Thundercats Episode 1 & 2 Discussion

[Lord Lion O]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord of the Thundercats

Without a doubt the best cartoon series since the reboot of Master of the Universe. I loved how they changed it up from the original and gave a more detailed build up for the series than they did in the original. Absolutely loved it! Anyone who didn't like it can kick rocks.

100 percent agree...let's just hope bandai doesn't screw this up the way Mattel did with the he man reboot toys...come on bandai get this stuff on the shelves!

[Lord Lion O]

Dunno why I didnt see it before but the last scene with jaga as they are escaping through the secret passage at the end...cheetara says to jaga youre coming with us, he says no...I can buy you time. That's the same as in the og...Jaga stays and pilots the ship to give them hope...aka buy them time...and cheetara crys and says you're going too...sweet mental flashback. Still finding stuff...mark of a great reboot!

[Lord of the Thundercats]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Lion O

Dunno why I didnt see it before but the last scene with jaga as they are escaping through the secret passage at the end...cheetara says to jaga youre coming with us, he says no...I can buy you time. That's the same as in the og...Jaga stays and pilots the ship to give them hope...aka buy them time...and cheetara crys and says you're going too...sweet mental flashback. Still finding stuff...mark of a great reboot!

Yeah I caught that. Be interesting to see if any of the other clerics survived or are held prisoner. Maybe Pumyra or Jagara?

[Lord Lion O]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord of the Thundercats

Yeah I caught that. Be interesting to see if any of the other clerics survived or are held prisoner. Maybe Pumyra or Jagara?

Thought the same thing....keep looking for them last night

[Blade Raider]

If I had to describe this in one word: Satisfying.

Before I go on, there will probably be spoilers. Don't think I really need to say that, but I am anyways.

Promises were made for the animation, for the characters, and for the story. Delivered, delivered, delivered. Most shows these days have first episodes that don't don't wow me, that don't satisfy what I came for. A lot of times, I have to wait a few more episodes to decide if I even like the show. I don't have to wait on-e more episodes to say it this time: This is a great show.

If there's anything I didn't like in either episode, it'd be how quickly that mob was to fight not one, but both of the king's sons near the halfway point. Tygra I can understand, but the guy that will be their king wheather they like it or not? Minor issue at most. I'll just tell myself that the mob thinks they can take Lion-O after he was beaten by Tygra in the games. I mostly feel as if it was there just to end the first episode with some action.

As for what's good, there's so much I don't know where to start. Guess I'll sort it by character. Just for fun I've added screenshots and some silly captions.

Lion-O:

"My sword is better than your sword! Suck it, He-Man!"

This is what I expected from the original Lion-O but never got. In the original, Lion-O was young and naive for maybe 5 episodes of the entire run. Heck, he usually told the kittens the moral of the day even though he's mentally suppose to be the same age as them. Here, he's making mistakes and paying for them and hard.

Cheetra:

"But does it come in blue?"

As Cheetor would say, "ultragear!"...I just died a little from quoting him...I enjoyed Cheetra. She is set up well in this series. Being a cleric sets up her powers for whenever they need to explain things like 6th sense (If it's used at all). She also has a connection to Jaga this time. I like that. Not sure how I feel on the hinted love triangle. It does feel less forced than the Duke/Scarlet/Snake-Eyes triangles of recent years, but I've never been huge on the idea at all.

I almost forgot to mention that she's hot. She's hot.

Tygra:

Lizard: "I'm being saved by a jerk."

Kind of a jerk, but a likable jerk. He's so smug and arrogant and open about how he'd be the better king that you just know he's jealous of Lion-O. I forsee great character development. I like that they are already hinting at his gun usage later.

Claudus:

"Mufasa was never this badass."

Best death I've seen in a long time. Hey, Transformers Prime, you see this? This is how you have a death at the first of a show. No one gives a damn when the character dies after only a couple of lines. Claudus, on the other hand, gets a good amount of screentime before dying and the way he dies is unique. I hope the events are brought up again when the real Panthro shows. I mean, what better way to motivate Panthro into the fight than to have him learn his image was used to kill one of his oldest friends?

Snarf:

"If cats steal your soul with their cutness, then what do Snarfs steal?"

