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FLCL (2000)
Saintbeacon FLCL Review
Easily one of strangest and most experimental GOOD shows ever made. This show is odd, challenging, unsatisfying, and utterly beautiful. Anyone without an imagination or a huge interest in animation will likely find very little to enjoy here, but for those who do, this is a goldmine. I find it somewhat miraculous that Gainax even took the risk of putting money into something like this. Let's see what we can find.
Visuals: This is some of the best animation that you are likely to see in a TV series. Due to the fact that this is a six-episode mini- series, the animators have no reservations and throw whatever they want at us. The animation can be atmospheric and reserved at times, but many scene become so wild and spastic that they must be viewed several times in order to be digested properly. This is what I call an "Expressionist" show, where the characters frequently go off- model or have extreme movements and contortions for the sake of expressing an emotion. The animation here is absolutely entertaining. It never gets boring or repetitive. In addition, the colors and lighting details look very good and give the show it's own atmosphere, really capturing the feeling of the town that it takes place in. In fact, if the visuals weren't so immersing and entertaining, I might not have stuck with the show to figure it out more.
Characters: I really like these characters. I would have a difficult time explaining exactly why, but I really do. They all have confusing personalities and back-stories, but there's enough characterization put into each of them that they all feel distinct and entertaining. Haruko herself brings so much insanity and entertainment to the show, what with her snidely high-pitched voice and hyperactive personality, that she quickly became one of my favorite character in animation. I feel like, in the end, they don't reveal as much to us about these characters as most shows would, and its hard to find someone "relatable" to grab on to, but they are still very enjoyable.
Storytelling: Here's where the show gets interesting to talk about. Ask anyone what FLCL is actually about, and there is a good chance they will draw a blank. The reason for this is that this show does not follow conventional exposition or storytelling at all. Each episode has its own internal conflict that is resolved with an epic climactic battle, but that's as close as the show will get to being like a "normal" animated series. There's a clear plot about Naota and Haruko that we are following, but there are things going on the background that are barely explained, and even the final episode, which makes few things clear, still opens the show up to a lot of questions. I used to think that Adventure Time had a challenging, low-conveyance style, but this show takes that concept even further. The dialogue and communication between characters is often confusing to the viewer, especially if the viewer isn't Japanese, and things often go by at a breakneck pace. I found myself re-watching each of these episodes several times after seeing the finale, and I found a lot of dialogue and exposition that I totally missed. I actually approve of this experimental style, as it requires a lot of thought and attention from the viewer, and makes it more re-watchable than most shows. The show uses it's insanity for the sake of art, and is open to interpretation. Two people could watch the same episode, and come up with two different descriptions of it.
Audio: This show uses a lot of punk-rock music in order to help carve out its own immersing feel and style. The music can get a bit too loud and grating during scenes where I feel it isn't needed, but the soundtrack itself really stuck with me, haunting me long after I finished watching the show. It's certainly distinct. The English dub of this show is also worth talking about. The line delivery is often strange, both for the sake of fitting to the animation and trying hopelessly to recapture the meaning of the original delivery. That being said, for a show that is so difficult to translate, the American actors did a really good job of capturing the way I want these characters to sound. The performances from Walhgren, Goodson, and the rest are very fitting.
All in all, this is not a show for everyone. Anyone who wants an animated show that is more challenging and experimental, but still has great production values and doesn't lose the immersion and beauty that a good animated show should have, DEFINITELY needs to check this out. There is nothing else like it.
Wander Over Yonder (2013)
Saintbeacon Wander Over Yonder Review
Much like Uncle Grandpa, this is a simple, wacky, optimistic show that is driven mostly by the desire to tell jokes and make the viewer smile. There isn't much to it, but there's really very little bad to say.
