Kids' cartoons are weird. Honestly, they’ve always been weird, but there’s a specific brand of chaotic energy that peaked in the late 2010s. If you spent any time on Nickelodeon or Nicktoons around 2019, you probably ran into a mashup character that sounds like it was designed by a committee of five-year-olds on a sugar rush. I’m talking about Unicorn Rainbow Butterfly Kitty.
It’s a mouthful. Felicity, the main character, isn't just one thing. She is part unicorn, part rainbow, part butterfly, and part kitty. It sounds like a marketing gimmick designed to sell backpacks at Target, but the show actually had a bit more soul than people give it credit for. Created by Bill Kopp—the same mind behind Eek! The Cat—the show leaned into the absurdity of its own premise. It didn't try to be prestige television. It just wanted to be loud, bright, and funny.
What is Unicorn Rainbow Butterfly Kitty anyway?
Basically, the show follows Felicity, a magical cat living in the city of Mythlandia. She has distinct powers based on each of her four "parts." She can fire lasers from her unicorn horn, clap her butterfly wings to create gusts of wind, and generally use her "rainbow" powers to transform the world around her.
It’s easy to dismiss this as just another flash-animated series. But look closer. The show sits in that strange pocket of animation history where networks were desperate to capture the "random" humor that fueled early internet memes. It’s fast. Like, really fast. The dialogue zip-zaps between characters so quickly you might miss the actual jokes if you aren't paying attention.
Felicity isn't alone in her madness. Her best friend is Miguel, a down-to-earth Chihuahua who is... actually just a Chihuahua. Well, mostly. He’s the grounding force. Every chaotic protagonist needs a straight man, and Miguel plays the part perfectly while they navigate a world filled with dragons, wizards, and sentient suns.
The Mythlandia Factor
Mythlandia is the setting, and it’s arguably the most interesting part of the series. It’s a literal melting pot of every fairy tale trope imaginable, but turned up to eleven. You’ve got the typical magical forests, sure. But then you have the corporate-style bureaucracy of magical beings.
The show thrives on contrast.
You have Felicity, who is essentially a deity of positivity and power, dealing with mundane problems. It’s that "magical realism" for the elementary school set. One minute she’s saving the world, and the next she’s worried about a party or a social faux pas. This isn't The Last Airbender. It’s not trying to teach you deep lessons about war and trauma. It’s trying to show you that being a "mashup" of different identities is actually a superpower.
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That’s the subtext.
In a world where kids feel pressured to fit into specific boxes—the athlete, the nerd, the artist—Felicity is just everything at once. She is a Unicorn Rainbow Butterfly Kitty. She doesn't pick a lane. She owns all of them. For a show that looks like a neon fever dream, that’s a surprisingly grounded message for a child to absorb.
Why the animation style was polarizing
Let's talk about the look. It’s bold.
Some people hated it. The colors are incredibly saturated. It’s a 2D animated series that uses a lot of digital puppetry, which was the standard for the era (think My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic but with a more frantic frame rate). Some critics felt it was "eye candy" without substance. But animation is a medium of expression, and the "loud" visual style matched the "loud" personality of Felicity herself.
Fun88 and other production partners clearly wanted something that would pop on a tablet screen. In the age of the YouTube Kids algorithm, you need visuals that grab a wandering eye in 0.5 seconds. Unicorn Rainbow Butterfly Kitty did that.
The Bill Kopp Connection
If the humor feels familiar, it’s because of Bill Kopp.
He’s a veteran. He worked on The Simpsons in the early days. He did Savage Steve Holland projects. If you grew up in the 90s, his fingerprints are all over your childhood. Bringing that 90s "edge" and rapid-fire timing to a show that looks like a preschooler’s sticker book created a weird tension. It made the show watchable for parents.
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There are gags in there that a six-year-old won't get. References to older pop culture or slightly cynical takes on fairy tale tropes. It’s not quite Shrek level of parody, but it’s in the same zip code.
The Voice Talent Behind the Magic
Voice acting can make or break a "random" comedy.
- Tara Platt voiced Felicity. She’s a pro. You might know her from Naruto or Fire Emblem. She brought a high-energy sincerity to Felicity that kept the character from being annoying.
- Laila Berzins took on various roles.
- Grey Griffin (the legend herself) was involved.
Having heavy hitters in the recording booth meant the timing was always on point. Comedy is all about the "beat," and these actors knew how to hit it. Even when the script was just pure nonsense about glitter and cupcakes, the delivery made it land.
Why it didn't last forever
The show ran for one season with 26 episodes (or 52 segments). Why didn't it become the next SpongeBob?
Timing.
It launched in a transitional period for Nickelodeon. The network was shifting heavily toward streaming and trying to figure out what worked on Nicktoons versus the main channel. Despite a solid premise and a "viral" look, it got lost in the shuffle of bigger franchises like Loud House or the Paw Patrol juggernaut.
Also, the title is a bit of a double-edged sword. Unicorn Rainbow Butterfly Kitty is great for SEO (even back then), but it’s hard to say. It sounds like a parody of a girl's show rather than the show itself. Some boys might have been scared off by the "girly" title, even though the humor was universal and often pretty slapstick.
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Where to find it now
If you’re looking to revisit Mythlandia, it’s a bit of a scavenger hunt. It pops up on various streaming platforms depending on your region. It’s often on Paramount+ or available for purchase on Amazon and YouTube.
It’s worth a watch if you want to see what happens when you give a 90s animation veteran a budget and a mandate to make the most "extra" character possible.
Actionable Takeaways for Parents and Fans
If you're introducing a kid to the show or just diving back in for the nostalgia, keep these things in mind:
- Watch for the Mashups: The show is at its best when it explores how Felicity’s different powers conflict with each other. It’s a great way to talk to kids about how they don't have to be just "one thing."
- Check the Credits: Look at the writers and directors. Many of them worked on your favorite 90s and 2000s cartoons. Finding those links makes the show much more interesting for adults.
- Don't overthink it: This isn't a show meant for deep lore analysis. It’s a comedy. Lean into the silliness.
- Use it as a creative prompt: The "mashup" concept is a perfect drawing exercise for kids. "What would a Shark-Dragon-Robot-Dog look like?" Felicity is basically a giant creative prompt.
Unicorn Rainbow Butterfly Kitty might not have the longevity of Rugrats, but it represents a specific, vibrant moment in animation history. It’s a reminder that sometimes, more is more. You don't have to choose between being a unicorn or a kitty. You can just be both. And a butterfly. And a rainbow. Why not?
If you're looking for a quick hit of dopamine and some genuinely clever 11-minute stories, give Felicity another chance. It’s a lot more than just a collection of keywords; it’s a tribute to the idea that being "too much" is actually just enough.
To get the most out of the series today, look for the "Best of Felicity" compilations on the official Nickelodeon YouTube channels. These snippets usually highlight the best visual gags and the most creative uses of her four-way power set, giving you the vibe of the show without having to commit to a full marathon. Pay attention to the background characters in Mythlandia—many of them are clever nods to obscure folklore that the writers snuck in for the observant viewer. Keep an eye on secondary marketplaces for the elusive toy line; while short-lived, the figures are becoming cult collectibles for fans of "weird" animation history. Finally, if you're a fan of character design, use Felicity's "hybrid" aesthetic as a case study in how to balance multiple competing visual elements without the character becoming a muddy mess—it's a tougher design challenge than it looks.