OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
A hand-drawn series about a boy hero at a bodega.
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes is an American animated series from Cartoon Network, created by Ian Jones-Quartey and based on his pilot Lakewood Plaza Turbo. It debuted on August 1, 2017, with an opening sequence storyboarded by Studio Trigger co-founder Hiroyuki Imaishi. The show ran for three seasons, ending on September 6, 2019.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Action
- Adventure
- Comedy
- Superhero
- Creator
- Ian Jones-Quartey
- Based on
- Lakewood Plaza Turbo, Ian Jones-Quartey
- Story
- Ian Jones-Quartey
- Toby Jones
- Erin Shade
- Dave Tennant
- Voices
- Stephanie Nadolny
- Courtenay Taylor
- Ashly Burch
- Ian Jones-Quartey
- David Herman
- Kate Flannery
- Jim Cummings
- Theme music
- Mint Potion Studios
- Opening theme
- "Let's Watch the Show", Mint Potion Studios
- End theme
- "It's Only Magic", Rebecca Sugar
Facts from the source article.
Production
The pilot for this show, titled "Lakewood Plaza Turbo," first appeared in 2013 and later became available on Cartoon Network's YouTube channel and Cartoon Network Video on February 4, 2016. The series itself was officially announced in March 2017, with its debut episode airing on August 1 of that year. Before the announcement, Rob Sorcher, Cartoon Network's Chief Content Officer, repeatedly suggested it would be picked up as a full series. On March 9, 2017, Chris Waldron, the VP of Games & Digital Products for Cartoon Network, confirmed via PlayStation's Blog that a series and a video game were in development. The show was included in Cartoon Network's 2017-2018 animation lineup, alongside new series like "Craig of the Creek" and "Summer Camp Island," as well as returning shows. In September 2017, creator Ian Jones-Quartey revealed that the Lakewood Plaza setting was inspired by Dobbin Center, while the villainous Boxmore was based on Columbia Crossing, a strip mall that opened in 1997. He also noted that each episode takes nine months to complete from start to finish and that the series appeals to kids who love superheroes, special powers, and drawing. In August 2021, Jones-Quartey told Insider that when hiring for the show, he deliberately avoided relying on his usual contacts, instead prioritizing diversity by conducting open calls and cold-emailing potential candidates from a studio database before reviewing their past work. The animation was done traditionally in South Korea by Digital eMation and Sunmin Image Pictures. Unlike many cartoons that ink on paper and then scan for coloring, "OK K.O.!" was drawn in pencil. Animators penciled each frame on paper using a light table, then colored them digitally beneath the transparent line work to preserve a hand-drawn feel. Jones-Quartey wanted viewers to always remember they were watching drawings, a choice partly inspired by the first season of "The Simpsons." Animation Magazine later reported that the 30-person production team at Cartoon Network was "ruled by storyboards," meaning the show was board-driven rather than script-driven. Diego Molano, who later created "Victor and Valentino," worked as a character designer on the series.
Broadcast and home media
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes first hit Cartoon Network screens on August 1, 2017, though its initial six episodes had already been released online on June 13 of that year. The show also ran on sibling channel Boomerang from August 7 to September 1, 2017, and was promoted at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con. A second season was confirmed on December 7, 2017, and a video game adaptation titled Let's Play Heroes arrived in early 2018. Season two premiered on March 19, 2018. A crossover episode called Crossover Nexus, featuring characters from Steven Universe, Ben 10, and Teen Titans Go!, aired on October 8, 2018. The third and final season began on July 9, 2019. On August 4, 2019, the episode Let's Meet Sonic aired, crossing over with Sonic the Hedgehog. Two days later, creator Ian Jones-Quartey announced that Cartoon Network had decided not to renew the series for a fourth season. The series finale aired on September 6, 2019. The entire show became available on HBO Max on September 1, 2020. On August 17, 2022, HBO Max announced it would remove several series, including OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes. Shortly after, all official Cartoon Network videos and tweets related to the show were taken down, and Jones-Quartey was not told why. By August 2022, all episodes could be streamed on Hulu, but they were removed in September 2024. The show was also available for digital purchase on Vudu, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video, but began disappearing from those platforms in October 2023.
Video games
A free beat 'em up mobile game, OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo, hit Android and iOS on February 4, 2016. Double Stallion Games developed it, with Cartoon Network Games publishing. Mathieu Lavoie and FX Dupas at Vibe Avenue in Montreal composed the original score. This game is no longer available. Capybara Games later created a console and PC title, OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows, releasing on January 23, 2018. A Nintendo Switch version followed on October 30, 2018. That game was delisted in December 2024.
Reception
Critics responded well to OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes. Common Sense Media's Melissa Camacho found it fun and quirky, praising its positive messages and clever moments, though she noted the cartoon violence and that some scenes are better suited for young tweens than little kids. Shamus Kelley of Den of Geek highlighted the show's strong humor, which leans heavily on well-executed sight gags and loose animation. He suggested that even without deep world-building, the series could still become a zany, heartfelt comedy above the average. Kelley also expressed confidence that, like other Cartoon Network shows that took time to find their stride, this series would be worth the long-term investment. The show earned additional praise for its overarching storyline, character writing, and LGBTQ representation.
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