My Life as a Teenage Robot (2002–2023) User Reviews

Down-to-Earth and out-of-this-world

[tlso1987 · 8/10 · 8 December 2010]

I'd never really heard of My Life as a Teenage Robot, but it caught my eye stumbling across channels one day. I stayed tuned as the episodes kept rolling, and it struck me - this show is really good!

The plot's pretty simple - mad scientist Dr. Wakeman programmed XJ-9 to defend the Earth, but after being discovered by her human neighbors, Brad and Tuck, "Jenny" decides she'd much rather fit in with humans - but has to get over some of the social hurdles of being a 6 foot-tall, steel-plated, heavily armed war machine.

The show does really well with its premise. Even at their extremes, the characters are all likable, and have some great voice talent to back them up. The pacing is very relaxed, without a lot of the exhausting hyperactivity you see in a lot of newer shows.

The animation has a very traditional style. The characters are a mix of '60s Hanna-Barbera, Astro Boy, and Felix the Cat. The backgrounds look hand-painted with abstract Art Deco and Populuxe designs. And despite being a scifi-themed show, there's none of the conspicuous CGI common to classics Futurama and Invader Zim.

I was just getting started with this show when I found out it had been canceled for a couple of years, which is a shame because it still seemed to have a lot of energy in it. I'd call it an underrated classic for fans of scifi and animation, and probably good enough for Nick's intended audience, too.

The last good show on Nickelodeon as of now (2006).

[segabeat · 7/10 · 16 July 2006]

In 2004, I decided that I had it with Nickelodeon, so I retired myself from watching it further. The reason? It's because ever since we entered in the 21st century in 2000, Nick has usually released shows with quality that ranged from mediocre (Danny Phantom, Jimmy Neutron, As Told by Ginger, a lot of the Teenick shows, etc.) or very bad (Butt-Ugly Martians, Chalkzone, and the extremely short-lived Action League Now). Once in a blue moon, however, a decent, or even good, show appears such as Fairly Oddparents and Invader Zim (I never loved Zim, but at least it was better then some of the crap Nickelodeon viewers get today. Shame on Nick for canceling it unfairly!). So when "My Life as a Teenage Robot", or MLAATR for short, was first introduced in 2003, I found myself enjoying much of what it had to offer.

The story involves a robot created by Dr. Wakeman to help protect earth from disaster and/or crime (yes, this concept has been used several times before), but this robot has the personality of a female teenager. So, while the robot's codename is XJ9, she prefers to be called "Jenny." She's willing to do her job in keeping the world safe, but she also wants to live a normal teenage life in high school and hang out with friends. This is where she meets Brad and Tuck, two human brothers who live within Jenny's neighborhood. Brad is a fellow classmate of Jenny's in high school, while Tuck is more around elementary school aged. Brad tries being cool to fit in with the crowd while Tuck is immature, silly and obnoxious at times. But hey, that's how brothers are with their different behaviors. They both eventually get along with Jenny very well. Later on in the series, Jenny meets more friends such as Sheldon, a nerdy geek who develops a crush on her, and some rivals like Brit and Tiff, AKA "The Krust Cousins," as well as villains that interrupt her daily life. And that's the basic plot of most episodes.

When it comes to the characters I mentioned above, they all have a purpose and are pretty likable, except for Brit and Tiff, who always try to find ways to humiliate Jenny and hurt her feelings. Some of the episodes I've seen through the entire series were fairly enjoyable to watch. They were usually filled with interesting humorous moments, action-filled scenes, and even brief bits of suitable character development/drama. The comedy is sometimes a little childish, but it usually does not make you cringe and it can get a laugh out of everyone at times. The plots and themes presented in the show seem to capture many people's different interests as well.

The animation and art style of MLAATR is pretty unique. It makes use of old-school character design elements from the 1930's, but makes them fresh and appealing with colorful technology we have today. A similar amount of praise can be said about the sound work. The music isn't too memorable, but it does get the job done with upbeat, catchy music for the standard scenes, and trance music for the fighting/action scenes. The voice acting in this show doesn't disappoint, and a few voices may sound familiar to cartoon fanatics. A shout out must be given to Janice Kawaye for her cute, appealing, and fun performance as Jenny.

