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Rabbids Invasion
Rabbids Invasion
Rabbids Invasion
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Rabbids Invasion
Original French title card
FrenchLes Lapins Crétins: Invasion
GenreComedy
Slapstick
Based onRabbids
by Ubisoft
Developed byJean-Louis Momus
Voices ofDamien Laquet
Matthew Géczy
David Coburn
David Gasman
Barbara Scaff
Theme music composerLa Belle Equipe
ComposerLa Belle Equipe
Country of originFrance
United States
Original languagesFrench
English
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes104 (309 segments + 1 special) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Jean-Julien Baronnet (S1–3)
  • Didier Lupfer (S1–2)
  • Yves Guillemot (S4)
  • Gérard Guillemot (S4)
Producers
  • Frédéric Thonet
  • Fannie Pailloux (S1–3)
  • Damien Leyris (S2)
  • Ruben Berissi (S3)
EditorJulien Hell
Running time20–21 minutes (7 minutes per segment)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkFrance 3 (France)
Nickelodeon / Nicktoons (U.S., 2013–2017)
Netflix (U.S., 2019)
Release3 August 2013 (2013-08-03) –
26 December 2018 (2018-12-26)

Rabbids Invasion (French: Les Lapins Crétins: Invasion) is an animated television series based on Ubisoft's Rabbids video game series. It is a co-production of Ubisoft Film & Television, TeamTO, and France Télévisions. The show was developed by Jean-Louis Momus, and stars Damien Laquet as the voice of the Rabbids.

The show premiered on 3 August 2013 on France 3. The first three seasons, each with 26 episodes, aired between 2013 and 2017. A fourth and final season aired in 2018 and it was released worldwide through Netflix on 1 July 2019.[1][2] An hour-long follow-up after the series finale,[3] titled Rabbids Invasion: Mission to Mars, premiered in France on 29 September 2021 and on Netflix as an original film on February 18, 2022.[4]

Plot

[edit]

The first season is about the titular Rabbids spreading mischief and chaos everywhere they go. In Season 2, most of the episodes involve the Rabbids desperately trying to get to the moon (likely inspired by the game Rabbids Go Home). In Season 3, the Rabbids role play various human behaviors while incorporating time-traveling as a recurring theme (loosely inspired by the game Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time), while in Season 4, a small group of Rabbids form an alliance with a human named Zak as they search for an illusive flying submarine.

Characters

[edit]

Rabbids

[edit]
  • Rabbid Leader is a smarter Rabbid with Heterochromia iridum, which distinguishes him from the other rabbids for having one of his eyes colored red. He sometimes appears as the bossy, permanently aggressive leader of a small group of rabbids. He only appears in Season 1.
  • Professor Mad Rabbid (or Mad Rabbid) is a Rabbid who is a mad scientist. His various inventions kick off several of the plots. He was once a normal rabbid who became such after seeing a picture of a mad scientist, turning himself into the stock character's likeliness. He became a fly/Rabbid hybrid in the episode "Mad Fly Rabbid". In "Mad Rabbid and Leonardo's Astrolabe", he wants to go to Pretzel Island. In the two-part series finale "Mad Rabbid on Pretzel Island", he manages to finally arrive on Pretzel Island.
  • Lapinibernatus (or Ancestral Rabbid) is a Rabbid from a time long past when the Rabbids weren't as stupid. Lapinibernatus is shorter than modern Rabbids and has a beard and hair. In the second part of the two-part series finale "Mad Rabbid on Pretzel Island", he took control of the sub and tried to take over the world, but he was defeated. He appeared for a few episodes in Season 1 but became a main character in Season 3 and 4 where in the former season he was trying to get back into his time period where the rabbids were still civilized.
  • Mini Rabbid is a Rabbid who shrunk in the wash. Tends to be babied by his fellow Rabbids, and his small size makes him much more vulnerable to the usual Rabbid slapstick. In the episode "Mini Rabbid vs. Giant Chicken", he was tired of being short so Mad Rabbid successfully made him bigger. In the episode "Santa Rabbid vs. the Christmas Turkey", he screamed whenever he got upset, but he managed to get a toy for Christmas. In the episode "Rabbid 000 vs. The Son of Dark Rabbid", He was abandoned by Rabbid 000 and joined Dark Rabbid's forces.
  • Female Rabbid is a Rabbid who wears a blonde wig and presents itself as feminine. Like many Rabbids whose characters are defined by their costumes, it is unknown whether this is a single Rabbid or different ones who take on the role. However, the female Rabbid has been known to do other cosplay on top of her wig. Another female Rabbid with a shorter black wig has also appeared in the series.
  • CSI Rabbids are two Rabbid investigators: A male Rabbid who wears sunglasses and a baseball cap or police cap and speaks in a lower, "tough" voice, and a female Rabbid who speaks in a typical female Rabbid falsetto. They terribly fight crime.
  • Mafia Rabbids are a group of (usually) three low-voiced Rabbids with various features drawn on in black marker who tend to act like stereotypical tough criminals. These Rabbids are often seen in Rabbid Jail (during episodes where Rabbid Jail exists).
  • Rabbid 000 is a Rabbid parody of James Bond. He is often seen fighting Dark Rabbid.
  • Dark Rabbid is a villainous Rabbid who planned on destroying the Earth's Moon, but now focuses on destroying Rabbid 000.

