adventure-time-season-5

It appears that despite the theme song’s assertion that “the good times never end,” all good things eventually DO come to an end and that is the case with the hit series ‘Adventure Time’.  The show’s creator, Pendleton Ward and Cartoon Network announced that the post-apocalyptic fantasy/sci fi series will complete its run with its ninth season in 2018.

‘Adventure Time’ follows the exploits of Jake the dog and Finn the human (or Cake the cat and Fionna the human, depending on your preference) in the Land of Ooo, a post-apocalyptic ‘Candy Land’-esque fantasy world.  The show debuted on The Cartoon Network in 2010 and quickly became a breakout smash, crossing gender and age barriers to become a favorite with adults and a marketing phenomenon, with countless toys, apparel (including a “real clothes” line at Hot Topic) and other licensed items racking up millions in sales.  Viewers were entranced by the quirky subversive show which sneaked adult innuendoes into a show that was ostensibly for children.

The characters have also become cosplay favorites at conventions, including these “sexy Finns” that make me feel kind of funny inside:

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In his statement, Ward stated:

Adventure Time was a passion project for the people on the crew who poured their heart into the art and stories.  We tried to put into every episode something genuine and telling from our lives, and make a show that was personal to us, and that had jokes too! I’m really happy that it connected with an audience for so long. It’s a special thing, I think.”

When the show ends, it will be comprised of “142 half-hours of content.”  But luckily for fans, there are still over two years before the final bow and the ninth season is already in production.  Throughout its run, ‘Adventure Time’ has won six Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, two Annie Awards, two British Academy Children’s Awards, and even more.  The comic book based on the show has won an Eisner Award and two Harvey Awards.

Recently, the most iconic animated show on TV, ‘The Simpsons’ paid tribute, with an ‘Adventure Time’ inspired opening title sequence:

Jeremy Shada and John DiMaggio will of course return to voice Finn and Jake, respectively.  The cast also includes Ward himself as Lumpy Space Princess, Tom Kenny (who also voices Spongebob Squarepants) as the Ice King, Hynden Walch as Princess Bubblegum, Olivia Olson as Marceline the Vampire Queen, Niki Yang as BMO and Lady Rainicorn and Polly Lou Livingston as Tree Trunks.  The show has also included guest voices by Aziz Ansari, Matthew Broderick, LeVar Burton, Lena Dunham, Michael Dorn, Donald Faison, Donald Glover, Lou Ferrigno, Mark Hamill, Neal Patrick Harris, Lucy Lawless, Henry Rollins, Andy Samberg, George Takei, Rainn Wilson and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic among many others.

Are you sad to say goodbye to the Land of Ooo?  Or are you simply happy to have nine seasons’ worth of algebraic Adventure?

Source: Entertainment Weekly