Visuals: This show uses as style of animation similar to Craig's previous show, "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends". The animated acting and characterization is pretty good here, and the characters are free to express themselves. They don't go over-the-top with it as much as something like "Ren and Stimpy", restraining themselves to something similar to classical rubber hose cartoons. Wander's Smile is infectious and Felix-the-Cat-like. The main difference between this and Foster's is that the characters have very thick, slick-looking black outlines. The color scheme is very simple, but it looks decent. The movements of the characters tend to follow a rhythmic pattern with sounds effects that takes advantage of Flash, but not as much as possible. I really like Wander's design, but not all of the characters are so blessed. The style here isn't my favorite, but I can see people liking it.
Characters: This show is mostly driven by the strong, simple personalities of the characters. None of them are too complex or fresh, but none of them are too annoying or unlikable. The sympathy is usually where it should be.
Storytelling: Very simple and straightforward, as well as being fairly energetic. It can be somewhat predictable and follow patterns we've all seen before, but it works.
Audio: The music is distinctive, consisting mostly of folk tunes and banjo plucks. It helps give the show an identity. The theme song is so heinously catchy and smile-inducing that you will never get it out of your head, and I really like it for that. The voice performances also work pretty well. Wander has that "Nice-Guy" sound that he really needs.
To sum up, there really isn't too much to talk about here. This is just a show that wants to have some fun with you and make you smile if you'll let it. It's almost like a midway point between the typical Craig McKracken style and some sort of classical rubber-hose cartoon. Strangely, I think that "Mickey Mouse" fans might enjoy this, as will fans of Craig and Lauren's other shows.
The Amazing World of Gumball (2011)
Saintbeacon Gumball Review
As far as I'm concerned, this show is something of a "leftover" from Cartoon Network's darker years. Allow me to make it clear that think CN is at a new high when it comes to their shows, thanks to the likes of "Adventure Time", "Regular Show", "Steven Universe", and "Clarence". They also have "Teen Titans Go", which is awful. This show and "Uncle Grandpa" fall somewhere in the middle for me, and I will explain why.
Visuals: The visuals are probably the only interesting thing about Gumball. The use of mixed-media on this scale is rarely seen in animation, and will likely impress anyone who enjoys graphic design. There are numerous styles integrated here. Some characters look totally flat and flash-animated, others look hand-drawn, others are 3D models, and others look like puppets. The backgrounds are enhanced, photo-shopped images. I dislike the designs and animation on the main family, and I feel that the show has no coherent or immersing atmosphere the way that I think good cartoons should, but that doesn't stop me from being impressed. It's certainly a lot better than the Photoshop integration in "Breadwinners".
Characters: I personally don't like these characters very much. Gumball and Darwin are your typical wacky, naive, mediocre screwball protagonists that we've seen in a LOT of cartoons, and don't bring anything new to the table. They aren't the worst examples of this, but they aren't the best either. Most of the characters feel like stereotypes or archetypes that we've already seen numerous times. The dad is a typical man-child dumb dad (he even has a Homer-Simpson accent), the mother is a typical aggressive mother character, there's a grumpy neighbor who doesn't like the main characters even though they think he does, ETC...
Storytelling: Again, this show follows the basic "Spongebob Squarepants" style of writing and humor that every single comedy show on Nickleodeon (and a few on CN) have been using for a long time. There isn't really a unique style of writing at play here. Cartoon Network is thankfully growing out of this style, but Gumball is one more reminder of how prominent it is. There isn't much to say about the writing.
Audio: The voice-acting and delivery in this show is mostly shrill and cliché. The actors are very concerned with screaming and yelling. Ms. Simian has one of the most intolerable voices out there. I'll give them credit for giving each character a memorable voice, at least, and for getting actual children to voice the two leads.
All in all, this show can be watched, but it isn't necessarily recommended. If you really like the modern screwball style of humor, I'd recommend watching early "Spongebob", "Chowder", or "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" over this. Thankfully, there's nothing heinous about it, it just feels a bit too corporate and commercial for my tastes. The visuals are at least worth a glance.
