Infinity Train has been teased for a while now, but the time has come to step aboard. Cartoon Network recently debuted the 10 episodes, during a 5-night special event. Streaming platform Stan has an exclusive deal with the network in Australia, and thus released the entire first season altogether.
The ride we're about to embark on, sort of looks like an animated version of the train in Snowpiercer. We follow Tulip, a young girl who spends most of her time designing and playing video games. She wants to attend a coding camp to be able to make the most mind-blowing video game anyone's ever seen, there's only one problem: getting there. Her parents aren't able to take her to the camp and so she decides to run away from home in the middle of the night. Glowing green lights pierce through the dead trees as Tulip arrives at the small town train platform, and boards a mysterious train.
Tulip quickly realises this train isn't headed to camp and finds herself in a dreamlike fantasy world where every new car is a new environment with its own inhabitants and challenges. A giant snowman with a door as a belly, opens his doors and all of a sudden she witnesses a hellscape riddled with cockroaches hunting her down. We're not in Kansas anymore. The other weird thing is a fluorescent number on her hand, which gives Tulip the idea she's here to solve a game. She just doesn't know what the rules are and why there aren't any other players on this train.
She does meet a few other creatures, who will guide and help her get through the endless amount of carriages. The first one to join her is One One, a robotic ball with a British accent. One One can split into two - Glad One and Sad One - this wholesome character is looking for its mother, but is clearly as confused as we are in what or who mother really is. While solving puzzles and moving forward through the train, Tulip and One One meet Corgi King, an actual King in the land of Corgis who is able to talk, but never lost the charming mannerisms of an actual dog - treats and belly rubs included. An interesting trio, that wins you over in the blink of an eye.
Tulip meets many other characters on her journey. Some briefly when passing through these truly inventive worlds, some a little bit better when she actually stops to interact with them. In one of the episodes she meets The Cat, a merchant with a double agenda. The game like levels and universes are so fantastical, going from a crystal forrest - crystal giants included - to an underwater society of lubricant blobs.
Random as it might sound, Tulip's story has an emotional core that makes Infinity Train for every age. It addresses the difficulties of divorce and how a child suppresses certain feelings they can't deal with or talk about with a parent. The train seems to be the perfect place to deal with these emotions, as Tulip gets confronted more than once with herself - once even in a mirror world where she has to deal with her reflection. As far as character development goes, this is a feat some live action series can take notes from.
After Adventure Time and Steven Universe, Cartoon Network has another hit on their hands that leaves you wanting more. Lucky for the fans, Infinity Train has already been renewed for another season. Take a ride and lose yourself on the never ending puzzles of the Infinity Train.
