The fandom has been [overall] understanding and respectful regarding these changes--- so thanks for being awesome, fellow Lego Monkie Kid fans! Can't wait to enjoy season five with y'all! For those of the fans that have reacted with anger and backlash... please don't harass WildBrain studios. It's because of them that we have season five at all.

NO BECAUSE LITTERALLY PREACH, ITS HARD TO DRAW LEGO PEOPLE BRO

hi, art student here. now obviously i'm speaking from an artistic point of view. while i can still see the artists worked very hard on it, i can't help but be disappointed. from the fight scene's we saw in the trailer, i personally noticed some lack the energy previous similar scenes from the series had and the proportions seem to be off here and there. some animation seems too slow, some seems to quick. overall it's just a lot less dynamic and choppy, where FBP pushed perspectives, some scenes in the animation seem to lack said pushed perspectives. some scenes seem to stick too much to the character sheets, where character sheets should be used as a guide with some opportunity to push elements without straying from the characteristics from the character. the colors also seem quite flat here and there. and then onto the topic of the puppetry. using rigs and puppets is much different compared to the fully hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation we previously received, courtesy of flying bark productions. now, we all must try to understand that every studio has it's own style and way of approaching things. maybe wildbrain will realize later down the line that puppetry is not the way for this series and it was merely done because of time constraints. after all, we do know that flying bark stopped production on LMK due to other products. maybe this was a sort of last resort and (if we get a season 6) the animation will be vastly different. it seems the new studio isn't too familiar with utilizing the animation principles referred to squash and stretch and smearframes in this particular style the way FBP did which results in the lack of energy and the choppiness that i referred to earlier. i also suspect some elements that made the visual storytelling of the previous seasons so impactful may be toned down or even completely void in the season. the 3d elements also seem poorly integrated when it comes down to the visuals. they seem out of place in combination with the characters and compared to the background which leads me to suspect it's ever so slightly unfinished. from a personal standpoint, the exquisite animation FBP provided is what made the series stick out to me. it's one of the key elements that made me personally enjoy the show that much more. this is just what i noticed off the top of my head. overall though, it's best to wait for the final result and see what we're getting. if it isn't to our standards, we can let our voices be heard in a respectful and calm manner and then maybe we'll be noticed. maybe it'll change. who knows what the future may hold?

I do not at all agree with harassing the animators or the studio, buuut I also very much disagree with anybody saying it's not OK to complain and we should just "be respectful." LMK is a product. You pay to view it, and they are paid to make it. If said product does not meet your standards, you are allowed to avoid or complain about it. But this doesn't entitle anybody to harassing anybody, it only entitles you to share your opinion in the hopes enough public outcry will ensure the final product is improved. These animators are being paid for this, it's not a passion project or anything, it's OK to complain. But it is NOT OK to harass said animators or studio.

As someone who is in lego "fanbase" since a kid; I'm happy that series not get cancelled. A lot of authorial lego series finished so bad like nexo knights,chima, hidden side and other authorial themes. Expect ninjago lmk is only the only own lego series that got succesed. Let's just wait for full season.

Hearing about this honestly made me scared because the visual storytelling from Flying Bark was ON POINT and I'm worried we might not get that kind of quality with WildBrain. But I'm still waited wit bated breath because I NEED MY LITTLE MONKIE MEN BACK GIVE THEM BACK

I get a feeling because seeing Wukong and Macaque’s faces whenever they look at each other now, I have a feeling we might get see more of their past or something else! Because when they look at each other NOW is full of sadness/fear/worry! I can’t wait to know why!!

I’m really hoping that WildBrain makes it work because they’ve done some incredible stuff like Ninjago and other shows.

I'm sure in reason that it's hard to find a studio that not only does animation to the same quality standards as Flying Bark, but that also does frame-by-frame animation for a series At All, anymore. Especially for the dynamic motion present in LMK, and on what was probably short notice, no less. Flying Bark seems to have a lot of projects lined up that they're probably predicting will take up the bulk of their time, or are already taking up too much time and resources, and are thus prioritizing them for the moment. It's not even that Wildbrain is BAD at all; they've worked on a LOT of things, and one of the more famous things they at least had a part in was My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a show that, even in its earlier seasons with less complex rigs, you CANNOT say was poorly animated at all. Not to mention they're trying to adapt to a style that's already there. Sometimes these sorts of things take time, and I'm sure they have the tools and techniques necessary to adapt as the show goes on, if they remain as the ones in charge of animation. I won't say that it's not comparatively a bit disappointing, but those are some big-ass shoes to fill, and a difficult subject to render with any kind of dynamic flow- them's little brick people, y'all. Puppet rigs, as far as 2D goes, is actually the comparatively sane option. This is a studio with a long and decent-quality track record, so we're in pretty good hands, all things considered. Things could be INFINITELY worse.

