Over and Over the Garden Wall

The days get shorter, the temperatures get marginally cooler, the leaves change colors, and I watch Over the Garden Wall. I’ve been saying that **** for years. NINE YEARS, in fact; the show debuted in 2014.

And I’m still not sick of it. It doesn’t matter that I know the songs and jokes by heart. The show is so well-paced that its rhythm is enjoyable even if you have it memorized. The art is so varied and freewheeling that I find new details every year.

This year, a new thought occurred to me: in addition to all its other weird charms, Over the Garden Wall is the closest American equivalent to a Studio Ghibli film that I have ever found. The simple, iconic character designs, the mix of dream-logic and grounded character conflict, and the cozy atmosphere of the quiet moments all add up to something that no other animated project has offered me.

This is a show that I evangelize in my personal life. If you like Halloween, fall, cartoons, Studio Ghibli, frogs, folklore, animals, or potatoes/molasses, it’s the show for you. Pour some cider and enjoy.