And, in spite of the doubts and the wagging tongues and fingers of his fellow villagers, he succeeds again and again in foiling the wicked sorceress' plots by using his head, his courage and his very fleet feet. Eventually, the people of his village come to sing songs of praise to this great, small child. The only problem is that Karaba's lair lies between the village and the mountain, and she doesn't want anyone knowing her dark secrets. And while such a journey could be very dangerous for such a small boy, Kirikou is learning quite well how to make his tiny size into a big asset. While the animation is not necessarily of the quality Disney can afford to produce, it has its own distinct and appealing flavor.
Landscapes range from desolate and sparse to intimate and lush, drawn in a rich palatte of colors.
Kirikou 's terrific soundtrack is supplied by none other than Senegalese musical icon Youssou N'Dour, who employs only traditional African instruments in the film's various songs and themes. One can't help but fall in love with Kirikou and be frightened of Karaba. And not only are the look and sound of the film complex, rich and appealing, but, as in all good children's stories, so are the movie's many messages. It certainly doesn't bother Kirikou, but then again, he can get past just about anything. Many days after, I still find myself humming various songs from this wonderful movie.