Review: Wilem
The latest offering from Blink Industries for the Adult Swim SMALLS program, Wilem, is a masterclass in how to blend high-concept fantasy with the mundane, agonizing anxieties of the digital age. Directed by James Papper, the short manages to feel like a lost ’90s OVA and a contemporary Discord screen-share session all at once.
The story follows the titular Wilem, a teenage barbarian prince who would much rather be grinding levels in his favorite video game, Village Destroyer VI, than actually destroying a village in real life. When his parents—hardened, bloodthirsty warriors—decide that his 16th birthday is the perfect time to trade his controller for a broadsword, the results are predictably disastrous and hilariously relatable.
The character designs evoke the legendary French artist Moebius, but filtered through a lens of Saturday morning cartoons and early Super Nintendo aesthetics. It’s a “maximalist” approach to 2D animation that rewards repeat viewings.
Underneath the jokes about gaming and “shielded” lifestyles, there is a sharp satirical edge regarding different themes that should hit a lot of different viewers on a number of different levels.
Wilem is a perfect fit for the Adult Swim SMALLS lineup. It’s short, punchy, and visually daring. By taking the “spoiled prince” trope and giving him a high-speed internet connection, James Papper has created a protagonist that feels uniquely suited for the 2020s.
It is a chaotic, beautifully animated reminder that even in a world of monsters and magic, the scariest thing a teenager can face is a dead battery and a parent who wants them to “go outside.”
