Change Your Image
![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTcxNDk1MTI4MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMTM2NTIxMTE@._V1_SY100_SX100_.jpg)
Rectangular_businessman
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try again![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTkzMjgwMDg1M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTgzNTI1OA@@._V1_SX86_CR0,0,86,86_.jpg)
![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjEwOTYzNmQtZWZjNy00YjhlLWE2ODEtYTQ1NjNmNjg0ODQxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjExODE1MDc@._V1_SY86_CR4,0,86,86_.jpg)
![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDgyNDg0YWUtZjNiMy00NzI1LTgzMmQtOGU5NGQwOTA2NDFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjE5MjUyOTM@._V1_SX86_CR0,0,86,86_.jpg)
![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDFkMTAwMWItMzY0OS00NmU2LTgzNDQtYWYxNzE3ZDVkMGM2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzAxMjIwNjg@._V1_SX86_CR0,0,86,86_.jpg)
Reviews
Robin (1996)
Fun 90s cult classic
While most people it's familiar with the "Paranoid Android" video from Radiohead, "Robin", the original series which served as it inspiration still remains as a obscure oddity.
And that's a shame, because this is such a fun, wacky series, thematically similar to shows like Beavis and Butt-Head, featuring a pair of young slackers as the protagonists of bizarre short vignettes with lots of crass, politically incorrect humor.
However, unlike Beavis and Butt-Head or South Park, the short has a surprisingly chill vibe, despite all the explicit content, with the main characters being treated with a certain level of endearment instead of satirical contempt.
This feels pretty much like a time capsule of 90s counterculture, and that's the main key of its charm.
Father (2020)
Daddy trenchcoat
A brief but effective Iranian short which emphasizes the role of a father as a protective figure for the rest of his family, symbolized through a trenchcoat which shelters other pieces of clothing during a terrible storm.
While the final reveal might not be particularly surprising (I mean, the title basically foreshadows it) and the sentimental music used in said scene might be a bit generic, I still found this to be a worth-watching experience anyway.
Not all fathers might be as sacrificed and selfless as the trenchcoat depicted here, but all those nurturing, protective fathers in the world are worthy of admiration.
6.5/10.
Wild Times in the Wildwood (1980)
Amusing
The first animation by Chuck Sheetz, who eventually world in series like The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Recess (including the School's Out movie) He also directed the pilot episode of the animated adaptation of The Eltingville Club, which unfortunately was never picked for a full series.
Despite the crude animation, the story from this short was pretty entertaining, feeling like some sort of predecessor for shows like Beavis and Butthead, or even some Adult Swim series like Metalocalypse.
The art style reminded me of the Little Orphan Annie comic strip, which gives a funny contrast with the escapades of the fratboy protagonists.
Tir Nan Og - Amour toujours (2007)
Saying goodbye is never easy
A little short about the acceptance of death.
Its strongest aspect are its captivating atmosphere, with some rather beautiful sceneries, which heavily contrast with the somewhat simplistic (but nicely animated) character designs.
I must say that, the older I get, the less pleasant I found works that tend to give a somewhat romanticized view of death, feeling that such kind of message could do more harm than good. (I think Sarah from The Maxx had the right idea, describing death as something "hard and cold and ugly" instead of romantic)
But it's also an inevitable part of life, so I understand why stories like this, about learning to let go our loved ones are important, and respect how people find comfort in them...
It might be just a comforting lie, but life would be frankly unbearable without a little bit of wishful thinking.
Saint Seiya: Bi no senshi! Aphrodite (1988)
Pisces Aphrodite, the most beautiful Gold Saint
Besides of its extreme violence (compared to most animated series from the same era), the presence of many androgynous characters was a major cause of controversy in some parts of Latin America where Saint Seiya was aired.
First we had Misty, who wore lipstick (I even thought he was a woman the first time he appeared in the series), now this episode introduced Aphrodite, the most beautiful gold saint, who wore make up and was obsessed with his own attractiveness.
