How Miraculous Ladybug's Mela Lee Relates To Her Character Tikki
Since premiering in 2015, the computer-animated series "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir" has become a hit for kids, teens, and even adults — who love all the mythology the story creates. The series focuses on two teenagers, Marinette Dupain-Cheng (Cristina Vee Valenzuela) and Adrien Agreste, who turn into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir with the help of magical jewels called Miraculouses. The pair protect the city from supervillains created by their main enemy, Hawk Moth. Unbeknownst to them, Hawk Moth is really Gabriel Agreste, Adrien's father. The show also covers the complex romantic angle, with Marinette in love with Adrien (but not Cat Noir), and Cat Noir in love with Ladybug (but not Marinette).
Kwamis are small, divine beings that give Superpowers to those who own a Miraculous. The Kwamis have a variety of different powers, and some are much stronger than others. Hawk Moth gets his powers from Nooroo, who is bound to his owner's commands even though he doesn't want to use his powers for evil.
Plagg and Tikki are two of the most powerful and well-known Kwamis. Plagg gives Cat Noir his powers, and Tikki provides Ladybug's. Mela Lee, Tikki's voice actor, has admitted that (while she's not a tiny divine creature) there are many ways she relates to her character, Tikki.
Mela Lee feels a connection with Tikki
"I think sometimes we get the roles of our dreams because we really believe in the character and the message," Mela Lee told Lindalee Rose during an episode of the Miraculous News Network (MNN). She went on to explain that she feels that "There's definitely a little part of me that is very much Tikki. I think we all have a little Miraculous in all of us, and you need a friend like Tikki just to remind you how special you are."
Tikki has a very upbeat and positive personality, and is kind and sympathetic to others. The kwamis all have different favorite foods that they like to eat when recharging. While Plagg has a penchant for cheese (especially camembert cheese), Tikki loves all sweets and especially enjoys chocolate chip cookies. Lee also explained in her interview that, along with her love of eating, she loves baking. Unfortunately, Tikki is too small to do much baking, so she likes to page through recipe books.
With the release of the trailer for Season 5, which should be released on Disney Channel this fall, we can't wait to see more adventures with Ladybug, Cat Noir, and their kwamis.