Steven Universe (2013)
Saintbeacon Steven Universe Review
Yet another instance of cartoon network finding a strong personality again, and giving us more laid-back, imaginative shows. This is also their first show with a female creator. The show was made by Rebecca Sugar, who was a former writer and musician for Adventure Time, and an all-around likable person. This is all evident within the series. There seems to be an idea going around that this show is "Adventure Time Lite", and while I understand that there are similarities between the two, they are still more different from one another than most non-serious cartoons are. By that logic, "The Fairly Oddparents", "Johnny Bravo", "My Life as a Teenage Robot", "Samurai Jack", and "The Powerpuff Girls" are all "Dexter's Lab Lite". Anyway, this is a great show with good subtle moral lessons and unique characters. Honestly, this is yet another sign that some cartoonists actually have a solid understanding and implementation of what makes this generation of entertainment good, rather than what makes it bad.
Visuals: I really like the style of this show, probably more than any other cartoon network show at the moment. The background designs by Kevin Dart follow a really unique, dreamy, immersing style that's a joy to look at. Much like Samurai Jack or Adventure Time, this show finds a style that looks really good without needing a huge budget for each episode. In addition, the character designs are really strong here. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, and none of them feel as though they were designed to look perfect or super-appealing. The character movements here are similar to what you might see in "Adventure Time" or "Clarence", but they can be a bit more sophisticated sometimes, such as when Pearl duels her holographic counterpart in "Steven the Sword-Fighter".
Characters: I'm really fond of the characters in this show. Not only are they all fairly realistic, but they all have very distinct personalities without ever feeling like anything close to a stereotype. Steven, for instance, is a kid who can be annoying at times, but only for realistic reasons. There is more to him than that, and his relationship with the adults is downright heartwarming. Every character here has both positive and negative traits, and that is what separates good characters from bad ones. You can be annoyed with them sometimes, and other times, they will make you smile. This show takes an interesting turn on the usual main-team structure. The main character is a young boy, but the rest of the team are women.
Storytelling: The plots in this show aren't anything complex or crazy, but they are tasteful and delivered well enough. I feel that the show draws influence from fantasy-games and RPGs. The tone is relaxing, calming, and atmospheric. You might expect this show to be in the vein of "Xiaolin Showdown", where the characters constantly have to fight villains and go on quests, but it's surprisingly more subdued than that. There are very few "villains" to speak of. The show has touching moments, but I haven't seen a moment where they hit it out of the park with one yet. I also like how the stories are very organic, and don't use overly-predictable cartoon formulas. They don't go as far with the experimentation as Adventure Time, but it's present. The humor here, though not usually laugh-out-loud funny, is quirky and interesting.
Audio: The music in this show really stands out. Not only are the musical numbers and theme song done in the classic Rebecca-Sugar style that we know and love, but the background music is really enjoyable, adding a lot to the atmosphere. The theme music that plays when Pearl goes into action is akin to something you might here in a JRPG. The voice acting also does the trick, characterizing everyone pretty well. I am glad that they were able to find Steven a child voice-actor who actually sounds really distinct.
In conclusion, this is a great show for families. I think that children need shows like this here and there, and this series does not have as many dirty themes as Adventure Time, so I can mostly recommend it to all ages. It's just a lovable bite of candy. I also like how this show, in a very subtle way, contains messages about friendship, and the imperfection of the world we live in. "If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn't have hotdogs", as they remind us in the premier episode. This show really surprised me, as I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it turned out. It let me know that CN is really learning, and "Adventure Time" and "Regular Show" were not flukes.
Clarence (2013)
Saintbeacon Clarence Review
Clarence is a cartoon that succeeds with an element that many other fail at employing: Childhood Satire.
Not only does this show recapture the feeling of being a child in middle-class America or Canada extremely well, but it has additional benefits. Whereas most shows would make fun of children for their stereotypes and specific "modern" habits, this show gets more into the psychology of it. The humor is a mixture of the laidback style seen in shows like "Adventure Time" with the more delivery-driven gags seen in shows like "Gravity Falls" or "Early Spongebob", and I love it dearly. It's more proof that Cartoon Network is developing its own unique personality and growing as a channel.
