He-Man y los Masters del Universo

Being a fan of the original series (and yes, the toys as well) I was thrilled to see this new series.

It is brilliant! It reinvents the old characters and manages to stay true to its origins. Finally these "masters of the universe" deliver action living up to their title. Skeletor at last is the powerful menacing character he should be. He-Man is the good-hearted force of nature he always was, slightly updated for these times.

And then I hear about its cancellation. Say what?! The inmates are running the asylum, it would seem. Why cancel it?! This series has so much potential... What is wrong with people?!

Bring it back! It showed so much promise!

Words cannot describe the combination of blissful nostalgia and childlike wonder I experienced while watching this new version of my favorite cartoon for the first time. I've been hoping for years that Cartoon Network would air the old MOTU episodes, but I never expected an all-new series! Finally, they've got an original action cartoon worth watching!

I was born in 1983 (the same year the original series first came out) so it's not too far of a stretch to say that I literally grew up with it, in any case it remains one of my all time favourites. So, when I heard they were coming out with a remake I was hopeful, but skeptical. I've seen too many fall flat and too many are blatant money ploys with little bearing on the original (like a certain movie that I won't name.).

That said, when I first watched the series I was pleasantly surprised. This is obviously a labour of love that gives as much respect to old schoolers like myself as it does to those who have never even heard of Eternia. I was amazed to see the amount of detail, from Evil-Lynn's hair to the long standing Keldor/Skeletor rumour, that was brought into it.

The characterization is also terrific and they've even expanded on as are many of the details and relationships that weren't as heavily addressed in the old one. The animation is much richer and smoother and the series lacks the classic "80s cheese" (oh well).

Not to say that there aren't some points that I don't think work well ie: my biggest problem is Cringer not talking, though that's a rant I've done elsewhere.

This is a strong series that I've really enjoyed up to now and is, so far, a worthy successor to the original.

If you loved the old He-man then this show will appeal to you. It's got all the same characters, but the character development and plot is crisper. There is more internal conflict. And more inter character relationships. This series is filled with drama between the characters you loved in the 80's. And the animation looks better. Personally, I don't think the way the fights are animated, a sort of cheap dragon ball z type reuse of the same 'flying' shots over and over again. It's not bad, it just gets old if you watch them too often. But over all it's really quite enjoyable. Since this post is referring to the pilot movie in particular. I must say it's a great story that was never told in the original series. It tells how Skeletor came to be. And how he got that cute skeletal face of his. It give backround that you've been dying to know since the early 80's. It's worth watching for that alone. ANd it tells how Prince Adam first became He-man. Which was also left out of the 80's show. Watch it. You will not be disappointed.

Growing up in the 80's, specifically a boy growing up in the 80's, it's not surprising I am very fond on He-Man. However, just this past summer I watched one of the first episodes that I would have grown up with and didn't understand all the fuss. Why did I like this show so much? The writing was terrible - the animation....well, no good animation came out of the 80's in retrospect in my opinion. I guess the only thing the short lived, but heavily remembered, animated series had going for it was the plot.

I grew up with the action figures - possibly the largest array of action figures ever known - but slowly the names and the ongoing plots faded in my mind and soon my own creative imagination took over and created my own adventures, combining various sets of Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I was getting further and further away from the concept of the show - and then before I knew it, I grew up forgot all about Orko and and Beast-Man. That is, until I saw that terrible excuse for an episode.

It was bad, there's no denying that, but then why did I have such fond memories of the show? I guess it's the same with any show - limited technology never meant it was bad, but we've acquired higher expectations on television these days.

Not too long ago I heard of a new line of He-Man action figures. "What's the point?" I would ask myself, but really, they were pretty cool looking. And then I discovered the new series of action figures was arriving the same time as the new animated series itself!

Eventually I was able to download the show to see what all the hype was about - and truthfully, I was not disappointed! While not the most brilliantly animated show on television, it far surpassed my expectations, and even made me tolerate the dreadful Japanese Anime, since this new cartoon imitated it to an extent. The colors were stunning and the characters were dead-on. Everything was perfect - the enchanting and rich tale was still fresh and nothing could ruin it.

This show has done the unthinkable for me: it's preserved a child's forgotten yet rose-tinted memories of a show to which every other cartoon has always been compared with....yet it proved me right. He-Man is worth saving and marketed back in the mainstream of the public. He's truly a hero for everyone, 5 yr olds and even 20 yr olds like myself.

And who knows the same thing may happen 15 years from now and I'll be remembering this show was rose-tinted memories. Maybe I'll catch an episode on late-night television - you know, the time slot for insomniacs who don't care what they watch - and maybe then I'll wonder why the hell I was watching it back in the day as well. But for now, I'm reveling in the moment that one of the greatest tales ever told is being told to a new generation, and this time I can get a hell of a lot more out of my favorite animated star.