Also like I'm just grateful another studio picked up Monkie kid since if they didn't then we would either have to wait longer for season 5 or just not get it at all

I was very negative when i saw the trailer and sadly to say i still am im really gonna miss flying bark but hopefully wildbrain can approve and have the animation be less stiff and everyone should at least give the new studio a chance when the season actually comes out

I was genuinely surprised by how much backlash this was getting, yea it sucks that flying bark had to let it go but as you said, I'm just happy that another studio was able to pick it up instead of the show going into limbo. Plus the animation is good like really good! I only had a mild draw back of the whole thinking it looked weird in the new style but that's par with the course when you get used to one specific style for long enough. I just hope that people doesn't stop watching the show over this.

I'm definitely excited for the Wukong angst we're gonna get and that centipede demon thing looks super cool! I was excited to see how Flying Bark would animate him once he was shown in the LEGO sets, but seeing how wildbrain animates him will also be cool!!

honestly, i still think the choice from switching frame by frame animation to rigging animation is objectively kind of bad (could b cuz i dont rlly like rigged animation too much) but i very much think the trailer is unfinished since it was leaked, bc apart of MKs hair was straight up not shaded. im glad the writers are still the same though. again i dont blame the animators and ik wild brains animation is rlly good !! i think itll take getting used to but the animation will go to a higher quality

Im so sad flying bark is not animationing it anymore so its iconic animation style isnt there anymore

I think the very visible shift is what got everyone so riled up in the first place. This was just so sudden, we only had mild warning beforehand with some people investigating rumours that had started spreading last year. Some people have even said that the trailer is fake because of this too. It was a *wild* day yesterday lmao. I do only see things getting better from here though, so keep that positive outlook guys!

I would hardly call it a new artstyle, they are basically just using puppet models based off of wildbark studios ones, with tweening instead of actual animated frames put in which is why it doesn't look smooth. Puppet "animation" is usually the lazy way out of hiring actual animators, which we've seen with Equestria girls as one example. It's just Lego being Lego.

I just hope that the Lego executive could choose better replacement for LMK, since we all know Wildbrain isn't much into 2D. I know Carmen Sandiego is good, but it has different art style and it animation approach worked. Meanwhile, LMK had set high bar by Flying Bark.

I am super excited for Season 5 regardless of thr animation change, the trailer has so truly awesome stuff in it! Monkey King got circlet-ed and the promotional poster makes them look like their in squid games! It's going to be so frickin awesome!

This video put me at ease, I have watched so many videos on this but this one stands out a bit to me. I’ve also had some time to think about this whole situation and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’ll be alright. It may not be perfect or the best but it’ll be good. As our favorite Australian blue dog once said, “We’ll see.”

I agree with what you said so much. I am just glad they even planned to make a season 5 and not stop at season 4. 😊

It aint terrible by animation standards, still something i’d watch! Im more happy for a season five then i am sad over the animation🤷‍♀️

Tbh as long as it's not 3d I do not care what the animation is like imo

While I’m glad we’re getting a season 5 and no one she be harassing the studio who picked it up, I still feel disappointed about the studio picked as from what I’ve seen they only do puppet animation when animating 2d. One of the big driving thing I like about lmk is the stunting art and the anime type fighting scenes, which are hard to replicate especially in puppet animation. The frame by frame animation was what was so appealing to me and the change is so disappointing. I love the story too, but being immersed is a big part of enjoying a show.

Idc about the animation and Idk why ppl are so mad it's a slightly different animation and as long as we still get the story line and badass fights that makes lmk a legend in my opinion I'll be fine and I'll still love the show it's not like something huge changed like the voice actors or writer's being replaced I'm excited to so what the new animators do

I saw a post about somebody talking about how some stuff was off model but I recently rewatched season one and it was the same! Especially Wukong in some of it was quite off model, buuut they learned how to draw the characters "better" as time went on cuz thats how practice works! I'm honestly hyped for the new season!

I won't lie, at first i was shocked and a bit sad about this, but then i saw the trailer right after knowing this and honestly i don't think the animation is that bad, of course we can notice the diference and miss somethings but we can also see that they're traing hard and putting a lot of effort on season 5. So what i think is that we should really give them some credit and respect because if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have season 5 and also lego animation is really difficult, since i tried to drawn some of my ocs in this style and i don't think i'll do it again so soon. Anyways, i'm so excited for season 5 and really happy to see more scenes of other caracters like Nezha and i hope in this season Wukong and Macaque finally have a talk and resolve their problems of the past, maybe both of them will train/help mk with his new powers and all. (Also sorry if my english is bad ;-;)

i barely notice a difference tbh, although then again i literally joined the LMK fandom a week ago

If it still has the same voice actors and writers are still involved then let's give the new season(s) a chance.

hey gang anyway I think it’s important we all support and try to be a little more understanding of the circumstances. Wildbrain is mainly a 3D studio so of course there’ll be changes. I personally am excited for the story to continue and I also hope that one day the fandom could see reason. It was wild wildbrain or no season 5 at all.

