One of a number of action orientated shows to come out of the 80s, Thundercats certainly made an impression to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Following a group of cat-like aliens collectively known as the Thundercats, the show follows their exploits on their adoptive planet of Third Earth after their home planet of Thundera is destroyed. The focus of the Group is Lion-O who becomes leader of the Thundercats after the previous leader Jaga sacrifices himself succumbing to old age so the rest can arrive on Third Earth in stasis.
The show is a fun mixture of space opera, sword and sorcery, as well as sword and planet tropes that make for a very entertaining show. It also has an appreciably diverse set of characters who each bring something unique to the story. The show also has a fun selection of villains and obstacles for our heroes to fight against with Mumm-Ra easily being the best with his gravelly voice and two designs that are both equally imposing.
What elevates the show from being good to great is its technical craft. The animation produced by Pacific Animation Corporation(Topcraft in Season 1) is heavily influenced by Japanese animation in its character designs and animation style and gives the show a unique visual style that carried quite a bit of influence even into the 90s. With the animation on this show it's clear why Disney acquired them in the late 80s to work on many a Disney afternoon show including Talespin, Rescue Rangers, and cult favorite Gargoyles.
The show is not flawless however. Sometimes the villains can be a little lacking(with the Plun-Darr mutants serving more as annoyances to our heroes than legitimate threats, but this adds to their charm and makes them somewhat endearing), and the fact that the show only had six voice actors providing voices for the entirety of the shows cast can sometimes result in characters sounding similar to others(especially female characters as they're all done by the same female voice over artist). The show also goes a bit overboard with its comic relief character Snarf who tries to serve as a Jiminy Cricket type character who warns Lion-O of potentially reckless actions, but his grating voice and whininess make him a chore to sit through(though luckily he is used sparingly)
Despite not having a nostalgic attachment to this show, it can still be appreciated for its creativity and influence and its successors in the same category. There is a lack of polish in comparison to later era cartoons, but this helps give the show a unique identity and still makes it worth watching not only for curiosity's sake but as a milestone in TV animation alongside such staples as Jonny Quest.
The show is a fun mixture of space opera, sword and sorcery, as well as sword and planet tropes that make for a very entertaining show. It also has an appreciably diverse set of characters who each bring something unique to the story. The show also has a fun selection of villains and obstacles for our heroes to fight against with Mumm-Ra easily being the best with his gravelly voice and two designs that are both equally imposing.
What elevates the show from being good to great is its technical craft. The animation produced by Pacific Animation Corporation(Topcraft in Season 1) is heavily influenced by Japanese animation in its character designs and animation style and gives the show a unique visual style that carried quite a bit of influence even into the 90s. With the animation on this show it's clear why Disney acquired them in the late 80s to work on many a Disney afternoon show including Talespin, Rescue Rangers, and cult favorite Gargoyles.
The show is not flawless however. Sometimes the villains can be a little lacking(with the Plun-Darr mutants serving more as annoyances to our heroes than legitimate threats, but this adds to their charm and makes them somewhat endearing), and the fact that the show only had six voice actors providing voices for the entirety of the shows cast can sometimes result in characters sounding similar to others(especially female characters as they're all done by the same female voice over artist). The show also goes a bit overboard with its comic relief character Snarf who tries to serve as a Jiminy Cricket type character who warns Lion-O of potentially reckless actions, but his grating voice and whininess make him a chore to sit through(though luckily he is used sparingly)
Despite not having a nostalgic attachment to this show, it can still be appreciated for its creativity and influence and its successors in the same category. There is a lack of polish in comparison to later era cartoons, but this helps give the show a unique identity and still makes it worth watching not only for curiosity's sake but as a milestone in TV animation alongside such staples as Jonny Quest.