Humans

[edit]
  • Thimothy Gluant (or Timothy Gluant) is a background character and main antagonist of Scout Rabbids and R.C. Rabbid. Thimothy is very spoiled and is prone to tantrums. He is Tina Glaunt's son.
  • Tina Glaunt is Thimothy Gluant's mom.
  • Zak is a nervous teenager who initially saw the Rabbids as legitimate alien invaders to be hunted, but later warmed up to them.
  • Zoe is Alice and Junior's babysitter and Zak's girlfriend.
  • John is a scientist who is studying the behavior of the Rabbids. He finds himself struggling alongside his colleague Gina in figuring them and what they're capable of out.
  • Gina is John's assistant.
  • Alice Gassman (or Alice for short) is a young girl who befriends the Rabbids and is the big sister of Junior Gassman. She has short blonde hair, blue eyes, a pink shirt that has a ghost on it, dark blue pants, yellow and pink socks, and dark pink shoes. In the episode "Lost Rabbids", She became trapped with the Rabbids in a supermarket after its closure. In the episode "Queen of Rabbids", she became a star attraction for the Rabbids because she had magician powers.
  • Junior Gassman (or Junior for short) is the baby brother of Alice Gassman and son of Mr. Gassman and Ashton Lincoln. Unlike Alice, He is shorter than her and has blonde hair, blue eyes, and wears a Rabbit outfit. Junior is prone to crying and will start crying over anything, even over the smallest of things. In the episode "Rabbid Babysitting", he was in his nursery dressed up as a rabbit and playing with a toy rocket until the babysitter turned on the lullaby music box. He fell asleep hearing it. But, The Rabbids (who were the intruders) entered his nursery, woke him up without making him cry and followed the Rabbids up to their rocket. Later, The Rabbids successfully calmed him down and tried to give him to the babysitter, only to get the door closed by the Rabbid who was treated by the babysitter. In the episode "Mini-Rabbid", he tried to play with Mini Rabbid until he got burped by Zoe, making him bawl. In the episode "Rabbid Test Pilot", He was taken to the supermarket while a Rabbid tried to use him as a test pilot. In the episode "Nanny Rabbid", He was taken to prehistory with the Rabbids. After accidentally making him cry so loudly that it was heard above the trees and almost deafened the Rabbids, The Rabbids used a bug as a makeshift pacifier for him, making him calm down by putting it in his mouth mid-wail. While the Rabbids jump and eat flies, a caveman tries to save him from a dinosaur. Later, While the Rabbids were playing a game of jumping up and eating flies, He was playing with the bug the Rabbids used as a pacifier next to a dinosaur until he sneezed. After falling on his bottom, His crying scared the dinosaur, making it run into the caveman who tried to save him. The Rabbids put the bug (which acts as a pacifier) into his mouth to make him stop, only for him to spit it out and poop his diaper. He was taken back to the present with the now-deafened Rabbids after the caveman ate the bug the Rabbids gave to him for sucking on like a pacifier and for playing with, making him cry very loudly and almost deafening the caveman family. In season 4, His voice is realistic baby sounds.
  • Ashton Lincoln (or Ashton Gassman) is an irritable enemy of the Rabbids. She is a frequent target of their antics. She is the ex-wife of Mr. Gassman and mother of Alice Gassman and Junior Gassman.
  • Otto Torx is the antagonist of season 4 and an egotistical supervillain who wants the world to recognize his genius. He was defeated in the episode "Mad Rabbid and Leonardo's Astrolabe".

