I love animation from around the world...US, Canada, Spain, Japan, you name it, I'll watch it. So I'd like to think I'm not being a typical biased fangirl in these reviews ("The cartoons suck because they're not anime!"). As a fan of animation in general, I'll give it to ye sideways. Short version: The US Megaman cartoons really aren't as terrible as others would have you believe. But neither are they great. I'd say they walk the grey realm of "Meh." They're worth watching once through, for the most part. Some eps are worth more than one viewing. A few more will cause toothaches and should be avoided entirely. One area where American cartoons really need to improve on is story continuity. Seems everything for kids is "villian of the day" horseradish. That could be a good reason why shows like Pokemon and Digimon and Dragonball Z are so popular with kids--they give them a storyline to follow for once. But yes, Megaman US is mostly villian of the day hoopsy-doo. Said villian being Dr. Wily, with an evil Protoman by his side. A lot of fans scream about the evil Protoman, but I personally think it makes sense (where was Protoman until Megaman 3? And who knows what he does in between?). Evil or not, Scott McNeil does a really great job with him. Now I suppose you want episode reviews. ;) I add more as time takes its course. MEGA X - Everyone loves this episode...I'm not much different. :) Vile, Spark Mandrill, and X all enter the past via a time warp (puts her hands on her hips). Vile is after a rare metal that'll fund Sigma's war against the humans, and X follows to stop the naughty boy. A firefight like none other ensues. 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? When my grade 13 "World Issues" class actually went on a field trip to plant trees, I used that line abundantly. 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 'de-evolution' 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. COLD STEEL - A kid's cartoon wouldn't be a kid's cartoon without at least one politically correct Disabled Kid of the Season. In this case, it's a deaf girl named Mary (I think), who's immune to evil effects of the music churned out by an evil band named Cold Steel (Jack Chick was right). This episode is crummy, although rumour has it that Sugar Ray guest starred. I haven't seen the credits in ages, so I can't confirm or deny. o/~ Every mornin' there's a halo hangin' from the corner of my girlfriend's four-post bed... o/~ 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. However, after seeing some taped Fox Family eps, I can safely say...ugh. As if the content in the Megaman cartoons wasn't skim enough, Fox Family is fond of cutting stuff out. Example: the extremely keen battle between X and Vile which lays waste to a small section of the city. Because everyone knows that children exposed to excessive amounts of blue robots fighting will grow up into psychopaths.

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