It's Father's Day in my country so lets celebrate this with the top 10 fathers of Cartoon Network. Happy Fathers Day everyone.
It matches my eyes
10. Wendell from Mike, Lu & Og
Spare a thought for this guy, he tries really hard to govern the island but has to constantly deal with his spoilt daughter and numerous misunderstandings on the island.
9. The Emperor from Samurai Jack
Jack's father taught his son everything from sword play to honor. In my mind this guy doesn't get enough screen time.
8. Dad from Cow & Chicken
He's nothing more than a pair of legs and a pelvis but that doesn't stop him being the father to a cow & a chicken, although he seems to spend more time falling over while laughing.
7. Grandpa Max from Ben 10
Back in his day he was an intergalactic hero, nowadays he's retired and training his Grandson to continue his legacy but can still hold his own.
6. Doc Saturday from Secret Saturdays
He looks like a cross between a James Bond villain and the Samuel L Jackson, Nick Fury, but this guy is tough and has the brains to back it up.
5. Richard Watterson from Amazing World of Gumball
He's a stay at home dad with a keen eye for food, pranking and the odd game of Dungeons & Dragons. He even eats your homework.
4. Joshua from Adventure Time
Jake's father and Finn's adoptive father, a former adventurer who knows how to make a dungeon and how to bring out the best in his children, even if he does call them a whiny baby first.
3. Professor Utonium from Powerpuff Girls
I will not question technical reasons, Professor Utonium is practically the father of the Powerpuff Girls, a tough job being a single father to three super powered kindergartens but the Professor seems to manage just fine.
2. Father from Kids Next Door
Ironic that one of the highest entries is actually a villain but that's Kids Next Door for you. Apart from having a great voice he can unleash fire and stands well above the other villains in the show. You can expect that from Benedict Uno, Numbuh One's Uncle
1. Dexter's Dad from Dexter's Laboratory
But no one is more fun than Dexter's Dad, an over excited personality combined with typical father traits equals the most fun you can have from a parent. Just a few of his highlights include: The Muffin Episode, The Snowball Episode, The Speed Racer Episode & The Arm Wrestling Episode.
Moving on to a special of the mini guide and considering how big the works are, here is a guide to the works of comic group Man of Action. Adds up to 5 entries all together this time.
1. Ben 10 - 2005
A kid finds what looks like a watch is actually a device that transforms you into different aliens turns into a big adventure which was originally supposed to be a typical summer.
Verdict: I was ten years too late for this show, but that's not to say it's bad, it really connects to the psyche of a ten year old boy in so many ways.
Fact: Counting all it's series it's had more episodes than any other Cartoon Network show but it might want to look out for Adventure Time & Regular Show.
2. Ben 10 Alien Force - 2008
Continuing adventures of Ben 10 in teenage form alongside new allies and new aliens.
Verdict: A great example of character develop from kid to teenager and the addition of Kevin & Gwen as regular heroes was a nice touch
Fact: It still won't beat Ed, Edd & Eddy in terms of broadcasting length.
3. Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - 2010
Still continuing adventures of teen Ben 10 with more aliens.
Verdict: They seem to revert Ben back into a cocky brat neglecting all the development they had up til then.
Fact: One of few cartoons that can claim it has done every form of media including Live Action, 2D & CGI animation. Still hasn't been done in Anime form though.
4. Ben 10 Omniverse - 2012
Ben 10 in a new art style and more aliens.
Verdict: Adds a new dimension to the franchise but can't seem to accept that it's best days are over.
Fact: Cow & Chicken cameo in this series of Ben 10 which included their original voice actors.
5. Generator Rex - 2010
A group of nanites are infecting the world and mutating people and it's up to a teenager who uses the power of the nanites to save them.
Verdict: A worthy attempt at making a more mature cartoon but can't seem to stop making bad main characters.
Fact: When I was young I used to draw characters with giant metal fists. Makes you wonder doesn't it?
Onward to the third part of the mini-guide, 8 to cover today.
1. Whatever Happened to Robot Jones - 2002
Robot Jones attempts to understand humans while living in an 80s futuristic world.
Verdict: Quite a downgrade in animation didn't help this average series shine.
Fact: Held the title of shortest series until 2010.
2. Codename: Kids Next Door - 2002
Series about a group of kids fighting against adults in a secret agent inspired world.
Verdict: A very clever plot which surprisingly has never been done before, the mundane problems that kids face every day is taken up to maximum and executed very well.
Fact: The characters of KND have turned up a few times in Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.
3. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy - 2003
Two kids that have the personality traits of Pinky & the Brain trick the Grim Reaper into being their friend as they explore various supernatural worlds.
Verdict: Strangely addictive, characters I should find annoying are actually good.
Fact: One of the last Cartoon Network shows to reference Hanna Barbara cartoons.
4. Evil Con Carne - 2003
An evil genius is killed in an explosion only to be restored as a brain in the jar attached to a circus bear as he tries to rebuild his evil empire.
Verdict: Didn't have the same impact as Billy & Mandy, average at best.
Fact: Originally an in-universe cartoon (the same as I Am Weasel was with Cow & Chicken) back in 2001 before both series were split into separate shows, after Evil Con Carne's cancellation the characters migrated to Billy & Mandy.
5. Star Wars Clone Wars - 2003
The popular sci-fi film re-imagined in Genndy Tartakovsky's art style made famous by Samurai Jack.
