Scavengers Reign first as appeared as a short on Vimeo all the way back in 2016, then titled ’Scavengers’, with creators Bennet and Hunter uploading a beautiful 7 minute animation depicting environments and creatures on an alien world we now know as Vestor Minor. It was well received and in the following year picked up by HBO, which is probably the best outcome you could hope for, given their strong track record with high quality animated shows that typically find themselves a level above the average anime of today.

With HBO's support, the animation and storytelling does indeed get significant improvements, featuring more polished visuals and character designs, and of course a properly developed narrative. The familiar storyline of stranded travelers surviving on a distant planet is retained, as is the unique visual aesthetics and interesting concept designs that made the original short film stand out. The animated world has been made so good in fact, that this alone becomes the series primary draw and also what ends up defining it's best and most memorable moments.

From the moment it begins, you see this. The color palettes of the different landscapes have this extremely satisfying feel to them and remind me of the work of French artist Moebius (see *World of Edena*). He was this amazing abstract and sci-fi landscape artist, who often used the same kinds of contrasting pastel tones like we see in Scavengers Reign, which, when combined, produce a pleasant but also vibrant kind of mood that's just enjoyable to spend time in and examine.

Within those landscapes lies the imaginative array of living animals and plant life that dominate the show's focus. A flower's germination, the hunting of prey, or the natural world's reaction to a foreign (human) presence are just a few of the brilliantly conceived and original ideas that are presented thoughout the show. Creator Joseph Bennet described the show as a “nature series', and you can absolutely feel that inspiration come through. It’s pretty mesmerizing at times, and when such care and creativity are applied, even something as simple as slicing open a strange fruit can become a delight to watch.

Animation is truly the perfect medium for expressing these types of things. The web of interconnected animals, fungi, and plants sprang brilliantly to life; flowers bloomed and retracted, pollen and seeds dispersed, and animals glided, melted, and were sometimes brutally torn apart. Mushrooms sprouted freely, plains swayed in the wind, rivers cascaded, and insects scurried. You couldn't take your eyes off it. It’s proof that CGI, which obsesses more and more with realism, is no more effective at bringing the natural world to life than carefully painted individual frames. In fact, I would argue that the animated approach is far more charming and offers a more genuine human connection compared to the latest groundbreaking CGI efforts in films, such as Avatar, Star Wars or any other Hollywood Sci-fi.