As a fan of animation, I always find great joy in discovering new shows or movies. When news of a new animated series hits my phone, I can't help but get excited as I wait to see what will come. I am especially excited when I find out that the new show or movie has a plot dealing with magic, the supernatural, or the paranormal. For me, these genres do well to provide animators a chance to build really intriguing worlds and create unique characters that only animation can exaggerate to the limits. So when I saw that Cartoon Network was going to release a show about a train with infinite cars with infinite possibilities, I was completely sold without a doubt. I watched the original pilot when it hit the internet and was drawn into the premise and interesting character designs. I couldn't wait to see this concept fully realized and when the show finally started to release episodes, I buckled in for the wild ride.

Let me tell you, it was a wild ride. For me, the show was composed in such a lovely way; each element worked so well to create a wonderful and pleasing final product. The main characters were so pleasing to watch move and interact onscreen and were so incredibly lovable. The visuals were wonderful and I cannot speak enough about the wonderful amount of creativity that went into crafting this show. The story was especially nice to watch and it dealt with the concepts of change and family very well in order to create such a touching final piece. Overall I thought that this show was well handled and I cannot wait to see how the next mini season will handle the world and characters created in the first one.

However, as I finished watching the show, I couldn't help but be drawn back to the idea of the mini series. I remember Cartoon Network's other popular mini series, "Over the Garden Wall," and how well it did with the cartoon-loving public. The story and world were enchanting to witness on screen as the show dragged you out of your seat and often times, your comfort zone. For me, it was a show that gave off a creepy vibe at times and was excellent at doing so. I loved the unnerving feeling this story created and the story and characters just really fell into place. Once again, this show was a wonderful masterpiece and I remember it fondly.

It seems like when animated shows really focus on the idea of the mini series, it has the real potential to do very well. However, I must wonder, what exactly ABOUT the mini series makes it work so well for viewers? Is it the length? The characters? The story? In a way, I believe that it may be a combination of all of this and more.

Fundamentally, I think the length of a series has a lot to do with the strength of the animated mini series. For both "Over the Garden Wall" and "Infinity Train," we only got ten episodes. Now, when you think of a normal show, this isn't a lot to work with in terms of characters and story. However, I think this works to the advantage of creativity and expression. There are only ten episodes of the show so little time for plot and characters leaves a lot of chance to showcase the wild creativity. You have to make up for the little time so we get grand animated gestures of creativity with wild worlds, amazing characters, and off the wall visuals. With less time to leave an impact, a show like this needs to hit hard with an impression; so, as a result, we get a creative piece with really thought out visuals.

And thinking is such an integral part of the mini series success process. A longer show gives writers and creators more leeway in terms of story telling; you have much more wiggle room to insert character development and plot points throughout the series. However, with a smaller show you have much less time to act. That is why so much thought must be put into each and every minute of the show. Everything must be planned perfectly in order to get the show and its plot across the viewers in a way that is visually interesting and enjoyable. As a result, you get the good feeling that a lot of care and passion went into the project making it a thoughtful and heartfelt production.

Cartoon mini shows, from what we have seen, are absolutely lovely to watch. I for one cannot wait until the next one hits the screen.