X-Men

The X-Men Animated Series was great, hands down. Sure, it wasn't the comic -- and yes, the X-Men lineup stayed the same through all six seasons... but it handelled very well. In some ways I wish the comic could have been more concise like the Animated Series was. Some guest characters (Dazzler, my favourite X-Man, for one) weren't portrayed very well, especially in the explenation of their mutant powers, but it was very cool to see it all piece together.

The X-Men had it's share of continuity problems, however. In season 1, for example, everything was loosely played off of the comics. For instance, the X-Men did NOT know Warren Worthington III (Angel/Archangel). Later on through the series, however, Angel is shown as an original X-Man. Iceman was also later guest-starred as an original X-Man, and Polaris was shown as a former X-Man as well. Other than that, though, the team is set as Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey, Jubilee, Beast and Professor X. Some great storylines were the Phoenix Saga, Dark Phoenix Saga and the Phalenx Covenant.

Just about any X-Man you can think of was cameoed as well. Except for Shadowcat that is. Nightcrawler, Dazzler, Colossus, Havok, Wolfsbane, Cannonball, Longshot, and Rictor all stand fresh in my mind. It was truly a great series -- and it was very sad to see it cancelled, as it brought something more substantial to television -- a dream, a goal. Not talking sponges like you see on Nickelodeon. This was and will continue to be one of the greatest cartoons that graced Saturday-morning television.

The X-Men animated series was a terrific try at bringing the ultra-popular comic book featuring mutant outcasts to the small screen. While the animation was amateurish and choppy at best, the voice over work was a particularly wonderful highlight. The stories were re-hashes of the plots from the comics' 30+ years in publication, and a few standouts included the Phoenix Saga, and its follow-up featuring the reconciliation between Scott Summers, alias Cyclops, and his father, the interstellar pirate/freedom fighter, Corsair.

It was this animated series that got me into the world of the-Men and other Marvel comics, which are far superior, but that is not to say this cartoon wasn't good, for it was. What we have here is the four core X-Men - Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey and Storm - along with popular characters from the comics - Rogue, Beast and Gambit - and Jubilee for the teens and Professor X as the basis for the series. Many mutants and other X-related characters make appearances through the series, some more often than others, and to varying degrees of likeness to their comic counterparts, (and Morph who was created specifically for the series). The X-Men are portrayed well to their comic-counterparts, with the exception of Jean Grey. Although it was this series that got me into X-Men, and made Jean my favourite character, in this series she was somewhat wasted, not used to her full potential. She was shown less-powerful than the others, when in the comics, she is one of the most powerful mutants in existence (even without the Phoenix Force). However Jean did get a few good stories, notably the ongoing Sinister stories, her and Wolverine's love subplot and the Phoenix and Dark Phoenix Sagas.

But I digress. The villains were cool and in keeping with their comic counterparts, it would have been nice to see ones like Apocalypse and the Brotherhood more often. In terms of supporting characters, Bishop, Cable, Moira MacTaggert, Banshee, Arachangel, Forge and Colossus showed up a few times, but we could have seen more of Iceman, Darkstar, Polaris, Alpha Flight, Sunfire and Nightcrawler.

A lot of the stories were taken directly from the comics and adapted for this series (like the Dark Phoenix Saga, Phalanx Covenant and Days of Future Past) others were taken from ongoing comic stories and changed into single or multiple episodes for this series, like the Savage Land and the Sentinels.

There was some ongoing narrative, but it is also possible to watch episodes out of order, they were generally self contained (with the exception of multiple part episodes). It's cool to actually hear the X-Men speak and the costumes look cool on TV too. A great watch, most of the time.

8 out of 10 for the whole animated series.

I remember in 1993, X-Men the Animated Series is my obsession and I'm not the only one. For a lot of people in my country, 1993 - 1994 is the X-Men craze era. The said cartoon series was one of the highest-rated TV shows at the time. I was especially obsessed with Rogue. She's beautiful and sexy. She of superior strength and when she fights, she rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yet she can't be touched. She's an irresistible temptation to men, especially to Gambit who longs to touch her so much, when she can't be touched.

I was a sappy romantic at heart too so I'm always looking forward to moments between her and Gambit!!! And the people at my school were no different. Different people - different X-Men character favorites and obsessions, collection of X-Men comics and lots of talk about it during breaks, you name it. Even people over 25 watch it. It is little wonder, however, why there was all this fuss about X-Men. The characters' looks and personalities are charismatic and appealing to viewers. They are drawn as sexy and beautiful women and the men as beautiful and sexy as their female counterparts. Each has their own individual history and personalities which viewers simply find lovable and appealing. The plots and stories are exciting and interesting and there's no denying that the MUSIC at the beginning of every episode is REALLY CATCHY!!!!!!!!!!!!! The animated series was simply VERY WELL DONE!!! The fact that this animated series is one of the highest-rated and most-viewed Saturday morning programs in American history to date, that it is very popular in other countries aside from the U.S., and that it boosts sales of X-Men comics--as people who who didn't read x-men comics before this one started reading them as soon as they got obsessed with it--- are proofs that this is definitely one of the best cartoon series in 90s. In my opinion it is the BEST CARTOON SERIES, not just during the 90s but UNTIL NOW!!!!!!

X-Men shows a different idea of heroes. This is unlike Batman and Superman who are loved by ordinary people because they are heroes. X-Men, on the other hand, although fighting for peace and justice, defending their fellow mutants and ordinary men from harm in the process, are hated and feared by those they've sworn to protect. Humankind, that is. Still they continue to protect and defend mankind.

Marvel really did it right with this one and it could NOT be said that Batman and/or Superman animated series is/are superior than this one. X-Men The Animated Series(90s) is undeniably one of the most excellent, most watched and ultra-popular cartoon series up to this day!!!!!!!!

It's been a while since I last watched "X-Men," the animated series from the early 1990s, but I do remember that this is/was one of the greatest comic book superhero shows I ever watched during my childhood. I was a reader of the Stan Lee-/Jack Kirby-co-created X-Men comics for Marvel Comics as a child - along with Spider-Man, who remains my favorite superhero, and the two Marvel Comics titles formed the cornerstone of my fascination with comic book superheroes. The "X-Men" titles struck a personal chord with me as I got older because of how its world re-defined people's hatreds and prejudices against each other to accommodate people with mutant powers being discriminated against by the powers-that-be. Being a black American, I instantly related to the plight of the X-Men and any other mutant character who was the target of those who ultimately wished the destruction of anyone with mutant powers. That was ultimately the greatest element about the comics, and this incredible animated series. It's the reason why I grew to deeply appreciate Marvel Comics more than any other comic book publisher in the industry. "X-Men," "Spider-Man: The Animated Series," and "Batman: The Animated Series" were all the reasons why during the early '90s, I loved comic book superhero cartoon shows.

10/10