RETRO REVIEW: Hercules The Animated Series (1998)

It's no secret, I'm a shameless fan of cartoons. As an artist myself I have a special love for animation and honestly if you're not buying that excuse, I'm just too fucking immature for my age and I'll never 'grow out of cartoons', I'd rather watch a cartoon than I would the average sit-com or 'drama'.. I mean honestly, life is irritating, depressing and hard enough without compounding it all by adding in the fictional woes of some whiny motherfucker on the small screen.

...In truth it might just be because I just like bright colours and stupid sounds/shit.. Again, too fucking immature for my age..

At any rate back in 1998 following the release of the successful and popular movie, "Disney's Hercules", an animated series was released.. Honestly and surprisingly it wasn't that bad, point in fact it was rather good and had some real heart to it, it was a series that seemed like the departments in charge of it's creation actually cared and wanted to make something worth while, they did that and more.

The series follows teenage Hercules training as a hero  and the adventures he goes on with his friends Cassandra, the gloomy psychic whose visions always bring trouble.. Or hilarity, the crazy one that flew too damn close to the sun but since this is Disney didn't die, Icarus and his Hero Teacher/'Trainer', Philoctetes, AKA "Phil" as well as trying to adjust to life which is rather difficult when you're an awkward, clumsy and super-strong demi-God.

Doesn't help when your Uncle is James goddamn Woods, the Lord of the Underwo-I mean Hades..

Basically the series is a mid-quel, taking place during the song "One Last Hope" which Phil sings while Hercules is training during the actual theatrical release of the movie with the added benefit of being able to see the more mundane things that went on.. Or in some cases the not so mundane things such as the creation of a highly obsessive, batshit insane and powerful Galatea whose clay body turns her into the ultimate in 'clingy' girlfriends.

Naturally with any series like this there are some plot holes created by it's existence, it ignores for instance the fact that in the film it's stated Hades thought Hercules was dead throughout the first 18 or so years of his life and according to this series he clearly knew Hercules to be alive because obviously Hercules is a massive thorn in his side throughout but still.. This series is truly awesome or rather was truly awesome.

I've got to say one of my favourite characters in this series was Icarus though, French Stewart voiced him and honestly it's probably one of if not his funniest and most endearing roles, Icarus being a batshit insane kid who flew too close to the sun thanks to his neglectful and equally insane Father, Daedalus.

Yeah.. Flying into the sun not only fries your you, it fries your brain.. It also makes you fucking awesome.

This series was actually surprisingly enough and not according solely to my biased opinion a fairly huge hit and was going on well into early 2000, a nice case of a series with heart, good comedy, true talent behind the voices and genuine effort being put into making it something worthwhile to watch made this series an above average animated series spin-off.

8.0/10 Big Cat Paws, this is a series that if you've never seen before is worth a retrospective look. Watch it, enjoy it, laugh and remember if you're going to buy Wax-Wings, buy from the Wax-Wing King; Daedalus. 

Dinner:

James' dinner for the night was an Asian Fish and Chips coming complete with a delicious home-made Asian Tartar Sauce and a side Chocolate Chip Anpan (Sweet Roll)

It's not meant to look pretty by the way, it's Fish and Chips! The damn things are supposed to be messy looking so that considered it all came out rather nicely and James seemed to quite enjoy it.