SNARF IS TOO GODDAMN CUTE! Whoever did this is an evil genius! I love this Snarf. I also didn't hate the original either. However, with how the new Tygra, Claudus, and Thundra treats Lion-O, I'm glad Snarf doesn't talk. And he's so damn cute to boot!

Jaga:

*Insert Gandalf joke here.*

Jaga's the bomb. Reminding me of Alfred from Batman a little with the witty remarks to Lion-O. I hope he's not dead this time, but captured by Mumma-Ra instead. I still want the ghost guide regardless. If he's alive, it can just be a projection (and thus make more sense to me). Eitherway, I love that he doesn't judge Lion-O like everyone else does.

Kittens:

Kat: "Hey mister, we need money for hover boards."
Kit: "It's 2011 so Mattel makes those now, right?"

So, they're looking for El Darar-do Cigarettes? They are clearly looking for the lost city of gold, El Dorado. I hoping the similar names are because El Darar IS El Dorado and the name was just changed over time (afterall, this is THIRD Earth). Anyways, they're street rats now...whoops, I meant street CATS. Get it?! Because their cats! HA! Yeah I'm making fun, but that's because I like the characters and they are cute in an Miyazaki why.

Grune:

"I'm not overcompensating, I'm WINNING!"

He's rather likable for a guy you know is going to betray everyone. Grune was a character I always liked even though he always felt out of place. Plus, he did the same thing every time. Here, he is to Mumma-Ra as Goldar is to Rita Repulsa or Lord Zedd. The general under the evil king/leader. Plus, this time we actually get to see him betray his race. Sweet.

Mumma-Ra:

"I want to see your tits, my dear."

(Sorry, had to say it :P)

Still getting use to his voice. He's not bad by any means, it's just that he looks so much like the original Mumma-Ra that I expect the original voice to come out of his mouth. Regardless, I like what they've done with him. Connection to the sword, he gets to kill Claudus. He's just far more involved with the story. And oh so evil to boot.


The bottomline: Do you like good animation? Good story telling? Good characters? Good reimagining? Just good fiction in general? Here it is.

If you're only here for the theme song, you're out of luck. Come to think of it, my file didn't have an intro at all. Did they air one or did they do the premiere without it?




PS: Show has the best surprise cameo ever! It was so awesome, I had to screencap it. I'm sure we'll see him again, but he probably won't see us.

[Ravenxl7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

Didn't notice it till I saw this particular screen capture, but that's a Berbil hand that Cheetara is holding. Had to look back at that sheet of character designs we got a while back, but that's definitely a Berbil's hand. Considering the fact that most Thundercats didn't believe technology actually existed, I'm looking forward to the main cast first encountering the Berbil's, who are essentially an autonomous race of tech.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

Did they air one or did they do the premiere without it?

They did the premiere without it. I'm assuming that the episodes following these first two will have one. Much like the Darkness Rising episodes didn't have an intro to them, but every TFP episode since then has. Makes sense, as it gives the premiere more time for actual episode content. Should be interesting to see how they handle the new show's intro. Even if it was just once, or as something made just for the website, I would love to see them do a remake of the original show's intro. Though saying that, I wouldn't want the new show's intro to be that.

[BB Shockwave]

Jaga's death was quite similar to Obi-Van's in SW, except he did not simply throw away his life at the end. I am curious about how and why he'll come back as a ghost... perhaps that's a thing all Clerics can do? At any rate, while I kinda find his old design silly (an old man in underpants?!?) here he looked awesome, wise and knowledgeable. And of course, Corey Burton has a great voice. (One extra bit of interest - he seems to be wearing the same circular ankle-guard things as Cheetara, so those might have some significance).

Oh, and for a frail old cat, Jaga is sure tough. First, he was hit by Mumm-Ra's spell along the other clerics. Then, Mumm-Ra fries him with magic for quite some time... and he is even shot in the back by a rifle. Yet all this just slows him down...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord of the Thundercats

Yeah I caught that. Be interesting to see if any of the other clerics survived or are held prisoner. Maybe Pumyra or Jagara?

They are sadly, all dead - you can see how Mumm-Ra's magic blast caught all of them save Jaga whom Cheetara saved, and later when the lizards bring him before Mumm-Ra, they remark that the two of them are the only ones left of the "Guardians of the Ground".

