‘Eyes of Wakanda’ Review: A Solid Addition to the World of ‘Black Panther’

Even as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has expanded far beyond the reach of its Sacred Timeline, there are few sub-worlds that are as expansive as Wakanda. While viewers are most familiar with the adventures of Wakanda’s royal family, Marvel Animation’s Eyes of Wakanda takes viewers back to different points in time to highlight Wakanda’s Hatut Zeraze, also known as War Dogs. For those who haven’t revisited 2018’s Black Panther in a while, War Dogs are intelligence operatives who assimilate into the outside world to ensure Wakanda’s security.

Each of the four self-contained episodes follows a different War Dog as they retrieve Vibranium that has escaped Wakanda’s clutches. Eyes of Wakanda starts on a slow note and features a unique animation style that may not appeal to everyone. However, each episode is better than the last, with the four stories converging to make enjoyable viewing for any Black Panther fan. Check out our spoiler-free Eyes of Wakanda review below!

‘Eyes of Wakanda’ Features a New Art Style That Doesn’t Quite Land in Animation

The vibrant Afrofuturistic aesthetic makes the world of Wakanda one of the MCU’s most unique, stunning, and culturally dense achievements to date. The opportunity for visual creativity is boundless, especially in animation. However, while some may enjoy the unique visual style in Eyes of Wakanda, for me, it fell short of expectations. It’s especially disappointing when the War Dogs sneakily use Wakandan technology in ancient worlds, an incredibly cool concept that lacks the execution to match.

Additionally, character movements are weirdly robotic and unnatural. They all move as if they’re in a video game cutscene. Unfortunately, the hand-painted art style didn’t transition well into animation. Thankfully, strong voice performances from the entire cast, particularly Cress Williams as The Lion and Winnie Harlow as Noni, help bring the characters to life regardless.

The War Dog Story Asks Some Important Moral Questions

Eyes of Wakanda fulfills its duties to the larger Black Panther mythos in fun and unexpected ways, but the stories are never diminished as a result of their obligations to the larger Marvel Universe. The connections are tasteful and introduced at the right time, with an exciting plot balanced between action sequences.

The shared internal conflict that the War Dogs in each episode is evocative of both Eternals and Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) in Black Panther. Outside of the whole “superpowered people secretly live among common men” trope in Eternals, the morals that the War Dogs question are the same ones we see Killmonger and the Eternals work through.

How far will one go to fulfill their obligations to their country or ruler? If they have the power to help others, should they stay hidden for safety or share their resources with the world? While four episodes were not enough to fully explore these dilemmas, they do provide a sense of depth that keeps interest high in developing more Wakandan stories.

‘Eyes of Wakanda’ Review: A Successful Entry for Marvel Animation

As the MCU expands into a variety of untapped properties and storylines at its disposal, Eyes of Wakanda provides a break from all the madness. The self-contained stories are easily bingeable, although the animation style may not resonate with all viewers. Although more episodes would’ve made the series even greater, the nearly two-hour story is an enjoyable ride for any fan of the Wakandan corner of the Marvel Universe.

Eyes of Wakanda is now streaming on Disney+. Follow the Agents of Fandom podcast and socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.