"The Powerpuff Girls" is very near and dear to me. I grew up watching them fight crime and save the city of Townsville. Not only that, I also owned a Powerpuff girls bedspread, shirt and jewelry box. I even had a Powerpuff Girls-themed birthday party. So, it's pretty obvious I was kind of a fan. When I heard that Cartoon Network was bringing the show back, I was ecstatic! Finally, a little piece of my childhood would be returning. To my surprise, the show was very different for many reasons. Listen, I know I'm being overly dramatic, but just let me have my moment to express how much my heart breaks over this!
Let's begin with the original theme song.
Who could forget this one-of-a-kind theme song? It perfectly captured the essence of the Powerpuff Girls. It gave the audience background knowledge into Professor Utonium's creation and infamous mishap with "Chemical X" with perfect narration. Then it transitioned into Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup flying through the air with catchy beats customized to each of their personalities. Not to mention, we got a preview of the girls kicking some serious butt!
The new theme song.
I watched the full music video version of the theme song, which is about two minutes long. I was happy to find that they kept some of the original narration, but this is not included in the actual theme song which is about 25 seconds long. Also, they added a super cheesy song with lyrics such as, "Powerpuff Girls fighting crime, to save the world before bedtime." (Sigh.) In addition, they added a comic-book like feature, with bursting colors and images that are constantly flipping around and moving. I feel like I'm under the influence of some type of drug and it just gives me a headache.
Moving on to the original animation.
There was something about the artistry in the original "Powerpuff Girls" that I really liked. It was a very minimalist style with soft colors that made it seem simple, in a good way. The best way I can describe it is similar to intermission ads in 1950s drive-in movie theaters. Also, there's something about the look of hand-drawn animation that gives a sense of genuineness.
The new animation.
I realize that with time, comes new technology. This means that there are easier and faster ways to create illustrations primarily through a computer. To me, with the new animation, the show just loses its spark. They tried to keep some of the same style in the background art, but as far as the drawing of the characters, it lacks the same style that it had previously. The black lines outlining them are thinner and the colors are louder and crisper, which changes the entire mood of what the show once was.
Lastly, the new voices.
Probably the most disheartening fact about the reboot series, is the addition of new voice actors. The voices are so drastically different that it might as well not even be the "Powerpuff Girls". After finishing an episode, I was left feeling like I watched a bad Fan Dub on YouTube.
The original voices.
In my opinion, no one can replace Cathy Cavadini, Tara Strong and Elizabeth (E.G.) Daily as Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup. They perfectly embodied these characters, and to think that they weren't even asked to reprise the roles that they brought to life for seven years is astonishing. They even took to Twitter to express how upset they were after learning that a new reboot was in the works and they hadn't been asked back.
I might have been a little more forgiving about this reboot if they had at least asked the original voices to come back.
I realize that this "Powerpuff Girls" series is meant for a new generation of children, and most likely was never meant to be like the original. I just wanted to express my disappointment because this show was a large part of my childhood. But, I'm not a child anymore. I'm just glad I got to enjoy the original series when I did. And who knows, maybe there are kids out there who will really enjoy this series. I guess in the end, that is all that matters.
