“The Amazing Digital Circus” is a series that exploded on the internet upon its release. Created by animator Gooseworks and published by Glitch Productions on YouTube, the show went viral, with its single pilot episode reaching over 300 million views. This show is famous for its childish cartoonishness, yet it also has an eerie atmosphere of hopelessness. It is this seemingly unrelated combo that creates such an incredible atmosphere in the animated series.

The story begins with the main character, known as Pomni, who finds herself in the digital circus alongside five other people who, just like her, have lost their identities and memories upon arrival. With them is also the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ringmaster, Caine, and his assistant, Bubble. Caine invents various adventures for the circus inhabitants so they don’t lose their minds in the endless search for an escape from this digital prison, where even death is impossible. 

At first glance, “The Amazing Digital Circus” may seem like a children’s cartoon thanks to its colorful and whimsical style, but that’s far from the truth. An unsettling meaning is that the circus is endless and inescapable, a digital limbo where entertainment replaces freedom. The characters’ constant distractions feel like a metaphor for how the modern world dulls our minds with nonstop entertainment, keeping us from confronting our deepest fears about purpose, freedom and morality. 

This series also stands out for its incredible style and unique visual design. The animation style contrasts with the childish environment with dark shades, which makes the atmosphere even more fascinating and at the same time sinister. The characters of the Amazing Digital Circus are exaggerated with a cartoonish appearance, but their expressions often reveal fear, anxiety and despair. This visual duality enhances the effect on the central theme of the show: under the layers of entertainment and spectacle, there is an all-consuming apathy.

Although I really enjoy discovering the mysteries behind all the characters’ backstories and figuring out the purpose of this digital world, I don’t like how complicated this story is. Sometimes, to understand what one character really meant, you’ll have to rewatch the moment several times. The childish style of this series makes the mysteries even more complicated, because it’s hard to expect deep subtext behind the mask of childish colorfulness. I still believe that the contrast between childlike aesthetics and profound themes creates an incredible atmosphere and mixes the feeling of childish joy and anxiety together.

Each episode develops the characters further, and even though the series is ongoing (only six episodes have been released so far), it already provides striking depth. For example, Kinger, who looks like a chess piece king, has been in this digital circus longer than all other inhabitants. At first, he appears to be just some eccentric oddball, but ultimately proves to be a serious character, speaking with the voice of reason and supporting the other circus inhabitants, all while carrying a touching backstory. His wife, who was also a resident of the circus, “abstracted”, which means that the person loses all human features and turns into an aggressive monster that destroys everything on its path. I really emphasize this character because of the way he tries to support others while he himself is experiencing difficult moments in his digital life.

While “The Amazing Digital Circus” dazzles with its surreal visuals and philosophical undertones, its uneven pacing and reliance on mystery may frustrate some viewers. Despite the fact that I consider this series excellent and worthy of attention, I also believe that some moments of the plot are too complicated and difficult to understand when watching the first time. Overall, I give this series 9/10.