Quote:

Best death I've seen in a long time. Hey, Transformers Prime, you see this? This is how you have a death at the first of a show. No one gives a damn when the character dies after only a couple of lines.

Quoted for truth. I mean, how are we supposed to feel anything for Cliffjumper when we barely know him, he had like, 10 lines? Gah, sorry, I won't go into a rant about my dislike of that series. I am content that we got Animated, even if it was "taken before its time".

[firmpulse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

If I had to describe this in one word: Satisfying.

Before I go on, there will probably be spoilers. Don't think I really need to say that, but I am anyways.

Promises were made for the animation, for the characters, and for the story. Delivered, delivered, delivered. Most shows these days have first episodes that don't don't wow me, that don't satisfy what I came for. A lot of times, I have to wait a few more episodes to decide if I even like the show. I don't have to wait on-e more episodes to say it this time: This is a great show.

If there's anything I didn't like in either episode, it'd be how quickly that mob was to fight not one, but both of the king's sons near the halfway point. Tygra I can understand, but the guy that will be their king wheather they like it or not? Minor issue at most. I'll just tell myself that the mob thinks they can take Lion-O after he was beaten by Tygra in the games. I mostly feel as if it was there just to end the first episode with some action.

As for what's good, there's so much I don't know where to start. Guess I'll sort it by character. Just for fun I've added screenshots and some silly captions.

Lion-O:

"My sword is better than your sword! Suck it, He-Man!"

This is what I expected from the original Lion-O but never got. In the original, Lion-O was young and naive for maybe 5 episodes of the entire run. Heck, he usually told the kittens the moral of the day even though he's mentally suppose to be the same age as them. Here, he's making mistakes and paying for them and hard.

Cheetra:

"But does it come in blue?"

As Cheetor would say, "ultragear!"...I just died a little from quoting him...I enjoyed Cheetra. She is set up well in this series. Being a cleric sets up her powers for whenever they need to explain things like 6th sense (If it's used at all). She also has a connection to Jaga this time. I like that. Not sure how I feel on the hinted love triangle. It does feel less forced than the Duke/Scarlet/Snake-Eyes triangles of recent years, but I've never been huge on the idea at all.

I almost forgot to mention that she's hot. She's hot.

Tygra:

Lizard: "I'm being saved by a jerk."

Kind of a jerk, but a likable jerk. He's so smug and arrogant and open about how he'd be the better king that you just know he's jealous of Lion-O. I forsee great character development. I like that they are already hinting at his gun usage later.

Claudus:

"Mufasa was never this badass."

Best death I've seen in a long time. Hey, Transformers Prime, you see this? This is how you have a death at the first of a show. No one gives a damn when the character dies after only a couple of lines. Claudus, on the other hand, gets a good amount of screentime before dying and the way he dies is unique. I hope the events are brought up again when the real Panthro shows. I mean, what better way to motivate Panthro into the fight than to have him learn his image was used to kill one of his oldest friends?

Snarf:

"If cats steal your soul with their cutness, then what do Snarfs steal?"

SNARF IS TOO GODDAMN CUTE! Whoever did this is an evil genius! I love this Snarf. I also didn't hate the original either. However, with how the new Tygra, Claudus, and Thundra treats Lion-O, I'm glad Snarf doesn't talk. And he's so damn cute to boot!

Jaga:

*Insert Gandalf joke here.*

Jaga's the bomb. Reminding me of Alfred from Batman a little with the witty remarks to Lion-O. I hope he's not dead this time, but captured by Mumma-Ra instead. I still want the ghost guide regardless. If he's alive, it can just be a projection (and thus make more sense to me). Eitherway, I love that he doesn't judge Lion-O like everyone else does.

Kittens:

Kat: "Hey mister, we need money for hover boards."
Kit: "It's 2011 so Mattel makes those now, right?"

So, they're looking for El Darar-do Cigarettes? They are clearly looking for the lost city of gold, El Dorado. I hoping the similar names are because El Darar IS El Dorado and the name was just changed over time (afterall, this is THIRD Earth). Anyways, they're street rats now...whoops, I meant street CATS. Get it?! Because their cats! HA! Yeah I'm making fun, but that's because I like the characters and they are cute in an Miyazaki why.

Grune:

"I'm not overcompensating, I'm WINNING!"

