Michael Hopcroft Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Now that I have cable again (long story you have all heard entirely too much about) I am finally getting back into the swing of my old cartoon-watching habits somewhat. And there were a couple of things I saw that, while they weren't executed nearly as well as I would have liked, looked like nice premises for Champions characters. I was wondering how you guys would deal with these, possibly in teen Champions terms. Juniper Lee: The premise of The Life and Times of Juniper Lee is that monsters, demons and the like are all over the place but only a select few humans can acxtually see them, much less ineract with them. Juniper Lee, a junior high school student in "Orchid City" (which feels a lot like San Francisco) is one of those humans, due largely to her family heritage, and now in addition to growing up and dealing with mortal life has been charged with keeping the peace between the seen and unseen worlds. That means that not only does she have to fight demons who step over the line and threaten the human world, but she also has to protect the unseen world from humans who unknowingly endanger it. Robotboy: I really wish this series were a lot better than it is, ebcause the premise is nice. Basically, an inventor has created an ultra-powerful robot weapon but, in the process, given it a full AI complete with powerful but unformed emotions. To better teach his creation to respect humans, and to help it discover its own identity, he has placed it in the care of a young boy who himself shows considerable promise as a robotics engineer. Robotboy is very powerful and an efficient combatant, and is intelligent yet astonioshingly naive. It is the hope of its creator that it will become a wise and good protector of mankind given time. (It's a great setup, so why do I loathe this show so much? The fact that one of the hero's friends seems to exist for no other purspose than to do things so stupid that even total morons would neither do nor put up with them is one reason, but the main reason is that a great many of the supporting characters are blatantly racist and stereotypical to an extent that hasn't been seen in almost twenty years. However, I will give them credit for not trying to tell exactly the same story Osamu Tezuka told so well fifty years ago with Tetsuwan Atom, aka Astroboy, in which robots were far more commonplace and the central theme was the humanity of the robots in general). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhamin Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Cartoon Network can be really hit or miss, but when they hit it is amazing. For pure supers action you can't beat the Justice League Unlimited or Teen Titans. Other threads have gone on at length about them, so I don't need to go on about it here. Other stuff not to be missed: Dextar's Lab - The show went down in it's later seasons but early on it was magic. A boy genius with a private lab and apparently unlimited rescources, but who still had to have him mom drive him to the store when a lighbulb burns out in the lab. Lots of experimental episodes with musicals, movie parodies, a crossover with Blue Falcon, sessions with Dex an friends playing an RPG ("I am Gygax the 18th level fighter/wizard with a +5 soul devourer!!!"), and lots of giant robot action. Samurai Jack - THE most cinematic TV show ever produced. A lone samurai's journey through a nightmarish future where a demon rules a society that blends science and magic. Must be seen to be believed. The same creative staff did a series of Star Wars prequal cartoons that in the opinion of many outshone Episodes I-III. Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends - A boarding house for unwanted imaginary friends. Suprisingly creative and well through out. (The blind kid's friend had a zillion eyes, but was completely devoid of color). It sometimes over-relys on one of the main characters' self obsession for plots, but there are lots of great bits. And that's without going into Adult Swim, whose mix of Anime and deeply inconsistant but often hilarious self-produced shows is pretty impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network re: Juniper Lee -- according to friends who have watched it, there is at least one scene of Juniper pounding a demon so hard that she did Knockback sufficient to send it *through* a thick concrete barrier, so if you're going to stat her up remember that the young lady has either metahuman STR, or her own equivalent of the Iron Fist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Juniper Lee: The premise of The Life and Times of Juniper Lee is that monsters' date=' demons and the like are all over the place but only a select few humans can acxtually see them, much less ineract with them. Juniper Lee, a junior high school student in "Orchid City" (which feels a lot like San Francisco) is one of those humans, due largely to her family heritage, and now in addition to growing up and dealing with mortal life has been charged with keeping the peace between the seen and unseen worlds. That means that not only does she have to fight demons who step over the line and threaten the human world, but she also has to protect the unseen world from humans who unknowingly endanger it.[/quote'] I have to admit, I like June. It's goofy, but it's nice light fun. And at least the male characters aren't all idiots! Robotboy: (It's a great setup' date=' so why do I loathe this show so much? The fact that one of the hero's friends seems to exist for no other purspose than to do things so stupid that even total morons would neither do nor put up with them is one reason, but the main reason is that a great many of the supporting characters are blatantly racist and stereotypical to an extent that hasn't been seen in almost twenty years. However, I will give them credit for not trying to tell exactly the same story Osamu Tezuka told so well fifty years ago with [i']Tetsuwan Atom[/i], aka Astroboy, in which robots were far more commonplace and the central theme was the humanity of the robots in general). Haven't seen it yet, but if I may ask, just what do you mean by 'blatantly racist and stereotypical'? I hope you enjoy the shows. Me, I'm still waiting for