Cartoon Network was my deity while growing up. The sheer
number of animated television series they had during the 90’s was amazing, and
I enjoyed watching nearly all of them. While some of the shows annoyed me to
the point where I wanted to punch my TV – like Ed, Edd, n Eddy – the vast
majority of these shows were entertaining to watch, and had such personality
than more recent television series can’t seem to match. Whether it was merely
an explosion of animated talent or that today’s writers adhere to stereotypes,
sacrificing quality for ratings, I do not know, but I can certainly thank
Cartoon Network for the show The Powerpuff Girls.
 |
| And an unknown radioactive chemical. Science works! |
The Powerpuff Girls was an incredible show that debuted in
1998 and ran until 2005. It followed the adventures of three girls who live in
Townsville, USA, created in a laboratory explosion, who Professor Utonium
creates using “sugar, spice, and everything nice” and given superpowers thanks
to an accidental infusion of “Chemical X.” Their names are Blossom, Bubbles and
Buttercup. Blossom is the smartest of the three, and the unofficial leader, who
also possesses icy breath. Bubbles is the shy, sensitive one, though she will
occasionally snap and show extreme anger when her sisters are threatened, and
also has the ability to communicate with animals. Buttercup is the tomboy of
the group, with a mean temper and the strength to back it up. The show is basically a spoof on stereotypical
superhero shows, and filled with comedic characters and ridiculous plot lines,
ranging from the girls defeating a giant monster to opening a pickle jar for
the hapless Mayor of Townsville.
 |
| I find it quite funny that while supervillains can't beat up three little girls, three little boys can. |
One of the more memorable aspects of the series to me was
the villains. Following the week’s disposition to comedic villains, Powerpuff
Girls was simply full of recurring villains that were both interesting and
hilarious. Mojo Jojo used to be the simian assistant of Prof. Utonium before
the Powerpuff Girls were created, and harbors intense jealousy toward the girls,
as they replaced him. Despite his intelligence, he speaks in an overly
repetitive manner, and often oversees fatal flaws in his plans for taking over
Townsville, and is constantly being beat to a pulp by the girls. Another
character, known only as HIM, is quite the strange character, a mix between a
crab, a drag queen, and the devil. He is also probably the scariest and most
devious villain in the show, as his plans often consist of psychologically
manipulating the girls, turning them against each other or immobilizing them
with fear. He comes the closest to succeeding of all the villains, but always manages
to be defeated in the end. Last but not least are the Rowdyruff Boys, created
by Mojo Jojo using “snips, snails, and puppy dog tails” as well as some foul
prison toilet water. They are the polar opposites of the Powerpuff Girls,
showcasing the stereotypical boy, and bully the Powerpuff Girls to no end. They
actually manage to defeat the girls once, taking over Townsville, until the
girls come back and defeat them using kindness rather than violence, causing
them to blow up after the girls kiss them. Apparently, cooties actually exist.
 |
| They grow up so fast? |
The show has been very well-received over the years, and has
even spawned two movies and a new series, Powerpuff Girls Z. It’s hard to go
into too much more detail about the series without analyzing specific shows,
which I can’t really do, because then this post will go on forever. But suffice
it to say that the wonderful artwork, combined with very interesting characters
and plots made this show so much fun to watch during my childhood. The
relationships between the characters were always well thought out, and the
stories were never stale, managing to find a happy medium between making fun of
stereotyped superhero clichés and original story, along with a wonderful cast
of characters, all of whom were entertaining to watch, and easily relatable in
some way. And really, that’s just the best way to describe this show; entertaining.
Everything about the show was fun, with nary a dull or stupid/annoying moment
to be found, and certainly worth the watch. No rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia
are required to enjoy this classic show.
Next week: Mario Party
No comments:
Post a Comment