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Daria
American Animation Review
You're standing on my neck! Let me tell you why Daria is the greatest animated TV series ever. There are no explosions, no buxom babes in skimpy outfits, no martial arts action, no giant robots, no vampires, spirits or demons, no magical girls, no strange bunny-cat critters, no starfleets, no wavy-haired psyonics, and no transforming gizmos.
In short, there's nothing to distract you from the actual story, which is a well-written, cynical look at high-school life as viewed through the eyes of one Daria Morgendorfer, who endures each day even though she knows the fates of fortune are conspiring to make each day a living hell of humiliation and annoyance. All she wants is to be left alone to read a good book. It took MTV a lifetime to get around to releasing this onto DVD, but now that it's here, we're happy campers.
 This is simply the most "adult" animated series ever, because at no time does it ever talk down to the audience or assume they are dumb. In fact, you need to be well-tuned-in to even get half the jokes. The stereotypical characters that revolve around her are stereotypical for a reason, and yet, you find them endearing somehow. Their cluelessness is a universal truth that we can relate to.
And Daria is our guide through a world of idiots. Only she can make the inane, banal, insane world make sense. She's smarter than everyone around her, and she knows it. And yet she has so much to learn about life that when she stumbles and recovers, we feel like we've shared the journey and learned something ourselves. And we grow as a result, which makes each half-hour episode well worth the time. La-la-la-la-lah.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, September 2010
Mysterious Cities of Gold (1982)
Animation DVD Review
In 1982, DiC Entertainment was flying high on the success of Inspector Gadget. Not ones to rest on their laurels, they then created one of the most ambitious projects ever in the history of an animated series on TV, a historical adventure series on the scale of Indiana Jones with a vast array of characters and a complex plotline.
It is 1532 and Esteban, a Spanish orphan, is on a quest to find his father. He joins a party of Spaniards as they search for one of The Seven Cities of Gold in The New World. Zia, an Incan girl, and Tao, the last descendant of the sunken empire of Hiva, help Estaban on his search.
 The series is a mix of ancient South American history, archaeology, and science fiction. The travelers encounter the Maya, Inca, and Olmecs during their journey. They discover many lost technological wonders of the Mu Empire, including a solar powered ship (the Solaris) and The Golden Condor, a huge solar-powered ornithopter (mechanical bird), capable of traveling considerable distances under the sun's power alone. They are constantly pursued by antagonists Gomez and Gaspard, who are also in search of the Cities of Gold.
The series has a sense of scale and wonder that reminds one of a Jules Verne novel, with odd ancient machines that are reminiscent of what we today refer to as "Steampunk".
Despite being an original series created by DiC, the show was a big hit in Japan (as well as France, Germany, the USA, the UK, and Australia). We've mentioned the series before (it seems to have been one of the inspirations behind Avatar: the Last Airbender), and like Avatar, there's a movie in the works, and perhaps even new episodes to be produced, even after a 28-year sleep. Now it's on DVD, ready for a new generation to re-discover the Cities of Gold. Move over Dora.
Reviewed by Laurence Sufrin, June 2010
Josie and the Pussycats -
The Complete Series (1963)
Animation DVD Review
Long before anime made short skirts and panty-shots/fan service as common as dirt, and even before Tezuka made the "cat girl" an anime icon, there were three beautiful women who dressed up in skin-tight cat outfits, played music, got into adventures and had a good laugh, usually at someone else's expense.
Created by Dan DeCarlo, the series is a landmark for many reasons, notably Valerie as the first non-stereotyped black character, as well as some famous voices lending their vocal chords to the music, which is memorable and catchy. An enticing extra on the DVD set is the documentary "The Allure and Charm of Dan DeCarlo".
Whether you're a baby-boomer or were introduced to the characters from the live-action movie, this set is an "introduction to anime" in that all of the concepts here were copied into the anime we currently enjoy. And who can resist Melody, the ditzy blonde who delivered most of the series' greatest lines? "Yes, oh great Mustard... I'll get the ketchup."
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, September 2007
Jonny Quest - The Complete First Season (1964)
Animation DVD Review
If ever there was an American animated TV show that could be said to have inspired even modern day anime, this is it. Although the original ran only one season (26 episodes - in prime time!), Jonny Quest remains the most awesome-looking, intelligent, action-adventure cartoon ever made. Looking more like a graphic novel with its hard-edged, high contrast shadows, this show created a niche for itself and has never been equaled.
