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Rating:  -
Fans of the hit cartoon series here is your chance to own the complete first season in all of it's glory! Excellent series!
Rating: -
Enjoyable, fun season of superhero action and melodrama, and arguably a refreshing alternative to the grim & gritty doings of other animated shows.
Why "arguably"? Well, the heavy manga/anime influence, with its exclamation points appearing over characters' heads and characters eyes bugging out when they're surprised (and other frequent exaggerated flourishes) takes some getting used to, as does the more simplistic, cartoony look of the characters themselves. But all that is eventually kind of cute once you get used to it. And it doesn't take away from the drama and action, which is generous and well done in these thirteen episodes. Having said that, though, I think I still prefer my serious superhero fare to be more consistently, well... serious. But, again, the occasional goofiness on display is not a dealbreaker, by any means.
I do mourn the waning of worldwide fascination with all things American in popular culture in recent years, though. Time was, everyone loved American cities, American music, American everything in the TV shows and movies we exported to a happily-waiting world. Now, in shows like "Teen Titans" (and the recent film "Speed Racer", for example), the stories are set in bland, nondescript cities that could be located anywhere in the world, and with zero references to the many fun aspects of life in the U.S.A.
Obviously, more and more entertainment is produced nowadays in a way that makes it look like it might be taking place wherever that entertainment product is being exported. So, fun shows or not, it's kind of sad that the only obviously "American" moment in these thirteen episodes was a brief scene set in front of a drive-up burger joint.
Anyway, enough of that rant. I guess I have to accept the brave new world of homogenous entertainment product. And these episodes, as stated at the outset, are undeniably entertaining on many levels. I like how we jump right into the world of the Titans with nary an origin story in sight (for the team as a whole or for its individual members), with information about the characters only dispensed as we need it. Both the individual episodes with various villains and the season-long "Slade" arc (which rears its head here and there throughout the season and comes to a head in the last two episodes) are pleasing and involving.
Extras include a half-hour or so piece where we hear from the creative forces behind the comic book and the show, and shorter companion pieces covering the voice actors and other aspects of the series. All are very interesting (the show's creators, by the way, don't mention any directive to downplay the American locale of the Titans, only that they decided to bow to an overall Japanese flavor and style because the show was being animated in Japan... taking advantage of the animators' strengths and all). The interview with the Japanese girl band who sung the show's theme song went on a bit long, though.
Hey, despite the gripes, this was an enjoyable batch of shows and I think I'll pick up the second season. I'll report back if it continues the downplaying and watering down of all things American, though. And if it does, I'll try not to be grumpy about it.
Rating:  -
Back when I was a teenager, one of my favorite comic books was The New Teen Titans which was written and drawn by Marv Wolfman & George Perez for DC Comics. The cartoon series is based, primarily, on those stories. The series features Robin, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy & focuses on the troubles of these five being superheroes. Very character and story-driven, the Titans face off against Slade and his assortment of baddies in the first season. Special features include: the 'Finding their voices' featurette, Toon Topia bonus cartoons, Puffy Ami Yumi featurette and music video, & Comic Creations: From Comic Book To Cartoon. There's even trailers for other cartoon series produced by Warner Animation. Vocal talent is provided by: Scott Menville, Tara Strong(who some of you remember as Batgirl), Khary Payton, Hynden Walch, Greg Cipes, and Ron Perlman.
I really didn't think I'd like this first season of Teen Titans(after I'd seen Teen Titans:Trouble in Tokyo- I figured the show was alot like that) but I like it. It definitely keeps in time with stories from the book even though the animation is heavily anime influenced. Course, I give it props for being different than anything else out there. It's a shame that Cartoon Network cancelled the series after its' fifth season. It was appealing to both children & adults alike.
In my opinion, it is a great cartoon show.
Rating: -
Good solid gritty plots in most episodes.
Mainly based on 1980s New Teen Titans comics, but 1960s original Titans villain "The Mad Mod" is used as well.
Aqualad guest stars in "Deep Six".
DC villain "Deathstroke the Terminator" predominates the series, referred to only as "Slade."
Only a short featurette really in the extras. Would have liked to see a commentary, but I'm not complaining.
It's a good package.
Rating: -
I like it and can't wait to watch these innocent, fun loving heros battle crime with my son (he is only 2 months old now)
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