I haven't really watched this show ever since I gave up on Nickelodeon in 2004. From time to time, I check in on the channel to see what they do these days. As of this writing in 2006, they haven't changed too much. There are a couple of new shows being made, but they don't look special to me (The upcoming Mr. Meaty, for instance, looks terrible and retarded). Unfortunately, it looks like Nickelodeon canceled MLAATR at some point. I'm somewhat disappointed in this. Viacom, the parent company of Nickelodeon, always seems to cancel their good shows prematurely if they do not meet the sky-high profits of shows like Spongebob Squarepants.

"My Life as a Teenage Robot" may not have the same level of appeal like the great Nicktoons of the 90's (Rocko's Modern Life, Doug, early Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Catdog, etc.) did, and there are a couple aspects of the overall show that I don't care much for, it was still enjoyable for what it was and I feel it's better then many of the Nickelodeon shows being aired today. I hope it gets a good DVD release someday.

Quite a Nice Wonder

[mirosuionitsaki2 · 8/10 · 31 July 2007]

This is what you get when Astroboy combines with a normal teenage girl to bring you, not Astrogirl. But Jenny or what Mrs. Wakeman calls her XJ9. Jenny is the name XJ9 would like to be called so it can be at least one step forward to fitting in to the school she goes to.

Brad and Tuck are Jenny's only friends. But I can't describe them much for I haven't seen this show in quite a while. My Life as A Teenage Robot basically follows the life of Jenny, a robot who fights crime who wants to become a real teenage girl and fit in. One time, she experienced it until the skin Mrs. Wakeman created for her to look normal but still be a robot got out of control and stopped her from doing what she wanted and just focus on girl stuff. Jenny fought it and saved her friends.

This show is amusing, random, exciting, and contains some of the cheesy teenage romance you find on TeenNick.

One of the best shows I've ever seen

[mesmerizednazo · 13 September 2004]

I first came across this show while I was channel surfing through the cable program that I just recently received. Since I've only seen a partial portion of the show, the plot and the concept were abstruse to me. My first impression of "My Life as a Teenage Robot" was indifference; I thought it was one of those shows that Nickelodeon inserted just to fill in the gap for their TV schedule. However, I discovered that my assumption had been wrong.

The subsequent week, I watched the show again and again and again.. I just totally became addicted to it! Rob Renzetti did a marvelous job(along with his other fine works such as "The PowerPuff Girls", "Dextor's Laboratory", and other Cartoon Network shows); I believe this is one of his greatest work ever. The story revolves around a semi-angst teenager, named Jenny, whose covetousness is to be accepted in her society. The only thing that's different from Jenny and everyones else is that... well she is a alien/monster fighting robot formally known as XJ-9. The repressive milieu which she resides in usually has her mother forbid her to do anything but save the world and go to school. The tasks that she must accomplish in order to save the world often hinders with her teenage life. She wants to become a real human and just enjoy her life like any other teen. This show's concept is similar to other films such as "Pinocchio", "Astro Boy", "A.I", etc. Just like those films, Jenny acquires knowledge as she gains experience even though Miss Wakeman clearly states that she would be a teenager forever, but metaphorically she is growing up.

Other characters include her next door neighbor and best friend, Brad. She admires Brad because she believes he represents the paradigm of all teenagers; being cool, popular, and acquiring stereotypical teenage quality. However, in veracity, Brad would rather go on adventures like what Jenny does everyday of her teenage life. There's also the mischievous Tuck, who is also known as Brad's brother. Of course and then there's Miss Wakeman, the mad scientist who created XJ-9. At first Miss Wakeman's perspective of XJ-9 was just merely an evil-fighting invention, but her perspective changes as she starts acknowledging Jenny as her daughter. The voice(along with the accent) of Miss Wakeman depicts her disposition perfectly! Also who can ever forget the Jenny-obsessed underdog whom everyone loves, Sheldon. His attempts to get Jenny's attention are just down-right hilarious!

The animation of this show is pretty much similar to Renzetti's other cartoons. The animation is drawn simply and the colors blend in with the environment. This show also has tons of cultural reference as well, including literal and pop culture. For example, in one of the episodes, they made an allusion to "Catcher in the Rye" and "The Boy who Cried Wolf". This show contains a variety of genres, tons of humor, plenty of action, and even a little romance and drama.