Although the DVD set has its problem (mostly due to gearing it to kids and not the 40-something Baby Boomers who will really appreciate it), we are just glad to finally have these kick-ass episodes available on DVD and the set is well worth the price. "Robot Spy" is at the top of the list as everyone's favorite episode, although "Mystery of the Lizard Men" and "The Invisible Monster" remain top picks with us.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, September 2004
Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973)
Animation DVD Review
Just as Batman: The Animated Series became the version of Batman that adheres closest to the spirit of what "Batman" is, Filmation Studios brought the starship Enterprise back for NBC's Saturday morning line-up in 1973. (This was long before the movies or the subsequent TV incarnations.) And, like Batman, it is the version that sticks to the spirit of what Star Trek is all about. As such, it becomes one of the best animated sci-fi shows ever made.
 At first glance, the show doesn't seem like much. The animation is incredibly limited, due to budget and time constraints. But the character and scenery designs were brilliant and on the mark. (You don't know how hard it was for the designers to come up with cartoon versions of Kirk and his crew without resorting to caricature.) The original cast was brought back to lend their voices to the show. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley reprised their roles as Capt. Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy.
It's easier to create aliens and monsters for a cartoon than it is for live action. Filmation took advantage of this by adding more alien crewmembers to the Enterprise roster. Lt. Arex and Lt. M'ress worked well with Mr. Sulu and Mr. Scott on the bridge.
The best SF writers around were called upon to submit scripts for the show. There was more plot in a half-hour episode of Star Trek than in many so-called adult shows. The animated Star Trek was as out of place in the Saturday morning kiddie ghetto as a Mercedes in a soapbox derby.
This show made many a trekkie happy. It was Star Trek to the teeth. It might even be more faithful to the concepts of Star Trek than any of the other interpretations. It deserves to be watched. It deserves to be revered.
Reviewed by Lawrence Sufrin, December 2006
Schoolhouse Rock! Special 30th Edition DVD (1973)
Animation DVD Review
Conjunction Junction, what's your function? In the 70's and 80's, the catchy Schoolhouse Rock tunes taught millions of children the fundamentals of math, grammar, science, history and more. We could have never gotten through elementary school without knowing "Nouns", or "I'm just a Bill". To this day, the music for "Figure Eight" remains one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, and "Little Twelve Toes" one of the most eerie.
 And who can forget "Naughty Number Nine" or the hilarious "Interjections!". Schoolhouse rock is the coolest, catchiest, most beloved set of animations ever produced by man. It simply doesn't get any better than this. Relive your childhood, or introduce someone else younger to these amazing short films. With this DVD You're treated to all 46 three-minute shorts plus some additional bonus features, but it's worth the price alone for "I Got Six".
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, March 2003
Flash Gordon:
The Complete Series (1979)
Animation DVD Review
 Since its debut as a comic strip in 1934, Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon has enjoyed a whole lot of success on movie and television screens all over the world. The adventures of this space-age Siegfried have even been made into cartoons. One of these animated interpretations was brought to Saturday morning television by Filmation Studios in 1979 -- a grand undertaking for the studio, and one of their greatest achievements.
The studio pulled out all the stops on this one. The rocketships were all done in a breathtaking "motion-control rotoscope" process. This allowed the ships to zoom and fly on-screen like Star Wars, but done to look like hand-drawn animation. The character designs were awesome, and the stirring music, effects and voice acting combined to elevate Flash Gordon to the pantheon of Filmation's best work.
 The story retains fidelity to the original comic strip, both in terms of storyline and look and feel, with it's retro, 1930's art-deco design. Planet Earth is being threatened by a gypsy world called Mongo. Flash Gordon travels to the strange world with his stalwart compatriots Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, where they fall prey to the tyrannical Ming the Merciless. Our heroes must join the rebel forces of Prince Barin, and aid his efforts to topple the dictator. Flash must unite the many and varied kingdoms of Mongo in a concerted attack.
It's high-flying action and adventure like this series that threaten to give space opera a good name. This is why DVD collections need to exist. Flash Gordon lives!
Reviewed by Laurence Sufrin, May 2007
Jem - The Complete 1st & 2nd Seasons (1985)
Animation DVD Review
It's not just a TV show, it's a lifestyle! The truly outrageous adventures of the mysterious pop-star brings us back to the glory days of the 80's, when style was everything and substance was a far second-place. The very crude-looking first season is upstaged by the much slicker second season (when the show moved from a 10-minute format to a full half-hour), but all the songs are still awesome.
