| I've been on this Earth for nearly 20 human years, 14 of which I've been interested in video games. I have seen a lot of video game based cartoons come and go. From the near ancient Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Juniour 'toon
up 'till the new (eecch)Canadian computer animated Donkey Kong Country cartoon. In between all this ruckus, I managed to snag the American Mega Man cartoon.
My verdict? It's not really as terrible as others would have you believe. Hey, it's not exactly OUTSTANDING either. It's pretty much your average Saturday Morning cartoon. That's the thing that really bugs me. Most of MM's toon plots had been done a million times before by other cartoons. Evil bad guy(s) think up something to conquer earth with. Hero saves earth. Everyone is happy. Blah. There WERE, however, some episodes that I'll never forget. (Even if I WANT to forget them :) They are as follows:
MEGA X - Everyone loves this episode...I'm not much different. :) Vile, Spark Mandrill, and X all enter the past via a time warp. Vile is after a rare metal that'll fund Sigma's war against the humans, and X follows to stop the naughty boy. I didn't like X's animation, but I loved Vile's voice!! He'd better sound as cool when he shows up in any animes. Oh, and don't you love that part where Mega captures one of the Skull Tanks and begins to drive it into the other attackers? Just that saucy grin on his face...hee hee hee...always makes me laugh. FUTURE SHLOCK - Er, ah, that should be 'Shock'. ;) Oh well. The first time I saw this ep, I pretty much said 'Ugh.' Then I watched it again after reading 1984 for my grade 12 English class...and now I realize that it's actually a clever little ep. :) Following a bit of a time machine accient ("Poochie should be louder, angrier and have access to a time machine..."), Mega is thrown into a very grim future where Wily rules all (Dr. Wily is Watching You!...). But instead of Winston and Julia meeting in private to sleep together, you have a young girl and her uncle meeting to exchange comic books.
BRO BOTS - Slander it if you will. "Proto wasn't a good guy!" Who cares? That's why this one was so dramatic! I loved this ep...I thought it was so well done, especially at the end where you see Mega's reflection in a shard of glass as he stares after Proto...ah yes...
THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND OF DR. WILY - Hmmm...not too shabby. Wily and Light are trapped on a Mysterious Island (!) and, much to Roll's dismay, they must work together to get out before the Island goes boom. There was some great writing, particularily the conversation between Proto and Mega when they're forced to team up... MEGA: "You walk in front of me, Protoman. No offense, but I really don't trust you." PROTO: "Ooo, I'm SO hurt!" And when Dr. Light and Roll are betrayed by Wily, Roll utters one of my all time favourite lines from any cartoon series in existence: LIGHT: "Oh no! Wily's double-crossed us!" ROLL: "I don't want to say 'I told you so'...but I TOLD you so!"
ICE AGE - I also liked this one just because of the part where Mega is expected to babysit three kids with attitude: KIDS: "So, what are we gonna do today?" MEGA: "I thought we'd plant some trees." KIDS: (Sarcastic laughter) "Oh yeah! And then maybe we can help some old ladies cross the street!" MEGA (To Roll) "These kids have a bad attitude!" No really Mega, what tipped you off? The noserings? That little dialouge exchange ALWAYS floors me. :) THE BEGINNING - Although this 'flashback' episode is not accurate to the games in terms of Mega and Proto's actual pasts, it was really cute. Well, except for the part where Proto punches Mega through a brick wall...that's just downright painful. I just thought that Mega was an adorable little thing before he was converted into a super fighter warrior 'bot, or whatever he is. Like when he said to Wily, "My dad's created a whole army of robots! And they're coming to rearrange your ugly anatomy!" You tell him, Mega! MASTER OF DISASTER - WHOA! TRIPPY! Wily discovers an ancient Jinn that gives him the power to command previously immobile objects to do his bidding. This episode REALLY ticked me off for some reason...except for the part where the stone gryphons on the library come to life and nearly ice Rush. That was fun! What probably got to me was the Jinn's 'real' form. "Seven headed fire breathing dragon" my ass! ROBOSAUR PARK - Okay, this STARTED out promising. Robot dinosaurs on display at 'Robosaur Park' go crackers and attack the visitors. Sounds very familiar, but it was fun to see the dinos on a rampage! As Mega put it, "Something tells me this isn't a park you should take the kids to." Then, all of a sudden after the first commercial, everything went straight to hell. A 'deevolution' virus was on the rampage, attacking the ROBOTS? What the heck is that!? And don't you just love that line by Dr. Raptor that goes, "Man should have become extinct...not the dinosaurs!" Okay buddy. CURSE OF THE LION MEN - All I can say is why, why, in God's name, WHY!? This had to be one of the DUMBEST things I've ever seen on television! Taahr, the leader of a fierce humaniod lion warrior tribe, wakes up from a years long hibernation with his friends, and they begin to 'assimilate' humans into Lion Men by zapping them with...laser eye beams?! I want to cry every time I see this. CAMPUS COMMANDOS - BARF.
MEGA PINOCCIO - Um, I spelled that wrong. Heh heh. I just remember this ep because the first time I saw it, I was in the hospital for my jaw surgery. After it was over, I called in the nurse to give me a painkiller. :) I dunno, the concept was good, but the execution was badly done. Mega is given the offer to aquire human emotions. Great, but isn't he a bit emotional as it is? Anyhoo, Wily controls Mega through the faux feelings, blah blah, you have to watch it to understand but don't bother cuz it blows. :P
Oh, and I have seen Captain N. I grew up with that show. :) I liked it, but I wasn't thrilled with it. The only episode I truly loved was Three Men and a Baby Dragon where Kevin, Simon, and Mega Man were put in charge of caring for an orphaned baby white dragon. Cute little bastard. :) Personally, I liked the MM 'toons a bit better than Captain N. What I'd like to know is, where did the Zelda cartoon go? I loved that thing! My friends and I still yell at each other, "Well EXCUUUSE me, Princess! Now, not too long ago, Fox Family started to rerun the Megaman 'toons. I don't get Fox Family, so I can't verify this for myself...and to tell you the truth, I miss them in a weird, twisted way... |
