Invasor Zim

Sometimes, there comes along a animated show which will be remembered for all time, now with all the anime we see on today's screens, we start to think, what happened to all the truly great American cartoons, well, this is the response to all that.

Invader ZIM is the story of a one alien trying to dominate Earth, along with his robot sidekick GIR, he tries but we all know he will fail, such is the story which is Invader ZIM.

Now that I've got that down, let me just say that this show's concept is good, the jokes funny and the animation slick and surreal.

I really don't fell like saying anymore, is it'll all be praise, but I tell you, if this show is ever on, stop what you are doing and watch, like myself and millions around the world, you will be hooked.

In 2001, children television network Nickelodeon released a cartoon called Invader Zim, created by comic book writer Jhonen Vasquez. It had a brief two season run, and developed a cult following before Nick canceled it in 2003. It involves the adventures of an outcast Irken alien named Zim (Voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz), who "quit being banished" when he heard about Operation Impending Doom II (Impending Doom I was ruined when Zim destroyed the Irken home world). His leaders, The Tallest, send Zim to a "secret planet", hoping that Zim will be lost forever and meet his death, thereby no longer being a pain in the Tallest's butts. He's also given an insane robot named Gir("What does the G stand for?").

Well, Zim doesn't get lost or die. Instead, he finds Earth (Our planet, in case you don't know), and sets up a base of operations, and disguises himself as a human school boy, and Gir receives a dog get-up that is both ridiculous and cute in a weird way. He goes to "Skool" (That's how it's spelled), to gain knowledge on humanity, and nobody even suspects that he's an alien. Everyone, that is, except Dib (Voice by Andy Berman), a self-proclaimed "Paranormal investigator", who develops a heated rivalry with Zim, the two even trying to kill one another on several occasions.

Now that I've got the show's premise out of the way, here is my opinion. When the show premiered in 2001, I was instantly hooked. With original plots, some that seem to be pulled from classic 50's sci-fi, memorable characters, and an effective mix of cell-shading, CGI, and traditional animation techniques, Invader Zim was an instant classic. I'd tune in every week to see what Zim and his dysfunctional robot Gir would get into, whether it was exterminating germs or Gir merging himself with the house.

The voice actors deserve credit where credit is due. Richard Steven Horvitz turns in a spectacular performance as Zim. Horvitz can make Zim from the nicest guy to the biggest a-hole. Andy Berman is right on the money as Dib. He has just the right kind of voice for a Mulder-wannabe. But those two take a back seat to Rosearik Rikki Simons, who brilliantly voices the robot Gir. He is very effective at making Gir such a hilarious and unforgettable character.

Like many fans, I was shocked and angry when I learned that Invader Zim had been canceled. By that point, a lot of Nickelodeon's best cartoons (Like Rocko's Modern Life and Angry Beavers), had been taken off the air, and replaced by all the Jimmy Newtron and Spongebob crap. Invader Zim wasn't spared either.

Overall, Invader Zim excelled in it's sick (Though toned down for kids) humor, and outrageous plots, even though it was short-lived. Never before was there a cartoon quite like it, and there probably never will be.

The Final Verdict: 10/10: The last of the great Nickelodeon cartoons, and one of the funniest, most creative shows ever conceived. In Zim's words...IT'S GENIUS!!!

What can you say about Invader Zim? If I could, I'd just call it abso-friggin-lutley-fan-bloody-tastic and leave it at that. But I obviously can't do that or my review would be much too short.

The show was about an alien from Irk, a military planet bent on conquering the galaxy. They did this by sending out invaders to study the planets' weaknesses, softening them up for the Irken armada. Enter Zim, who single-handedly ruined the first attempt at galactic conquest by accidentally attacking the planet. He's also very short and since height determines status on Irk, this is bad for him. He "quits being banished" when he hears about Operation Impending Doom II and begs the Almighty Tallest (leaders of the planet--remember the height thing)? for a second chance. They finally send him to a "secret planet," expecting him to die and thus be out of their way for good. Zim doesn't die, but arrives on Earth, where he makes himself a very crude disguise and house. He joins the skool (I'm not kidding, that's the way it's spelled all throughout the show) hoping to learn more about the planet, and that's where he meets Dib. Dib loves paranormal things and is the only one who sees through the disguise...but of course no one believes him. From that point on, Zim tries to destroy the earth and Dib tries to capture/expose him for what he really is. This isn't a pathetic "Ash and Team Rocket" rivalry either. These guys think nothing of killing each other, especially in Zim's case. Look to episodes like "Dark Harvest," "Room with a Moose," and "Nanozim" for proof. It can get pretty dark, though still pretty appropriate for kids. My 9 year old cousin likes it fine.

There are so many good things about this show I don't know where to begin. The animation is what you'd expect from Jhonen Vasquez, and puts other cartoons I've seen to shame (*coughWildThornberriescough*). The music matches the mood of the show, from the pulsing theme to the surreal disco of the Mexico scene in "Walk of Doom." Flawless voice acting-especially with Richard Horvitz, who can turn Zim from evil to adorable in seconds, and Rikki Simons who masters Zim's idiotic robot slave, GIR. There's a lot of background behind the plot and characters. If you care to look, you can find information on the Irken's history, biology, and economy-it's really a smart show! The secondary characters are amazing too. Miss Bitters is the creepy teacher with some of the funniest lines in the show ("The lesson here is that dreams inevitably lead to hideous implosions"). Gaz is Dib's Gothic sister who plays video games nonstop. Even the people standing in the background can give you a laugh (and be sure to look for the many cameos!)

And to think that all this was canceled, probably to make room for more Spongebob and Jimmy Neutron. The way Nick slowly killed the show through budget cuts and censorship proved they don't want to entertain older viewers like they did in the old days, so in a way the whole channel died with the show.

Good-bye Zim. Thank you for the gift of laughter we can never repay.

whoo, i like this one a lot! the music is GREAT, the charecters and story are amazing!! the animation quality is good and the CG effects blend well. i hope nickolodeon allows this one to go on for a long time...

This cartoon is about an alien who is trying to take over the earth, of course, first he must learn about the humans... anyways, go see it if its on, its cool.

if you like this show, i reccomend "the head" it was on mtv and you can buy/rent it in stores.

This has to be one of the smartest and funniest animated shows ever. I rarely watched Nick before this show came on after seeing how badly they screwed up their line up. Now I'm tuning in every Friday to watch this show. It has excellent writing. I have honestly never laughed so hard by watching a Nick show in so long. All the characters are a riot. The show has great animation and also a spooky style to match. Invader ZIM is the best show on Nick by far. None of the other Nick shows come close. Invader ZIM is a winner and I hope it continues.