As a lifelong fan of Rick and Morty, I must confess my initial excitement for this anime adaptation was through the roof. However, after watching the first two episodes, I find myself feeling rather underwhelmed. Now, don’t get me wrong; I appreciate the effort to bring the madcap antics of our favorite interdimensional duo to a new medium, but something about it just doesn’t feel quite right.
Around a decade ago, “Rick and Morty” was the popular animated series among the trendy teenagers, offering a hilarious blend of science fiction and wit, which seemed like just desserts for Dan Harmon, the co-creator, who had faced numerous challenges with his previous cult favorite, “Community.” However, about five years ago, the show started to be viewed as something cool kids were hesitant to admit they enjoyed. The Szechuan Sauce craze, the proliferation of Pickle Rick memes, and an irritating fanbase who didn’t grasp that Rick isn’t a role model, tarnished the show’s reputation.
Currently, after completing seven seasons and planning for at least three more, the animated series “Rick and Morty” is approaching the realm of shows like “The Simpsons,” “South Park,” and “Family Guy,” which seem to produce episodes indefinitely. The show’s success has kept Adult Swim afloat as traditional cable TV declines, and it’s common to find “Rick and Morty” bongs in head shops. However, the series is no longer the talk of the town, whether for positive or negative reasons.
Exploring a New Dimension with Rick and Morty: The Anime
So why make a Rick and Morty anime?
Title “Rick and Morty: The Anime” traces its roots back to a collection of short films produced by Adult Swim, involving diverse Japanese directors from 2020 to 21. Among these directors, Takashi Sano, known for helming the first season of “Tower of God,” created the most impactful shorts, namely “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil)”. These shorts served as entertaining side-stories, retaining the signature wackiness and cleverness of Rick and Morty while adopting a more sincere tone. They were also standalone, and it’s uncertain if Sano’s interpretation of the characters will work for extended narrative storytelling, as suggested by the first two episodes of “Rick and Morty: The Anime”.
As a devoted Rick and Morty fan, I must admit my initial disappointment stems from the fact that our beloved duo isn’t spending much screen time together so far this season. While I understand that splitting up the main cast for individual episodes can add depth and intrigue, if the entire season is about Morty exploring love in a virtual reality game while Rick embarks on a solo time-traveling adventure to conceal an entropy bomb from the Federation, then I’m left wondering if this is still truly a Rick AND Morty show or are we delving into Surf Dracula territory? It’s too early to make a definitive call, but it seems strange to kick off the season in this manner. Even anime fans acknowledge the “three episode rule,” where you can’t fully assess a series until three episodes have been aired, but this unconventional start has left me feeling a bit perplexed.
Although these initial episodes are packed with multiple storylines and dazzling action sequences, they seem to move at a slower pace compared to typical “Rick and Morty” episodes. This could be because there are significantly fewer jokes, resulting in about one-tenth the number of jokes per episode found in the original series. The humor isn’t entirely absent; it’s more subtle and less biting than what we’re used to. The Japanese version wasn’t available for review, but it will stream on Max and air again on Adult Swim’s Saturday night Toonami block. A notable aspect is that the English dubbing appears to affect comedic timing. On a positive note, hearing the voice cast struggle with their impersonations serves as a reminder of the exceptional work done by Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden in replacing Justin Roiland as the voices of Rick and Morty in Season 7.
For a better Rick and Morty anime, watch Space Dandy
Some fans of casual anime have found themselves puzzled by the visual style of “Rick and Morty: The Anime,” as its design doesn’t align with the conventional Western perception of anime. Although elements of the show, such as the catchy J-Pop theme song “Love is Entropy” by Otonez, are distinctively anime, the art style more closely resembles long-running anime sitcoms like “Crayon Shin-Chan.” This artistic approach is a closer match to the original “Rick and Morty” design rather than a complete makeover. Similar to the American version of “Rick and Morty,” the anime’s designs may appear “ugly” but are effectively used for action sequences. While the American show employs digital rigs, the anime is hand-drawn frame by frame, which provides it with a unique flavor compared to the source material.
If you’re seeking an anime with a Rick and Morty vibe but with more visual appeal, allow me to recommend a series that I never miss an opportunity to suggest: “Space Dandy”. This often overlooked 26-episode masterpiece, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe of “Cowboy Bebop” fame, premiered on Adult Swim in January 2014, just a month after Rick and Morty debuted. It provides laughter-filled explorations of multiple universes alongside stunning displays of experimental animation talent. Watching the first two episodes of “Rick and Morty: The Anime” often leaves me yearning for another season of “Space Dandy”.
It’s tricky to form an accurate opinion about a series from merely two episodes. For instance, my initial thoughts on the first couple of episodes from the latest “Doctor Who” season were somewhat cautious, but it turned out that the subsequent four episodes were outstanding. However, the finale didn’t meet expectations. As for “Rick and Morty: The Anime,” I hope its intricate sci-fi elements will ultimately impress, but based on what I’ve seen so far, it seems average to me.
“The anime adaptation of Rick and Morty makes its debut on Adult Swim at 12:00 AM on August 15. You can catch it a day later on Max.”
Read More
- BODEN PREDICTION. BODEN cryptocurrency
- GHST PREDICTION. GHST cryptocurrency
- BETA PREDICTION. BETA cryptocurrency
- STRD PREDICTION. STRD cryptocurrency
- Mango Markets Exploiter Found Guilty Of Fraud And Manipulation
- GBP EUR PREDICTION
- MATIC PREDICTION. MATIC cryptocurrency
- LOOKS PREDICTION. LOOKS cryptocurrency
- BRN/USD
- TNSR PREDICTION. TNSR cryptocurrency
2024-08-12 07:30