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Rabbids Invasion episodes
SeasonSegmentsEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
17826August 3, 2013 (2013-08-03)December 6, 2014 (2014-12-06)
27826October 11, 2014 (2014-10-11)June 14, 2016 (2016-06-14)
37826June 21, 2016 (2016-06-21)June 23, 2017 (2017-06-23)
47626September 1, 2018 (2018-09-01)December 26, 2018 (2018-12-26)
Mission to MarsSeptember 29, 2021 (2021-09-29)

Production

[edit]

In October 2010, Ubisoft and Aardman announced a partnership to produce a TV series pilot and several shorts based on the Rabbids franchise.[5] The following year, it was announced that 78 animated episodes would be made by Ubisoft's Montreuil-based studio Ubisoft Motion Pictures as its first in-house production.[6] In the United States, the series premiered on Nickelodeon on 3 August 2013.[7] On 17 December 2013, the series was renewed for a second season of 26 half-hour blocks, with three segments per block.[8] On 16 June 2015, it was renewed for a third season.[9]

A fourth and final season was announced in July 2018. This season was not aired by Nickelodeon, and it instead aired on France 3 and Netflix.[10]

Broadcast

[edit]

The series airs on France 3 in France. In China, Rabbids Invasion ranked as the most-watched children's television series in 2017, having gathered over a billion views.[11] Disney Channel Asia premiered the fourth and final season of Rabbids Invasion on 8 July 2019.

In the United States, from 3 August 2013 onward, the first season (and several episodes of the second season) aired on Nickelodeon. The rest of the second season and all of the third season aired only on the Nicktoons channel. The fourth and final season was not aired in the United States until Netflix released it in July 2019.[12] In 2023, the series was picked up by the U.S. video-on-demand service Kabillion.[13]

Reception

[edit]

Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the show two out of five stars, stating: "Rabbids Invasion tones down the violence for the characters' jump from gaming to the TV, but they still have a lot of fun at the expense of each other and unsuspecting bystanders, and a lot of their antics would be frowned upon in the real world (using chickens' buttocks as egg shooters in a mock battle, for instance). Ultimately, though, it's crude and minimally taxing on viewers' sense of comprehension, so for better or worse, it's bound to appeal to the grade-school set."[14]

The show was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Kids: Animation at the 50th International Emmy Awards for its TV special/film Rabbids Invasion: Mission to Mars.

Video game

[edit]

Rabbids Invasion was adapted into an interactive TV series, titled Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show.[15] The game which combines existing television episodes with a series of challenges, was released on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in November 2014, requiring a Kinect or PlayStation Camera, respectively.[16]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Rabbids Invasion

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Rabbids Invasion is a CGI-animated children's television series based on the Rabbids video game franchise developed by Ubisoft, featuring mischievous, googly-eyed alien rabbits who wreak slapstick havoc on Earth through chaotic and humorous antics. The show, produced by Ubisoft Film and Television, follows the non-verbal Rabbids as they explore human environments—from supermarkets to the North Pole—using gadgets like a flying yellow submarine or a teleportation device called the Teleporta-TV, often leading to bizarre and destructive encounters. The series premiered on August 3, 2013, on in the United States and on in , as a co-production between Motion Pictures, , , and the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC). Each half-hour episode consists of three independent short segments emphasizing and minimal dialogue, targeted at children aged 7 and older. Rabbids Invasion ran for four seasons from 2013 to 2019, amassing over 3.4 billion views globally and expanding its reach through streaming on in more than 20 languages starting in 2019. The series marked 's first major foray into original animated television content, blending elements from the games with Looney Tunes-style humor, and inspired related media including an game adaptation. A one-hour special, Rabbids Invasion: , was released in 2021.

