Samurai Jack

    Check out my last post here! http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/my-top-10-favourite-90s-cartoons.html

    First off, suppppppper sorry guys that I've been on hiatus for way too long now, hope to get back on track. Now, this is way overdue, a review for Samurai Jack!

      Samurai Jack was the only cartoon I listed on my 10 Favourite 90s Cartoons list (http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/my-top-10-favourite-90s-cartoons.html) that I hadn't reviewed yet and it 100% deserved to be there. it was an amazing show that was cancelled too early and luckily enough for us, that bad decision is finally being reversed! That's right, on the off-chance that you hadn't heard about it yet, Samurai Jack will be revived later this year. And what better way to celebrate that than by looking back on the original show!

    Samurai Jack aired three seasons from 2001 to 2003, meaning it's technically not really a "90s Cartoon" per say, but I think most of us can agree it was a great addition to our childhoods. The series followed the tale of a Samurai Prince who was thrusted into the far future by a demon and now has to fight a variety of baddies in the cyberpunk dystopia that is the future.We never actually get to know his real name but to the strangers he meets, he goes by the name "Jack".....and Jack is one of the coolest cartoon characters you will ever watch.

And he bares an odd resemblance to a certain Professor who....nah

    Jack's was a show that was pretty unique for the early 2000s Cartoon Network lineup. You had shows like The PowerPuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, and Ed, Edd, n Eddy, all of which showed kids doing some pretty crazy stuff that most people probably never would. But they were all very humorous and you almost never had to actually worry about a problem not getting resolved. In Samurai Jack, the problem was already beyond resolution. The world has gone to hell and the only way for Jack to save the world is to get back to his own time and stop his archnemesis, the Demon Wizard Aku, from ever taking over the world in the first place. And speaking of Aku, he was one of very few villains in fiction who pulled off alternating between being an intimidating threat and a comic relief within the runtime of a single episode. 

    Aku had a crazy design and a backstory that basically put him on the same level of evil as the Devil himself (it's so good that I couldn't possibly spoil it), and yet he was hilarious and light-hearted when he felt like it. A lot of credit has to go to the legendary Mako who voiced him. 

    Another unconventional thing the series did was that it really didn't have much of a cast. It pretty much was just Jack dealing with a different sidequest every episode. Helping a new town or something of the like on his way back to the past every day. The only real constant was Jack and the only villain you could expect to survive to fight another day was Aku. Only one stranger Jack ever helped got to get a second (and a third) appearance and that was the big galoot called the Scotsman. 

And damn, did he deserve it, another really funny character who could kick butt.

     Because of the nature of this series, it was one of the only shows that really needed a conclusion....and it DID NOT GET ONE. The series ended in 2004 with a simple episode that really left everything about Jack's quest un-resolved. We thought we might get a more satisfying ending with the IDW Samurai Jack comic book series that ran from 2013 to 2015 but alas, we didn't. Let's hope this upcoming Season 5 can finally give us what we've all been waiting for!

    All in all, Samurai Jack was a very funny series that knew when and how to tell a dramatic story, and if you haven't checked it out you should. It had a kickass opening theme song to boot and the animation is perfectly passable. I'd recommend the three-part premiere episode as well as "the Birth of Evil" Aku's two part origin story, if you're looking for a good starting place, but really this was a series with no truly bad episodes, ask anyone. To all my Samurai Jack fans, let's get hyped for Season 5!

Animaniacs Episode # 79 - The 12 Days of Christmas Day 2

    On the second day of Christmas, my TV gave to me 3 weird monkey-dog things! (Seriously, what are the Warner Siblings?)

    Animaniacs (http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/animaniacs.html) was a show that was....odd with its' Christmas-themed episodes. It had 4 of them. Now they had 2 in 1 December for some reason, but this (the third one) was the weird one......it aired in February. Now the 4th and final Christmas special aired in an even weirder time of year, but I'll be reviewing that episode later so I'll save that until then. But seriously, to the best of my knowledge, no one was ever informed WHY the Animaniacs Christmas-themed episodes aired on such weird dates

so I'm just going to presume it was a mistake.

Now this (like many an Animanicas episode) contained 2 cartoons and 2 short songs

My Mother, The Squirrel

Where Slappy ends up being imprinted on by a baby bird

The Party

Where Yakko and his siblings invite Mr. Plotz to a party with a "Steven" who Plotz presumes is Spielberg (Spoilers: He's not)

Oh Say, Can You See?