Visuals: The animation style in Clarence is pretty simple. The characters come in all shapes and sizes, but they have the more reserved style of motion that characterizes most modern Cartoon Network shows. It's actually pretty similar to the animation in Steven Universe, just without all of the pretty, detailed backgrounds. The characters all have unique designs that capture their personalities very well.
Characters: By far the best the about the show. These characters are all either relatable to childhood, or relatable to people you KNEW during childhood. They can be annoying and immature, but there's more to them than just non-stop hyper wackiness. They have enough character that, when they act up, it honestly just feels like a child being a child. They each have a clearly defined personality. They basically act like real kids, but with a more screwball-ish style of comedy sprinkled in. Sumo and Clarence have great comedic delivery, but my favorite character is Jeff. He's probably one of the most identifiable and likable child characters I have ever seen. They aren't as deep or interesting as the child characters in say, "Peanuts", but they're a lot better than what most cartoons would give you.
Storytelling: The stories in some episodes are really satisfying. This is a slice-of-life show that mostly just humorizes the day-to- day live of these characters, and the situations they get into are mostly ones that we can all feel for. I don't care for some of the episodes where the writers mess up and get a bit too annoying, but some like "Clarence gets a Girlfriend" are really funny and enjoyable.
Audio: This show has a really nice theme song. Most of the in- episode music doesn't really stand out, though. The voice performances are very memorable. Clarence and Sumo have cartoony voices, but Jeff and some of the others sound more like real children. They get big laughs when they want to. There's something hilarious about the way Sumo chimes in and says things in his weird, alien-like voice. Definitely the funniest performance I've heard out of Tom Kenny in a while.
All in all, this is another welcome addition to the cartoon network lineup. Recommended for fans of "Ed Edd N Eddy", "Early Spongebob", "Steven Universe", "Rugrats", "Peanuts", and people who generally like kids. You can tell that this show wasn't made to mock children and pander to them. It was made by adults who know what childhood is like. That being said, if you don't like kids, or don't like to remember your own childhood, you probably won't like this show and will find it irritating. That is all I have to say on the subject.
Uncle Grandpa (2010)
Saintbeacon Uncle Grandpa Review
Uncle Grandpa:
The fact that this show has an average rating of exactly 5.0 heavily implies what the audience is about to get. This is a show that goes out of its way to be simplistic. It's downright Analysis-Proof. The morals, storytelling, characters, ETC are merely too simple to be unpacked. The show does not feel challenging or intellectual, but it does not feel pandering, meanspirited, or harmful either. It's just an optimistic show that is written similarly to a simple children's book, but replacing the educational content with comic-strip style gags. My point is, I think that this show just wants to make people happy. It's there mostly for wackiness, and doesn't try to resemble reality whatsoever. It's all about gags, and follows in the footsteps of classical cartoons and comic strips. It is somewhat creative and immersive, but not to a great extent. The show does whatever it wants, following purely "cartoon logic". Nothing has to make sense as long as it creates a coherent gag. A good example would be Pizza Steve: Well, I don't see any birds around here. Do you see any birds, Uncle Grandpa?" Uncle Grandpa (Who has two birds sitting in front of his eyes): Nope. Animation: The animation in this show uses a color pallet that is bright without looking pale or saccharine. The use of photo-shopped elements, trippy character designs, and stylized sky make the show look almost like something out of the side of a hippy-van. The simple backgrounds and line-squiggle clouds can make the environments feel a bit empty, but it works for a show like this. Characters: These are, as said, simple characters. None of them are too unlikable, and the characterization put into them is pretty decent. There's barely anything to say about them. Uncle Grandpa is basically a reality-bending, happy go-lucky guy who likes to go around the world and hang around with different kids with his entourage of weird characters. Storytelling: Nothing to say. It's extremely simple. It's also pretty predictable a lot of the time, but not always. It never goes to far with the freaky stuff, or too far with the innocent stuff. Dialogue is frustratingly on-the-nose, which holds the characterization and gags back a bit. Audio: Music is not particularly memorable. Uncle Grandpa has a pretty cheap voice that anyone can do an impression of right away, but that may be intended. The other actors do okay, but the dialogue holds them back a bit. This show is not for everyone, but I would say that it's a good deal better than Pete's other cartoon (Secret Mountain Fort Awesome). Try to remember, however, that this is a joke-driven cartoonish show that is more akin to something you'd see from a Warner-Influenced show than the usual CN Studios fair. You'll probably like it if you enjoy shows like "Cow and Chicken", or even rubber-hose-era cartoons. I'd recommend giving it a watch and decided for yourself. I appreciate KK88's review of it below. I think he hits the nail on the head.