 The DVD has a wonderful feature allowing to you to just play all the song segments, and yes, we definitely prefer the Misfits (their music is much more edgy), and while Jerrica/Jem always took the spotlight, Kimber was much cuter! Either way, this multi-disk set containing seasons 1 & 2 is an absolute "must-have" for those of us who know that Music is Magic. Rhino has done an excellent job with this package. It's showtime Synergy!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2004
Bravestarr (1987)
Animation DVD Review
"In a distant time, and far away place. The planet New Texas floats deep in space. A sky with three suns. Land of precious ore. The kerium rush brought outlaws by the score. Then one day, a lawman appeared, with powers of hawk, wolf, puma and bear. Protector of peace. Mystic man from afar. Champion of justice, Marshall Bravestarr!!!"
In the late 1980's, three cartoon series were released into the syndication market. All of them were what you might call "Space Westerns". They took place in the far flung future, and featured starships and alien worlds. They also had heroes who wore 10-gallon hats, and seemed to be more at home on the range. One of them, Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs, was an adaptation of the anime series "Bismark". The other was "The Adventures of Galaxy Rangers", a series that was the inspiration for the classic anime series, "Cowboy Bebop".
 The third series was the swan sing for the people who first brought Archie and He-Man to the American screen. After a long and distinguished career that included Star Trek and Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle. Filmation called it quits after Bravestarr.
Bravestarr was the only one of the three westerns to feature a minority in the lead role, a Native American. (Marshal Bravestarr mentioned his "Indian ancestors" only once in passing. Apparently, the producers needed to keep that under wraps for fear of reprisals.)
The planet New Texas was populated by some of the most colorful characters since the Groovy Ghoulies. Thirty-Thirty was a robotic Equestroid. He was part horse, part android, and all attitude. Deputy Fuzz was a native to the planet. He was born and raised among the mole-like Prairie People. Tex Hex was a grizzled prospector who had turned to a life of evil in the service of a Lovecraftian horror known as Stampede. He was Bravestarr's sworn enemy.
The "Best Of" DVD package includes the seldom seen Bravestarr movie. We needed a hundred lawmen to tame New Texas. We got one. You know something? He was enough.
Reviewed by Lawrence Sufrin, August 2008
Ren & Stimpy: Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons (1991)
Animation DVD Review
ABOUT BLOODY TIME! YES! They have FINALLY put out the best damn, funniest, most wonderful, brilliant and completely hysterical cartoon of all time out on DVD for us poor slobs to adore. If you don't grab this DVD right now you're a useless sack of protoplasm! It's SPACE MADNESS!
For those of you too young to remember what a really good cartoon is like, Ren and Stimpy simply changed the world forever and catapulted Nickelodeon from a kids network with zero ratings to a network that got college kids to cut their classes to race in front of the TV set to watch this one show.
Ren & Stimpy defined cutting edge and showed how far you could take a cartoon. Just do not watch while drinking coke, unless you want to pay for new shirts!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, October 2004
Batman The Animated Series (1992)
Animation DVD Review
One of the very few cartoons produced in the US that we consider to be better than actual anime, the gothic-looking, noir-inspired, art-direction-up-the-wazoo, spectacular Batman - The Animated Series is the model for all others to follow.
 Looking like nothing that has ever come before to television before (with the exception of the Fleischer Superman shorts), the series' only peer is Frank Miller's exceptional Dark Knight Returns comic book. Superior voice-casting and excellent scripts highlight the series, and the characters have never been truer-to-form. For many, this is *the* incarnation of Batman, it was finally done right. And the Japanese took note, producing anime that looked similar.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, May 2003
Batman Animated (1992)
Animation Book Review
Most anime fans reading this site are probably too young to remember what a Roman Album is, but here's it's closest American equivalent. Batman Animated takes you behind-the-scenes of the series' production, with never-before-seen sketches, concept art, storyboards, character designs and a ton of glossy stills from the most influential animated series ever produced.
To say this is a 'must have' is an understatement. No one interested in the animation arts should be without this spectacular volume of quality craftsmanship. This simply *is* the Batman.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, February 2005
ReBoot - Vol. 1 (1994)
Animation DVD Review
Reboot was the first computer animated TV series, and the folks at Mainframe gave us one of the best shows ever made in the all-cgi genre. With tongue-in-cheek writing, technical in-jokes abounding, clever characters, cool games, and a plethora of good ideas, the show was simply a mind-blower on every level.
 Unfortunately, this DVD, marked Volume 1 is actually the start of the Third Season of the show, however, it's a blessing in disguise, as these episodes never aired on ABC Saturday Mornings. Be prepared for character changes, as Enzo is now a little more grown up, Bob is missing, and there really isn't anyone to defend against the likes of Megabyte and Hexadecimal.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, December 2002
Spawn - The Animated Series (1997)
Animation DVD Review
Todd McFarlane's SPAWN Comic Book was a grotesque, gothic, violent, bloody, gruesome tale that rocked our world. It's awesome and brilliant. The live-action movie just didn't do it justice. But the animated series, produced by HBO, stayed true to the roots of the comic and was dark, violent, and had a twisted sense of humor.
