Imago is a 2022 French Mons Series cartoon produced by Chouette Compagnie (to whom we owe Droners), created by Mariam Hachmi, Pierre Cabissolle and Sylvain Dos Santos. It airs on Tfou in France and on TéléQuébec in Quebec. No plans of an English dub have been released at the time of writing.
In the world of Hilaya lies a place called the Kingdom of the Seven Moons, where a special caste of people called Arkanists are bonded with an Imago, a fantastical creature that can have all sorts of powers. Arkanists come from far and wide to the Seven Moons Palace academy to learn to master their Imago's powers so they can protect the kingdom and the seven tribes that inhabit it.
Young Zayn wishes more than anything that he had an Imago like all his friends, but he wasn't born with the gift… Until his mentor Agoji tells him of Azrokh, a legendary Imago sealed within a magic lamp under the academy, who chooses his own protector. With the help of his friends, Zayn succesfully befriends Azrokh ! But he was tricked : Damballa, the Primago of Shadows was locked with Azrokh inside the lamp – and Agoji used Zayn to free her and take control of her !
There is hope yet: Damballa was defeated in the past by the combined power of the six other Primagos and the lamp. Zayn and his friends must now go on a quest to gather all six Primagos and have them join in their quest ! But as soon as they escape the Academy, Agoji sets her own plans in motion…
Tropes present within the Imago series in general:
- A Boy and His X: As is fitting for a Mons Series, the hero is Zayn and his fire gryphon thing Azrokh. Since all Arkanists bond with a single Imago, they also qualify.
- Alien Sky: The moon is fractured and appears to have a crystalline interior.
- Ambiguously Brown: Exaggerated. Since the setting is inspired by various North and West African cultures, nearly all characters' skins is tan or dark.
- Inverted with the Talaji, who are ambiguously light-skinned but not established as the equivalent of Caucasian.
- Amphibious Automobile: The Scarabvan can turn into a boat or submarine.
- Animesque: For being a Mon series, the art style resembles something out of a Japanese Saturday morning cartoon.
- Anti-Magic: Azrokh was sealed in the Lamp of Isbanir behind a barrier that stops Arkanists and Imagos alike. Zayn could go through it since he doesn't have the gift.
- "Arabian Nights" Days: Defied. Instead of being a satellite setting around a more traditional medieval european fantasy one, the Kingdom of Seven Moons is the whole setting and gets a commendable worldbuilding effort, with each tribe being carefully characterized.
- Attack Animal: Arkanists are seldom seen attacking by themselves, and duels are often fought between Imagos with the masters standing back and issuing orders.
- Calling Your Attacks: A staple of a Mons Series. Imagos can use their powers by themselves, but they usually unleash them on their Arkanists' command.
- Cool Car: The gang's ride, the Scarabvan, is a prototype vehicle that looks like a giant beetle, filled to the brim with high technology.
- Elemental Powers: Each Imago is associated with one element : Fire, Water, Wind, Plants, Snow, Lightning or Shadow.
- Imagos whose Arkanist is of mixed descent will usually have a major element with aspects of another mixed in.
- Forced Sleep: One of Damballa's powers puts people in an artificial sleep, one that doesn't end unless the caster willfully lifts the spell themselves.
- Genie in a Bottle: Arkanists carry their Imago in a talisman called a Tamin. In Azrokh's case, it's almost a literal Genie Bottle since his tamin is an oil lamp. Imagos need a Tamin to regenerate their energy, or they risk exhausting themselves to the point of disappearing.
- Gondor Calls for Aid: Right at the end of the second episode. When Damballa is freed, the academy's headmistress (who's also Kemi's mother) Oya manages to send a distress signal that can be seen from all over the kingdom.
- Great Offscreen War: It's regularly stated that Arkanists from all over the kingdom banded together against Agoji and Damballa. Several characters will mention the absence of friends or family who left to fight in the war. However, all the focus is on the gang and their quest.
- Mad Scientist: Members of the Yora tribe seem to range between Gadgeteer Genius and this.
- Mage Species: Arkanists are born, not made and they create their Imago themselves. Azrokh is an exception: he was created normally in the past, but now he can choose his protector – and he bonded with Zayn, despite his not having the gift.
- Magic Carpet: Subverted. There are flying carpets called "Wind Eaters", but they're not magical. Instead, they're weaved from the wool of anti-gravity capable sheep, and also motorized.
- Magic Staff: A lot of Arkanists can be seen wielding staves of varying size as both tools and weapons. They seem to often be directly powered by the Arkanist's Imago.
- Mage Born of Muggles: Episode 6 features a young boy who spends most of his time drawing his imaginary friend. Awa quickly recognizes the signs of a potential Arkanist, which surprises the boy's parents who never had a single arkanist in their family.
- Magitek: This world blends mystical creatures with human-made high technology ; some artifacts are also shown to be directly powered by an Imago's actions.
- Mon: The eponymous Imagos.
- Olympus Mons: The seven Primagos or Supreme Imagos, who each act as more or less of a local deity for a tribe. Although Imagos normally come from their Arkanists' imagination, we don't know if Primagos were created by someone.
- Purple Is the New Black: Shadow Imagos are predominantly purple or indigo.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Damballa was sealed within the Lamp of Isbanir.
- Sealed Good in a Can: Azrokh was also sealed within the Lamp of Isbanir.
- When a supreme Imago agrees to join the group, they wilfully enter the lamp. It's unclear whether or not thay have to be summoned out, or can come out by their own will.
- Summon Magic: All magic comes from an Imago, as befitting in a Mons Series.
- Technicolor Eyes: Eyes come in all sorts of colours.
- Whole-Plot Reference: Episode 8 is one to Imago's sister series Droners, with not only a race that the heroes have to win against cheating opponents, but complete with the same rings to pass through, and expies of Wyatt Whale and Team Tikis.
- Zeppelins from Another World: If motorized flying carpets weren't clear enough that this is not our world, this universe's Berbers also fly zeppelins.