Premise and Format

Plot Overview

Rabbids Invasion is an animated television series centered on a group of mischievous, blue-eyed, rabbit-like aliens known as the , who originate from Ubisoft's series and crash-land on aboard a malfunctioning spaceship. Upon arrival, these chaotic creatures embark on nonsensical escapades, disrupting human society with their unpredictable antics and signature "Bwaaah!" exclamations. The core theme revolves around comedy, emphasizing physical humor and minimal dialogue to highlight the Rabbids' destructive curiosity and interactions with unsuspecting humans. The series unfolds across four seasons, each introducing evolving story arcs while maintaining a family-friendly tone of absurd, lighthearted mayhem. Season 1 primarily explores the Rabbids' initial invasions of Earth, showcasing their haphazard attempts to adapt and cause everyday mischief in suburban settings. In Season 2, the narrative shifts to the Rabbids' obsessive pursuit of the moon, leading to a series of rocket-fueled misadventures. Season 3 delves into time travel and role-playing escapades, where the Rabbids utilize a makeshift time machine to hop through historical eras and fantastical scenarios, amplifying their disruptive humor. Finally, Season 4 centers on a reluctant alliance between a select group of Rabbids and a young human inventor named Zak, as they navigate global quests aboard a discovered yellow submarine to combat an emerging threat.

Episode Structure and Animation Style

Rabbids Invasion episodes typically run for approximately 22 minutes and are structured as compilations of two to three short segments, each lasting 5 to 7 minutes, allowing for quick, self-contained bursts of comedy. While most installments follow this multi-segment format, occasional specials and select episodes feature longer, full-length stories that extend beyond the standard runtime. The series employs 3D CGI animation produced by , characterized by exaggerated, cartoonish movements that emphasize humor and physical comedy. This style draws inspiration from classic shorts, such as those featuring the Road Runner, where initial setups lead to escalating, nutty antics driven by improbable scenarios. Dialogue is minimal, limited primarily to variations of the Rabbids' signature "Bwah!" exclamations, with humor relying instead on expressive facial animations, visual gags, and recurring sound effects like frenetic screams and impact noises to convey chaos. Art direction utilizes vibrant, bright colors and dynamic camera angles to heighten the sense of disorder, while physics-based elements—such as elastic deformations, improbable contraptions, and unrealistic collisions—amplify the cartoonish absurdity. Early seasons focus predominantly on standalone chaotic escapades, whereas later ones, including Season 4, introduce more structured narratives alongside recurring props like the Rabbids' spaceship for travel and mischief.

Characters

The Rabbids

The are the central characters in Rabbids Invasion, portrayed as mischievous hare-like extraterrestrials who invade and cause chaos through their impulsive actions. These indestructible and uncontrollable beings exhibit childlike curiosity and destructiveness, treating everything as a source of amusement while showing no regard for conventions or social norms. They communicate solely through loud "Bwaaah!" exclamations, gestures, and , emphasizing their alien, non-verbal nature that drives the series' humor. In the narrative, the function as anti-heroes, unintentionally sparking mayhem in short segments as they explore various settings, from modern cities to historical eras. While lacking fixed individual personalities, they rely on recurring archetypes for comedic variety, often appearing in small packs that highlight chaotic group dynamics rather than deep personal development. Among notable variants, Lapinibernatus stands out as an ancient, intelligent ancestor with a beard, depicted in flashbacks as a leader-like figure guiding or reacting to the modern Rabbids' antics. The Mad Rabbid, a hyperactive inventor and self-proclaimed professor, frequently initiates plots through his wild scientific experiments and gadgets. Other differentiated Rabbids include the Opera Singer variant, who belts out dramatic arias in musical scenarios, and Zombie Rabbid types, which shamble through horror-themed episodes as infectious, groaning pests. These archetypes enhance the humor by contrasting the core Rabbids' uniformity with specialized behaviors and accessories.

