Thundercats reboot very worthwhile for old and new alike Damon Blalack When the Thundercats were

e rebooted in 2011 as an all-new series for Cartoon Network, many older fans were curious as to whether the charm of the original could be so easily replicated. After the generally-positively received He-Man and the Masters of the Universe reimagining nine years prior, it seemed only logical that Thundercats could receive the same treatment. Produced by Michael Jelenic and Ethan Spaulding, this new series has made a rather strong splash with young and old alike, remaining faithful to Tobin Wolfs original creation, yet updating the art style, characterizations, and depth of story for a modern audience. The style of animation for the series is reminiscent of Japanese Manga style, with lead protagonist Lion-Os normally wavy mane now translated as a bit spiky, ala Dragonball Z characters. All the characters are now more detailed and shaded, have more dynamic poses, and sport a greater range of animation overall; much of the original pastels have also been swapped-out with more natural colours, befitting the series more serious tone. Fortunately despite the occasional tweaks, the characters are instantly-identifiable as the same beloved characters many were introduced to during the series initial splash in the 1980s, during the height of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joes reign. Lion-O is the heir to the throne of Thundera, beset by the attacks from the franchise antagonists, Mumm-Ra and the lesser-threat, Grune the Destroyer. Lion-Os quest for the Book of Omens to thwart Mumm-Ras Lizard army is tempered by his supernatural sword, the Sword of Omens. Assisting him in his quest are returning favourites Cheetara, Panthro, Tygra, WilyKit and WilyKat, and Snarf, the quintessential cute sidekick of the series. The added characterizations of each member are quite welcome from the overall simplicity of the earlier series. The storylines were conceived as being much more cinematic in style than the serial nature of the 1980s progenitor, the biggest marked difference youll notice within the opening frames of any episode. Theres a much more developed throughline overall, with much room for expansion outside the initial batch of episodes. As mentioned earlier, the complexity of the narratives is a bit more present, such as flashbacks to the characters backgrounds, but not so far outside the realm of modern kids programming; after all the series is still aimed primarily at children, but because of nostalgia and genre interest, its also developed enough to appeal to the older fanbase of thirty-somethings who were the prime target demographic as youths during the mid-1980s series run. The voice acting on this new series is quite strong, with many industry veterans lending their talents: Dee Bradley Baker (playing Slithe and other minor voices), Clancy Brown (as Grune), Corey Burton (as Jaga and Tygus), and James Arnold Taylor (as supporting characters Khamai, Old Emrick) are four Clone Wars actors who really

shine in this series as well. Television and feature film actress Emmanuelle Sophie Anne Chriqui nails fan-favourite Cheetara, while animation voice actors Will Friedle portrays Lion-O, Kevin Michael Richardson portrays Panthro (amongst a few others), and video game voice talent Matthew Mercer takes on Tygra. As a bit of homage, the original voice actor for Lion-O in the 1980s series, Larry Kenney, shows up here as the patriarch of both Tygra and Lion-O, King Claudus. One thing that I particularly appreciate about the reinvention is the detail brought into each episodes proceedings. We actually get to spend time in city streets, see common people at work and play, and experience the immersive-level that the characters themselves inhabit. It often seemed on the original series that our heroes and the occasional villain were the only humanoid inhabitants of their planet, but here everything is given a full-tapestry of real-life as backdrop, which makes the various quests so much more engaging, and elevating the material to a higher-drama than the beefcake heroics that the original series often lapsed into. This immersive quality also provides a greater springboard for added characterization, as the characters are seen interacting in ways that befit them at every turn, rather than merely playing stock archetypes. The 22 min. per episode series had a total of 13 episodes for its first season foray, which is now divided into two DVD sets (Book 1 and Book 2, both offering the episodes on 2 discs each). When it premiered on July 29, 2011, the critical reception was rather strong, and many fans of the original series were much pleased with the franchise revival. The premiere attracted 2.4 million viewers, and with strong-interest held over time, the emergence of season 2 became a certainty, beginning its airing Mar. 24 of this year. Time will tell how long this series lasts (the original ran 4 seasons), but given the pedigree of the first season, we should see great things springing forward from such a fresh reinvention of a beloved franchise.