This is definitely NOT FOR KIDS, with foul language, nudity, and enough action to satisfy any fan of the comics. However this may be the best "anime" series ever produced on this side of the Pacific, and certainly gives you the impression that this is the kind of stuff the Japanese SHOULD be making. If you want something that'll really blow you away – then this is it.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2003
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The Daria Database (1997)
Animation Book Review
Anime isn't the only animation aimed at adults, MTV managed to produce one of the most intelligent, and poignant cartoon series ever, when they created Daria. Now enjoy some of the wit and wisdom from the show in this epiphemeral tome. A hip and sarcastic look at life through the eyes of a cynical high school student.
 Now that Daria is running again on Noggin, the show has enjoyed a kind of resurgence, and we really enjoy it, so The Daria Database is a welcome A to Z dose of hilarity for those of us that view life from the harsh light of reality. Featuring notes and insights from most of the characters, along with biting commentary from our hero, Daria fans will also learn a thing or two about some of the more peripheral characters, like the names of Sandi's brothers. If you love Daria, then this is a must-have, as it's the closest thing there is to a Daria "Roman Album".
Editor's Note: This book is out of print but worth buying used for Daria fans.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, December 2002
The Powerpuff Girls! (1998)
Animation DVD Review
Here's why the Powerpuff Girls rule! It's a complete and total parody of everything anime, right down to their enormous eyes, and stylistically, it is downright avant-garde. It's also hysterically hilarious with superb scripts and tongue-firmly-in-cheek. It has one of the coolest villains ever (how can anyone not love Mojo-Jo-jo) and, there's even one episode where every single utterance is a pun on a Beatles song.
 Powerpacked with a razor-sharp wit, over-the-top violence, and a tremendous sense of style, The Powerpuff Girls was a breakout hit for Cartoon Network, watched by kids and adults alike. It was also a hit for them in terms of the merchandising, with a line of plush dolls and plenty of other powerful paraphernalia to procure.
We can only ponder why the producers haven't primed the pump for a plethora of packages that seek to perform as pleasingly, provided the prime product produces profit. Pa Powerpuff Pirls! Papappp pppft....
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, May 2009
Starship Troopers Roughnecks (1999)
Animation DVD Review
This surprisingly adult-level children's show was completely CGI and, although crude by today's standards, is still kick-ass in every way, with complex storylines and astounding amounts of character development. Based much more closely on the Heinlein novel than Verhoven's movie was, the series takes us on several story arcs, defined by "campaign", while keeping to the overall spirit of the book, and acting as an extension of the film.
 This series is an overlooked gem, a good, hardcore sci-fi adventure that shows just how good non-anime 'anime' can get if the producers and artists involved really put some effort into it. If shows like this were made in the USA on a regular basis, we could give the Japanese a run for their money!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, December 2005
Batman Beyond (1999)
Animation DVD Review
Now that Boomerang is running "The Batman", which is the fancy, upgraded incarnation to go along Christian Bale's live-action Dark Knight movies, I hunger for the days when a Batman cartoon came with edgy-scripts, in-your-face action, and characters that weren't so flat. In other words, "The Batman" sucks.
Now this... This was Batman done well. Batman Beyond didn't pull any punches, the characters were good, the music was awesome (the title sequence alone should sell you this show), the villains were interesting and new, and well, we've still got Kevin Conroy voicing an older, sarcastic, mean-spirited, angry Bruce Wayne, a Bruce we all knew he'd eventually become — and Conroy voiced that role so well you absolutely believe it.
 The art direction has a number of Akira-esque influences, so, it's clearly anime inspired. And for the time it was made, it threw money at the screen and attracted a whole new generation of Batman fans (and anime fans!). So, there's no downside to owning this series... In fact, while Boomerang is running "The Batman", I'll just pop this in the DVD player during its timeslot...
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, May 2010
Totally Spies (2001)
Animation DVD Review
Totally Spies is a fresh, funny, girls-action-adventure-comedy featuring three Beverly Hills girlfriends 'with attitude' who have to cope with the pressures of high school but they are often whisked off to become WOOHP agents defending the world from wacky (and unfashionable) villains who all seem to have some wacky revenge plot. In an off-the-wall combination of Charlie's Angels and James Bond, it has a quirky and unique take on the old secret agent genre that makes for a delightfully entertaining anime-style show.