He's rather likable for a guy you know is going to betray everyone. Grune was a character I always liked even though he always felt out of place. Plus, he did the same thing every time. Here, he is to Mumma-Ra as Goldar is to Rita Repulsa or Lord Zedd. The general under the evil king/leader. Plus, this time we actually get to see him betray his race. Sweet.

Mumma-Ra:

"I want to see your tits, my dear."

(Sorry, had to say it :P)

Still getting use to his voice. He's not bad by any means, it's just that he looks so much like the original Mumma-Ra that I expect the original voice to come out of his mouth. Regardless, I like what they've done with him. Connection to the sword, he gets to kill Claudus. He's just far more involved with the story. And oh so evil to boot.


The bottomline: Do you like good animation? Good story telling? Good characters? Good reimagining? Just good fiction in general? Here it is.

If you're only here for the theme song, you're out of luck. Come to think of it, my file didn't have an intro at all. Did they air one or did they do the premiere without it?




PS: Show has the best surprise cameo ever! It was so awesome, I had to screencap it. I'm sure we'll see him again, but he probably won't see us.

dude. this is an absolutely fantastic and balanced review. i watched it twice and missed some of the things you went over. thanks, man.

[ZombieSnake]

Fantastic! Wow, after hearing of a Thundercats reboot and having seen the way a LOT of other reboots were handled I had fairly low expectations for Thundercats, but after seeing character designs I started to warm up a bit and the trailers got me fairly excited, and the first two episodes delivered big time! So much thought and planning went into this series and there's so much detail that's been hinted at, it has a lot of promise. I can't wait to tune in every week and watch this story unfold. Reading the interviews they had claimed that the series was going to have an epic scale and scope and right in the first episodes they delivered! The shot of the thunderkittens again the smoking crater that was the underground refuge says it all really. Can't wait to enjoy the ride of this series and hope it continues on for a good long while. As far as cartoons go, this is shaping up to be my favorite rebooted series.

[ThunderCat Tygra 2011]

I must say that I share most of your opiniaon about the show^^ You did a very coplete review! And the pics you put with some line below were funny, I loved them XD

[ThunderCat Tygra 2011]

Im more than pleased with this new Thundercats. Everything was perfect and so real.
The story is simple more complete than the classic one (though Im fan of the clissic Thundercats too) This time will see more about each characters, goods and bad ones. The way they will make the whole pieces fit will be something every ones wants to see and enjoy.
All the characters were amazing as the episode goes on.
Lion-O has one of the best personality and character I´ve seen in years. He making bad decitions and then making some right is so real. He is just awesome in this encarnation. In the original he was supose to be a kid in the body on an adult, but after some episodes he was almos as mature as the other adult in the group.
This time we will see Lion-O grow up and learn in the right way
Tygra, h always have been my favorite and even when his story is completely different from the original I just love what they do with him^^ The perfect prince.
We can see he is better than Lion-O in much thing, but ones can think he is a jerk for the way he treats his little brother, but at the same time he is a likeble jerk. I know Tygra will got more fans this time. He is I think, the character that Im most exited to see how his story will be evolving. Also we see him flirted a little with one of Jaga´s Clerics (Cheetara) Hope that won´t turn Tygra in ladykiller. This reboot will have a love triangle and I want to see that.
Cheetara. What can I say. I was inlove with Cheetara when I was a kid and Im crazy in love with this one. She is hot and so pretty. but she is also a great kickass. I love her personality and I want to see more about it while the stry run.
I like that she seemed to have some kind of conection with Jaga this time. After all, she as trained by him. Hope Jaga will come back in a ghost or whatever he wants and see more about he and Cheetara.
Jaga was one of the character I liked the most from this reboot, he is old, wise and so badass too. My favorite par was when he and the Clerics come to help the thonderians agains Grune and the lizards. Also his relationshipe with the young prince was nice and real. Hope this is not the last time will see Jaga.
Congratulations to does who put the great Larry Kenny as King Claudus. Even when he dies at the end, he had an awesome screentime and one of the best death scenes I´ve seen in long time when it comes to animated series.
I could go on and on, but Im just saying that this serie has everything what we were waiting for in a very long time. I want this show to least as long as the original and I can´t wait for next Fryday!!!!
Last note. Amazing Lynx-O cameo

[crackus]

so freakin' awesome!!!! can't wait for the next episode!!!