Adventure Time (2010)
Anyone who needs some Understanding, Read this
There was a time when I disliked this show. Now, I view it as one of the best animated series of all time, and one of the most creatively and boldly non-pandering shows in cartoon history, and this is why:
Adventure Time does not pander to traditional or accessible story structures, payoffs, exposition, or plot constructs. It does not use traditional or accessible cartoon character archetypes. It does not use traditional or accessible humor. It does not use traditional music or voice-acting. It doesn't even always use traditional emotions or dialogue. As a result, the show feels more original than anything else seen on cartoon network since Samurai Jack. Much like Samurai Jack, this show is very immersing and has a style all its own.Also like Samurai Jack, the show takes place in a strange world, where almost anything can happen, or any kind of character can show up, and it will still feel believable and consistent. Recommended for anyone who is into experimental storytelling and music. In fact, most of the soundtrack consists of formless ambient music or IDM.
Nothing about this show feels forced or phony. There are no traditional payoffs or unneeded exposition. There are lots of silent moments and strange scenes that do nothing but establish the characters and their varying types of insanity. There's lots of dialogue that can be taken a number of ways. There are no trumpet-blasts or dinky piano tunes to let the viewer know when he should laugh or be excited. The show makes it YOUR job to be entertained. It's like going to visit another world and have fun watching these characters live their day-to-day lives. No, better yet, it's like being a man from one- thousand years ago watching our daily lives. He finds them a novelty, and is intrigued, but he does not understand everything we do, or the way we talk. The characters in this show will not stop to explain anything for the benefit of the audience. For them, most of the weirdness is just commonplace. They know more than we do, but they have no reason to tell us what they know. If you are used to shows with super-tight writing where everything is conveyed to the audience, look elsewhere. This is a more challenging, atmospheric sort of show.
That being said, this is also one of the only cartoons that has succeeded in making me cry multiple times. As a warning, you will not like every episode. You may not even like every season. I don't, and unless you have very broad tastes, you won't. This show has numerous fans who like it for totally different reasons. Some are their for the back-stories and mythos, some for the adventure episodes, some for the comedy, some for the romance plots, and some for the tragedies. This show does basically everything.
Animation: Minimal, using bright colors and simple, easy designs. The animation may seem lackluster, but it's a pretty immersing style if you give it the chance, and some of the art direction and creativity is admirable. The simple style allows for an endless amount of characters, backgrounds, and stories without too much expense needed. The colors and production value get better over the course of the show. They won't look the best in the first few episodes.
Characters: The characters here are diverse and numerous. Some of the them are annoying, but most of them have depth and dimension that will slowly reveal itself over the course of the show. Many of them are immature, and most of them are insane to varying degrees, but they often have to make hard decisions or go through strange dilemmas. Anyone who SEEMS like typical archetypes will prove otherwise. My expectations were challenged by some of them. Simon Petrikov is my favorite character. Writing and Storytelling: As I said, this is a low-conveyance show. The stories are done in a freestyle, storyboard-driven manner. The writers seem to draw from Nintendo- style fantasy games like "The Legend of Zelda" or the "Paper Mario" series. The early episodes are a bit more focused on simple fun, randomness, and adventure, but things don't get interesting (for me at least) until the show reveals its true colors a bit later on. Pieces start to come together, and the viewer realizes that the randomness actually isn't as random as he might think. Without spoiling much, let's just say that the world of Ooo has a bittersweet back-story to it that makes the show infinitely more interesting once they start hinting at it. Some of the individual characters also have mysterious, semi-disturbing origins. It's what made me curious in the first place. The show deals with its various characters and plot threads at a respectable pace, often juggling many at once and becoming more complex. The "Billy's Bucket List/Wake Up/Escape from the Citadel" three- parter is what I would recommend for people who want to see the show do some more tight, well-crafted writing. This series features passage of time, continuity, and the aging of characters.