It feels like wildbrain animates every Lego show that are still going

I mean the animations still better than most anime

Plus wildbrain has a lot of experience with animation im the movements for fighting coreography like we can see in ninjago so we might just see some even better fights than the ones we already have.

I hope Flying Bark Productions craft more animated projects like the Avatar movies and Stranger Things thing (whenever that is).

i’m not sure if its the neurodivergent hate for change talking, but i genuinely hate the new animation style. however, all things considered, Wildbrain did a good job replicating it. it’s definitely going to take time for them to get used to the style, so hopefully future seasons will definitely look a lot better. i have high hopes but i’m forever gonna miss Flying Bark’s animation

I trust them any studio responsible for Carmen Sandiego Sonic Prime and Peanuts and especially another show involving Legos we are all familiar with then I'm sure once they are completely finish we won't even know the difference, like you said this was probably unfinished, so they probably make more improvements

I saw ppl (on twitter) saying the animation is a shit and that it was so bad. I watched it over and over again and the animation it's not bad, it's actually pretty good but it seems bad cuz i think it's from puppets instead hand drawing (frame by frame), and as far as i know, WildBrain made Carmem Sandiego reboot and it was pretty cool, that doesn't mean I'm slightly disappointed that Lego didn't pay another studio who could draw it at hand as Flying Bark, but even if I loved the show at first cuz the animation, I'm more excited to see how the story is gonna be this time! Specially with THAT scene from Sun Wukong, I wanna watch more angsty with him and Macaque!

Thank you for explaining

Ok its not bad but why would they hire a 3d company to work on a 2d show? Also i promise you all when aeason 5 comes out the animation will look like the old animation, not exactly like the old one but close

the way i look at it is even though the animation is different from what we grew used to, lets also consider how season 1 and 2 of lego monkie kid looked! they *were not* perfect, far from it even, sometimes a little stiff and janky too, but as time went on they came more into their own and developed the style we see in season 4 and adore, i think the same with wildbrain! it takes time getting used to, especially when you're trying to replicate a shows style and your studio specializes more in 3d than 2d, i think truly if we just give them time they'll improve and even potentially become better then the shoes they're trying to fill, it takes time and we need to give them that :)

Imo, wildbrains’ animation is fine, it’s just that FBP’s was *great* so of course it’s gonna look bad in comparison. I’m glad it got picked up by wildbrains instead of being dropped entirely, but the downgrade in visual quality is definitely, well, visible

Personally, after thinking about it for a while, I think the animation is more than okay seeing as it was a sudden switch. Wild Brain should just take some time to study the old art style and animation! Monkie Kid wasn't always as perfect as Flying Bark made it look in these past seasons, it used to be choppy and the style was extremely inconsistent. We just need to give WB some time to get used to the new style! I really don't like the new animation, but as long as I can still look at my favorite characters the same with this change then that's all that truly matters. Edit: Besides, they're keeping the same writers! It will still be a great season, maybe not the best, but it will be good writing wise at least!

Like with everything I haven’t seen the finished product of, I’m cautiously optimistic. The animation was one of the draws of Monkie Kid, but that’s not the only reason I and lots of other fans love the show. The new animation might take some getting used to, but I’m still really looking forward to the story going into season 5!

I honestly wasnt even aware of the difference on the animation, after seeing this trailer.

Do you think theyll come back to animating lmk?

i can only agree and even so i think fandom will have plenty of good voice acting to make killer animations of, we simply need more time for the season to actually roll around as this is not even an official trailer

Dude, I may get butchered here's in the comments, but the animation looks so good!!!! I was surprised at first when Monkie Kid was passed on to another animation company (one that I like) but it looks so good! I'm an animation nerd and I'm always striving to make my own animation better, but when it's the new Monkie Kid animation that I am striving for! Wild brain is so cool. I have been stuck for months trying to work on my Lego Monkie Kid fan story and this trailer gave me the boost I needed.

I think people just need to take a chill pill when it comes to the animation in my opinion I still love it and yes it will take time to get used to but I have just missed being able to watch it tbh…… Also a good thing about all this is apparently ninjago fans and lmk fans have ‘bonded’ or at least cleared some weird tension they have always had because this is like what happened a few years ago with ninjago season 11 trailer. All in all I think people need to calm down and just enjoy it Side note: btw thank you for making this video I was kinda a bit confused tbh

I LOVE WILD BRAIN SO MUCH.