Human Characters

The human characters in Rabbids Invasion primarily function as foils to the Rabbids' disruptive antics, embodying everyday normalcy that is repeatedly upended by the alien invaders' unpredictable behavior. These figures often experience frustration, fear, or eventual reluctant partnerships with the Rabbids, adding emotional stakes to the comedy through their reactions to the chaos. Recurring humans appear alongside one-off civilians such as farmers, police officers, and visitors, who typically serve as short-term victims of the Rabbids' schemes, highlighting the invasion's widespread impact on ordinary life. A key recurring human is Alice Gassman, a sweet and kind-hearted young girl who discovers the and frequently attempts to manage or befriend them amid their escapades, emerging as a prominent figure from Season 2 onward. As the older sister to Junior Gassman and daughter of Mr. Gassman and Ashton Lincoln (formerly Mrs. Gassman), Alice treats the like playmates, differing from most humans' fearful responses, and aids them in episodes involving escapes or disguises. Her interactions underscore themes of innocence disrupted by absurdity, as she navigates the ' mischief with optimism. Various one-off civilians, including farmers whose fields are trampled and police officers chasing the fugitives, reinforce the theme of disrupted routine, appearing in isolated episodes to amplify the scale of the Rabbids' impact without long-term development. In later seasons, additional recurring humans include Zak, a nervous teenager who initially hunts the but later befriends them and allies with a group in Season 4 to search for a ; his girlfriend Zoe, who serves as a babysitter to Alice and Junior; and scientists John and Gina, who study Rabbid behavior and provide insights into their origins. Over Seasons 3 and 4, characters become more integrated into the narratives, shifting from mere victims to active collaborators or family-like figures in the ' world, allowing for deeper exploration of partnerships amid ongoing chaos. This evolution contrasts the ' unchanging whimsy with human adaptability, enhancing the series' blend of humor and mild heart.

Production

Development History

originated as a television spin-off from 's popular franchise, with development traces back to an October 2010 pilot announcement with , and full production beginning in 2011 under the newly formed Motion Pictures division, established that January to extend the characters' chaotic, humor beyond gaming. In 2012, entered into co-production partnerships with the French animation studio and broadcaster , securing an initial commission for 52 seven-minute segments structured as 26 half-hour episodes. Key milestones encompassed pilot production in 2012, the greenlighting and premiere of Season 1 in 2013 on and , subsequent renewals—including a second season commission in —and expansion to a total of 104 episodes across four seasons concluding in 2018. The series' creative direction was overseen by Jean-Louis Momus, who integrated lore from the games with fresh narrative elements tailored for young viewers, from preschoolers to tweens.

Creative Team and Animation Process

The creative team behind Rabbids Invasion was led by developer Jean-Louis Momus, who adapted the franchise into a television format, with direction handled by a rotating group of animators including Stéphane Mit (directing 16 episodes across seasons 1–3), Franz Kirchner (10 episodes spanning all seasons), and Fabien Ouvrard (7 episodes in seasons 1–2). Writing duties were shared among Motion Pictures staff, focusing on short, self-contained scenarios to mirror the games' chaotic humor, while ensuring narrative ties to the alien origins and mischievous personality. Voice acting emphasized non-verbal expression, with French original performer Damien Laquet providing the signature "Bwaaaah!" grunts and laughs for the generic across all 104 half-hour episodes (312 segments); the English dub featured voicing multiple human characters like Nansen and Grandpa, alongside Barbara Scaff as Gina, Alice, and various female roles, prioritizing exaggerated vocalizations over dialogue to preserve the characters' mute, game-inspired dynamic. The animation process relied on 3D computer-generated techniques, primarily using for modeling, rigging, and rendering the ' elastic, over-the-top movements that echoed their antics, such as sudden jumps and facial distortions for comedic effect. Frame-by-frame keyframing allowed animators to exaggerate poses and physics simulations for sequences, like the ' frequent crashes and bounces, while keeping production efficient for the 7-minute segments. complemented this visual style by layering cartoonish effects—such as anvil hits, screeches, and boings from libraries like Hollywoodedge and Boom Library—over minimal spoken lines, creating a chaotic audio landscape that amplified the humor without relying on words. Production occurred on a mid-scale for children's animation, with French studio serving as the primary animation partner in and Bourg-lès-Valence, handling the bulk of CGI work under Film & Television's oversight to integrate story elements from the Raving Rabbids game canon, such as the creatures' extraterrestrial invasions and gadget mishaps. Each season of 26 half-hour episodes (52 segments) took approximately 12–18 months to complete, aligning with the airing gaps between 2013 and 2018, though specific budgets were not publicly disclosed; ensured cross-media consistency by reviewing scripts for game lore fidelity. A key challenge was adapting the Rabbids' silent, from games to linear TV, where the lack of player input required tighter pacing to sustain short-segment energy without dialogue-driven plots, often balancing standalone gags with subtle season-long arcs like recurring human foils. This non-verbal approach demanded innovative for expressive , while coordinating between Ubisoft's game division and TeamTO's animators ensured the characters' whimsical chaos translated effectively to broadcast without alienating young audiences.

