Posts

REPORT PROPOSAL - VOLTRON

Image
For this post, I am going to be looking at Voltron from 1984, and the reboot Voltron: Legendary Defender from 2016. VOLTRON (1984) Voltron , also known as Voltron: Defender of the Universe ,   was an animated series that ran from 1984 to 1985. It was directed by Franklin Coford, and was an adaptation of the anime series Beast King GoLion  from 1981. The series revolves around 5 characters; Keith, Lance, Pidge, Hunk and Sven. They each pilot a giant robotic lion, who can combine together to make the humanoid mech Voltron. The storyline was very basic, with episodes mostly involving Team Voltron fighting the forces of King Zarkon and protect Princess Allura. Voltron originally came about when producer Ted Koplar assembled a team to translate the anime series Beast King GoLion into a series that would fit better for an American audience. This process of redubbing and re-editing episodes led to differing storylines and dialogue, while still using the original animation. These ep

REPORT PROPOSAL - TEEN TITANS

Image
This post will be comparing the original  Teen Titans  series from 2003, and it's reboot  Teen Titans GO!  from 2013. It is important to note that both series are based on the  Teen Titans  comic books published by DC Comics. The characters and titles have undergone changes over it's publication, so it's not really possible to name which run of comics was the main influence. TEEN TITANS  (2003) Teen Titans  was an animated series produced by DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, developed by Glen Murakami and Sam Register. It ran on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2006. The series followed a team of five superheroes; Robin (aka Dick Grayson), Raven (aka Rachel Roth), Starfire (aka Koriand'r), Cyborg (aka Victor Stone) and Beast Boy (aka Garfield Logan). Throughout their time acting as superheroes, they come to fight enemies like Deathstroke, Terra and Trigon, to name a few.  The series had a serialised structure, so each season had a different overarching stor

REPORT PROPOSAL - DUCKTALES

Image
In this research post, I'm going to be looking at the show Ducktales , and it's 2017 reboot of the same name. Before I compare the shows, it should be noted that both  Ducktales series are based on the comic series Uncle Scrooge by Carl Banks, which started publication in 1951 and continues today (despite numerous hiatuses and the title changing publisher). DUCKTALES (1987) Ducktales was an animated series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and developed by Jymn Magon and Brad Landreth. It ran on the Disney Channel from 1987 to 1990. The series followed Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck's three nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie as they go on adventures, with a common theme being villains trying to steal McDuck's fortune. The stories take inspiration from pop culture, ranging from Sherlock Holmes novels to the Indiana Jones series. Most of the characters outside of the main four were either taken from the comics the show was based on (e.g. The Beagle Boys)

REPORT PROPOSAL - DEFINING MY QUESTION

I've sent my initial ideas off to get some feedback, and have started to take action on what I received back. The main point that both parties discussed was the question itself; I had been struggling to define what I wanted to look at specifically, which was picked up on. I was asked about what I aim to learn from my research, what sense of direction am I going for, etc. So in cataloguing the journey of this research, I've decided to make a post to explain what I'm going to be focusing on, now that I have a better idea. WHAT IS THE WORKING TITLE / QUESTION? How do studios create a sensitive animated series reboot? This title is still a WIP, but it's giving me more direction and focus into what exactly  I need to look into. I need to give credit to Lynsey for help with this question, her comments on my initial ideas really helped me to decide what exactly I need to be asking. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN FROM THIS ESSAY? I want to learn what a reboot has to do t

REPORT PROPOSAL - BEN 10

Image
In the same vein as the  She-Ra  research post, this post will be looking into the show  Ben 10  from 2005, and it's reboot from 2016 of the same name. For the sake of this post, I will not be looking into the sequel series  Alien Force ,  Ultimate Alien  or  Omniverse . BEN 10  (2005) Ben 10  (also known as  Ben 10 Classic ) was an animated series created by Man of Action and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It ran from 2005 until 2008 on Cartoon Network. The series followed 10 year old Ben Tennyson on a road trip with his cousin and grandfather, where he finds an alien watch that locks onto his wrist. This watch, the Omnitrix, allows Ben to transform into 10 different aliens with different properties and personalities. As the series progressed with various story arcs, Ben lost and gained new aliens. Throughout the stories, more recurring characters (mostly villains) were introduced, including the primary antagonist Vilgax, as well as smaller antagonists like Kevin E

REPORT PROPOSAL - SHE-RA

Image
In researching my chosen topic area, animated TV reboots, I have decided to make posts cataloguing specific shows; their production & broadcast history, critical reception, and anything else I either deem necessary or interesting. For my first post, I'm going to look at She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985) and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018). SHE-RA: PRINCESS OF POWER (1985) The original She-Ra: Princess of Power was produced by Filmation and ran from 1985 until 1986. It ran for 2 seasons, spanning 93 episodes before cancellation. The series was created by Larry DiTillio & J. Michael Straczynsky, with episodes being directed by Gwen Wetzler. The series, created as a female-centred and oriented counterpart for the successful He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, follows the character Princess Adora as she leads a band of freedom fighters called the Great Rebellion to free the world of Etheria from the villains, the Evil Horde. Using her Sword o

REPORT PROPOSAL - DEFINING A REBOOT

I think going forward, it is important for me to define the term "reboot" that I will be using in relation to my report proposal. The term "reboot" is thrown around online a lot, but there's often a misconception of the term, confusing it for other terms used for fictional works. " ...[T]o restart an entertainment universe that has already been previously established, and begin with a new story line and/or timeline that disregards the original writer’s previously established history, thus making it obsolete and void. " ~ Thomas R. Willits' definition of a reboot, " To Reboot or Not to Reboot: What is the Solution? " Essentially, a reboot is when you take a concept, world or story that has already been explored, and create a new storyline with those elements that completely ignores what has been said before, attempting to forge a new path. Examples of reboots in film would be The Mummy (1999, a reboot of the 1932 film), Child's