A bastardization of a classic American patriot song that sure has a lot more fun than the real song did, even anthropomorphising the candle that many American Revolutionists used to light their rooms when they needed to write

and

The Twelve Days of Christmas 

A bastardization of the classic Christmas song that inspired this series (SHOUTOUT TO THAT SONG, YOU THE REAL MVP) 

    All-in-all, not much of a special episode, and honestly not much to talk about. Just your usual Animaniacs episode, hilarious. I like it when we get to see how sad Plotz's love-life is. I like seeing Slappy have to deal with her total contrast: a happy-go-lucky newborn bird, and I like figuring out that it's NOT Steven Spielberg who the Warner Trio invited to their party. But what takes the cake to all that, the crowning achievement of this episode has to be.......the "say hello to Christopher Walken" meme

Why won't anyone say hi to me?

   But in all seriousness, this is not the best Animaniacs Christmas special and it's nothing special. Worth a watch for a giggle if you have the time but it's not a hard-hitter or a must-watch by any stretch of the imagination. See you guys tomorrow!

A Garfield Christmas Special - The 12 Days of Christmas Day 1

For the first day of christmas, my TV gave to me, A Garfield Christmas Special!

    Though many who watch this are going to assume it was part of the "Garfield and Friends" TV series (http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/garfield-and-friends.html) that I previously reviewed on this blog, (hell, even I listed it as part of that series, just yesterday) it technically isn't as it actually came out almost a year before the series did. As a matter of fact, it was one of 8 Garfield-based TV specials that were released from 1982 to 1988 (when the series started). Nevertheless, it features the same cast and crew so fans of the series might like this too. However, I'll be the first to admit that this TV special is rather....well, special. It takes up a whole 22 minutes (triple the average Garfield episode) and it's NOT all comedy. That's right, there is actually occasionally some serious moral subtext in this special's run time (shocker I know). It follows Jon, Garfield, and Odie as they try to survive Christmas Eve with Jon's family. We meet Jon''s mother, his father, his brother, and his grandmother, who are all characters we don't see that often so it is fun to see them here. Speaking of Jon's parents, in the original comic strip weren't they the ones who owned Nermal?

Truly, the world's cutest cat......and also sadly not in this special, MOVING ON. 

    

    A disappointing lack of Nermal aside, Jon's family....isn't that fun. They're just your typical, run-of-the-mill farming family. You've got the doting mother, the well-meaning but occasionally grouchy dad, and you have the childish younger brother. While it's sensible for such a usual family to proudce such a usual character, such as Jon, they still could be a tad bit more vibrant. 

Now, the one glaring exception to this rule is the Grandma, who is a know-it-all, attention-seeking, self-absorbed, sarcastic, glory hogging, cynic..........just like Garfield. And Garfield notices this too, he actually develops a special bond with her over this special (back to the part where I mentioned this actually has  moral subtext). Now, WHY she is so cynical is explained as a result of her husband dying a while ago. Ultimately, Garfield gets her the best gift of all when he's able to get her a Christmas present that pleasantly reminds her of her late husband. Christmas morning, while all these gifts are being exchanged is also when we see Odie unveil a gift he's been making for Garfield the whole special long....and Garfield actually likes it. You heard me right folks, Garfield got a gift for someone other than himself, and Odie was able to do something nice for Garfield, all in 22 minutes. All this is missing is an Orson's Farm cameo and a Nermal appearance,  and we could call this a doggone masterpiece. 

This is not to say the special didn't have a few problems. It's not quite as funny as the show would become, and the animation isn't as good either (though that is a fault of the times, not the show). And as I mentioned, Jon's family is bland and generic (to the point even their designs are kind generic)

For real tho, I've heard of strong family resemblance but this is a bit too much

Overall however, I've gotta say this special's successes far out way its' faults and it's worth a checking out if you haven't given it one already. So with that, a ho-ho-ho and a Merry Christmas to you! See you tomorrow!

HUGE Christmas Project Annoucement

Hey guys! Long time no see, sorry for the hiatus but I promised I'd give you something big, and I always deliver. In celebration of my favourite holiday of all time, my favourite way to spend said holiday, and my favourite song about that holiday, i'm going to be reviewing a different animated Christmas special that came out in the 90s' everyday for the 12 days leading up to (and including) Christmas! Now, admittedly not all of these are animated, and not all came out in the 90s, but I think I was close enough that it's not gonna bother anyone. That being said, I'll be reviewing what follows:

Day 1 (Dec. 14) - "A Garfield Christmas" (Garfield and Friends) 

Day 2 (Dec. 15) - "Episode #79" (Animaniacs) 

Day 3 (Dec. 16) - "It's A Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special" (Tiny Toon Adventures) 

Day 4 (Dec. 17) - "The Santa Experience" (Rugrats) 

Day 5 (Dec. 18) - "We Wish You A Turtle Christmas" (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) 

Day 6 (Dec. 19) - "Alpha's Magical Christmas" (Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers) 

Day 7 (Dec. 20) - "Dexter vs. Santa Claws" (Dexter's Labratory) 

Day 8 (Dec. 21) - "A Scooter for Yaksmas" (Ren and Stimpy) 

Day 9 (Dec. 22) - "An All Dogs Christmas" (All Dogs Go to Heaven) 

Day 10 (Dec. 23) - "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas" (Pinky and the Brain) 

Day 11 (Dec. 24) - "Episode #98" (Animaniacs) 

Day 12 (Dec. 25) - "Twas The Flight Before Christmas" (Powerpuff Girls) 

So that's all for tonight, but starting tomorrow, I'll be reviewing one of these every day until Christmas! Hope you guys are as excited for this as I am! :)

Brb Super Busy

Hey guys won't be able to post something new this week, super busy but I got a project I'm working on so don't worry, I'll be back next week at full force!

