-The last words an alien monster hears before a profound ass-kicking
-The show's basic premise (besides the whole "giant robot" thing)
"Well-paced, funny, unpredictable. But the show is rated PG and airs at 8:00 p.m. and reairs at 8:30 a.m. on Cartoon Network. A kid's cartoon should not involve a cheerleader trying to seduce a fat geek by dancing on a pole as 'Shake It, Shake It, Booty Quake It' blares."
-One blogger, complaining about the resident robot being seduced by the local cheerleader
-One blogger, complaining about the resident robot being seduced by the local cheerleader
"Even with all the amazing new talent that Cartoon Network has cultivated over the years, Tartakovsky still stands as one of the greatest living animators. Seeing him employ everything in his (and anyone else's) arsenal at once without skipping a beat cements that fact."
-Karl Olson, Toonzone.net
-Karl Olson, Toonzone.net
Tonight, on a very special edition of the Brewhaha, we take a look at the latest work of Genndy Tartakovsky (I'm going by faith that the quote above shows the correct spelling for his name), a giant mecha cartoon known as "Sym Bionic Titan."
For those of you who don't really follow cartoons, Tartakovsky made a name for himself back in the 90's with "Dexter's Laboratory," the show where the red-headed boy genius and his ballerina sister Dee-Dee made their way into the hearts of millions of kids. He also did work with "The Powerpuff Girls," helping design several episodes and providing animation direction for the movie. His other works include "Samurai Jack," which was his first foray into a more dramatic series, and "Star Wars: Clone Wars" (the one which introduced General Grievous as less Darth Vader-lite and more the Jedi killer he always claimed to be).
Tartakovsky is basically the Michael Bay of animation. His breakout series in Dexter showed his skill as a comedic director, but "Samurai Jack" and "Clone Wars" introduced us to the Tartakovsky many animation fans know today as an action director. In particular during "Samurai Jack," he became known for his cinematic style, which stressed the buildup of suspense and a minimum of dialogue.
Thus, at a time when Cartoon Network was starting to phase out much of its cartoons for...wait for it...live action programming...they tapped Tartakovsky to produce a new animated series. It was first announced some time last year, with me personally raising an eyebrow at the title alone. "So, that means what?"
Then came the trailer.
As someone who doesn't really appreciate all of the references and homages to other "giant robot mecha" shows, I can only approach this as another Tartakovsky work, with its own strengths and, dare I say, weaknesses.
Like I said, Tartakovsky uses a more cinematic style, which emphasizes buildup as much as the payoff. With this in mind, the action this time around just seems more rushed, and the animation almost seems like it's taken a step down from his previous works. The greater use of lines in the artwork detracts from the atmospheric effect, whereas in his previous works (specifically "Samurai Jack"), characters and structures could fade in and out of the scene without seeming out of place. All these random new wrinkles on the characters' faces just take some getting used to.
This series is also more plot and dialogue-driven than his previous works. Our intrepid heroes arrive on Earth, and they're basically on a mission. You get a sense of the urgency rather than a focus on scenery. Nine times out of ten, they're either getting more accustomed to Earth, or fighting off the monster of the week, where "Dexter" and "Samurai Jack" have the benefit of showing more "slice-of-life" stories--not that the show doesn't have time for such moments, there's just less focus on the "mundane" and a more overall focus on what you might call the A-plot.
I've seen maybe five episodes so far, but from what I can tell, the focus is on Lance, the bodyguard and token tough guy of the heroes (who even gets his own episode as a vigilante!). Ilana is the princess he's basically been placed in charge of, and who is having more trouble adjusting to life in human suburbia. Rounding out our trio is Octus, a sort of energy-based robot guardian who can create a hologram to disguise himself as one of us mere humans. He acts as the token "nerd" of the group, and helps them adjust to life on Earth while "analyzing" our TV shows. The three make for interesting heroes; one of the strengths of this show is its depiction of how they interact with each other and us mere humans.
Without spoiling too much, and without judging based on maybe half of the episodes that have aired, all I can say is that this show holds no punches. It's funny when it needs to be, and it's flat-out brutal when it needs to be. As befitting a children's cartoon, it has some decent messages for kids, such as "You should learn to work together," or "Eat healthy." Or, "Don't try to fight crime, or else the aliens will find you."
A word of warning, though: It may be a tad intense for the younger viewers. Tartakovsky basically has a license to kill from Cartoon Network, and he's not afraid to use it. Some of the dialogue may also be suggestive (especially if Octus's stint as a "tutor" is anything to go by) and it touches on...you know, sex. If you're willing to give this show a chance, I would recommend screening it before letting the young'uns watch it.
