A Review of Rocket Boy and Toro

 

As you may know, I've stated that the late 2000s was one of my least favourite eras in animation; and the one year that arguably epitomises that notion was 2007. When you look at the trends and news in the history of the medium, chances are

people will point to that very year as to where it all went wrong. Seriously though; 2007 was not a good year for animation, to say the least. Throughout this year, almost every animated film that was out was in CGI. Any movie that wasn't CGI was overshadowed (with the exception of 'The Simpsons Movie'). Dreamworks Animation released 'Bee Movie' and the third Shrek film, both of which are some of their weakest offerings. There was even a film adaption of the game 'Elf Bowling' for Pete's sake. But the state of television animation wasn't any better. Many of the cartoons that defined the early 2000s were already or on their way out, there was an over-saturation of Flash animated cartoons, and many of them ranged from mediocre to subpar. It wasn't even a good year for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, 2 of the biggest companies in children's entertainment. Nick would reject 'Adventure Time' in favour of 'Fanboy and Chum Chum', and we all know how they betted on the wrong horse. As for Cartoon Network, it was the year where they made their first live-action series; I repeat CARTOON Network made their first live-action series, which would lead to a dark period which we won't talk about here. It was also the year Jim Staples resigned as president after a bomb scare misunderstanding in Boston. There was also 'The Nutshack' which is known as the first animated show to be made in the Philippines (much to our regret). I haven't seen it, but I'm well aware of its notoriety. But throughout all this madness, there was a silver lining. After all, this was the year that gave us 'Phineas and Ferb', which would become Disney Channel's longest-running hit. We also got 'El Tigre: The Adventure of Manny Rivera'; the first Nicktoon to be created by a Mexican couple, even though it only lasted for 1 year. And no matter how you feel about it; you can't deny that 'Chowder' used different animation techniques, and how surreal and meta it could be with its humour. Needless to say, it was quite an awful year for animation in general. One cartoon that was created in one the darkest times that came and went was 'Rocket Boy and Toro'.

Created by Joo Young Sam, this show was a co-production between Imagestone Inc. and Cosgrove Hall. You may know the latter company for their work on such British cartoons as 'Danger Mouse', 'Count Duckula' and the stop motion Wind in the Willows specials. Unfortunately, that's all the info that I could find about its production. That and this pilot short, that offers the proof of concept. 

I can assume because cartoons like 'Robotboy' and 'I Got a Rocket' was the flavour at the time, network executives thought why not have a show that combines both of them, and take the plot of 'Futurama' while they're at it. As for my own experience with it, well this aired when I watched children's cartoons less and less. I would catch it incidentally but I didn't think much of it for a very long time. Only because it was on for a short period before it started being brought up again. Also keep in mind that whatever was made during that aforementioned year, didn't air effectively till a year after. But was Rocket Boy and Toro an experiment that was light years ahead of its time, or was it a worthless pile of scrap metal that deserved to discarded into that black hole of obscurity? As the main character would say, Power Up!

In a galaxy far, far, far, far, far, far, far away. . . .there lives a robotic young boy who has a rocket for a head, hence he's called Rocket Boy. His main mission is to deliver packages and parcels to many different planets with the aid of his robotic co-workers, boss and pet sheep, Toro. First off; I don't get it. Why call the sheep 'Toro'? That's the Spanish word for 'bull'. Shouldn't it be called 'oveja'? Or did they think it wouldn't sound as marketable? Anyway, as we follow his adventures, an evil genius cyborg called Dr Square and his rusty henchmen are always trying to capture our titular character to find out the secrets to his speed. In this fight between good and evil, Rocket Boy and the gang always find a way to defeat Square and get out of any bad obstacle. While also trying to accomplish any goal. Now stop me, oh-oho stop me if you've heard this before? I've mentioned before how the concept of this show is kinda similar to 'Futurama' with the intergalactic delivery company (and to a lesser extent, 'The Brothers Flub'). But there's another sci-fi property that it reminds me of. 

By watching a few episodes, you could guess what it is? If you haven't already, the plot bears a resemblance to 'Star Wars'. I mean think about it, a young hero, the sci-fi setting, the old master, the ragtag group of companions, the dark overlord who wants control of the hero. I'm not accusing this show of being a rip-off, it could be a coincidence even (like with those aforementioned cartoons). My best guess is that Rocket Boy was simply inspired by Star Wars and just wanted to give its own spin on the concept, as it is with those tropes. This show's approach to the genre is much more child friendly by comparison. Even so, I think that gives it more opportunity to be a sandbox of world-building possibilities, to tinker with space fantasy concepts and story ideas. It likes to take parts from sci-fi series' and re-construct them together. It tries to present its own technology with the colourful devices. And I am aware that there's nothing new under the sun, and that many stories are retelling the same ones. Even the original SW trilogy lifted