[mrhillz]

Honestly I liked it, Definitely looking forward to the rest of this series.

[Autotrooper]

AW ITS NOT FAIR WE DONT HAVE CARTOON NETWORK IN CANADA! That makes me

[Blade Raider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autotrooper

AW ITS NOT FAIR WE DONT HAVE CARTOON NETWORK IN CANADA! That makes me

You shold be HAPPY. Yeah, you don't have it now, but you'll get it half way through and Canada will still air the finale way before we ever get it in the US.

[Pravus Prime]

I wasn't sure what to expect after various interviews and whatnot, but now that it's aired, I really enjoyed it.

In some ways this almost felt like a continuation rather then a reboot, but that it's not opens a lot of doors. The only thing that surprised me as I was watching was I had been expecting the Claw to be an invention of Lion-O's, rather then part of the iconic set.

The story, in short, is fantastic. We've got all sorts of great elements, like the hubris of the TC empire. I dare say this series has done more to win me over then 20 episodes of TF Prime.

I won't rant, rave, or do any more dissection, I don't think there's much point. Looking forward to see where this series goes, that's for sure.

[Lord of the Thundercats]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Lion O

I think the only possible mistake...and I'm not complaining at all, at all...but the only thing I saw was, how did grune get across the bridge after slithe blew it up to beat claudus to the huge tree. Last shot you see is grune on the ground then he is in the tree. Other than that I thought it was flawless. Awesome, awesome show!

He probably crossed the same place Claudus goes over. When you see Claudus dialogue with Tygra about going to rescue "Panthro", if you look in the background, the mech that brought "Panthro" out is heading back toward the tree. He probably hitched a ride.

[Autotrooper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

You shold be HAPPY. Yeah, you don't have it now, but you'll get it half way through and Canada will still air the finale way before we ever get it in the US.

HUH? How does that work?

[unicronic]

Gotta agree with the review, so much both subtle and obvious to admire about the reboot of Thundercats.

The biggest thing that impressed me was leaving the opening 2-part intro with a decidedly unhappy conclusion. It leaves so much to look forwards to.

When Tigra first whips the mob trying to lynch the lizards the music is a subtle homage to the original Thundercats theme.

The anime style to the whole thing is very welcome and Wily-Kit and Wily-Kat are already far superior to the original incarnations.

The questions I am interested to see answered during future episodes:

- Is Panthro really dead?
- Will someone take Panthro's place if he is gone?
- How will Kit & Kat join Lion-O and crew?
- Will the Lizards be the main army of Mumm-ra and Grune or will we see the Jackals and Monkeys join the fray?

So onwards and upwards in a series that could have been a disaster on a number of levels but instead have given me renewed hope that western animators are finally understanding how to hit the sweet spot that brings in older and younger audiences to enjoy the same spectacle.

[GK Punk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravenxl7

Didn't notice it till I saw this particular screen capture, but that's a Berbil hand that Cheetara is holding.

i noticed it and even kind of yelled it out haha. my friends groaned, probably hoping for a berbil-less series.

[Blade Raider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autotrooper

HUH? How does that work?

Simple, Canada will show the episodes at a faster rate than the US. Cartoon Network is infamous for showing a handful of episodes and then repeating almost endessly. More common is Canada or some other country airring the show before it's even starts in the US (something finishing to). It just depends on how the cards fall.

Personally, I find them all online anyways, so where it airs doesn't matter as long as it's in English.

[Blade Raider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicronic

When Tigra first whips the mob trying to lynch the lizards the music is a subtle homage to the original Thundercats theme.

Did not notice that one. Have to check it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicronic

- Is Panthro really dead?

Better question: Is Jaga really dead? Jaga's fate is one of those left open deaths. We just assume he's dead becuse he died in the original. You don't see him die this time. I don't care to much eitherway as long as I get hear Corey Burton talk epic some more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicronic

western animators

I assume you meant "made for Western audiences" like most people. Like so many other "Western animations" it was animated in Japan by Studio 4°C to be exact. They can do such great work and this is one of them.

Anyways, tangent time.

