacred timeline, unlike X-Men ‘97, What If…?, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which are either set in parallel universes, branched timelines or just not connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While some of those other shows are good and worth the watch for what they are, this means Eyes of Wakanda holds more relevance, and they highlight that strongly by its final episode, connecting itself to the Black Panther films in ways that are truly unexpected.
Noni (Winnie Harlow) of the Merchant tribe and former Dora Milaje is sent on a mission by Akeya (Patricia Belcher), leader of the Dora Milaje, to retrieve Nkati (Cress Williams), a former respected captain of the Royal Guard who was second to the king, who has betrayed Wakanda and now refers to himself as The Lion. In under 30 minutes, this episode highlights everything that needs to be known about Eyes of Wakanda.
It’s James Bond meets Black Panther. Imagine the espionage of James Bond mixed with the vibrant rich history and culture of Black Panther, and you get Eyes of Wakanda. The Hatut Zaraze, who are now known as the War Dogs, are a secret network of spies, hidden from the rest of Wakanda. It’s all explained with ease, and the first episode’s story doesn’t reveal too much straight away and instead uses the idea of Wakanda keeping secrets to structure itself narratively.
It’s not the first time the War Dogs have been mentioned; back in Black Panther, we learned that both N’Jobu, T’Challa’s deceased uncle, and Zuri, keeper of the heart-shaped herb, were War Dogs. Those films never gave insight into what a War Dog was except for the basic information that they were sent on undercover missions. Eyes of Wakanda gives a deeper insight into the War Dogs, who are also known as the Hatut Zaraze, allowing us to understand their purpose, why they keep it a secret from other Wakandans, and their place in Wakanda’s history.
This is an anthology show similar to What If…? with each episode being set in a different time period, following a new spy after a different Vibranium artifact. At times we get to see characters from the previous episodes, which shows the interconnection, but the big question with an anthology like this is, what is this all leading to? As we get to that final episode, there was some worry that it was going to follow similar story beats to What If…? which would’ve been worrisome for Marvel Animation’s second anthology show, but fortunately, it diverts into a path that connects itself with the first Black Panther film and the future of Wakanda, which allows for the audiences to stay on their toes while also keeping the storytelling aspect of Eyes of Wakanda fresh.
Marvel Animation has released five shows since they were founded four years ago, and out of the five shows, excluding Eyes of Wakanda, they each have their own animation style, from weak links such as What If…? (which will have its animation style return for Marvel Zombies later in the year) to more unique styles such as Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which expressed the style and tone the show was aiming for. Eyes of Wakanda is the sixth show by Marvel Animation that goes for another unique style of animation, which feels similar to the likes of Blue Eye Samurai and is one that would arguably be their best yet.
This is their shortest show yet, with only four episodes, which are all dropping at once, which makes for an easy binge. The first episode, as mentioned previously, is a great setup, with the second episode being slightly slower in pace but allowing you to become familiar with the show’s structure. The third episode is by far the best, with an appearance from an Iron Fist (Jona Xiao), which provides some of the best hand-to-hand action in the entire show. The fourth and final episode will blow people’s minds with its revelations as it ties all the previous episodes together creatively and is the perfect close to the show. It’s short, action-packed, has animation that reminds you of the beauty of Wakanda, and will leave you wanting more from the War Dogs.
Audiences love to argue about whether an MCU project was ever necessary. “Who asked for that?” Eyes of Wakanda will prove to you why this was a much-needed show and its importance to the MCU. Each episode is well written, but it’s pure genius with how Geoffrey Thorne makes the audience feel like they’re a part of the story, Wakanda’s history, and the secret that is being kept from the rest of Wakanda.
Eyes of Wakanda might be short, but it’s a show that will stay with you for a long while. The animation is mesmerizing to look at and sets itself apart from the other shows Marvel Animation has produced. Todd Harris and Ryan Coogler use the fact that a lot of Wakanda’s history is unknown to its viewers to their advantage, allowing them to learn about the most secret part about the nation with their show and making it feel interactive as you reach that final breathtaking episode. Out of all the animated shows that are officially a part of the MCU, Eyes of Wakanda takes the throne for being the best. With there being only four episodes, there’s not much room for error, as they have a simple and concise story to follow, unlike others, which might get slower at parts.
If you’ve got a few hours to spare in your day, Eyes of Wakanda is 100% worth the watch!
Eyes of Wakanda is now streaming on Disney+.
