'The Cuphead Show' Is a Jaunty and Lively Animated Series — but Is It Family-Friendly?

For a popular video game that pays homage to classic cartoons, an animated series adaptation seems like the perfect fit. The Cuphead Show is a brand new series on Netflix that adapts the popular 2017 video game Cuphead. Having taken its inspiration from the golden age of American animation of the early 20th century, the new show is an animated romp of zany cartoon antics, but is the series appropriate for kids?

The original Cuphead was released on Windows and Xbox One in 2017 before appearing on other platforms in later years. The game received critical acclaim upon its release and won several awards for achievements in both video games and traditional 2D hand-drawn animation. A DLC story, The Delicious Last Course, is currently scheduled to be released in Summer 2022.

The Cuphead franchise expands with the new animated series, but is the show family-friendly?

The plot for the Netflix cartoon varies slightly from the original video game. In The Cuphead Show, the titular Cuphead (Tru Valentino) and his brother Mugman (Frank Todaro) wander into a mysterious carnival that is secretly a scheme for the Devil (Luke Millington-Drake) to steal souls from people who lose during the games.

When Cuphead loses at an infernal version of skeeball, Mugman reclaims his soul before it can be taken. After barely getting away, the Devil vows to claim Cuphead's soul.

Other than the basic narrative thread of the Devil and his henchmen trying to steal Cuphead's soul, the series mainly follows the antics of Cuphead and Mugman as they get into all sorts of trouble with the inhabitants of Inkwell Isle. The brothers deal with broken handles, chaotic babies, angry frog boxers, and a whole collection of kooky characters while they narrowly avoid the Devil's wrath. And if you wanted to watch with any kids in the room, you're in luck.

Aside from the not-so-subtle existence of Hell in the show, The Cuphead Show is perfect for Netflix bingers of all ages, including kids. The series is rated TV-Y7 for cartoon violence, making it perfectly suitable for kids ages 7 and up. It makes sense, considering the series and its source material pay homage to the family-friendly cartoons of the 1920s. It's even slightly tamer than the original game, which was rated E10+ by the ESRB for fantasy violence and alcohol and tobacco depictions.

The Cuphead Show is a fun-filled romp that's perfect for viewers of all ages. Its short and digestible length also makes it easy to watch over a long weekend or even one free afternoon. For all intents and purposes, it's easier to swallow than the game, which is known for its hectic gameplay and punishing difficulty.

All 12 episodes of the first season are currently streaming on Netflix. Meanwhile, the Delicious Last Course DLC for the original game is due out on June 30.