Verdict: This was AWESOME! The last great Star Wars production until the CGI series happened. Samurai Jack's style of action over lots of dialogue really brought the tiresome franchise to life.
Fact: Oh how I loathe the 2008 CGI remake, this is why I hate this technology, it takes away something that was clearly better, don't fix what isn't broken.
6. Megas XLR - 2004
How a mecha series would look if made in America.
Verdict: The awesomeness of this series equals Gurren Lagann at times, the idea of a modified mecha painted with flames and a cockpit made from a muscle car takes this series to new heights of awesome.
Fact: The only show in Cartoon Network's library to begin life on Toonami.
7. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - 2004
Show about a home for Imaginary Friends abandoned by the kids who imagined them.
Verdict: Another clever idea but not executed as well, I find it kinda strange with the amount of clever designs involved they went with a rejected Pac-Man ghost for a main character, with Bloo in mind he is quite annoying.
Fact: One of only two Cartoon Network shows to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the other being Puffy AmiYumi.
8. Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi - 2004
Cartoon re-imagining of real life Japanese Pop band Puffy AmiYumi.
Verdict: I seem to enjoy female duos the most in Anime so Puffy AmiYumi was entertaining to watch despite using tried and tested plots.
Fact: The pop duo also sang the Teen Titans theme song, and despite the cartoon being about them, Puffy AmiYumi never voiced their own characters.
Back to obscure movies played when Cartoon Network tried to show films, this time it's a German animated film released in English by Warner Bros called The Fearless Four.
It starts with a dog named Buster voiced by James Ingram who's been driven out of his home for not being a proper dog and getting placed in the pound.
Then we join Fred the Donkey voiced by B.B.King who's been made redundant by a robot centaur with a sweet singing voice.
Then we join Gwendolyn the Cat voiced by Oleta Adams who's been driven out of her home by her late owners obnoxious relatives.
And finally we join Tortellini the Rooster voiced by Zucchero who's been driven out of his home for too much sex. (Look that's whats been implied by the scene just go with it)
The four animals some how meet up and decide to form a singing quartet as they journey to Paris to find their fortune only to stop in Bremen on the way and get scouted by an evil food company called Mix Max; they are made to perform the Mix Max jingle in order to increase control over Europe, I don't know, it makes no sense, the main villain looks like that guy from "Series of Unfortunate Events".
The group rebel with an awesome song, one of many awesome songs throughout the film, it is a musical after all and win against the villains, the film ends as Gwendolyn finds out that she now has ownership of her owners mansion and turns it into an animal home.
Okay verdict on this film is simple: good music, silly plot, overly dull color scheme, somehow manages to mold computer graphics well despite being a 90s film and decent English dub despite being all voiced by professional singers.
If you've even heard of any of the singers voicing the animal characters then you've won a cookie.
Compared to the Scarecrow I covered last time, The Fearless Four has better production but the plot is a bit silly and can be seen as a vegan's revenge story seeing as the underlying message seems to be that meat producers are evil and everything is better with singing.
The film is fairly obscure so don't expect to find much beyond it's original German release, I had trouble finding any information about this film in English so I'm doing this review on memory.
Overall it's a nice little distraction but nothing memorable about it beyond the songs.
Onto Generation 2 of the mini guide, there will be six this time.
1. Ed, Edd & Eddy - 1999
Adventures from the cul-de-sac featuring a group of kids who share similar names who just want to make some money for sweets.
Verdict: Everyone has known someone who's been a character in Ed, Edd & Eddy and that kind of connection makes it worth the watch. I was always the Double D of the group in school.
Fact: Cartoon Network's longest running show broadcasting more than 10 years before succumbing to the dreaded 2009 cartoon drought.
2. Mike, Lu & Og - 1999
A foreign exchange student ends up in the Pacific Islands as she tries to adjust to the culture shock between herself and the inhabitants. Think western animation version of Haru + Guu.
Verdict: Average, looks too much like a Nickelodeon production.
Fact: Features the voice of Bart Simpson: Nancy Cartwright
3. Courage the Cowardly Dog - 1999
A cowardly dog fights a number of aliens, monsters and other nightmare fuel in order to protect his family, an elderly couple living in the wastelands.
Verdict: Forgettable in places, it's very creative when you look at the amount of Nightmare fuel it shows. I do prefer Courage to not talk.
Fact: The original short was nominated for a short film Oscar on the year of release.
4. Sheep in the Big City - 2000
A sheep ends up in various unusual situations while being chased by an army general who wants him as a laser battery.
Verdict: I never got on with it, the story felt too surreal to be entertaining.
Fact: The show lists Rocky & Bullwinkle as it's biggest influence.
5. Time Squad - 2001
A team travels through various time periods correcting the mistakes that have been made.
Verdict: While interesting in theory it has been done better by better programs with the same plot.
Fact: Another Rocky & Bullwinkle inspired show, this one referencing Mister Peabody.
6. Samurai Jack - 2001
A Samurai from ancient Japan fights an evil shape-shifter named Aku only to be sent to a dystopian future ruled by the demon. The samurai named Jack by the inhabitants must battle to return to the past.
Verdict: Not just a good cartoon but one of the best cartoons ever created, entire episodes can be shown with very little dialogue and still accomplish more than a show of equal status and even the silliest episodes still look awesome.
Fact: A film version is still attempting production even now with the only issue holding it back is the death of actor Mako.