I dislike how much the term anime is just thrown around these days. I particular dislike when in an interview for a show clearly made for Western audiences, they are be all to happy to call their show anime. Why? Because it was animated in Japan. By that logic, Ducktale is an anime.

Now, if we want to get technical, Ducktales is an anime. In Japan, anime just means animation. So Ducktales and Gundam are all refered to as anime.

Back in the days when Japanese animation was still new to the US, "anime" was a simple way of saying it was imported from Japan. Now with so many things claiming to be anime, it's lost a lot of it's meaning. It's to that point where I think it needs to just become a synonym for cartoon and animation like the real meaning of the word and cut out all this nonsense about anime being special.

Sorry for going off on a tangent there. That's not aimed at anyone. I just got into rant mode for a bit there.

[Transformed]

I loved every second of this two-parter. I had no idea that Jaga was a cheetah—pretty cool! He and his clerics were an interesting addition/expansion of what once was. I like it! Give me more!

Edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord of the Thundercats

Yeah I caught that. Be interesting to see if any of the other clerics survived or are held prisoner. Maybe Pumyra or Jagara?

I thought Slythe said Jaga was the last of the clerics, but I guess he didn’t know about Cheetara, so I guess others might have survived too.

[Balgus82]

Jaga is a Jaguar. And they did know about Cheetara. They had her chained up on the wall.

[nitewing73]

I just watched it last night and I really liked it. I liked how they showed Lynx-O as one of the guards when the attack started. Hopefully He, Bengali and Pumyra show up later down the line along with some other new 'Cats.

I liked this version of the Thunderkittens and Snarf. The tension between Lion-O and Tygra is great and you can tell they may set up some kind of love triangle with the brothers and Cheetara. Jaga and the clerics were awesome.

[unicronic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

I assume you meant "made for Western audiences" like most people.

Yes, I was referring more to the way the script was written and the episodes paced etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

I dislike how much the term anime is just thrown around these days.

This does have an anime style to it or at least is influenced by anime. You said it was animated at a Japanese studio which may hold the key to its charm. Things like Tygra's nonchalant look when Lion-O is late but there is a blend of styles in there for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade Raider

In Japan, anime just means animation.

Granted but to non-Japanese, anime's meaning has evolved into something that is synonymous with Japanese produced animation.

[Transformed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balgus82

Jaga is a Jaguar. And they did know about Cheetara. They had her chained up on the wall.

Oh, that's right; Tygra and Lion-O did save here, didn't they (f^_^; )

I guess I assumed the clerics quick speed had to do with them being cheetahs, seeing that they moved as quickly as Cheetara. My bad.

[BB Shockwave]

One thing I just realized... Slithe's (how many 's' and 'l's are in his name, anyway?) trojan horse plan most likely did NOT involve any of the lizards who were captured by Grune and used as slaves to pull that large rock, as the two in the pillory stocks did not seem like they knew about the plan at all (if they did, they wouldn't have begged for mercy, just would have waited their turn with the escape).

And one more thing - I love how well even minor or background characters were designed. In particular, the four "alleycats" who attack Lion-O in the opening scenes in the slums. I wonder what subspecies that little guy was - he was barely taller then the kittens despite looking like an adult.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicronic

The questions I am interested to see answered during future episodes:

- Is Panthro really dead?
- Will someone take Panthro's place if he is gone?

Thankfully, this is not TF Prime. You could have thought he was dead if they hired an expensive voice actor for his 2 lines... Joke aside, no, he isn't. Most likely, he was either ditched by Grune, or kept prisoner elsewhere.

Quote:

- How will Kit & Kat join Lion-O and crew?

My guess is, they will meet the two in the next episode while escaping the city's borders.

Quote:

- Will the Lizards be the main army of Mumm-ra and Grune or will we see the Jackals and Monkeys join the fray?

We do know these other races exist, and I bet we will see them soon, though I am not certain whether they will be working for Mumm-ra or have their own empires and agendas. Certainly, I can see some infighting considering the dominant kingdom has been removed, these other tribes would certainly try to fill their place.

Quote:

So onwards and upwards in a series that could have been a disaster on a number of levels but instead have given me renewed hope that western animators are finally understanding how to hit the sweet spot that brings in older and younger audiences to enjoy the same spectacle.

