Mixels

''Mixels'' is an American animated television series that aired on Cartoon Network and was produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Following colorful creatures known as Mixels, the series depicts their exploits involving their ability to combine with one another in order to solve problems or fight against their enemy: the Nixels. The series first aired on February 12, 2014, with a new episode of ''Teen Titans Go!'', and the series ran for two seasons, concluding on October 1, 2016.

Although previous Lego series, such as ''Lego Ninjago'' and '' Lego Legends of Chima'', use CGI animation and are acquired by Cartoon Network, ''Mixels'' made use of Toon Boom Harmony software, animated at Atomic Cartoons, Inc., before later being animated traditionally at Digital eMation, Inc., Big Star Entertainment, Inc., and Saerom Animation, Inc. and is a Cartoon Network original. A mobile app was released for the series on March 4, 2014, named ''Calling All Mixels'', and even earlier two websites, one on the LEGO website and another owned by Cartoon Network, were launched where fans can learn about the Mixels. Nine series of collectible Lego building toys were also released, based on the characters. On February 19, 2014, the series had begun airing as an interstitial program on Boomerang.

The TV series wrapped up production in July 2016, and the series finale aired on October 1, 2016.

Premise

Mixels is set in a fictional planet known as Planet Mixel, where the eponymous creatures live and engage in adventures across diverse lands. Mixels are split into twenty-four tribes based on fantasy elements or city occupations and have individual powers and traits based on these tribes. These creatures are capable of combining with one another to create temporary fusions known as a Mix (combinations of any Mixels), a Max (combinations of three Mixels from one tribe representing their element), or a Murp (uncontrollable combination of any Mixels), using an item known as a Cubit. Opposing the Mixels are the Nixels, led by figures Major Nixel and his boss, King Nixel, who live to tear apart the Mixels, get rid of the Cubits and hate color.

The series' first season follows different Mixels' escapades and differing points of view on how to solve certain problems, always resulting in a Mix. In the second season, the world is expanded as Mixels are revealed to be living on the moon. The city of Mixopolis is introduced: a metropolis housing new Mixel tribes and settings.

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (2014)

Season 2 (2015–16)

Merchandise

Lego Mixels

Lego Mixels (stylized as ''LEGO Mixels'') was a Lego theme based on a variety of tribes living in a fantastical diverse world and are small creatures that can mix and combine with one another to create new characters. The theme was first introduced in 2014. It was eventually discontinued by the end of 2016.

Overview

The Lego Group handles all toy merchandise for the Mixels franchise, and Cartoon Network handles all non-toy merchandising. The Lego Mixels buildable collectible figurines went on sale on March 1, 2014. Each character has their own set, and nine were released as part of series one. For each tribe, one of the three sets contains a Nixel. Series 2 was released at the end of May, and Series 3 was released at the end of August. Series 4 was released on February 1, 2015.

Development

Before Cartoon Network came to Lego, Mixels was called ''Monsters''. It had sets of five in a tribe with overly simple designs. Some design changes include Shuff and Seismo's names being swapped with each other, Shuff having a looser crystal on his head that would have looked more like hair, Vulk's ears being red instead of black, the Nixels coming in various shapes, and Balk originally being shorter and squatter with thinner tentacles and smaller pupils. Kraw was originally named ''Bouncer'', Gobba was ''Chippo'', and Tentro was ''Flexi''; other sources still slip up on Tentro and call him Flexi, though, including the Lego Magazine once.

Lego designer Gemma Anderson explained the importance of the Max figure in designing each tribe's individual figures and stating that, "During the sketching phase, I would consider what the tribe theme is and then work out what the max could be, at the same time wondering how I can use certain parts from the Max in the 3 small Mixels. It's often a case of going back and forth between the 3 models and the Max." Anderson also highlighted the importance in the characters' faces in capturing a unique personality and explained, "The eyes and mouths are a huge part of the personality of the Mixel, changing the eyebrows for example can drastically change the expressions from sad to happy, or even angry! We would often brainstorm on the names of the character; some of them might be inside jokes with the team. One example is 'Tuth' in Series 8, it was a joke in the team that me being from Wales, I pronounce some words a little differently, such as 'tooth' sounding more like 'tuth'. We decided during the naming process, we would try to name that one Mixel how I pronounce it, and we succeeded."

Construction sets

According to BrickLink, The Lego Group released 90 playsets as part of the ''Lego Mixels'' theme. The product line was eventually discontinued by the end of 2016.

Discontinuation

Shortly after Cartoon Network announced that the episode "Nixel Nixel Go Away" will be the series finale, The Lego Group cancelled production of the toy line. As a result, the theme was discontinued.

Controversy

On Lego's promotional website for the series, a ''Mixels'' building set released in 2015 for Turg was described as a "back-of-the-bu
window-licker
, which is considered a derogatory term in the United Kingdom. Following negative reception from British media outlets, an apology statement was issued by Lego, and the term was removed from the product's online description.

Awards and nominations

In 2014, ''Mixels'' won the ''Pocket Money'' award at the London Toy Fair Best New Toy Awards.

See also

* Lego Scooby-Doo
* Lego DC Super Hero Girls
* Lego The Powerpuff Girls
* Lego Unikitty!
* The Lego Movie

Notes

References

External links

*

{{Lego

2014 American animated television series debuts
2016 American television series endings
2010s American animated comedy television series
2010s American children's comedy television series
American children's animated comedy television series
American children's animated fantasy television series
Cartoon Network original programming
Cartoon Network franchises
Lego television series
Lego themes
American flash animated television series
American English-language television shows
Animated television series set on fictional planets