the CN to get off their butts and put JUSTICE LEAGUE back where it belongs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Haven't seen it yet, but if I may ask, just what do you mean by 'blatantly racist and stereotypical'? (Referring to Robotboy): Robotboy is essentially viewed as a pawn in a duel between two Japanese scientists of dubious sanity. Both of them (the villain in particular) are the sort of caricatures that would get restuarant ads pulled from college newspapers, only without any of the affection -- complete with atriciously accented and ungrammatical English and sidekicks who reflect rather uninformed sterotypes of Japanese (the villain hangs out with a steroetypically dumb sumo wrestler in an ill-fitting suit, while the "heroic" scientist has a gorgeous, submissive young "fiancee" despite his very advanced age.). It just struck me as utterly vile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCMaenza Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network I'm a huge fan of "Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends" - though it took a little time to grow on me. If they haven't done an episode around an imaginary super-friend, I think they should. That would rock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network I'm a huge fan of "Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends" - though it took a little time to grow on me. If they haven't done an episode around an imaginary super-friend' date=' I think they should. That would rock![/quote'] Yeah they did. He was a mix of Tony the Tiger, Captain America, and Superman. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted January 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network I am very curious about how Craig McCracken (Foster's, The Powerpuff Girls) and Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Lab, Samurai Jack, Clone Wars) interact bbetween themselves. They both work at the same studio. They are both among the five best animators working in America today (along with Brad Bird, who directed the two best American animated features of the last decade -- The Iron Giant and The Incredibles). They must have some personal knowledge of each other. And each has helped out on at least some of the other's projects. Are they friends, rivals, or some combination of both? Do they have a running bet on who can top whom in any given year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends - A boarding house for unwanted imaginary friends. Suprisingly creative and well through out. (The blind kid's friend had a zillion eyes, but was completely devoid of color). I've seen a few episodes under the pretense of wanting to know what my niece is watching. Like you said, well thought out- so far the squiggles have been my favorite imaginary friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Samedi Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Samurai Jack is indeed awesome. Especially his origin story. My personal favourite is when he teaches a race of small ape like creatures how to defend themselves in exchange for learning how to 'jump real good'. The opening theme is infectius as well. Despite the fact that I've seen little of it, i'm also a fan of Foster's home for imaginary friends. I love the anime spin Cartoon network has put on the Teen Titans. It suits them so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCMaenza Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network CES, I saw that episode. While he was truly a super friend, that guy was a brat. I'm talking about them doing an episode where a super-friend comes to the house and all the others aspire to be like him. Can you imagine the heroic identities Wilt, Eduardo, Co-Co and Blue could come up with? My minds racing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest daeudi_454 Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy This show has me addicted. seriously. The two main plot characters, Billy and Mandy, have obliged the Grim Reaper to be their best friend forever after having won a bet over a sick hamster. Grim: The Grim Reaper, with VPP scythe, and all the XD you could ever want. Not nearly as evil as he claims to be, he's actually a bit of a softie. "Oh no child, that's not bad luck, you're just stupid" "Billy, I brought that burrito to life so you'd stop bugging me." Mandy: Cold and calculating, superintelligent without being an inventor. She fully intends to rule the world, has little patience for foolishness, and has the best lines in the show. "Money is the root of all evil. I need more money." "It is not enough to succeed -- others must fail." Billy: Comic relief. "I'm wearing a fig leaf...or maybe it's poison sumac; I'm kinda chafin'.""Nerds are like the moist towelettes of the universe. They make everyone else feel better about themselves." Has had a wide variety of supernatural villains and guests, and they have travelled to various afterlife realms like Nirvana, Asgard, Lower Heck, and the Halls of Time. its definitely set in another universe, where the League of Nations and Communist Russia still exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeroGM Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network KND: Kid's Next Door The kid's versus evil adults with the teen agers trying to get on the good side of adults. Lots of "2x4 technology", play on words and general fun all around. I used enough of it to teach my son (when he was 8/9) & his friends how to play Hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted January 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy This show has me addicted. seriously. The two main plot characters, Billy and Mandy, have obliged the Grim Reaper to be their best friend forever after having won a bet over a sick hamster. Grim: The Grim Reaper, with VPP scythe, and all the XD you could ever want. Not nearly as evil as he claims to be, he's actually a bit of a softie. "Oh no child, that's not bad luck, you're just stupid" "Billy, I brought that burrito to life so you'd stop bugging me." Mandy: Cold and calculating, superintelligent without being an inventor. She fully intends to rule the world, has little patience for foolishness, and has the best lines in the show. "Money is the root of all evil. I need