Despite that, he was still depicted as a deadly opponent, causing some serious trouble to both Shun and Hyoga in the climatic part of the Sanctuary arc, with the Andromeda Saint finally managing to defeat him in a rather intense battle which became one of my favorites from the whole series. (A shame the Abel movie had to erase this hard earned victory for Shun in order to have him being saved once again by his brother Ikki...I have to wonder if the Toei writers disliked this character a lot, or were just that unimaginative to never try to do something different with him)
Also a shame Pisces Aphrodite was relegated to rather lousy roles in his later appearences, such as his pathetic defeat at the beginning of the Hades arc.
Saint Seiya: Bi no senshi! Aphrodite (1988)
Pisces Aphrodite, the most beautiful Gold Saint
Besides of its extreme violence (compared to most animated series from the same era), the presence of many androgynous characters was a major cause of controversy in some parts of Latin America where Saint Seiya was aired.
First we had Misty, who wore lipstick (I even thought he was a woman the first time he appeared in the series), now this episode introduced Aphrodite, the most beautiful gold saint, who wore make up and was obsessed with his own attractiveness.
Despite that, he was still depicted as a deadly opponent, causing some serious trouble to both Shun and Hyoga in the climatic part of the Sanctuary arc, with the Andromeda Saint finally managing to defeat him in a rather intense battle which became one of my favorites from the whole series. (A shame the Abel movie had to erase this hard earned victory for Shun in order to have him being saved once again by his brother Ikki...I have to wonder if the Toei writers disliked this character a lot, or were just that unimaginative to never try to do something different with him)
Also a shame Pisces Aphrodite was relegated to rather lousy roles in his later appearences, such as his pathetic defeat at the beginning of the Hades arc.
.hack//GIFT (2003)
Strange, but kinda fun
Its been a long time since I have watched any .hack media; no idea why I decided to gie a try to this short OVA, made as some sort of bonus material for the fans, featuring both characters from .hack//SIGN and .hack//Legend of the Twilight in a bizarre, humorous tale filled with lots of self-parody elements.
While it seems some are not particularly fond of the unusual art-style used for this short (With more abstract designs, to the point several characters wouldn't look out of place in a cubist painting), I actually dig that weird aesthetic, actually wishing there was a whole .hack spin-off done entirely in that way.
It's weird how this also happens to be the .hack media with more fan-service and gratuitous nudity, despite the somewhat childish visuals.
I think it was amusing. Strange, but amusing.
It actually made me want to rewatch both .hack//SIGN and .hack//Legend of the Twilight; maybe my impressions of both series would be different after all these years.
In a Heartbeat (2017)
First love
A cute, charming Pixar-esque short.
It's honestly baffling how some people took wild offense at this, a rather innocent tale of a first crush.
To this very day, gay stories are often shown under a somewhat sordid aura, with characters being constantly doomed to all sorts of tragic fates.
Being gay is constanly shown by media as synonym with misery and bitterness, and sometimes even gay acclaimed stories fall into this type of cliche...
Maybe for that reason, a little hopeful short like this feel like a breath of fresh air, even if the plot itself isn't a particularly life-changing experience.
But it's definitely a wholesome, heart-warming experience.
Recess (1997)
Deserves its solid reputation
I must confess that I never gave Recess a proper chance back then.
Probably I was a bit biased, merely considering it a sanitized Disney version of Hey Arnold...(Also the designs of the main cast often made me think of the Burger King Kids Club for some reason)
When I finally decided to start watching it, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how fun, clever and charming this show actually was, having a rather wholesome 90s vibe in each one of its episodes.
It actually made me feel pretty nostalgic for that era and my own childhood.
I honestly wish I had seen this when I was still a kid instead of just discovering how good this series was at this point of my life, but I guess it's better late than never: Recess totally deserved its cult classic status and its perhaps one of the best family shows from the 90s.
Saint Seiya: Yomigaere hakucho! Iki to shi to ai to (1987)
What happens in the Libra temple, stays in the Libra temple
One of the most controversial moments from Saint Seiya, mostly due the perceived homoeroticism between Cygnus Hyoga and Andromeda Shun, the latter being an androgynous character that often behaved in ways that could be considered "feminine" in the eyes of some people.
Truth to be told, he was my favorite character when I was a kid, and I often disliked how the anime version made him constantly lose most of his battles.
