OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes

**OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes** (or simply **OK K.O.!**) is an American action-comedy animated television series created by former *Steven Universe* alumni and *The* *Venture Bros.* director Ian Jones-Quartey exclusively for Cartoon Network, based on Jones-Quartey's pilot *Lakewood Plaza Turbo*, which was released as part of Cartoon Network's 2013 Summer Shorts project.

The entire series was made available on September 1, 2020.

## **Premise**

*OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes* follows the titular character, young K.0., and his efforts to become the world's greatest hero while working at Gar's Bodega, a hero convenience store in the Lakewood Plaza strip mall. Alongside him are his best friends and co-workers Radicles, an apathetic, narcissistic alien, and Enid, a levelheaded big sister-like employee, as well as other heroes who work and frequent the area.

## **Cast**

### Main

* K.O. - The protagonist of the show. He is the son of Carol, and the newest employee at "Gar's Bodega", located in Lakewood Plaza.
* Enid Mettle -  A teenage witch who works as a cashier at the bodega, claiming herself as a ninja. The most practical and down to earth of the bodega employees,
* Radicles - An alien teenager from Planet X, who also works as a shelf stocker at the bodega. Rad slacks off the most out of the trio despite claiming to be all-powerful and showing off.
* Mr. Gar - The overseer of the plaza and owner of the bodega where K.O., Enid, and Rad work. He is tough, serious, and prideful of the plaza and wishes that no harm will come of it. However, he has on occasion shown to not mind his employees slacking as he considers it "normal".
* Carol Kincad - K.O.'s tough yet doting mother and the owner of "Fitness Emotions" at the plaza, usually visited by her friends, Ginger, Gladys, and Gertie. She usually gives her son helpful advice only a mother could give, though it's not always clear what it is she is trying to teach.

## Series Overview

Series Overview
 web shorts
 1
 2
 3

## **Production**

### Conception

While working as a storyboard artist on *Steven Universe*, Ian came up with an idea for a pitch called "Infinite Guy Generator", where a kid would summon different "guys" every episode to fight the villain's evil guys. When creating the pilot, Ian created a world based on that original idea. Later, while working as a co-executive producer still on *Steven Universe*, he used that same idea for a guys generator, that appeared in one episode, which had good reception, coming back later in the second episode of that show.

While developing the *OK K.O*. mobile game and series, Ian eventually expanded the concept of "guys" to include "gals" and "pals" in this universe. Ian even considered renaming the show "G.U.Y.S. G.A.L.S. and P.A.L.S", but thought it was too long for a title.

While the show was in development, it was under a different name, "Mini Maulers". Dendy was originally an elf before changed into a kappa. It was later changed due to a Cartoon Network show existing at the time with the "MM" initials, likely referring to Mighty Magiswords.

### Development

On March 9, on PlayStation's Blog, Chris Waldron VP of Games & Digital Products for Cartoon Network announced a series in the works, along with a video game.  The series was premiered by Cartoon Network on August 1, 2017. The first 6 episodes were released online on June 13, 2017.

To promote *OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes*, Cartoon Network's Chief Content Officer Rob Sorcher hinted many times in an interview that it would become a full series. Its multiple storyboard artists have also been seen on Twitter

The show was traditionally animated in South Korea by Digital eMation and Sunmin Image Pictures. Unlike many animated programs, which are inked on paper and then scanned for coloring, *OK K.O.!* was drawn in pencil. The animators pencil each frame on paper using a light table, and then color them digitally on a layer beneath the transparent line work, to retain a hand-drawn quality. For Jones-Quartey, it was important for the audience to "never forget that these are drawings." This was partially inspired by the first season of *The Simpsons*, which had a loose, rough quality to its animation. In addition, the show's design sense is inspired by *Yoshi's Island*.

### Release

*OK K.O!* was produced by Cartoon Network Studios. On February 4, 2016, a mobile game for Android and iOS was created based on the short web series, premiering alongside the web series on Cartoon Network's YouTube channel and the CN App.

On March 9, 2017, nearly four years after the original short's premiere, Cartoon Network announced that the television series had been greenlit, and it premiered on August 1, 2017.

On December 4, 2017, the series was confirmed to be renewed for a second season, which premiered on May 5, 2018. A third season, which was announced on June 26, 2019, premiered on July 7, 2019; the final episode aired on September 6, 2019.

In 2017, nearly 4 years after the original pilot was released, the show was greenlit and first aired on August 1, 2017. On December 2017, the second season was confirmed to be released.

### Cancellation

It was further revealed that Cartoon Network did not renew the show after Season 3 and it was not Ian's choice to end the show but gave the show crew an opportunity to make a planned ending. It was revealed that the reason why *OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes* ended was not because of ratings.

On June 2019, the third season was renewed. On August 6, 2019, in an interview with *Den of Geek*!, Ian Jones-Quartey has stated that season 3 is the final season and will be airing the series finale in 2019.

On September 6, 2019, the series concluded with an hour event with the final three episodes: "Dendy's Video Channel", "Let's Fight to the End", and "Thank You for Watching the Show".

### Broadcast

Starting on June 7, 2019, online releases of episodes has been opened up to be streamed on Hulu + Live TV than just limited to the Cartoon Network app.

The rest of the series is readily available for streaming and purchasing on digital platforms, such as HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Microsoft Store, YouTube (episodes-only), and Vudu.

## Appearances in other media

K.O. appeared as a video game character in the Craig of the Creek episode, Power Punchers.

## **Trivia**

* The opening sequence was storyboarded by Japanese artist Hiroyuki Imaishi, co-founder of the Japanese animation studio, *Studio Trigger*.
* *OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes* is a storyboard driven show, meaning a team of storyboard artists (usually two) is given an outline by the story writers of which they write all of the dialogue and storyboard the episode.
	+ According to Ian Jones-Quartey, it takes the storyboard artists to draw and write for 5 weeks and revisions department to add details and extra animation for 3 weeks after.
	+ In an interview with the *Talking Simpons*, Ian discussed that the show is drawn in pencil as opposed to ink on paper. The animators pencil each frame on paper using a light table and then color them digitally on a layer beneath the transparent linework.
	+ Storyboards are made with ToonBoom's Storyboard Pro software.
* This series is veteran voice actor Jim Cummings's thirteenth animated television series role in a Cartoon Network production.
* Series creator Ian Jones Quartey was also a storyboard artist on another Cartoon Network series known as Secret Mountain Fort Awesome.

- Films: Ben 10: Race Against Time | Foster's Movie: Destination Imagination | Regular Show: The Movie | Steven Universe: The Movie