Barbie: Touch of Magic is the perfect streaming chaser for the Gerwig generation
Barbie’s almost uncanny animation has a certain charm that adult fans have fallen in love with, but there are some truly great things in the production and storytelling that are worth highlighting. Rocky the Glyph is voiced by Alejandra Cazares, and the voice she uses is like the second coming of Easy Daily. America Young and Tatiana Varia prove once again that they are the perfect pairing of Barbie and Barbie, Ritesh Rajan’s Ken boasts a dreamy boyfriend voice, and Eamonn Brennan’s Trey is the perfect comedic relief as always. No one in this series is phoning it in and it’s the best voiceover work in the entire Barbie cinematic universe.
There is also a lot of casual diverse inclusion scattered throughout, including characters with different bodies, skin tones, hairstyles, and fashion preferences. The cashier Lya with dyed hair and an undercut sighs and gushes when asked about another girl … I see you. There are so many funny songs that most kids would completely miss, meaning this is a show that even adults can enjoy. Not to mention, just as music has regional sounds like Seattle grunge, Midwest emo, or Nashville honky-tonk, Malibu Barbie pop has a specific sound. The show’s title track, “A Touch of Magic,” sounds like the TV-Y7 version of Charli XCX’s “Speed Drive,” the song Gerwig plays in the movie during a chase scene.
Fortunately, Netflix has already greenlit season 2, and it will be released in the spring of 2024. But if you’re a Barbie girl looking to fill the void after the live-action film, “Barbie: A Touch of Magic” is worth checking out.