Broadcast and Distribution

Original Airings and Seasons

Rabbids Invasion premiered in the United States on on August 3, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. ET/PT, with the debut episode featuring the segments "Omelet Party," "Rabbid Mollusk," and "Rabbid, Are You There?". In its home country of , the series debuted on on October 19, 2013. The show also began airing on in the US shortly after the launch, contributing to its initial domestic broadcast strategy. Episodes were typically scheduled weekly in most regions, allowing for consistent viewer engagement during the early seasons. Each of the four seasons consists of 26 half-hour episodes, each comprising three approximately seven-minute segments, produced as follows: Season 1 between 2013 and 2014, Season 2 between 2014 and 2016, Season 3 in 2016–2017, and Season 4 in 2018, excluding three pilot shorts produced in 2012. In total, the series comprises 104 episodes (312 segments) across its main run. Nickelodeon and broadcast Seasons 1 through 3 in the , aligning with the network's partnership with Motion Pictures. However, the partnership concluded in 2017, resulting in Season 4 being limited to international outlets and not airing on linear television at the time. This shift marked the end of the show's primary domestic TV presence after three successful seasons on the platforms.

International Release and Streaming

Rabbids Invasion has been broadcast internationally in numerous countries through various networks, including , , and local broadcasters in regions such as , , and the Americas. The series achieved significant popularity in , where it ranked as the most-watched children's television program in 2017, accumulating over one billion views by that year. By 2018, it had become the top-rated children's show on Chinese television, surpassing two billion views overall. Collaborations with platforms like in , in , and in facilitated its reach in these markets. The series became available for streaming on Netflix starting in 2019, with the first three seasons added to the platform in the United States in 2018 and expanding worldwide the following year. Season 4 premiered exclusively on Netflix in select regions on July 1, 2019, remaining accessible until its removal from the service on July 1, 2025. As of November 2025, episodes are available for digital purchase and streaming on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV (via iTunes) in the United States and France. Additionally, the official Ubisoft YouTube channel offers free clips, compilations, and select full episodes for global viewers. Home media releases have been limited primarily to France, with DVD compilations of Seasons 1 and 2 issued between 2013 and 2015, including volumes covering the first 13 episodes released on November 20, 2013, and complete Season 1 collections. There have been no official physical releases in the United States beyond digital options, and no Blu-ray editions have been produced worldwide. In some regions, minor edits were made to tone down to comply with local broadcast standards.

Episodes and Specials

Season Summaries

Season 1 introduces the chaotic arrival of the on , where the mischievous creatures embark on invasions that disrupt everyday human settings through a series of standalone comedic gags. The season consists of 26 half-hour episodes, each comprising three approximately 7-minute segments that highlight absurd scenarios, such as the taking over a or causing mayhem on a . In Season 2, the begin to form bonds with humans, particularly by befriending a young girl named Alice, who aids their escapades. A recurring plotline revolves around their attempts to reach the , blending ongoing adventures with the introduction of more consistent human elements across 26 episodes. Season 3 expands the antics through the use of a time machine, enabling travels to various historical periods filled with parodies of famous events and figures. The humor emphasizes role-playing and exaggerated reenactments, distributed over 26 episodes that build on the characters' disruptive tendencies in new temporal contexts. Season 4 marks the series' conclusion with the discovering a , which propels them into global explorations and encounters with new allies. Spanning 26 episodes, the season features alliances formed against emerging threats, fostering deeper interactions among the and human characters. Across the four seasons, the series evolves from purely episodic, gag-driven invasions to incorporating serialized elements, such as recurring human relationships and overarching quests.