from a lot of various sources. However, upon further inspection you'll see a proverbial chink in its armoured plate. By recycling tropes, it would become typical. It promises a creative goldmine, but somewhere along the line the storytelling gets rusty. The writing doesn't do a lot to stand out, and what it does to stand out hold the stories back. It follows a good vs evil plot, but it convolute itself with scientific mumbo jumbo. The cool parts tend to be clouded with how directionless and cockamamie this can be. It wants to convey its concepts to kids, but any child who isn't into sci-fi might not be fully invested (or even pay attention). If the show wanted to do something unique with its genre, maybe it could've worked better if it did more to fuse it with another genre. A sub-genre if you will. Rather than just have a galaxy full of robots, why not make it more steampunk, add a swashbuckling angle. I could see these stories working as space westerns. I'm not saying this is how the makers should have made the series like, nor am I saying I could've made it better. But it would've made it more interesting. I usually love it when futuristic stories delve into history, as I do with period pieces delving into contemporary themes. But whatever, I should judge this project for what it is, rather than what I want it to be. One episode I recommend seeing is probably 'Junk Mail'. In theory, these storylines and jokes could be well constructed. They're just missing that component for them to click well.   

That being said, the dialogue doesn't do justice to its world building. It's can be basic as basic instinct (or programming in this case). Simple dialogue is fine when its expository. So long as it's followed by a clever line, whether it be a joke, a poetic quote or a play on a familiar saying. It can be effective so long as the voice actor delivers a good performance. For the most part, the characters play it straight. But the humour is fine for children, the jokes and quips from the characters can be decent. Much of it comes from their reactions. It's more giggle worthy. Contrast and compare. The reason why Star Wars (and the like) has endured for years is because the dialogue is part of its identity. It knew how to project philosophy and mythology into its whimsical story telling. Futurama is regarded as a great series in its own right is because it's comedy comes from how it respectfully lampoons the same genre, as well as society in general. Although its predictions can be absurd, the humour was balanced out with emotional character moments. It helps that writer David X. Cohen used his knowledge of science, as well as his degree in physics to apply into its jokes. Those things are essential part of these respective worlds. When compared to another cartoon from the era 'Captain Flamingo'; even that had some clever lines and jokes at least. Even when its ideas weren't as fully hatched as it could be, there at least was an attempt to make jokes from the hero concept. Like that, this show simply doesn't match the same quality. Perhaps the crew was trying to think outside the box. But as a result; they seem to remain within the box, while trying to manoeuvre it around.

You'd think a show that takes place in outta space (well I'll be, that rhymed) would lead to many vast, imaginative worlds. When it comes to their animation, Cosgrove Hall were mainly known for their in-house style that started with a Mouse (Danger Mouse that is). But over the years, they would soar out with a wide array of artistic and

distinct styles. Here though, the art style seems very simplistic and primary, as if it's geared toward younger audiences. If I could describe the art direction, I'd call it abstract. The character designs are built from geometric shapes, thus they convey a shape language. The combination of different shapes illustrate facets of their personality traits. Like how friendly characters appear round, while more sinister characters are composed of sharper shapes. While the backgrounds have these gradients; there's a contrast of bright, luminous colours and the deeper tones of the galaxy. Though its use of saturation can look better in some place than in others, I kinda like the variety here. While it follow certain design principles such as form, pattern and contrast. The perspective can look contorted in certain areas, in order to be stylistic for style's sake. Even the props can look like they defy basic perspective and space. As if the artists threw those rules to the wind. (Unless that's by design). That's not to say a simpler art style can't work, as there have been better examples of a more simplistic style in years since. Adventure Time would prove this down the line; with its dot eyed designs and spontaneous body language. Even Cosgrove Hall already tackled a similar setting with 'Captain Star'. Both of these managed to be effective, as they were drawn with enough depth to follow the principles of animation. It has a vibe akin to 'Kaput and Zosky' (like anyone also remembers that show as well). 

But looks aren't everything, is there a functionality to the show? Considering this is a Korean co-

production, the character movements on the characters are analogous to that of an anime (particularly on the mouth movements). Some might find the motions to be choppy and janky, but at the very least it doesn't feel artificial or robotic (even more than the artists intended). There're times when the secondary movements employ squash and stretch, as well as smears. Now this was one of the few cartoons at the time that wasn't animated using Adobe Animate, considering most cartoon characters at that time moved in an artificial, robotic manner; it's funny how Rocket Boy avoided this. It might have used some tweening, but I don't notice it. This was also during a time when traditional animation was seen as obsolete. I'm not saying it's terrible or counter-productive, the movements aren't exactly fluid or too jerky is all. Maybe it's a good thing these character movements weren't done in Flash, as it only could have been used for complex shapes. There are bright sparks to the animation, you'll find colour schemes that can look pretty good and make use of its shapes. The visuals might function as they should, but it's less concerned with its overall form. 