As for this episode in particular, I was a very little boy when I saw it; back then I knew nothing about LGTB topics (I think my introduction to such themes was the Simpsons episode Homer's Phobia)
But even then, I got the impression Shun was going to kiss Hyoga in the mouth during "that" scene, a moment the fandom often mocks and parodies, but still pretty emotional anyway.
Also good thing Shun and Hyoga are not related in the anime version (Unlike in the original manga) because the scene in question would have been much more awkward.
Recess: The Game (1998)
The game is on
An episode parodying some card games from the 90s and early 2000s, such as Pokemon and Magic the Gathering.
It's weird how, even when I used to consider those fads extremely annoying at one point of my life due their blatant commercialism, now I feel very nostalgic towards that era, back then when children were still allowed to have some innocence in them.
Nowadays, instead of silly fantasy card games, kids spent all day with their cellphones watching a lot of inappropiate content from awful social media websites like Tiktok, ruining their minds thanks to the so-called "influencers".
Kids grow up so fast these days, while adults wish to be children again. And everything is changing in unthinkable ways, with our relaince on technology getting bigger with each passing day, while the future of earth seems more and more uncertain.
I wish I had realized how good my childhood actually was when I was still a kid. Nothing will be the same in the following decades.
Sorry I'm Late (2008)
Better Late than Never
A pretty whimsical pixilation short done in a similar style to Coldplay's "Strawberry Swing" music video, or "Her Morning Elegance" by Oren Lavie.
The story itself it's actually quite simple and basic, but the charming execution made it a worth-watching experience from beginning to end.
For whatever reason, the scene with the horse immediately made me think in The Science of Sleep by Michel Gondry, and personally I think he probably would have done something similar to this short for any of his dream-like music videos.
I personally found this to be immensely enjoyable. Highly recommended!
8/10.
Chalk (2010)
Chalk dreams
A very brief short which combines 2D and 3D animation, about a little girl daydreaming into diving deep into the sea during a particularly hot day of summer.
The animation is nicely done (particularly in the 2D parts), being a decent watching experience, though I wish more had been done with the whimsical premise...But it was enjoyable anyway, despite its extreme concision.
Then again, many daydreams in real life tend to be abruptly interrupted, so the approach given here is frankly understable.
The title and the poster image made me think this was a chalkboard animation; unfortunately, it seems that there isn't any of these type of shorts registered here on Imdb.
I personally recommend "Autumn Story" by Yanni Kronenberg, a pretty wonderful video for a beautiful song.
Fészek (1997)
A nest of despair
This Hungarian sand animation short is a perfect example of how a soundtrack is decisive at the moment of setting the mood of any visual work; the visuals used here are already pretty haunting on their own to the point of being borderline nightmarish, but the ominous soundtrack basically enhances the opressive tone to its maximum expression.
A beautifully eerie work, despite the somber nature of the displayed imagery, in which the common man is subjected to a constant abuse of power without any glimpse of hope in sight.
A pretty solid introduction to the filmography of Ferenc Cako, without a doubt.
Nerwowe zycie kosmosu (1987)
Another subverted fairy-tale by Dumala
My introduction to Piotr Dumala's ouvre was through his beautifully animated adaptations of A Gentle Spirit and Crime and Punishment, both inspired by Dostoyevsky's writings, leading me to expect the rest of his filmography to follow a similar style.
However, Dumala also has a rather bizarre sense of humor, as this little animation done by him can confirm. Pretty much like "Black Cap" ( Dumala's rather twisted take on Little Red Riding Hood), the animation here resemble the crude drawings of a little kid, contrasting an innocent aesthetic with a subverted fairy tale where the common archetypes are turned upside down: Here, the protagonist kid are actually quite nasty, and his loving grandma isn't as lovely and protective as she might seem at first glance.
While is true that the postmodern revisionism of fairy tales archetypes are a bit overdone by this point (Mostly thanks to the success of movies like Shrek or Frozen), this little 80s short still retains its unpredictable, surreal wackiness.
