Creator Echo Wu described the series as 'a love letter' to her childhood, with the fictional town of Riverfork's neighborhoods and monuments resembling those of Dallas, Texas, where she grew up, and some furniture in Gugu's house based on pieces from Wu's parents' home.

Wu started pitching the show in 2020, though she traced some of its ideas back to Los Angeles in 2017.

Wu said monsters from Chinese folklore are used to represent the frightening realities of adolescence, noting that 'it never felt like Jentry was scared to do monsters. She was scared to talk to boys.'

Wu cited Avatar: The Last Airbender as an inspiration, wanting to create a series 'kids could watch with their parents and parents could authentically enjoy,' while Ali Wong compared the series to X-Men: The Animated Series and Avatar: The Last Airbender as well.

Ali Wong said she loved the 'image of the painted-skin creature so much' and noted that the production had a cultural consultant working on the series.

The double-disc soundtrack, released alongside the show, features a score by Brian Kim along with original songs from artists such as Jessi and eaJ, with the group Katseye performing the theme song 'Flame'.

The first five episodes of the series were leaked online before the official Netflix release, in August 2024, ahead of the December 5 premiere.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 100% approval rating based on 9 critic reviews, with critics praising its blend of Chinese mythology, Texas setting, teen drama, and animation style, and drawing comparisons to Gravity Falls, The Owl House, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.