Iyanu: The Age of Wonders
This roughly 90-minute animated prequel special premiered August 30, 2025 on Cartoon Network and the following day on HBO Max, exactly as noted. It tells the origin story set 500 years before the main Iyanu series, following young warriors Dara and Ishe as they face Meje, a dark being who embodies the seven deadly sins — and the climactic battle and on-screen character deaths (including Iyanu's parents) make it a noticeable step up in intensity from the series.
Best suited for kids around 9 and up who enjoy action-fantasy adventures in the vein of Avatar: The Last Airbender, ideally watched alongside a grown-up.
If you’d rather skip
The framing device establishes that the story is a history of catastrophic darkness; sets a weighty tone from the start.
Meje appears as a dark, cloud-like entity spreading corruption; the imagery is ominous and may unsettle younger viewers.
Verbal threats and hostility ('Kill him,' 'I will end her,' 'I hate you') recur across multiple scenes without profanity.