Not the best of Dumala, but pretty interesting anyway. And definitely not for kids, as the other review points out (Though probably a few of them probably would laugh find this amusing, in the same way many 90s kids loved South Park)
Otaku no video (1991)
Farewell, Gainax
Gainax has filed for bankruptcy, marking the end of almost 40 years of existence: I still remember the huge impact this studio left among the anime fandom during the nineties thanks to the immense success of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
This two-episode miniseries was some sort of fictionalized account of the formation of that studio, which was founded by a group of anime fans back then in the 80s.
In addition to that, there is also a certain "self-parody" element, particularly prevalent in the live-action segments, dedicated to show some of the less pleasant aspects of the otaku lifestyle, in sharp contrast with the animated part, a bit more idealized.
Without being a masterpiece, both episodes have some interesting hindsight into the beginning of the anime fandom in Japan.
Now, while Gainax might be gone, considering how formerly "nerdy" hobbies such as anime or comics have become mainstream in the recent years, I guess Kubo's dream of turning mankind into otakus has finally become true to a certain extent, even without the need of the creation of the "Otakuland" amusement park.
Recess: The Break-In (1997)
Solid beginning for a series I wish I had seen during my childhood
I must confess that I never gave Recess a proper chance back then.
Probably I was a bit biased, merely considering it a sanitized version of Hey Arnold...(Also the main cast often made me think of the Burger King Kids Club)
After the recent leak of the pitch bible for a supposedly cancelled sequel series, I finally decided to start watching the original cartoon, finding it to be pretty enjoyable.
Very fun and charming, the series has a rather wholesome 90s vibe, making me feel pretty nostalgic for that era, when children were still innocent instead of being given cellphones since they are babies.
This episode was a pretty decen beginning for the show, setting the overall tone of the series, making me wish I had seen it when I was still a kid.
The negativity towards the supposed sequel series is more than justified in my opinion: It feels way too cynical to give such kind of mean-spirited continuation to a pleasant series like this, and frankly I hope it never gets greenlit.
Well, at least that inane garbage allowed me to discover a gem that I kept ignoring all these years.
Even when I discovered Recess way too late, I guess it's better late than never.
Fearsome Critters (2013)
A fun little "animal western"
An animal western short film by Karina Farek, the same director of the werewolf gay romance "Dirty Paws".
Like in that short, the animation is a bit rough, but the technical limitations are largely compensated by a fun plot and charming characters.
I wonder if this was inspired by Gore Verbinski's Rango, particularly in what concerns to the design of the antagonist design, which immediately made think of Rattlesnake Jake.
Like in "Dirty Paws", the premise here has a lot of potential; I personally would love to see this story expanded in some way or another, either as a movie, a longer shorter, or even a television series. Or at least a sequel.
The giant jackalope was the best character, in my opinion.
Dirty Paws (2015)
Puppy love
A simple, but charming gay themed animation about a guy and his werewolf boyfriend.
While the animation isn't anything extraordinary (With the characters almost resembling unfinished sketch drawings most of the time) and the voice acting is honestly a bit amateurish, the story was cute, despite being labelled here on the internet movie database as "horror". (It barely qualifies for such category, in my humble opinion)
Definitely not a life-changing experience, but it was enjoyable enough. And frankly much better than the large majority of gay animations that I have seen in my life so far.
I felt a bit bad for the kitten, though.
Jabberjaw (1999)
A nostalgic gem from Cartoon Network
This was my favorite of the Cartoon Network Groovies, even when I barely remember anything about Jabberjaw (Other than his "I don't get no respect! Catchphrase) : Jonas Odell surely managed to capture the essence of many classic Hanna-Barbera shows, updating them with a more modern, almost experimental approach, yet for some reason, Warner kept focusing only in more Scooby Doo stuff without giving any of the other shows a chance to shine, something openly acknowledged by the song used here.
I really feel very nostalgic towards the 90s and early 2000s era of Cartoon Network: The channel used to have a pretty vibrant personality back then, with lots of fun show to watch.
These good times are never coming back, unfortunately. But it was quite wonderful while it lasted.
Fish Police (1992)
It wasn't really that bad
I actually liked this show the first time I watched it on television as a kid.
