Cartoon Network's revival of ThunderCats just got a lot more clear as Warner Bros has released the first official image from the series, which is set to hit sometime this year. The series will be a collaboration between the studio giant and Japan's Studio4°C, who were responsible for stylized animated adaptations like The Animatrix, Halo Legends, and Gotham Knights. After a promotional poster was released last year that depicted gritty, menacing imagery of ThunderCats leader Lion-O, the assumption was that the series was headed towards a darker, more realistic tone in concert with that image. However, what we're seeing is something quite different than expected. It appears to contain updates of the characters from the classic 80's series in wide-eyed, pastel-colored anime style. However, even within the seemingly more lighthearted motif, lies what appears to be a clever reinvention of the franchise.
What's immediately apparent, is that Lion-O has been reinvented from the tall and buff character from the original series to reflect his youth. Of course, in the classic show, Lion-O was quite literally a child in a grown man's body as the result of a snafu in the suspended animation pods during the group's long trip from their destroyed planet of Thundera. In this new iteration, we will more likely focus on Lion-O's journey in earning his place as the group's would-be ruler and the woes from his coming of age. As the official synopsis depicts:
The new “ThunderCats” will appeal to viewers who have loved the characters all their lives as well as young newcomers to the franchise. A sweeping tale combining swords and science and boasting ferocious battles with the highest of stakes, the grand origin story of Prince Lion-O’s ascension to the throne – and of those who would thwart his destiny at any cost – takes on epic dimensions in this sharp new telling. As the forces of good and evil battle each other in the quest for the fabled Stones of Power, Lion-O and his champions learn valuable lessons of loyalty, honor and mortality in every episode.
The other ThunderCats appear to be much more prepared for action this time around in their new outfits, which reflect more battle-friendly armor characteristics. Panthro is far bigger and even more grizzled than before, Tygra finally got rid of the spandex, and Cheetara is no longer sporting that signature one-piece bikini, opting for a more midriff-centric look. (Don't worry guys, the feline goddess will still manage to bring unnatural thoughts into your heads.) And lest we forget, the group's whiny pogo-tailed mascot Snarf, who is not seen in the picture, will be in the series, just minus the ability to say anything other than "Snarf!" (I'm not sure if that makes it any better.)
Have any thoughts on the new look of ThunderCats?
Source: Press Release
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lebell32
thundercats is set to be released July 29th at 8 pm on cartoon network. i have checked many sites and this information has been confirmed by others many times.
firecloud42
interesting...I'll check it out when it comes out...not holding my breathe though
Jax009
"Well, at least its not Twilight". Any show that carries that slogan should do better in my book.
Shiirow
Wow first He man, now Thundercats.... whats next... a revised version of the Silverhawks??
TechnoCat
Okay. What on EARTH have they done to the Thundercats? Panthro looks far too old. And Liono looks like a kitten. And I have to say it is a worry of mine that Willy Kit and Kat were not mentioned. But, none the less I will give the series a try and hope for the best. Just can't set my standards on cartoon re-vamps too high now a days I guess.
yagerme
this is just sad.
Saiken3
Why does Panthro look like an ogre?
Saiken3
Why does Panthro look like an Ogre?
EQWashu
I agree that its definately interesting in how they chose to portray them. But why do they always make the heroes younger nowadays?
swordsman22
Ill give it a chance. But if they start pulling out battle cards or bakugan balls to settle battles with the Mutants, I'm sending burble bear hit squad to hollywood for some heads. Mutton chop Panthro just became my new favorite avatar.
IrishDragon79
and the raping of our collective childhoods continues.....
Completist
@ Krypton
The cheesiness is what made the original MOTU a freaking classic. I'm just hoping the Thundercats reboot doesn't turn into a skidmark like the Transformers Animated Series that was on a few years back.
Krypton
I hope they don't bartardize this. The new Masters of the Universe series from 2003 was amazing and I was ticked when they cancelled it. It was an improvement over the cheesy 80's cartoon.
I just hope they don't mess up with this. They are doing the same thing with Snarf that they did with Cringer from Masters of the Universe. Take away his ability to speak and basically leave him as just a animal. I didn't like that in the MotU reboot & I don't like that now with Snarf.
Also where is the mention of Wily Kit & Kat & please bring back Mumm-Ra & the other villains from the 80's show.
Wildcard273
Looks cool, I was a big fan of the original show and I loved the anime style of it and the re-visioned version looks good too. I like it. I do hope they bring Wiley-Kit/Kat back, but they can leave Snarf out. Unless they make him useful and not just Lion-O's conscious, I found that annoying even when I was 12.
I wonder who the nemesis will be? Mumm-Ra again and the Luna-tacs? Will they eventually bring in the other Thundarians who made it to 3rd Earth? What about Jaga?
Cool, cool, cool! Any idea when it's supposed to start?
Bigburito
jeeze we got trolled by cartoon network! first they show a gritty looking poster and than it turns out to be this? XD though honestly I think they need to turn down the pastels a bit, since it just looks way to...well anime-y. they could still keep the style just use some darker colors...
Kasai123
Lets take a look at the new Dragon Ball Z show...its just like the original, but no filler and the voice actors are a bit better...just give this show a chance, it might not suck all that much...even though it will most likely
Secretorigin
Just can't get no relief can ya?
The thing I have always found so ridiculous about reboots is that the reason anyone still cares is because the idea endured AS IS. The original design and execution of the idea was so good that it endured and yet some shmuck always thinks "Yeahhh but I can do it better"
Canid117
Does anyone else remember a time when not all cartoons had to emulate the anime style?
firemage96
stop your bitching whining till you watch some of the actually show than you can be giving the right to complain
Doctor_SyN
The artwork looks like It belongs on the 8am slot of the early morning cartoons. Why couldn't they do a series geared more towards us adults, or even late teens. And for the record, the artwork for Panthro is horrendous. Give me the 80's version anyday
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