Citation: Gutiérrez, J. R. (Executive Producer). (2021). Maya and the Three [TV Series]. Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80244283
Content Warning: A major series element is war, including the death of secondary and major characters. The violence is not graphic (no gore), but it is a consistent presence. Injury (broken bones and paralysis) are a running gag.
When Maya learns that she is the daughter and future sacrifice of the gods, she must learn the truth of her people’s prophecy and bring the nearby kingdoms together in the ultimate race against time. Only united can they defeat the god of war.
Maya and the Three has some great elements. Though the art style is bizarre, the cinematography really elevates it. The animators have a lot of fun by, for example, having characters peek out of the frame to add excitement or emphasize size.
But many story elements are rushed or poorly justified in execution. Things are just kind of presumed but aren’t necessarily well-established, like the romantic subplots. I think these subplots are meant to age up this series, and instead they take away from the main plot. Others aren’t given the weight they deserve, which goes hand-in-hand with the rushed elements.