Is Marvel's Hit Monkey a HIT?! (Season 1)

 

Overview

This is a show that I had zero clue existed, honestly. Background on how I ran into it, my girlfriend and I were scrolling through shows to watch (which is typically how I end up choosing a show to review) and ran into Hit Monkey. Funnily enough, though I have not heard about the show, I already heard about the character through talks of him joining Marvel Rivals. Hit Monkey begins when a hitman is nursed back to help in Japan by a troop of monkeys. This hitman is being tracked down by criminals and when they finally catch up to him, they kill not only him, but the troop as well. Little do these criminals know, one of the monkeys has been learning about the art of killing from the hitman. Now this monkey is coming for revenge. It's a crazy premise, I know.

A Monkey, or a Hitman?

Honestly, normally a theme comes a bit naturally to me when it comes to these stories, but for Hit Monkey it was a bit different. Though his ghost companion is a bit easier to read, I wanted for the main character to be the focus of this analysis... really understand Hit Monkey. After thinking hard about it, I believe I understand what Season 1 was getting at when it comes to this character. His main conflict is his hitman lifestyle. Though he is good at it, and his conditions has led him down the path, Hit Monkey actually does not like killing people. He comes from a peaceful troop of monkeys. That is the "hit" part of hitman, but the "man" part plays a role as well. Hit Monkey, at the end of the day, is a monkey. One small plotline is that he gets a crush on a human girl. This, obviously, is not meant to work out. What it shows, though, is that Hit Monkey is ultimately losing who he is and becoming someone else who he starts to be unable to recognize. A hitman in a monkey's body. That inner conflict drives the character of Hit Monkey through the show.

Why You Should Watch

This series has it's ups and downs, quite honestly. It's comedy can sometimes really hit and fall flat/be corny at other times. The animation is your typical American adult cartoon kind of animation, so it isn't all that spectacular. When comparing it even to Invincible, the action scenes are noticeably less intense. I will say though, the character interactions and honestly the premise kept me around and it might just do the same for you if you choose to watch. Watching a monkey go around killing people in different ways is exciting if you like action. If you're looking for anything else, you might be a bit disappointed.

 Final Thoughts

Season 1 of Hit Monkey is pretty unspectacular. It is far from unwatchable, but it's not something that necessarily demands your attention. There are moments that will grab you, and moments that will leave you. The premise is amazing, and it delicately balances a protagonist that does not speak at all. It is a great attempt, and while I cannot comfortably say that it is worth a watch, I can also not say it is worth all the way ignoring.

6/10