Of course, back then I had no idea it was supposed to be a show aimed at adults, nor that it was intended to compete with The Simpsons, feeling pretty much like a typical Saturday Morning Cartoon. If anything, it felt like something made to compete with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Rewatching as adult, I finally noticed a lot of innuendo and adult themes that went over my head during my childhood; that said, the show could felt a bit childish at moments, which might explain the extremely poor reception it got back then.
But it wasn't really as bad as some people claimed, nor it deserve its infamous reputation, since it had its fair share of clever jokes, and the puns weren't as prevalent as some negative online reviews claimed.
Another criticism was for the character designs, which were accussed of falling into the uncanny valley due its mixture of humanoid and fish features, but I personally have seen far worse stuff. (The Seth MacFarlane shows had a far more hideous art style, and that didn't stop them from becoming succesful. And don't get me started on nthe repulsive Big Mouth designs. )
I must confess I largely prefer the design of the main character in the show than his comic-book counterpart, where he looked like Jiminy Cricket on steroids.
I sincerely think Fish Police was an okay animated series; definitely not in the same league than the classic Simpsons episodes, but far better than most people claim.
Santo Contra los Clones (2004)
Before Villainous, there was El Santo.
This five-part miniseries used to be shown in the Latin American feed of Cartoon Network back then in the year 2004, being one of their first original series from this side of the world.
I must confess I never watched any of El Santo movies in my life, but I did enjoy watching this series, considering it almost on par with the regular Cartoon Network programming from the era, if not better.
Rewatching as an adult, I appreciate its adventurous charm, having a certain feel akin to old serials.
While the plot ended with a sequel hook, unfortunately no more episodes were made, and there was no more El Santo animations.
But at least Cartoon Network Latam eventually produced a new animated miniseries inspired by Rey Mysterio, another masked wrestler, named "Rey Mysterio vs. The Darkness".
Loop (2021)
Out of the loop
A fun science-fiction Spanish animated short , taking place in a city where people is perpetually stuck in a loop, always performing a single activity, until a man and woman are finally able to break from the their respective cycles, causing the forces in control to hunt them down.
Very fun and interesting to watch from beginning to end, Loop manages to balance very well the humor with tension, developing a great sense of mystery, though it does ending leaving a few questions unanswered: While there is a resolution for the main couple, my biggest question watching this was who was behind this "loop" conspiracy, and for what purpose, but said questions remained unanswered. Maybe the conspiracy aspect was merely something allegorical.
Still, a pretty solid work, more than worth-watching thanks to its stylish visuals and cleverly executed premise.
Hôtel Nuit Noire (2022)
A beautifully whimsical short by Gobelins.
I particularly loved the art style, which feels reminiscent of Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland (Unsurprising, taking in consideration the nature of the plot, which takes place inside a world of dreams) mixed also with some aesthetic elements from anime and Herge comics.
The oneiric setting has enough potential to carry an entire feature-length film, or even an animated series made in the same vein of shows like Infinity Train.
It honestly would be wonderful to see more of this Dream Hotel. I hope it doesn't as a simple one-shot piece of fiction, a fate sadly shared by many other Gobelin shorts.
A-ha: Train of Thought (1986)
Another A-ha animated music video
Weird how so many artists tend to hate their most popular works; sometimes with so much burning passion that they come to resent their legacy disregard of fame and monetary success.
And apparently A-ha hated so much "Take on Me" they had to include a mean-spirited jab to the fans to that song at the beginning of the video of "The Sun Always Shines on T. V.", supposedly as some form of "revenge" towards the thousands of fans asking them about the couple from that video. (A petty and rather childish move in my opinion, but whatever)
"Train of Thought", the follow up of "The Sun Always Shines on T. V." has the same black and white rotoscoped animation style than "Take on Me", but despite the visual similarities, it has very little to do with the two previous videos, feeling complete unrelated to them story-wise.
That said, both the video and the song are good enough, and definitely worth-watching...But nowhere as iconic, memorable and catchy as Take on Me. And the same goes for "The Sun Always Shines on T. V."
A-ha can revile that song for the rest of eternity, but that's the tune they will always be remembered for.