laugh4me
08-08-2001, 09:49 AM
FWIW, here's a review from the Orlando Sentinel of the new series Samurai Jack (http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/printer.pat,fyi/3acce056.807,.html) (which Cartoon Network is previewing constantly...) :rolleyes:
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/includes/globalnav/img/samjack_tout.gif
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TV REVIEW
Cartoon Network slashes up another winner with `Samurai Jack'
By NANCY IMPERIALE WELLONS - The Orlando Sentinel
Date: 08/07/01 22:15
I'm not what you'd call a cartoon devotee. Oh, I get giggly over Scooby Doo, have a crush on Bugs Bunny and want to be one of the Powerpuff Girls. There are several preschool shows that put animation to admirable use, and there's no show to touch "SpongeBob SquarePants."
But much serious cartoon work leaves me as cold as all those anime heroines with their absent eyes. Frankly, I just don't get it.
Then I watched a new show and finally realized: I just didn't know Jack.
Prepare to be amazed by Cartoon Network's "Samurai Jack."
This breathtaking blend of artistry, morality and adventure tells a profound tale with such majesty that you'll feel sorry for all the other shows out there that aren't animated.
The title character is a samurai warrior who is sent through a time portal by an evil wizard. He uses his training and wits to survive, always searching for the way back home.
The premiere episode introduces Jack as a little boy armed with a wooden sword and a cryptic warning from his father the Emperor: "Always be aware, for the presence of evil is sometimes right behind you."
Too soon, the prophecy comes to pass. Aku, a malevolent "shapeshifter," captures Jack's father and ravages his town. The little boy is sent away, where he is trained by everyone from Tibetan monks to Greek philosophers.
For 10 minutes there is no dialogue, only music and pictures. The effect is elegant and overwhelming. James Venable's glorious musical scoring and Scott Wills' gorgeous background paintings contribute as much power as the action.
Speaking of action, which one would expect in a samurai saga, this cartoon is surprisingly nonviolent and gore-free. The thwing of arrows and shoosh of swords are like poetry. Villains are so clearly evil, Jack's battles take the mantle of a grand moral crusade.
"Samurai Jack" was created by Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of "Dexter's Laboratory" and producer on "The Powerpuff Girls."
Those are fine, but don't expect more of the same. "Samurai Jack" is a singular, breathtaking vision. Give it a serious viewing; your expectations of cartoons may be forever altered.
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/includes/globalnav/img/samjack_tout.gif
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TV REVIEW
Cartoon Network slashes up another winner with `Samurai Jack'
By NANCY IMPERIALE WELLONS - The Orlando Sentinel
Date: 08/07/01 22:15
I'm not what you'd call a cartoon devotee. Oh, I get giggly over Scooby Doo, have a crush on Bugs Bunny and want to be one of the Powerpuff Girls. There are several preschool shows that put animation to admirable use, and there's no show to touch "SpongeBob SquarePants."
But much serious cartoon work leaves me as cold as all those anime heroines with their absent eyes. Frankly, I just don't get it.
Then I watched a new show and finally realized: I just didn't know Jack.
Prepare to be amazed by Cartoon Network's "Samurai Jack."
This breathtaking blend of artistry, morality and adventure tells a profound tale with such majesty that you'll feel sorry for all the other shows out there that aren't animated.
The title character is a samurai warrior who is sent through a time portal by an evil wizard. He uses his training and wits to survive, always searching for the way back home.
The premiere episode introduces Jack as a little boy armed with a wooden sword and a cryptic warning from his father the Emperor: "Always be aware, for the presence of evil is sometimes right behind you."
Too soon, the prophecy comes to pass. Aku, a malevolent "shapeshifter," captures Jack's father and ravages his town. The little boy is sent away, where he is trained by everyone from Tibetan monks to Greek philosophers.
For 10 minutes there is no dialogue, only music and pictures. The effect is elegant and overwhelming. James Venable's glorious musical scoring and Scott Wills' gorgeous background paintings contribute as much power as the action.
Speaking of action, which one would expect in a samurai saga, this cartoon is surprisingly nonviolent and gore-free. The thwing of arrows and shoosh of swords are like poetry. Villains are so clearly evil, Jack's battles take the mantle of a grand moral crusade.
"Samurai Jack" was created by Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of "Dexter's Laboratory" and producer on "The Powerpuff Girls."
Those are fine, but don't expect more of the same. "Samurai Jack" is a singular, breathtaking vision. Give it a serious viewing; your expectations of cartoons may be forever altered.