I think a lot of western animation series are excellent for adults and kids as well. Like, Young Justice, Legion of Superheroes, Spectacular Spiderman, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Transformers Animated, GI Joe Renegades, Wolverine and the X-Men. My half-brother (just 18 this year) has gotten into X-Men thanks to the latter series. However, for some odd reason, studios keep cancelling the good shows, while silly plotless stuff like Spongebob keep going forever. Let's hope Thundercats does well with the kids, and the merchandise sells, otherwise we can fear the same.

[nitewing73]

I watched it again last night to see if there was anything I missed the first time watching it. I noticed the Robear Berbil arm at that dealer's place. (I'm sure someone mentioned it earlier). I kind of hope they do some more flashbacks or appearances of Claudus ala Obiwan Kenobi, just so that Larry Kenney can do some more voiceover work.

[w3bzfromtfw2005]

Watched it online. Absolutely fantastic. Up there with other recent reboots of 80's icons, such as Transformers, GI Joe, He-Man, etc.

Loved Snarf for the first time EVER. Gotta get used to young Cheetara. Loved Mumra's act. Just a fantastic opener. I will LOVE it if they explore the link to the original Thundercats that landed on Third Earth and first defeated Mumra (potentially the original series' characters???)

Next on my list: Reboot Silverhawks!

[Hyper Jaguar]

I really liked the first two episodes. They are a great start to the new series.

[Ickzer1]

Im impressed. I just hope CN airs a whole season before giving us repeat hell like thier other one time love, my show Generator Rex.

[unicronic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB Shockwave

We do know these other races exist, and I bet we will see them soon, though I am not certain whether they will be working for Mumm-ra or have their own empires and agendas. Certainly, I can see some infighting considering the dominant kingdom has been removed, these other tribes would certainly try to fill their place.

Have we seen Jackals and Monkeys yet? I know there were dogs in the intro sequences but were they Jackals? Where were the other two iconic villainous races? I'm not disappointed just a question as to if they were in the debut reboot and I missed them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB Shockwave

For some odd reason, studios keep cancelling the good shows, while silly plotless stuff like Spongebob keep going forever. Let's hope Thundercats does well with the kids, and the merchandise sells, otherwise we can fear the same.

Amen to that. One of the greatest new concept shows for some time was Sym-Bionic Titan and it was cancelled. Sadly broadcasters rarely merit a show by its actual quality more its viewership.

[Balgus82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicronic

Have we seen Jackals and Monkeys yet? I know there were dogs in the intro sequences but were they Jackals? Where were the other two iconic villainous races? I'm not disappointed just a question as to if they were in the debut reboot and I missed them.



Amen to that. One of the greatest new concept shows for some time was Sym-Bionic Titan and it was cancelled. Sadly broadcasters rarely merit a show by its actual quality more its viewership.

Haven't seen them in the show, but we know they're going to be in it from interviews.

As for Sym-Bionic Titan, I think one of the problems was it's art style IMO. Great writing or not, if the audience doesn't see something they like they're not gonna wait for that story.

[Transformed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by w3bzfromtfw2005

Next on my list: Reboot Silverhawks!

This! I'm still waiting for the folks behind this site to get behind that idea

[SerahGetzlaf15]

Lovin' this series so far. What a thrill, considering I religiously watched this as a child of the '80s. I'm now contemplating putting together a new Lion-O cosplay. XD

[unicronic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balgus82

Haven't seen them in the show, but we know they're going to be in it from interviews.

Good to hear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balgus82

As for Sym-Bionic Titan, I think one of the problems was it's art style IMO. Great writing or not, if the audience doesn't see something they like they're not gonna wait for that story.

I read that the actual reasons for cancelling the show were related to the merchandising potential or lack thereof. Maybe the most bizaar cancellation reason.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s ‘Sym-Bionic Titan’ Canceled Due to Lack of Merchandise? | Screen Rant

[BB Shockwave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicronic

Have we seen Jackals and Monkeys yet? I know there were dogs in the intro sequences but were they Jackals? Where were the other two iconic villainous races? I'm not disappointed just a question as to if they were in the debut reboot and I missed them.