I've engaged into the show's factors, now it's time to give its characters their moment in the sun. 

Rocket Boy has a child-like optimism and

determination. Neither through a meteor shower, burning sun or darkness, he finds a way to outwit Square and achieve any commission. He upholds heroic values, there's a virtuous side to him in which he acts as a samaritan to his clients. As well as the various minor characters he encounters on his deliveries. Also, he gets the best lines. Speaking of which, you might find his voice familiar as it was provided by Lizzie Waterworth. Who you might recognise as the voice of the titular character of the Horrid Henry tv series. Toro is the animal sidekick whose dialogue may consists of bleeps and vicious growls; it's his actions and mannerisms that are enough to convey his personality. You might find it odd to see an earth sheep in a world populated by robots and alien life-forms. But because Toro is a metal eating sheep, this allows him to ward off against foes. As he's able to use his razor sharp teeth as a weapon and help Rocket Boy out of a space jam. They tried to make him the deceptively cute character with a dangerous attitude. Grandpa Sats acts as the team's elder and comic relief, as well as the one who runs the delivery service. He may crack jokes with his jolly grand-dad personality and he may be outmoded in the chrome dome. But he still got his leadership skills and he doesn't take things lying down. Crystalla is the girly girl member who has affection for our main character. She may lose patience with Toro and find him a nuisance. And she can become a damsel; she often learns something by the end of each episode. Vector is the mechanical mechanic of the group, whose personality trait is that he speaks like a surfer, like with his surfer dude lingo Bra! Like Brock from 'Pokemon' a less funny, less interesting version of 'Danny Vasquez'. 

Dr Square is the main villain whose evil powers come from his extreme intellect. He has a domineering, broadly built, sinister appearance and goes into fury whenever his plans to obtain Rocket Boy fail. He speaks with a regal, menacing

tone that can go childish at times. It makes it all the more funny when he and his henchmen are humiliated in a comedic fashion or say something goofy. While he falls into that category of villains who desire the series maguffin, there's a chance there would've been more to his diabolical plans. Its easy to make comparisons to Darth Vader, but perhaps the show itself had plans to develop Square and Rocket Boy's dynamic. Like it would be in that vein. Trash is the commander who provides the schemes and plans to capture Rocket Boy. He makes for a more comedic foil whose incompetence can blow Square's top. Along with his bumbling hench-bots. He can be subjected to slapstick and Square's demeaning/abuse. Its Trash's scratchy voice that's his most notable trait, and your feeling of them might vary. The rest of the minor characters/secondary antagonists have a purpose, even if they're mostly archetypes. Like how Arthur Green is the shady business rival, and a brutish one at that. As the dialogue depends on the voice actors' delivery to elevate it, do they succeed? They do their roles well actually. Theres an effort to give personality to these bots and they're subtle and charming enough. It's the villains' voices that chew the scenery with their exaggeration and quirks. Had the show lasted longer, these characters could've been much more well rounded.  

Overall; Rocket Boy and Toro may have the components to be a fun, unique take on the sci-fi genre. However, when you look at the whole package, it leaves a lot to be desired. The story is a bunch of tropes fused together. The animation seems childishly simple, but simplicity is its more effective factor. The characters can be entertaining and even likeable, but you want more development from them. They're parts that can spark the imagination, but they're also parts that could've been and have been done better elsewhere. I could see the ambition, a lot of it needed more fine tuning. Personally speaking; it might've not come out in the right time or place to be an animation fan. But it's good for children, which was the audience it was providing for. If they like it, then it must be doing something well. Though at best, it's only half as good as Cosgrove Hall's older works. As well as other animated shows from the decade for that matter. But if you're looking for a series that provides similar visual ideas, but done in a way that's more aesthetically pleasing. Then may I point your direction to 'Twipsy'. I don't know if it's a better alternative, but if not, you still got Kaput and Zosky. This show didn't fully deliver on its concepts, but it did what it can in a short course. So if I was to rate its goods and services; I'll give it.....

Sorry this analysis didn't arrive on time like I hoped. This seemed like a simple show in which I could get into the nuts and bolts of it. But I hope this would get my writing gears back and running. And that I brought more attention to this lost bit of animation history. Maybe you'll find it wasn't complete junk mail after all. Since you're here, I also hope that this can send my point across. 