Even though I still haven't seen most of the other episodes, "My life as a Teenage Robot" is in one of my top TV shows list. In my notion, this show is much superior than the other flamboyant shows on Nick such as "Spogebob Squarepants" and "The Fairly Oddparents".(Although I have heard substantially positive comments about 'Invader Zim', I really can't compare it with other shows, since I have never seen it for myself) So don't feel reluctant to watch "My Life as a Teenage Robot", you'll be surprised on how much you'll be entertained. Hopefully the DVD will come out soon and that Nick won't cancel this outstanding cartoon.

The best from Nickelodeon so far

[nfp_sonkaku · 7/10 · 1 August 2007]

Well, I'm impressed. At first I thought it was just another crappy Nickelodeon show again, but I gave it a show, and I don't regret it even the slightest. I was expecting nothing, since Rocket power was a HUGE disappointment. Man, was I surprised or what? The voice acting is great! The only voice I don't really like is Brad's. He actually sound better in the Swedish dub! Janice Kawaye was a great pick for XJ-9 "Jenny" Wakeman. She is a first class dubber, indeed.

The story isn't that original (not to mention any spoilers). It is well drawn and I really love the animations for all Jenny's transformations. They are vary original. Very smooth animated. Overall, this is absolutely the best show on Nickelodeon at the current. I can't believe they actually canceled it! If you haven't seen it yet; do it! Thank you, Rob Renzsetti for a great classic cartoon! 10/10

This show is geniuses but it hasn't aged well at all.

[rjw-21547 · 6/10 · 23 November 2020]

While I use to watch this show and I did enjoy it I just don't see myself wanting to go back and watch it with that being said I recently went back and watched all 3 seasons and I'm not really gonna return to this show and its funny cause i usually return to shows to see if they hold up to this day and if my opinions change on them. Its great but I just feel like it's a show that I jnowni won't go back and watch again not even in the near future but I will always know who she is. I guess what I'm saying is the show and its characters just don't appeal to me sorry Teenage Robot fans.

An Absolutely Amazing Show That Teenagers Can Identify With!

[architectofmusic · 10/10 · 14 June 2008]

Not only is this wonderful cartoon one of the classic superhero shows that we all love, but it also explores the life of a teenage robot who, like all of us, experiences the awkward situations that come along with adolescence. A show that children and teenagers can truly identify with, because they go through the same situations as the main character, Jenny Wakeman, does every day.

Unfortunately however, this show is currently "offline" and only reruns are played on the Nicktoons network. This is believed to be due to ratings and reviews. However, no user rating will truly be correct if you aren't the intended demographic of the show, be your review positive or negative. This show was meant, like many other television cartoons out there, to bring smiles to children's faces, not adults or people who review things for a living. This show was funny, cute and was accompanied by morals and principles that brought fun and learning together, and Nicktoons's popularity has sunken greatly due to its removal of nice shows like this and has thus lost hundreds, even thousands of viewers. This is why Nicktoons should once again broadcast My Life as a Teenage Robot, and go for a fourth season, because this show wasn't meant for being submitted to the scrutinizing eye of reviewers, but to shine its light of knowledge and fun on the children and teenagers that enjoyed this cartoon before it was shut down.

The Sweetest Show To Grace The Small Screens!

[pip-7 · 9/10 · 20 April 2005]

So far, Nick's current line-up is pure horror (The Fairy Oddparents, As Told By Ginger, All Grown Up) but only one of them makes an exception: enters the Blue Girl, XJ-9 from the future! (or should I say retro-future in this case!)

My Life As A Teenage Robot is a surprisingly good Nick Toon that tells the story of a girl robot who saves the day by fighting evil alien invaders and other menacing villains from all sides of the world and the universe (hey, that probably sounds like a Powerpuff Girl rip-off but Rob Renzetti, who creates this show, has also worked on several PPG episodes before, so I abide by that fact) while facing challenges as an ordinary teenager in real-life situations! And if you think the word 'teenager' will often lead to concussion that the show will feature head-banging rock songs and typical teenage punks, think again! TR's artwork and background designs are heavily inspired by classic cartoons of the 20s (think of it as an Oswald cartoon in its newer form), out-of-date anime and even classic buildings of the Golden Years while maintaining the very essence that makes every hit show (Samurai Jack, Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, PPG) an instant classic.