No monkeys yet, but jackals are really just a species of "canines", like cheetahs are a species of "felines". IMHO, Jackalman (wonder what his proper name is) will be representing the more jackal-like 'dogs', but we will probably see more wolf-like or domesticated dog-like canines as well. One was shown among the IGN character designs (the one with the huge FFVII-like sword), my guess is that he'll be one of the titular characters in the episode "The Drifter and the Duelist" - he has a noble wibe to him.

Quote:

Amen to that. One of the greatest new concept shows for some time was Sym-Bionic Titan and it was cancelled. Sadly broadcasters rarely merit a show by its actual quality more its viewership.

I could never really get into that show as I am not a big fan of the Tartarowsky-type style used for serious shows (frankly, I could never take Samurai Jack seriously, considering he looks almost exactly like Professor Utonium). But yeah, lot of great shows are cancelled. Let's hope, considering CN handles this show and Young Justice as their "big names" that they will not be dropped.

[nitewing73]

My kids and I were watching the original toon earlier this evening and I just put on the series premiere again for the new toon and man I can't wait for the next episode.

[Beej B]

Hi all. New member, first post. Very excited to be here!

Just watched the 2-part premiere yesterday, and must whole-heartedly agree that this reboot is the best in a long, long time. The comparisons to the 200X Masters of the Universe series are completely warranted, and those same first impressions were indeed validated upon seeing the 2011 series premiere. This re-launch feels so much more epic, deep and intense than its 80's predecessor and it satisfies all the shortcomings of the 80's show that even fondness and nostalgic devotion cannot mask. Essentially, it's the show and story you truly want it to be in the here and now - far more sophisticated and adult, without forgetting it's still a kids show, nor the roots of where it came from.

The production values here are simply gorgeous to behold. The animation is crisp, stunning and fluid. The voice-acting, shoulder to shoulder with the very best work in the industry today. And the writing is SUPERB. This new series really represents just how wonderful a reboot/re-launch of a long-dormant and much-beloved property can be when done with the right amount of TLC and craftsmanship. I hope this series stays on the air and succeeds for many years to come, because it certainly deserves to do so.

Friedle really hit all the right marks as Lion-O. Loved his work on Batman Beyond, and he didn't disappoint here. Hearing Larry as Claudius did indeed make the geek tears well up in the corners of my eyes. And the arc of his death was immense - went out like a true legend, Mufasa-style. Tygra and Cheetara show extreme promise and will undoubtedly continue to impress in this incarnation. And wow - Mumm-ra was pretty dang scary - loved the twist with his introduction and did not see it coming whatsoever. Top-notch stuff right there. And Clancy's Grune was stellar, right down to the nasty Trojan Horse betrayal. Looking forward to more of WilyKit and WilyKat, and Snarf was indeed made over to perfection - reminded me yet again of the 200X MOTU series where they toned down Cringer and Battle Cat and made them much more believable as loyal animal companions who didn't talk all the time in some annoying voice and banter, lol.

You can really feel the injection of Middle Earth in this incarnation, too - just like the MOTU reboot. The battle scenes here were AMAZING to watch and spectacularly animated. Loved the virtually seamless integration of the CG stuff - very impressive. And Jaga even pulled a Gandalf the Grey near the end! I fully agree with those predicting the Obi-Wan ghost treatment once more - seems like a given, and a suitable storytelling instrument to utilize for the character as a spiritual mentor all over again.

All in all, I have positively no complaints. This series is absolutely fantastic thus far and will no doubt get better and better with each episode. The producers clearly respect the lineage of the property and knew what they were doing in bringing it back with such a tremendously awesome new incarnation that will no doubt win over new fans while re-capturing the interests of old ones alike. It's truly a perfect re-launch IMO, and I cannot wait to see where the rest of this wild ride takes us.

Looking forward to discussing more of this great new series with all of you. HOOOOOO!!!

[vantheman77]

I wasn't a fan of the original Thundercats, but I became a fan after watching both the preview and the actual series premiere of this new show. This was miles better than the original Thundercats and it felt like a cinematic movie to watch over and over again. This was a reboot of the old show, but they've made it darker with more depth and twisted several things. Lion-O and Tygra are adopted brothers and they're involved in a love triangle with Cheetara. In an interesting twist, the Thundercats are the oppressors while the Lizards are the underdogs. King Claudus reminds me of Mufasa of Lion King and this does feel like a cross between Lion King and Lord of the Rings. A great start to the new Thundercats.