My Top 10 Favourite 90s Cartoons

In this post, we'll be doing something a bit different. I'll be listing and looking at MY own personal Top 10 Favourite 90s Cartoons. This is completely subjective so don't get upset if you don't see a show you loved. As a matter of fact, I may not have ever even seen it, so point them out to me in the comments. *Also keep in mind that my ratings of the cartoons at the end of their individual reviews are objective, while this list is not. Soooooo the ratings might not line up with my rankings.* 

RULES: 

1. No anime (so no Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh, Beyblade, etc)

2. Has to have begun and ended within 1990 to 2005 (so no Spongebob Squarepants or Fairly Odd Parents

3. Obviously, had to have been animated. And I mean traditional  handrawn 2D animation. No CGI  or for that matter  stop motion (sorry Reboot)

4. Obviously only TV series.

So without further ado, let's begin!

10. Samurai Jack

Haven't mentioned this one before but I probably will soon enough. I don't even think this one has to be explained, EVERYONE who's watched Samurai Jack has liked it. What's not to like in a show about a samurai who gets sent forward in time and has to adjust to a futuristic world while fighting to get back to his own? The answer to that question is nothing. There is nothing not to like in a show like that. 

09. Batman: The Animated Series

Batman is a great show and everyone knows it. It had some major high points and, despite just being a cartoon and not anything live-action, it was the most ambitious and successful Batman project (outside of the comics) to date. It was cinematic in scope, handled dramatic tension and serious situations better than any other kids show at the time, and it did the original Batman comics justice. Here is the full review for further detail. http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/09/batman-tas.html

08. Superman: The Animated Series

Superman: TAS benefited from the same genius creative team as the aforementioned Batman: TAS. And they sure brought their A-game here too, with top-notch animation, and gripping stories.Not much else to say. Here is the full review for further detail.  http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/09/superman-tas.html

07. Dexter's Labaratory

Because of this show, Dexter will forever be a supergenius little boy to me (and not a serial killer forensic scientist). Honestly, this show should've gone on longer as it could've told a lot more stories. It was a pretty simple series but it was fresh and original and especially in the first two seasons, funny. Here is the full review for further detail.  http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/dexters-labratory.html

06. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The TMNT are a group that isn't really defined by any one iteration of themselves. I've grown up with their comics, movies, and multiple versions of their cartoon, and each where great in their own unique way. This variation of them however is really the one that defined them for a generation, and even though it's crazy silly, it's charming and endearing at the same time. It's 100% earned it's long shelf length. Here is the full review for further detail.  http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/08/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles.html

05: The Powerpuff Girls

This was a show that I really wasn't proud of because of its' "girlishness"....but at the same time, it kicks ass for a little girls show and honestly has aged very well.The action was suspenseful and the contrast between the girls superhero and everyday lives was a comedy gold mine. Absolutely can not wait to see the reboot coming out next year, I have high hopes. Here is the full review for further detail. http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/the-powerpuff-girls.html

04:  Garfield and Friends

Garfield and Friends was a show that lasted very long despite having a pretty average size audience. I am totally ok with that because this show can make me laugh like only one other can. (We'll get to that one in the minute). While other shows try to balance multiple genres, this one just does comedy....and it does it REALLY REALLY well. It works here because the characters are just perfect for each other and for us. Best incarnation of Garfiled, hands down. Here is the full review for further detail. http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/garfield-and-friends.html

03: Justice League

JLU was the cartoon everyone was waiting for. It had stories so big that every single episode had to be a 2-parter for the first couple seasons. The combination of all these big-name heroes working together for the first time since Super Friends made it really an epic, must-see show, and it did that in all the right ways. Here is the full review for further detail.  http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/09/justice-league-unlimited.html

02: Animaniacs

Animaniacs is the funniest production I have ever seen in my life so far, and it probably will remain so for a very long time. Every single episode made me laugh uncontrollably at least once and i think most other kids had this experience. It lasted for 5 seasons which is longer than most, but it definitely ould've lived for longer considering that its' popularity wasn't weaning at all. Here is the full review for further detail. http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/10/animaniacs.html

A couple honourable mentions: Tiny Toon Adventures, Ed, Edd, n Eddy, Timon and Pumbaa, X-Men: The Animated Series, and Batman Beyond. RIP, you magnificent TV series, you.