But that's not all, folks! Every episode is as sweet as the rest, thanks to its inventive ideas, fluid animation (the best examples include Jenny's transformations and even in one scene where Jenny outfashions her rivals by revealing her fancy costumes, in which I personally think is the best I've seen in recent years), wonderful voice acting and colorful character personalities! The music is, unlike the usual pop songs that are often heard in teenage-themed shows like As Told By Ginger, surprisingly pleasant and is predominantly reminiscent to the ones heard in Tartakovsky/McCracken shows, in addition to the cool techno music.

To sum it up, MLAATR is cute, funny, unexpected and a real blast to watch from start to finish. It is hard to underestimate a Nick Toon like this one, especially when you have no idea what the Blue Girl has up her sleeves!

Show doesn't make sense

[shadowguy12 · 3/10 · 28 May 2008]

Why would you make a teenage robot? Teenagers aren't gonna feel like saving the world at all. I know I wouldn't. And metal and electricity doesn't make you have "The strength of a million and seventy men".

I think this show takes place in the future, though not too distant, because most of the people in the direct serving line of work are robots, and the robots have personalities. But I still don't understand how there are good robots. If I was a robot and treated as a slave and had a personality, then I'd plan a robot uprising, which does happen by a robot race, but Jenny, the main robot, stops them.

Something else that is weird is a human likes her. His name is Sheldon, and he is attracted to her. There must be a word for that, like heterobosexuality, but it would make sense if there wasn't a word for it, because it would NEVER HAPPEN.

The biggest thing that doesn't make any possible sense is all the robots have genders! How does Jenny have a gender?! Was she made with an Animatronic woman part or something?! She would also be a slut if she was human, because she gets some slutty paint job in one episode.

All right, that's my review. And it's true because these are the reasons it lasted for about 2 seasons. 3/10.

The 1st Season was pathetic. The 2nd one is great.

[blakmanta · 10/10 · 22 February 2006]

There were a few BAD episodes in the 1st Season (like "This Time With Feelings"): they were boring, non-sense and childish. The show was literally 'jumping the sharks'.

Fortunately, during the 2nd Season the show gets *really* better. Episodes like "Future Shock", "Bradventure" and "Toying With Jenny" are (maybe) unoriginal, but very good. Plus: "Escape From Cluster Prime" is a great TV-Movie, well written and highly re-watchable.

Note: Also, in the 2nd Season, there are a few JennyxBrad moments ("Bradventure" and the TV-Movie): maybe in the upcoming 3rd Season Jenny & Brad will end up together...I hope!

Conclusions: "My Life as a Teenage Robot" is getting better, you should give it a chance...and, if you're a good person, you can try to save Jenny/Xj9 from the cancellation with petitions or sending E-mail to Nickelodeon.

Not really worth-watching

[kill-the-boxtrolls · 4/10 · 16 November 2014]

Eh... some things that come out of Jenny's mouth is teenage crap that contrasts with, how old is she? I don't get how she is 16 and she's supposed to be 5, I know some robots' ages are obscure but it's still confusing. So that makes the voice actor who doesn't sound like her personality try to sound like both a 16-year-old and a 5- year-old as she simultaneously looks like one and this is just confusing me more.

That's right... I never liked this show as a kid and frankly, watching it now that I am into robots after shying away from them, doesn't make a charming experience.

The character design is bad like I can't even describe it, maybe stretched? Just to make these midgets look tall? Jenny's face seems like something I've seen before.

If you want to give this a miss, well, it's for the best. It used to be on Nickolodeon when you were probably a young kid. But if you're curious, then go on ahead, you might enjoy this teenage girl's adventures and personality.

This show is cool!