Audio: The deadpan, naturalistic voice acting can be either welcoming, or annoying, depending on the viewer or character. I like how the casting is handled. Music is experimental electronica. Musical numbers sound realistically unrehearsed, which makes them more heartfelt when used in episodes like "I Remember You" and "Lemonhope Story".
You don't have to like the show, but I at least want it to be acknowledged for the risks it takes and the creativity it encourages. People who have worked on the show have gone on to make other series like that are good for similar reasons and have helped give Frederator and Cartoon Network more of an identity again, bringing them more respect from longtime fans. Also, to warn you, this show is surprisingly not for young kids. Make sure you're at least around 12 before you watch it. Trust me.
Space Dandy (2014)
Getting to the Point
I am seeing some reviews here that are not talking enough about the most notable thing about this series: The imagination and immersion.
Visuals: This is possibly the most visually arresting TV show I have ever seen.These are some of the only visuals that have ever satisfied me. They are colorful and psychedelic, but never confusing or hard to look at. The designs, in addition, are very well-thought- out. There is so much energy here. The characters have varying degrees of cartoonishness in their designs, taking full advantage of the wild future. The machines, aliens, and worlds are all really interesting. The show is worth watching just for its designs. There are times when the animators could take the cop-out direction and give us something cliché with their worlds and character designs, but they refuse to. When Dandy goes to a plant world, the plants look unique. When he meets his alternate selves, they all look completely different from him and are well-designed enough to be characters in their own shows. It's a spectacle. There are also occasional moments when the movement, for a few seconds, will look almost film-quality. Occasionally, I'll look at something in the show and as myself "how did they even put a design like that together?" It's certainly the some of best you'll see in an animated series.
Characters: The characters here are not as good as the ones in Watanabe's other anime. They could be a lot worse than they are, though, so I give them credit for that. I can't get particularly attached to anybody here. Most of the characters are pretty simple, reflecting the "fun" nature of this show. The cheesy sexual content is very grating at times. It's the show's main reoccurring problem. They hold the show back from being perfect, but few of them come across as annoying, and they all have good visual characterization and moments of humor.
Writing: This show is creative and spontaneous, often following what I call "Narrative logic". Nothing has to make much sense as long as it completes the story, and give us something cool to look at. This show is episodic, which I find very refreshing, as it forces the writers to tell a complete story in every episode and throw things at us with no reservations. They keep coming up with entertaining stuff, and a lot of it is actually very clever in a Douglas-Adams- ish sort of way. This show does not take itself seriously, so if you want that, go elsewhere.
Audio: The music here is very nice, and combines a few different elements. Influence comes from jazz, funk, techno, and others, and it fits the show pretty well. The soundtrack improves in season 2. The dub here is good. Nothing spectacular, but its functional and fits the show. There are some odd musical numbers that are dubbed from Japanese into English, and that is about as awkward as you might expect, but they can at least sing pretty well.
All in all, this is highly recommended for anyone who wants a spontaneous, wild, visually stunning experience. The show has some annoying fetishes with its characters and designs here and there, mainly due to Dandy and his frequent trips to a hooters-parody restaurant, so I'm warning anyone who wants to stay away from that right now, but anyone interested in animation should check this anime out. Especially if you're tired of watching slower-moving plots and want something fast-paced and non-continuous.