Ledo and Ix are characters in an 8-bit fantasy roleplaying game, who, in their travels together, notice that there is something different about everyone around them. Written and animated by Emily Carmichael, and released on PATV from 2008-2009. The series can be streamed here.
I never got into the old Final Fantasy or Legend of Zelda games until, like, recently. So there's not a whole lot of nostalgic factor for me and I suspected that the success of Ledo and Ix was going to rely on fond memories I don't have. But creator Emily Carmichael has tapped into something about these games that is touching and at times verges on profound. Ledo and Ix are both very engaging characters, frustrated and confused by the limitations of the world they live in, and it's impressive how much emotion Carmichael is able to convey with no voice actors and very simple animation. Of course it's not all metafictional existentialism; it's also really funny most of the time, and the gags don't get stale in the way they could. But when it's not being a comedy, it's strangely forlorn and haunting. It's really great stuff, and it makes me more excited about the potential of web-based creative media.
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