more money." "It is not enough to succeed -- others must fail." Billy: Comic relief. "I'm wearing a fig leaf...or maybe it's poison sumac; I'm kinda chafin'.""Nerds are like the moist towelettes of the universe. They make everyone else feel better about themselves." Although it does go for the gross-out gag a bit too often for my taste, there are some neat ideas in this series. Death, the force Grim represents, is neither good nor evil in itself, and the creators of the series seem to ackowledge this. And Billy and Mandy have a sort of "Pinky and the Brain" dynamic going, where one is a genius and the other's insane -- and it's anybody's guess in real terms which is which. If nothing else, it does seem to illustrate the truism that "it's better to be a happy idiot than a miserable genius". The same creative team is responsible for Evil con Carne, an adventure satire told from the poinjt of view of the world's greatest supervillain whose efforts to conqwuer the world are continually frustrated by pesky heroes, poor judgment and simple bad luck. In that sense, he is Ernst Stavro Blofeld's answer to The Coyote: a lviing symbol of the futility of human endeavor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithcurtis Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Fans of Billy and Mandy might enjoy following this link: http://grim.snafu-comics.com/?strip_id=0 While fans of Cartoon Network in general might enjoy going here: http://bleedman.snafu-comics.com/?strip_id=0 Keith "Posted a while back, but worth repeating" Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funksaw Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Here's the great thing about the Venture Brothers: 1) There has to be an anachronistic psychlim "I think and act like it's the 1960s." 2) The Guild of Calamatous Intent is indeed badass. I like the idea of supervillians with a heirarchy, rules, etc. \ 3) Henchmen with a reason for Henching: "Well, I don't have a college degree, and when the plant closed down, it was either working for the Monarch or back to the Army." "I wuz on the drugs and the booze, and the Monarch gave me a new chance for life." "You guys -kidnapped- me when I was 15!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gojira Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Yeah, Cartoon Network is awesome. Teen Titans, Inu Yasha, Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist, Billy and Mandy, Foster's House for Imanginary Friends, Code Lyoko, Samari Shamploo, Ed Edd and Eddy, Codename: Kids Next Door, Ghost in the Shell, Venture Brothers. Boondocks. Has anyone seen Boondocks? CN has some drek too, but the good stuff more than makes up for it. My only beef is that currnetly they aren't showing Inu Yasha and Full Metal Alchemist. I musta missed the ending of the current cycle or something. I think I had a point when I started typing this, but I've forgotten. Oh, Billy and Mandy episode The Chocolate Sailor. You must see this. Also, B & M the one where a farting duck comes out of Grim's head. Far too funny, and you have to catch the beginning, where Grim quotes the Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime". Insane. And the Foster's episode where Bowling Paul makes an appearance. Far far too funny. Ok, I think I'm done rambling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network I'm surprised no one mentioned KND vs. X-men for the Christmas special. Number 3 kicked Wolverine's butt.CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunyip Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network While browsing this thread, the thought just occurred to me: surely Dexter (of Dexter's Laboratory has to be the lost child of Edna Mode (from The Incredibles? Same height, same smarts, same outrageous accent...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network With a slim few exceptions, CN's Adult Swim is far, far better off when they're showing someone else's material than when they're trying to make their own material. With the exception of the Venture Brothers, I can't think of a single CNAS product that doesn't make me change the channel within 20 seconds. Aquateen Hunger Force, Tom Visits the Mayor, 12oz Mouse, that stupid thing about the bald kid, etc, are all unwatchably bad, to the extent that they should constitute torture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storn Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network S-cryed, while not particularly well done, presents a gripping superhero origins storyline. They have good visuals, some good superhero fights, and some very good ideas... the execution of the mix just leaves me a bit cold. Stand Alone Complex: Ghost in the Shell would be the #2 game I would want someone to run for me. CSI police procedural in a cyberpunk world. Good lord, that would be a nightmare to run... but how cool if you could pull it off?!? (my #1 game I would want someone to run for me would be an court intrigue like game set in a hyped up anime Exhalted world). Big O: Secrets of Zir'an crossover world could be quite interesting too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catacomb Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network I gotta agree with Samurai Jack, not only the best cartoon of the last 10 years or so, but the best show as well IMO. Amazing cinematic style, story, drama, and comedy. Also the fact that The Scottsman is on it doesn't hurt either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Samedi Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network The Scottish guy is awesome. Have you seen the episode where he enlists Jack to rescue his wife? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network Code Lyoko has really grown on me. I think it would make a good premise for a Teen Champions game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alverant Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Re: The things you pick up from Cartoon Network All I picked up is that it's OK to shuffle your schedule around and cancel good shows without warning. Oh, and when you cancel shows, you can still use pictures and characters from them in your ads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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