Steven Universe

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

So I saw this and was pleasantly surprised. Why the hell wasn't this put on first instead of Uncle Grandpa? Unlike Uncle Grandpa this show feels natural and NOTHING feels forced.

I was also surprised to how its been well received in the nerdverse such as 4Chan. Any thoughts?

[lhb412]

I had a sneaking suspicion this would be great because it's by Rebecca Sugar, who was (at least partially) responsible for some of the best episodes of Adventure Time.

I love how the show completely blurs what's 'for girls' and 'for boys' (a division which seems to have become more prevalent recently). You can love the color pink and fight giant monsters, too!

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

Yeah, it does have that Sailor Moon/Pretty Cure element there.

I think it was better than the original pitch concept they released a few months ago too.

[MekaGojira3k]

I liked it much better than the pilot indicated. It's so pretty to look at, and also it's basically a magical girl show staring a little boy.

[lhb412]

Anyone notice that their headquarters is in the womb of a giant goddess statue?

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

[MekaGojira3k]

I loved the Frybo monster. So much.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

Holy crap Steven can be so frustratingly stupid. But I really like how the gems also go out of their way to care for him. He's one of them. I like his dad too. Kind of sad when I start to think of him...

Am I the only one who can see Pearl snapping and going "FOR "OH GODZILLA! WHAT TERRIBLE LANGUAGE!"'S SAKE STEVEN!"

[MekaGojira3k]

I kind of don't mind that Steven's so dumb, especially when the faces he makes are like 45-50% of my enjoyment of the show.

[lhb412]

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

Pearl should be a very annoying character on paper, but yeah you're right. I like how there is no clear favorite gem among the three, based on all of the other discussion boards I frequent. All of them have their own fans.

And Garnet got some pretty cool focus this week. We see why she's the boss.

[lhb412]

The usual monsters in the show remind me of smaller scale versions of the angels from Evangelion and certain Ultraman '66 monsters (Eva was inspired by Ultraman, after all): frequently abstract and not anthropomorphized at all.

[lhb412]

Just saw the episode Giant Woman and ohmygodthisshowisgreat.

... there's a real delicacy to this show, ya know?

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

[lhb412]

No worries, Steven Universe has been renewed!!!

Renewed for... holy crap... renewed for 104 more episodes!?!

Jeez, that's such a large number of episodes. It'll take CN three years to run all those.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

[lhb412]

They're doubling down on their current slate. Another season at least for Adventure Time and Regular Show (they've just started their current seasons), Steven Universe and Uncle Grandpa got big orders for more episodes, and Clarence got a more modest pickup of 13 more half hours.

[lhb412]

Hey, isn't it funny how in the pilot Pearl looked more like a Hayao Miyazaki character, then she was redesigned and now looks more like a Osamu Tezuka character?

[lhb412]

http://www.toonzone.net/2014/07/nikki-m ... -universe/

Nikki Minaj is the voice of the combined form of Garnet and Amethyst, who's a huge monster.

... seriously.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

I did that that was pretty interesting. Her character design shift from Pilot to Production is rather drastic, but her design style looks the most Asian animation influenced. I can totally see the Tezuka influence with how thin, simple, she is as well as a defining trait that he liked to do for a lot of characters (in her case, her nose).

The focus episode Steven The Swordfighter went another level and did all these Utena references to the way she fights and the angles used.


Btw, I saw the episode with Nikki Minaj voicing Sugilite, and it was AWESOME. Funny enough, it was also another Pearl focus episode.

[lhb412]

Apparently I misjudged the whole "108 more episodes" thing. I was watching the SDCC panel on Youtube and it seems CN's committed to the show for that amount of episodes (for now): this first season (only 20 of which have aired) is 54 episodes and the commissioned 2nd season will also be 54 episodes.

[lhb412]

I love Adventure Time, still think that show is great... but, I think might like Steven Universe just a bit better. I'm thoroughly transported every time I watch the show. I love Beach City. I love the side characters. There are moments of beauty in this show that take my breath away.

[lhb412]

"Do you ever feel lonely even when you're around people?"

Oh, the feels!

The first single disc release for the show. Hopefully we'll get season sets. CN and WB have been getting better on that front.

http://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Network-S ... n+universe

[lhb412]

I'm really enjoying BOOM Studio's Steven Universe comic book, especially the artwork, which does a great job of representing how the characters look on the show while bending it into the artist's own style.

As of right now it's really the only piece of merchandise, because BOOM has had such success with CN/Frederator comics adaptations that they had this in the pipe before the show premiered. I've got so much AT merch and I have an itch to do the same with Steven Universe. I want magnets and T-shirts and Funko Pop figures!

[lhb412]

Geez, is anyone else watching this show?! The last few episodes have been amazing. I'm frankly astonished that such an emotionally mature, progressive-minded show is airing as a kids program - but, I suppose that's the secret to smuggling this material out there.