and D.C.
comics movies coming, I'm strangely reminded of Saturday morning cartoons. That's likely because I was introduced to the superheroes that way. But there are other cartoons that deserve attention.Have you heard of "Exosquad"
? I came across the science fiction cartoon series on the video-streaming website Hulu.com. Then I remembered that I likely own a DVD of the show that I may have bought for a dollar (which I haven't watched) and that I had owned an action figure of an E-frame
(mech) when I was a kid. There also is a Sega Genesis game
based on the cartoon that I remember seeing in the past.Anyway, I don't recall seeing the show when it aired in 1993, so I watched the first episodes of season 1 and 2. The show apparently will no longer be available to watch for free on Hulu in the next few days, so I couldn't procrastinate.
I was surprised to see how the mature the cartoon is compared to others of its time and enjoyed the first episode of season one. There were a lot of characters, but leader J.T. Marsh and clumsy Wolf Bronsky of the Exosquad stood out. Jumping into season 2 seemed confusing and too rushed, though, so I guess picking up the series in the middle may be difficult because of its many characters.
The show seems underrated, but then again, I haven't watched all two seasons. I read that it was canceled after the second season and so it ends with unanswered questions. I wonder if the show will be revived. Have you seen it? What do you think of the cartoon?
Here's a video on YouTube of an opening scene of the show that gives some background of its story:
(Update: After the expiration time passed for the episodes of Exosquad on Hulu.com, they are still there as of Aug. 1)
I caught lots of stuff that reminded of other stuff in this short bit, like xcom, a computer game in which one builds squads and send them out to kill invading aliens and gather their technology (it was actually pretty fun), that massive metal suit one character gets into is like the thing Ripley gets into in Aliens, first to move heavy stuff and then to kill mama alien, and of course, the whole idea of creating something that turns against you (can we say cylons?). I don't remember this cartoon either but in '93 I was living without television except for what we rented and it was the dawn of the internet. oh my how things have changed!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of it, but it was way past my cartoon-watching days. If it's on Hulu, I can watch it though.
ReplyDeletemstatch, good point. Maybe X-COM took inspiration from Exosquad and Exosquad took inspiration from the Alien movie and Battlestar Galactica, just as they took inspiration from other works (Alien screenwriter Dan O'Bannon had commented: "I didn't steal Alien from anybody. I stole it from everybody!"). It goes to show nothing may be truly original nowadays.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I finished watching the first season of Exosquad. What makes it good is the screenwriting and themes it explores, but its repetitive music is overdone, and I don't care for the typical art style. Surprisingly, it is not as kiddish as I thought and would have been great as a live-action series. It's interesting that it was created by Universal Cartoon Studios (now Universal Animation Studios).
Don't know of it, but it's probably long after my cartoon watching days. :D Used to watch them sometimes w/ my little brother - HeMan and Voltran or something like that.
ReplyDeleteM Pax, I grew up watching Robotech, G.I. Joe, Voltron, G-Force, ThunderCats and He-Man from the 80s. X-Men, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, The Adventures of Super Mario Brothers 3, and Captain Planet and the Planeteers from the early 90s was at the end of my cartoon watching days as a kid, so that may explain how I missed watching Exosquad in 1993 and 1994.
ReplyDeleteI remember the show having really well thought out aliens. Brings back memories. They should totally make a movie out of it.
ReplyDeleteMaurice, I can imagine an Exosquad movie more than the Robotech one being worked on, although I like the latter series better.
ReplyDeleteI do remember that show and it indeed was an exciting and underrated cartoon. It really did tackle some pretty deep themes including genetic engineering, slavery, the boundaries between man and machine, and still managed to do some kick-butt action stories.
ReplyDeleteMonkey Migraine, I thought it was ironic how the Neosapiens were treated as slaves but revolted, and then treated humans as slaves. So I guess both races were wrong. Yet there is the Neo named Marsala who is treated as an equal on the Exosquad and who also treats the humans as equals.
ReplyDelete