[Dragonrider1227 · 19 October 2004]

This is one of my favorite shows on Nickelodeon. It's kind of a cross between Astroboy and Powerpuff Girls. It's funny, the animation is pretty good and Jenny (X-J9) is real pretty for a robot. Though the writing can use a little work here and there, it is still just on it's first season. If you've only seen it's "Oh Yeah cartoons" appearance, then you haven't really seen the show, It's REALLY IMPROVED! As hard as it is, don't label this as another cruddy Nicktoon. Though a lot of them are pretty lame, this one certainly is not. It's so good, I've already got all the episodes on tape. (But that's mostly because I like Jenny so much.) this at least deserves a chance.

An extraordinary show! Nick messed up so hard.

[Sinek_kushu · 9/10 · 1 October 2023]

My Life As A Teenage Robot is my childhood. Back in the day it used to air at night and I remember watching it. It was so amazing. It is one of the best cartoons out there because it has a great story, an incredible atmosphere (the animation is just so unique and creative!) and the voice acting is great too. I'd put it up there with Gravity Falls and Regular Show.

MLATTR has something to it that is so diverse and so unique that it's hard to explain. Even though it came out in the early 2000's, it looks different from what other shows were like in those times. It is a one of a kind show that shouldn't have been cancelled so soon... Nick screwed up.

Fun to watch

[mitsubishizero · 8/10 · 30 August 2019]

I didn't see this often but when I did I liked it. The animation has a 50's futuristic style which matches with the theme of robots and other advanced machines being integrated into human life. In this case one named Jenny is trying to fit in with her peers in high school. If that's not enough she has to save the world on a regular basis. While this may sound recycled the show does a lot with it.

My favorite episode is the one where Jenny and her friends have to stop a smart rat and his pack from attacking her creator and mom. This leads to some hilarious jokes. The characters are likable and fun to watch as well as relatable. The stories are interesting and have a decent balance of action, drama and comedy. This's one of Nicktoons' best cartoons. Such a shame it was canceled early because it could've went on longer.

With that being said i'd say fly in and check it out.

Absolutely awful

[spiderpig-01 · 3/10 · 30 July 2008]

This show is awful. I especially hate the animation. If it was a different kind of anime it would be better, but it couldn't save it. It is just another show with events arranged in no order at all and is just pointless. There is no connection between each episode whatsoever.

The only show i like on nick is Avatar: The last Airbender. Now that show actually has a point, great plot, and great animation. There is a connection between the episodes. In MLAATR, the last episode could be the first one and it would make no difference to the plot because it is just random stupid events arranged in no order.

Bottem line, if you want to watch a good show, watch Avatar and not this piece of junk

My All Time favorite Nicktoon that i loved to death as a kid.

[GravityLoudHouseLover1 · 10/10 · 18 July 2015]

Hey guys it's Regularshow1 here again an today I'm going to review my all time favorite Nicktoon that I love to death as a kid called My Life as a Teenage Robot. This show is about a teenage robot named Jenny who is the reason I loved this show as a kid. She is very pretty and I remember went I first saw this Show back in August 2003 and I loved it. I remember I was obsessed with this show and I would wait to see the next episode all the time as kid. Anyway I really miss this show and I loved it if Nicktoons aired this show like they did back in 2010. BOTTOM LINE My Life as a Teenage Robot is my Childhood favorite Nicktoon and I'm giving this show a 10/10 stars. Anyways see guys later. Peace 😀Updated on October 4th, 2017

Wonderful pilot, eager for series

[DanielJosLeary · 13 March 2003]

I've seen the pilot of this cartoon many times on Nick's cartoon anthology program, "Oh Yeah! Cartoons", and it has easily been my favorite from that show. I remember seeing that first six minute short about Jenny the teenage robot torn being the world saving failsafe her scientist mother created her as or her own desire to be a normal teenager and hang out with other kids, and thinking what a great series it would make. I'm more than ecstatic to learn that it will in fact be a series, and am greatly looking forward to it. The pilot episode had great animation and character design reminiscent of Cartoon Network's best work from a couple years ago, before then began producing shows with soulless digital painting techniques. I can only hope that the `Teenage Robot' creators stick to their great style.

Funny, original, & sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stephenchase-63504 · 10/10 · 1 April 2021]

6 seasons of fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nickelodeon answer to the Powerpuff Girls

[elonmusk-is_a_moron · 9/10 · 24 October 2022]

Sometimes I read the reviews of these 2000 nicktoons written around the time they were released, and I am honestly surprised about all the negativity displayed in them.

