Debuting in France in 2015, “Miraculous Ladybug: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir” is an animated show that focuses on Marinette Dupain-Cheng (Ladybug) and Adrien Agreste (Cat Noir), who live double lives as regular students and battle supervillains together in Paris, France. The only goal of main antagonist Hawk Moth is to steal the magic jewelry pieces known as Miraculous that transform Ladybug and Cat Noir into superheroes. When combined, their Miraculous have the power to alter reality.

With four seasons and 81 episodes, “Miraculous Ladybug” has expanded its reach internationally and is broadcasted on Disney Channel and Netflix where most teenagers stumble upon the show. 

“It was 2016, and I was going through Netflix and saw [‘Miraculous Ladybug’] and thought ‘Why not?’” Aniya Jones (10) said. “I kept watching it, and then the second season came out, and then the third … I thought it was a cool show; it was very simple and didn’t have a twisted plot that you had to pay too much attention to.”

One of the most unique aspects of “Miraculous Ladybug” is the strong female lead. Ladybug takes charge of the superhero duo, devising all of the means to outsmart villains. 

“I liked the women empowerment mostly in [‘Miraculous Ladybug’],” Riley Reeves (9) said. “I liked how they used Marinette … in a way so that she is very confident and doesn’t take orders from Cat Noir, [her male counterpart].”

Despite the initial target audience of younger children, social media platforms like TikTok have proliferated the presence of “Miraculous Ladybug” to teenage audiences and spurred a devoted fan base of over millions. 

“There were a lot of TikToks going around about [‘Miraculous Ladybug’] … and I kind of started watching it to make jokes at it, but I actually started liking it,” Krithika Kameshwaran (9) said. “A lot of people our age watch it, and it’s really addicting for some reason.”

As the show has progressed, the creators have catered to the older audience by shedding more light on internal challenges faced by the characters and enhancing the plot development. With the nostalgic touch of an animated kids’ show, it appeals to viewers of all ages.

“Most of the episodes used to have the same kind of plot, and there wasn’t much progress, but as of late, they’re adding more plot into it,” Jones said. “I like how much deeper they’re getting into Marinette … because she’s been having so many breakdowns over having so many responsibilities, and she feels like she can’t have a normal life.” 

The romance between protagonists Ladybug and Cat Noir has also kept viewers hooked on the possibility of the two revealing their identities, making them realize that they have been rejecting each other for their alternate identities the whole time. 

“It’s just the frustration of it all where you keep watching it to finally see if they will end up together,” Kameshwaran said. “Cat Noir has been in love with [Ladybug] for so long, but he has no idea who is under the mask, and he is scared to see that person if that’s someone he knows. And [Ladybug is] already in love with Adrien and has no idea if she sees Cat Noir under the mask, she’ll fall in love with him because he is Adrien.”

While some may still feel apprehension toward watching “Miraculous Ladybug,” its romantic elements, action scenes and profound plot inspire viewers to give the show a chance.

“Even though I’m an anime watcher, this show also intrigued me because it had anime properties in a way,” Phillips Pratt (11) said. “It has a stigma as being labeled as a kids’ show kind of like what anime had to people, but in reality, it is a really good show.”