Overall, though, from what I've seen, "Sym Bionic Titan" is a good show. It has its flaws, but it's still a show that can stand on its own two feet. It's part satire, part sitcom, and part sci-fi epic--but what else would you expect from Genndy Tartakovsky?
Note: The Brewsky is an enthusiastic contributor and movie reviewer who would like to wish you a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, good Kwanzaa, a happy...uh, I dunno, Chinese New Year?
For those of you who don't really follow cartoons, Tartakovsky made a name for himself back in the 90's with "Dexter's Laboratory," the show where the red-headed boy genius and his ballerina sister Dee-Dee made their way into the hearts of millions of kids. He also did work with "The Powerpuff Girls," helping design several episodes and providing animation direction for the movie. His other works include "Samurai Jack," which was his first foray into a more dramatic series, and "Star Wars: Clone Wars" (the one which introduced General Grievous as less Darth Vader-lite and more the Jedi killer he always claimed to be).
Tartakovsky is basically the Michael Bay of animation. His breakout series in Dexter showed his skill as a comedic director, but "Samurai Jack" and "Clone Wars" introduced us to the Tartakovsky many animation fans know today as an action director. In particular during "Samurai Jack," he became known for his cinematic style, which stressed the buildup of suspense and a minimum of dialogue.
Thus, at a time when Cartoon Network was starting to phase out much of its cartoons for...wait for it...live action programming...they tapped Tartakovsky to produce a new animated series. It was first announced some time last year, with me personally raising an eyebrow at the title alone. "So, that means what?"
Then came the trailer.
As someone who doesn't really appreciate all of the references and homages to other "giant robot mecha" shows, I can only approach this as another Tartakovsky work, with its own strengths and, dare I say, weaknesses.
Like I said, Tartakovsky uses a more cinematic style, which emphasizes buildup as much as the payoff. With this in mind, the action this time around just seems more rushed, and the animation almost seems like it's taken a step down from his previous works. The greater use of lines in the artwork detracts from the atmospheric effect, whereas in his previous works (specifically "Samurai Jack"), characters and structures could fade in and out of the scene without seeming out of place. All these random new wrinkles on the characters' faces just take some getting used to.
This series is also more plot and dialogue-driven than his previous works. Our intrepid heroes arrive on Earth, and they're basically on a mission. You get a sense of the urgency rather than a focus on scenery. Nine times out of ten, they're either getting more accustomed to Earth, or fighting off the monster of the week, where "Dexter" and "Samurai Jack" have the benefit of showing more "slice-of-life" stories--not that the show doesn't have time for such moments, there's just less focus on the "mundane" and a more overall focus on what you might call the A-plot.
I've seen maybe five episodes so far, but from what I can tell, the focus is on Lance, the bodyguard and token tough guy of the heroes (who even gets his own episode as a vigilante!). Ilana is the princess he's basically been placed in charge of, and who is having more trouble adjusting to life in human suburbia. Rounding out our trio is Octus, a sort of energy-based robot guardian who can create a hologram to disguise himself as one of us mere humans. He acts as the token "nerd" of the group, and helps them adjust to life on Earth while "analyzing" our TV shows. The three make for interesting heroes; one of the strengths of this show is its depiction of how they interact with each other and us mere humans.
Without spoiling too much, and without judging based on maybe half of the episodes that have aired, all I can say is that this show holds no punches. It's funny when it needs to be, and it's flat-out brutal when it needs to be. As befitting a children's cartoon, it has some decent messages for kids, such as "You should learn to work together," or "Eat healthy." Or, "Don't try to fight crime, or else the aliens will find you."
A word of warning, though: It may be a tad intense for the younger viewers. Tartakovsky basically has a license to kill from Cartoon Network, and he's not afraid to use it. Some of the dialogue may also be suggestive (especially if Octus's stint as a "tutor" is anything to go by) and it touches on...you know, sex. If you're willing to give this show a chance, I would recommend screening it before letting the young'uns watch it.
Overall, though, from what I've seen, "Sym Bionic Titan" is a good show. It has its flaws, but it's still a show that can stand on its own two feet. It's part satire, part sitcom, and part sci-fi epic--but what else would you expect from Genndy Tartakovsky?
Note: The Brewsky is an enthusiastic contributor and movie reviewer who would like to wish you a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, good Kwanzaa, a happy...uh, I dunno, Chinese New Year?
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