Mission to Mars Special

Rabbids Invasion: Mission to Mars is a 70-minute animated television special serving as a standalone follow-up to the Rabbids Invasion series, premiering on France Télévisions' Okoo channel on September 29, 2021, and later released internationally on Netflix on February 18, 2022. Produced in a longer format than the series' typical 7- to 21-minute episodes, the special emphasizes a more cohesive narrative while retaining the chaotic humor central to the Rabbids franchise. It marks the first major animated project from Ubisoft following the conclusion of the series' fourth season, extending the Rabbids' adventures into a sci-fi setting that echoes the extraterrestrial themes from their video game origins. The plot centers on a group of recruited by the fictional Nebulous Industries for a pioneering mission to colonize Mars, led by the intelligent and bearded Rabbid known as Scribbles (previously Lapinibernatus in the series), who dreams of connecting with Martian aliens. Accompanied by fellow Disco, Cosmo, and Mini, Scribbles and his team navigate a rocket journey filled with mishaps, only to discover an ulterior motive: the company's plan to destroy Mars for resource extraction. Upon landing, the encounter blob-like, three-eyed Martian creatures and engage in interstellar antics to thwart the threat, blending comedy with themes of unlikely heroism and environmental peril. Co-produced by Ubisoft Film & Television Paris, , and Anima, with additional involvement from , the special was directed by Franz Kirchner and utilized Blender 2.83 for animation, with storyboards and pre-visualization handled by Supamonks. Production commenced in January 2020, focusing on a self-contained story to appeal to both existing fans and new audiences through its expanded runtime and plot-driven structure, which contrasts the series' episodic format by building toward a climactic resolution. This sci-fi emphasis ties back to the Rabbids' debut in the Rayman Raving Rabbids games, where their chaotic invasions often involved otherworldly elements. The special received recognition for its animation quality, earning a nomination for the International Emmy Award in the Kids: category at the 2022 ceremony, highlighting its success as a post-series extension that revitalized the franchise's appeal.

Reception

Critical Reviews

Critical reviews of Rabbids Invasion have been generally mixed, with professional outlets highlighting both its visual strengths and narrative shortcomings. recommends the series for ages 7 and older, commending the vibrant, energetic animation that captures the chaotic spirit of the original video games while toning down the violence for television, but criticizing the shallow, repetitive gags that prioritize crude humor over meaningful storytelling. The show also averages 5.5 out of 10 on , based on ratings from over 2,500 users, reflecting a similar divide in perceptions of its accessibility versus predictability. Critics praised the series for its universal appeal, achieved through minimal dialogue—primarily the Rabbids' signature "Bwah!" exclamations—and a focus on visual, comedy that transcends language barriers, making it engaging for young global audiences. This faithful adaptation of the game's mischievous, indestructible characters was seen as a strength, delivering fast-paced antics reminiscent of classic cartoons like or , with the animation's fluid, expressive style enhancing the physical humor. However, reviews frequently pointed to weaknesses in writing and character depth, noting the over-reliance on formulaic that results in predictable scenarios lacking emotional or intellectual substance. Plugged In emphasized the absence of moral lessons or character growth, describing the content as chaotic and potentially "mindless" for older viewers despite its harmless nature for children. Family Friendly Gaming's assessment of season four underscored this, scoring it 74 out of 100 and critiquing the repetitive plots and limited character intelligence, which diminished the freshness seen in earlier installments.