NOW A DRUMROLL PLEASE

01: Spider Man:  The Animated Series.

YOU ALREADY KNEW THIS WAS GONNA BE HERE. If you've ever read the full review (http://that90sguyreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/09/spider-man-tas.html) you know that it mentions that this is my favourite show of all time, and I am not lying when I say that. Spider-Man is a crazily relatable and entertaining character and I go nuts for him. So when I saw an adaptation of him that does him in the cartoons PERFECTLY ACCURATE to how he is in his original comics.....I was just blown away.

Thanks guys! Hope you enjoyed this little change and see you next week when I get back to my normal routine!

Dexter's Labratory

Dexter's Labratory was an animated television series that aired for two seasons from 1996 to 1998 before getting a finale movie in '99, "Dexter's Labratory: Ego Trip".....and then getting revived in only 2 years in 2001. The revived series lasted two more seasons, ending in 2003.

The series focused on the exploits of a young boy genius named Dexter who has a labratory in his basement. He carries out scientific experiments there and somehow manages to keep it's existence a secret from his parents.......but not his annoying older sister Dee-Dee. Dee-Dee managed to sneak into his lab almost every episode and would usually try to play with something and end up wrecking it. Dexter's family makes for a funny bunch, his parents are traditional: his mother does the cleaning and is pretty much a neat freak, and his father is a working man who values manliness, family, and paying the bills; and yet they produce the odd pair that is Dexter and Dee-Dee. Dee-Dee adores her little brother, she just is very bad at showing it. Dexter on the other hand seems to despise his sister for being unintelligent, nothing like him, and a danger to his studies.

But, even though they're the focus, it's not just all about this one family. Dexter is a genius however there is one boy his age who can rival him and that is Susan (or as he prefers to be called, Mandark). Mandark parallels Dexter in that, while Dexter uses his gifts to further humanity's knowledge, Mandark is only in science for the potential power it could give him, but he's not gonna go anywhere in the world so long as he has a rival, which is why he's always scheming up ways of disposing with Dexter.

Besides Dexter's family (which never gets a name) and Mandark, there is a recurring cast.  Mordecai is a geek and Dexter's only sorta friend, not quite as smart as him but just as nerdy. Action Hank is the stereotypical action hero and also one of Dexter's biggest role models, that is after the Justice Friends.

The Justice Friends are a blatant parody of the Avengers. You have Major Glory (Captain America), Valhallan (Thor), and Grunk (Hulk). But the absolutely hilarious part about it all is that you almost never actually see them fighting crime, instead their segments focus on their home life, such as picking a TV show to watch, or trying to get a bee out of the apartment they share (yes, they're roommates). It's interesting to note however, that they would later cameo in a couple episodes of the cartoon I reviewed last week (the Powerpuff Girls) and to this day, they serve to many, as evidence that the two shows take place in the same universe or are at least connected.

Dexter's Lab, like a couple cartoons I've reviewed before, followed the format of 3 7 minute segments per episode (and a 1 minute short to round it off). In the first season, the beginning and ending segments of each episode was about Dexter and the middle one would be "Dial M for Monkey" which followed the adventures of Dexter's test monkey.....who also happened to be an international spy with a smoking hot girlfriend.

In the second season, the middle segment switched to following the Justice Friends. But in the revival series, the middle segments tended to just be about Dexter's parents or Mandark or Dee Dee. To be honest, I think that that was a mistake. Having a second show within the show was a really fun concept and though the 2nd half of the series was alright, that was one of the reasons why I and many others don't really consider it as good as the 1st. Now, don't get me wrong, the 2nd half still had the character chemistry that made the original so clever and hilarious (I actually think they did Mandark better than before, elaborating more on his backstory of having hippie parents that don't approve of his evil). However, the middle segments were always a let down, and the biggest mistake of all was not having a grand finale.


In Ego Trip, Dexter travels through time to the future, where Mandark has taken over the world and he has to team up with several future versions of himself to stop it. This is a very dramatic concept and yet they still get a roar out of you. Honestly, this was a perfect finale and it was made less important by adding 2 more seasons afterwards. The episode the series ultimately did end on was just a boring old run of the mill episode about Dee-Dee and Dexter going to the zoo. Nothing special.

Overall, though the second two seasons weren't as good as the first, it was still an ingenious kids' cartoon and definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. 90/10.  And if you're an old fan, try the new comic book series by IDW, they're adapting all of the original Cartoon Network Cartoon Cartoons (including epic crossovers that I'll talk more about later).




Not sure what I'll be reviewing next week, so be prepared for anything!