Seriously, why this show was so disliked back then? There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Its animation is simple, but stylish, making a great homage to both retro anime (Such Astroboy) and Max Fleischer classic cartoons, while at the same time using the stylish art of 90s Cartoons cartoons such as Dexter Laboratory and the Powerpuff Girls.

The visuals were one of my favorite aspects from this show, but also the writing was pretty clever and the characters were fun and likeable.

More modern reviews are far more posivitive, unsurprisingly, but it kinda saddens me people did no appreciate this show back then.

Like the old saying goes: "You never know what you have until you lose it, and once you lost it, you can never get it back." Shows like this one are now gone, and sadly, not coming back.

If only Nickelodeon could be once again as great as it once was... At least we have Pluto Tv...

One of the best shows that was on Nickelodeon. It's unique!

[fastandfuriostmp · 9/10 · 27 March 2022]

This show is about a teen robot girl who is trying to fit in with her peers in high school, but has trouble doing so. Though she wants to live a normal teenage life with her friends, she still has to serve her heroic duties.

It's a very good show that's not so hyper and loud, so even an adult such as myself can sit through it. The story that it gives goes beyond what you'd expect from a typical teenage show. The characters are relatable for they have their own quirks and personality that is likable. Some episodes are action-adventure while others are more slice of life. Sometimes it can even be a mix of both. It has good comedic moments that is clever and not just shoveled in there.

All in all, this show has been my favorites for many years. It's one I still like to come back and watch. It's such a shame Nickelodeon didn't give these good shows some time to come up with proper ending before letting it go.

Great show,

[gticm · 7 May 2004]

I think this is a great show, they have a great stroy line, Rob Renzetti does it again; they have a great voice over Ex. Janice Kawaye (Jenny -XJ9- Wakeman) and Cree Summers (Tiff Crust).

The story is about a robot, Jenny (Janice Kawaye) who saves the town Tremorton, and the whole world, but would love to do more things more 'important' to her teenage robotic girl life; hang out with normal teenagers and have a normal teenage life. With her friends, Brad (Chad Doreck) and his hyperactive brother, Tuck (Audrey Wasilewski) Jenny is sure to have a crazy yet fun teenage robot life.

This is a great show with great animation and hysterical jokes. Kids and adolescent teens will love it. Period.

This deserves a reboot!

[jadenthekid-15251 · 10/10 · 8 July 2018]

This show deserves a reboot, and a sequel to their TV Special, "Escape from Cluster Prime". I might do that. Possibly in the year 2030 when I launch my very own TV Network for teens 13-17. The reboot might air on a TV block of my own, possibly on my channel. I'll start with 3 movies, and then a reboot show, and then a S1E10 TV Special sequel to their TV movie. This contains spoilers for the years 2030-2038.

The last good show on Nickelodeon...

[bradenbk · 9/10 · 22 January 2017]

When this show ended....Nickelodeon had basically been asking for the network to kill them. Where to begin? The Animation is really well done, as is the voice acting, and most of the soundtrack (except the opening theme, I've definitely heard better) is also really well done. In fact, there was a time of my life where this was the only show i would watch...I've since grown out of that obviously. The really sad thing is that this was the last show on Nickelodeon that was generally well liked until Harvey Beaks and The Loud House came out. Shows that came out after this included such "masterpieces" as Fanboy and ChumChum, Back at the Barnyard, Sanjay and Craig and BREADWINNERS! Most Absolutely worth a watch.

Childhood Memories

[kotaaaabear · 10/10 · 4 May 2020]

I watched this show so much growing up and I love it as much as I loved it then. Its also on Hulu!

It's good but the first season needs a few more episodes

[BushidoHacks · 3 January 2004]

What can I say. I'm a sucker for new ideas. My Life as a Teenage Robot mixes old school animation with Frederator's elete team of animators. I think this show will be most liked upon fans of The Fairly Oddparents and those who also liked Invader Zim.

Probably one of my favorite characters on the show would have to be Sheldon. While he is a geek, he tries hard to gain Jenny's attention. This is what makes the show worth watching.