Audience Response and Awards

In , Rabbids Invasion achieved significant popularity, ranking as the most-watched in 2017 and accumulating over two billion views across platforms by 2018. This success highlighted the series' strong appeal in the Asian market, where it outperformed other kids' programming in ratings and engagement. In contrast, U.S. viewership on started strong with the 2013 premiere attracting 2.6 million total viewers, but declined in subsequent seasons, with later episodes drawing as low as 120,000 viewers by 2016. Audience reception has been mixed, particularly among families and franchise fans, with the series praised for its chaotic, slapstick humor suitable for young children but criticized for becoming repetitive and less engaging in later seasons. User reviews on platforms like IMDb note that while early episodes captured the zany essence of the Rabbids video games, extended formats in Seasons 3 and beyond led to fatigue, though some appreciated improvements in animation and storytelling by Season 4. On YouTube, official compilations and episodes released between 2023 and 2025 have continued to garner millions of views, such as a 2025 summer-themed video exceeding 1.2 million, demonstrating sustained online interest among global viewers. As of 2025, the official YouTube channel has released additional new episodes continuing the Season 4 numbering, including Halloween-themed content in late 2024, attracting hundreds of thousands of views per episode and indicating a digital revival of the series. The series received formal recognition primarily through its 2022 Netflix special, Rabbids Invasion: Mission to Mars, which earned a nomination for an International Emmy Award in the Kids: Animation category but did not win. The main series itself garnered no major Emmy wins or similar honors. By 2025, the show's legacy has fueled discussions around reviving the broader franchise, particularly through video games developed by the studio behind Mario + , but no new traditional broadcast seasons of the animated series have been confirmed.

Video Game Adaptation

Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show is a motion-controlled developed and published by . Released on November 18, 2014, for , , and , it serves as a direct of the , blending interactive with elements from the show. The game was developed by Barcelona and requires the PlayStation Camera for the PS4 version or for Xbox platforms to facilitate full-body motion tracking. In terms of , players engage in over 400 mini-games that recreate and expand upon segments from the Invasion TV series. These activities involve mimicking the chaotic antics of the Rabbids, such as dancing to match their poses, running through obstacle courses, or participating in timed challenges like virtual egg battles against the characters. The structure allows up to four players in local co-op mode, emphasizing physical movement and family interaction, with episodes from the show playable in an interactive format where users influence outcomes through gestures. The game closely ties into the Invasion series by incorporating authentic voice clips, animations, and scenarios drawn from the first two seasons of the animated program. This integration enables players to "star" alongside the in familiar episodes, enhancing the promotional aspect of the title as a companion experience to the TV show airing on networks like . positioned it as an extension of the franchise to engage young audiences and families, with a season pass offering additional episodes for extended play. Reception for Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show was mixed, earning a score of 53/100 based on nine critic reviews, which highlighted its appeal for family co-op sessions and lighthearted fun suitable for children but noted drawbacks like inconsistent accuracy and limited due to repetitive mini-games. While it saw moderate commercial performance, the game's reliance on discontinued peripherals like and PlayStation Camera may affect playability for new users without compatible hardware.

Merchandise and Tie-Ins

The Rabbids Invasion series spawned a variety of official merchandise through licensing partnerships, primarily targeting young audiences with playful and collectible items inspired by the show's chaotic antics. In 2013, partnered with to develop a line of toys based on the series, launching in spring 2014 and continuing through 2016. This included 2-inch mini figures in blind bags and invasion packs, depicting in various humorous scenarios such as the Driller and Starfish Friend 2-pack; larger 6-inch action figures with sound effects like the Blaster; toys for cuddling; and playsets featuring spaceship replicas and costume accessories like props to recreate scenes. Tie-in books expanded the Rabbids' adventures beyond the screen, with Simon & Schuster releasing a series of illustrated chapter books, activity books, and joke collections starting in 2014. Examples include The Need for Speed, a Ready-to-Read adaptation of a show episode, and Laugh Your Rabbids Off!, a humor book with black-and-white illustrations, all designed to engage children in reading and creative play. In France, Glénat Éditions published comic adaptations, such as Les Lapins Crétins - Tome 02: Invasion in 2012, featuring gag strips and stories that aligned with the series' tone, later translated into English by Papercutz. The Glénat comic series has continued with new volumes, including Tome 18 released on November 13, 2025. Additional tie-ins encompassed apparel like T-shirts and costumes, school supplies such as backpacks and notebooks, and promotional collaborations. Notably, featured toys in Happy Meals across and the US in 2014 and 2015, including spinning figures and interactive playsets to promote the show. also released mobile apps like Rabbids Crazy Rush in 2015, an game where players control navigating obstacles, extending the franchise's interactive appeal. Following the series' conclusion in 2019, new merchandise has been limited, consisting mainly of reissues of earlier toys and books available through retailers like Amazon and , often tied to streaming revivals on platforms like . No major new product lines have emerged by 2025, reflecting a shift in focus for the brand toward digital and archival content.

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