The Boondocks

I’m usually not a big fan of anime shows with their explicit scenes of violence and fighting. However, there is one show that is considered in the anime category that I can’t stop watching. This show is called The Boondocks. The show began in 2005 on Adult Swim and continued to make 3 seasons. Currently, season 4 is in the making.

This show consists of two 8 year old’s name Huey and Riley who are polar opposites of each other politically and morally.  Huey is the voice of reason, extremely liberal socially and underestimated by his family and ridiculed for having such radical views and having goals higher then from which he came. He is a strong believer for “Afrocentrism” and is wiser then most 8 year olds. Riley is completely opposite, interested in gangster related activities and committing crimes; he's into modern mainstream hip-hop and living the life of rappers on TV. They are both raised by their Grandad, who is very outspoken and moved his grandchildren to a suburban neighborhood called Woodcrest to have a better life. 

The first thing I love about this show is the social issues that they cover. Because they are one of the only African American families in Woodcrest, the show deals with such issues as African American vs. White Culture (exaggerates each races culture in order to juxtapose them), racial struggle with law enforcement, racism, and current events and pop culture. Obviously because of these issues the show is deemed as controversial. They push the limits with the heavy use of the word “ni***” and was voted as 5th most controversial cartoon of all time in Time Magazine. 

Other then it’s controversial topics, the show is known for it’s music. A lot of the extensive fight scenes in the show are played with hip-hop music over it. These occur in almost every episode and the it is usually underground rap. This music plays a large role in the show and the songs usually have a political theme and were written for the show specifically. There are also many celebrities that voice the characters.

I highly recommend this show to anyone who loves animated shows that push the limits of what is acceptable on TV. You do not need to have watched past episodes to understand what is going on in the show, so you can start by watching Season 4 this year when it comes out!