Apart from the repeated animation flying bark used, yea, who the heck cares if wild brain is now the main animation for the show. They're trying to recreate the style of flying bark faux anime for the show, as long it isn't in the standard 3D animation that Lego is well known for

I still think it is amazing

iM EXCITED N I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING ABT THE MEMES ABT IT IDK WHY

Like literally i see so SO many people pissing on it because of the artstyle and like, *BE HAPPY YOU HAVE A SEASON 5 TO BEGIN WITH, Y-KNOW THEY COULD HAVE CANCELLED OR DELAYED IT, JUST BE HAPPY THE STORY IS CONTINUING AT ALL!!* And animation is really *REALLY HARD.* Trust me, it's hard trying to draw 1 picture of monkey kid and keep the artstyle, i dare you. I'm eventually gonna make a monkie kid comic and i know it's gonna be HARD.

Coming from an animator, the animation isn’t even that bad, especially for a TV show 😭😭 I love Flying Bark and it’s nowhere near where their level of quality, it’s still pretty decent animation Not perfect, 3D models don’t blend in with the 2D, proportions seem off, movements sometimes feel stiff It still feels very Monkie Kid to me though And with the art style especially I don’t get the hate??? Ik a lot of people LOVED the s3 and 4 art style but genuinely I really like this new one, I thought the soft marshmallowy look of the past two seasons didnt really fit the show either (but i tend to not be so into more cutesy sorta things so that could just be my bias) Animation is HARD and this team is clearly on a different skill level to Flying Bark But also considering Flying Bark had FOUR SEASONS and multiple specials to get used to animating the characters, while this is WildBrain’s first season on the show Regardless I am SUPER excited for the new season :3

I’m quite grateful no lie kid didn’t get dropped or anything, I recently got really obsessed with it and would have been devastated. That being said, the animation is a little disappointing compared to the previous, but I’m just excited for the new season since the same writers and VA’s are going to stay! 😊

i can barely tell the difference except that 1:46 looks a little uhmm off

The trailer wasn't leaked! It was uploaded by the Official LEGO channel on BiliBili!

Nooooo! Anybody but them! Look I understand that flying bark is busy and I don't blame them but out of all the studios wild brain the only stuff there good at making is 3d animation not 2d oh well it is what is

Still actually crying over this. "Don't be rude they're new" I don't give a fuck why would you hand season 5 of a show like lmk to a bunch of amateur 3D animators

I didn't even notice the difference in animation bro

Well- flying bark might come back in the future so theres that-

i respect all animators however. lmk’s animation was a major reason i watched the show and im honestly scared for the future of its animation now 😞 (personal grievances not serious criticism or judgement)

I'm getting flashbacks to the One Punch Man season 2 situation.

I'm honestly okay with the new animation. I hope MK and Red Son become a Canon ship. ❤

The trailer is not leaked. It was uplouded on Legos own Chinese channel

Better looking Mechs? Weird thing to say considering every Mech/Vehicle from the past seasons were 2D... Transitioning them to 3D is... Not gonna look good no matter what.

I wish someone would translate the trailer 😭

Pues sinceramente prefiero la animation anterior, ya que esta nueva animation se ve como si hubieran hecho una imagen y luego hacen que esta imagen se mueva, no se ve como Ina animation echa paso por paso como es en la animation anterior, mas bien, creo que le dieron mas importance a la trama que al deseño o, no se, talves esa sea su forma de animasion, pero para ser honesta ciento que la animation anterior era mejor. Solo es mi punto de vista, no digo que sea malo o que me desagrade, solo digo que pudo aver sido mejor. Es todo

Oh HELL naw. That animation looks like somebody screen-recorded the original show on mobilizer or whatever its called. I just aint gonna watch season 5 then

I made a shorts vid abt my toughts too

But I thought the trailer was fake?

I still don’t see any difference?

I think people are missing the point.. we should be angry at LEGO for this. Four years of FB putting so much effort into world building and characters just for it to be taken away at what is probably going to be the last two seasons. FBs team loved the show so much. It also makes WildBrain look bad because there is no possible way Rigged animation can look as good as 2D hand drawn animation. WildBrain is not as skilled in 2D as they are with 3D. It’s just a poor choice. I think you should be angry, not at the studios, but at LEGO for once again mistreating animators.

It looks like fan animated rigged animation.

Yanno I could probably have just swallowed the pill and moved on. We got 4 solid seasons of content, it had a pretty all right ending too, even if there were a ton of loose ends left to tie up Then you had to go and tell me that we lost our golden goose to fucking *Stranger Things* , now I will forever be bitter and hateful.

Oh dear… this isn’t good

Nah, it looks like shit. Puppet rig crap on the same quality as the Loud House Movie SMH

I have no qualms with the change in studios. Though it's sad, it shouldn't affect the story too much. It's a super crazy hope that they'd be able to fill Flying Bark Studios' shoes, and none of us should expect that, but I look forward to seeing a new team of animators familiarize themselves with a show that we've come to adore.