What makes it uber-cool are the sharply defined characters of Sam, Alex and Clover, as well as Jerry, their mentor, who seems to be Batman's Alfred in a worse suit. Lots of wonderful details add to the flavor of the series, certain funny gadgets make return appearances, and the plots are often so bizarre, even the characters themselves comment on how nothing makes sense. Each of the two DVDs available contain one-half of a two-parter episode that was never aired on Cartoon Network. We're *totally* addicted.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2004
Striperella Season One (2003)
Animation DVD Review
That's right, true believers! Stan (The Man) Lee and Pam (Not A Man) Anderson teamed up to bring about the Stripperella series for Spike TV, the First Network for Men. Stripperella was the crown jewel of Spike TV's "cartoon night".
This unique superhero series gleefully spoofs the Batman cartoons. Like the Dark Knight Detective, Stripperella prowls the streets of the big bad city, fighting weirdly dressed supervillains who are out to do lots and lots of harm.
 But this (barely) costumed crime fighter isn't a wealthy, millionaire playboy on her off-hours. In reality she's a well-known stripper named Erotica Jones. She's a stripper by night, and a superhero by later that night. She answers to a secret government organization led by the not completely sane Chief Stroganoff (Maurice La Marche makes him sound like Robert Stack).
Pam Anderson supplies the voice of Stripperella. That's right, you donít see her statuesque physique. You just hear her voice. Fortunately, Ms. Anderson is up to the task, and does a good job in the voice-acting department.
Stripperella is a comedy with lots of innuendo, and features a busty blonde. But here's the interesting point. The busty blonde is not stupid. She's a devastating combination of brains and beauty. Stripperella makes a fine addition to the pantheon of cartoon superheroes. Pamela Anderson has proven that she's not just another pretty face. Stan Lee has proven that he is still a force to be reckoned with. Excelsior!!
Reviewed by Laurence Sufrin, March 2007
Kappa Mikey (2006)
Animaton DVD Review
This is, without a doubt, the wackiest, zaniest, most laugh-out-loud funny anime series I've ever seen, and guess what — it's not an anime series at all. It is a clever parody of both Japanese anime and American cartoons. Produced for Nickelodeon, and running regularly on Nicktoons, Kappa Mikey is a hysterical send-up of pop culture from both sides of the Pacific, and much more in tune with your anime sensibilities than you'd expect.
 Made in America (using Adobe Flash) but done in a Japanese style to give it an anime look, the series is rife with anime in-jokes, as well as hysterical recreations of popular anime archetypes doing what they do best... making trouble. It's a show you have to watch carefully, as various anime star cameos appear, just slightly altered enough to avoid lawsuits.
It's a show created by anime fans, and clearly aimed at anime fans. You should definitely be watching Kappa Mikey, if for nothing else, to support your fellow anime fans. And because it's good.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, May 2008
Robot Chicken: Star Wars (2007)
Animation DVD Review
Robot Chicken consistently ranks as one of the highest rated programs in the adult Swim programming block and in 2007 was nominated for an Outstanding Animated Programming Emmy, which also helped push the series to the top of the entire network's 2007 ratings.
 Although chances are high you have already recorded this off the air, getting the DVD is worth it for the extras, and there are literally hours of extras for this barely half-hour episode, the most ambitious of Seth Green's and Matthew Senreich's stop-motion animated show from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup.
 This particular episode was produced in cooperation with Lucasfilm, but that doesn't blunt the humor — from an incest gag about Luke and Leia to a ditched joke evoking Kanye West's "George Bush doesn't care about black people" comment. Great liberties were taken, and apparently, George Lucas was OK with that.
The extras on the disc are obsessively thorough, including making-of footage showing action figures being put through their paces and abbreviated reference tape for animators featuring director Seth Green acting out every gesture and line in the show. Other extras include video commentary, on-air bumps, a feature-ette, deleted scenes, alternate audio and a convention panel presentation.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2008
Halo Legends (2010)
Animation DVD Review
The Halo universe expands into anime via Halo Legends, a DVD anthology of episodic films based within the popular game's mythology produced by 343 Industries, a unit within Microsoft Game Studios. If you enjoyed "Batman Gotham Knight" and "The AniMatrix", you'll certainly get a kick out Halo Legends.
 Exploring the origin and historical events of the Halo universe and its intriguing characters, Halo guru Frank O'Connor worked directly with Japanese screenwriters on each of the seven stories — spread over eight episodic installments — that include all the elements familiar to Halo fans.
With each individual episode imagined by a cutting-edge, renowned Japanese anime director/animator, they push the medium to it's limits, giving us the ultimate spectacle. In other words, Red versus Blue this ain't. Master Chief never looked so good.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, February 2010
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