“Mr. Freeman” Is The Most Popular Russian Cartoon You’ve Never Heard Of

Mr. Freeman is a philosophical Web series from Russia that apparently has been causing quite a stir since it debuted a year and a half ago. Start here for a lengthy explanation of what Mr. Freeman is about and how its influencing Russian youth:

Mr. Freeman cartoons have no political messages. They focus on existential, philosophical issues of everyday life. Mr. Freeman appeals to the spectators, portraying the emptiness of their lives, which consist of consumerism, entertainment and laughing at others. The first part of the movie was entitled “Are you sure about who you are and whether you exist?” “Are you real? Are you unique? You are just a small screw in the system,” says Mr. Freeman. He gradually and consistently deconstructs the world of a typical RuNet user, mocking values, common knowledge, morality and social hierarchies.

Some of the episodes, like the one above, have been translated by fans into English. The show’s creators remain unknown, perhaps due to the subversive nature of the material. What’s clear is that some really talented artists are working on it. While the style is spare, the skill of the animation, drawing, and filmmaking are all of an extremely high caliber.

(Thanks, Yoni Salmon)