Eric Kincaid Tribute

Its with great sadness to inform you that British illustrator Eric Kincaid passed away on 18/8/23. For those who might not know who he was, Eric was known for his fantasy illustrations as well as for interpreting classic stories for younger readers; mainly fairy tales and rhymes. He was a major player for Brimax Books, so there's a chance you might've seen his work as a child in the 70s; or through second-hand book stores. For me, his versions were not only a part of my childhood, but they had a major influence on me. 

Eric was both an extraordinary draftsman and artist. The amount of detail and intricacy that he put into his drawings had such enchantment. He really brought his characters to life, as they would display such fluidity, movement and expressions. His level of vivid intricacy could almost be compared to Arthur Rackham, in how believably distinct he depicted magical and non-magical beings. He would push his ability with each decade; this exploration of linework, tone and transparency of colour would result in beautifully rendered images. 

Although Kincaid may have fallen out of style at the turn of the century, he still kept doing what he loved to do until the end. That doesn't change how much his retellings mesmerised a generation of readers. They contributed to my love of fantasy and pursuit to be an artist. He had a touch, any artist would dream of achieving such charm. We may have lost a legend in the field, but the magic of storytelling is still there. I'm thankful to have seen that magic and we should keep it alive. I believe wherever he is, he's still spreading that magic in other people's lives. 

RIP

Eric Kincaid

1931-2023

They're Back..........Maybe?

So it has come to my attention that Matt Groening's sci-fi comedy Futurama might be returning for the second time. Ok? I'll start off by saying that I've always been a fan of Futurama. It's one of my favourite projects of Matt Groening, second only to his yellow nuclear family. This series encompassed Groening's brand of provocative humour, but it managed to be strong in its own right. I admired how its world-building presented a variety of imaginative and wacky predictions, however, these predictions would also be used as satire on our culture and society in general. But the social commentary always took a back seat to the clever storytelling and the humour that was applied to certain tropes. The characters could be funny, but they could be multi-layered too. For example; Bender may have a questionable moral centre, but he remains so likeable. Like how he considers his co-workers to be his friends, even if he doesn't wanna show it. Not only could you feel for them, but they were made stronger with great vocal performances. It explains why it still has a dedicated cult following to this day, whether or not they're fans of the sci-fi genre.

But unlike Matt's long-running series, Futurama has the distinction of ending not once, but twice. When it had its rebirth (the first time around) it was like the show had never ended. Sure there may have been a few alterations, but I felt the Comedy Central era was just as great. I also believe it ended on a high note, it really tied up everything while also being kinda open-ended. However, I considered the possibility that we might return to the "World of Tomorrow" for a second time. But with these recent revelations, I must ask; do we really need to?

This may be a hot, spicy take but I feel the series did all that it can. As much as I greatly enjoyed the Comedy Central era, I'll be honest I thought its well of ideas was beginning to run dry. I feel the last season provided closure for the characters, so I'm glad the series ended before it lost its momentum. And I'm glad it didn't end up like other shows that have passed their prime and gone on longer than they needed to. I know this may sound hypocritical of me, considering I'm still a fan of 'The Simpsons' in its modern era. I'm in the minority that's willing to give the new episodes of that series a chance, no matter what. So what it had its share of duds over the years; if a show has been on air as long as Homer and his dysfunctional family have, it's bound to happen. And that's the concern I have for this possible revival, because the more episodes that are made, the chances of them being consistently good are less than likely.

However, I could be wrong on this. There's a possibility that these new adventures might be just as good as it was, if not better. That's a best-case scenario. Worst-case scenario, they might lack the inventive spark it had. I might depreciate the whole series in my eyes. Also; considering Groening is still busy working on 'Disenchantment', he obviously won't be prominent in the production of these new episodes. I just think he needs to focus on his current airing projects. This series could take the franchise in a completely new direction, that we might welcome with open arms.

So those are my thoughts concerning Futurama's potential return. I just feel the series had its time and I don't see any reason for it to come back around again. Only time will tell if it will see the light of day or not, or if it'll even have the same charm. Maybe it's time to give new show ideas a chance or if you're going to revive old properties, why not the ones that didn't get a proper conclusion. Otherwise, we'd just be repeating the past rather than moving forward. But I digress. So tell me your thoughts on this, are you looking forward to seeing Planet Express again, or are you hesitant? Let me know if you think this idea is as farcical as any of the show's predictions.

Once upon a Timmy Progress

For as long as I've been on Blogger, I felt I've not been using it as I hoped. You see, I started this blog to showcase the progress of my artwork and discuss topics I found interesting. I hoped that it would help me in my journey as an artist. However, I feel like I've neglected it over the years, as most of my entries were dedicated to my trivial thoughts. So to maintain content on this blog, I'm going to start off this new direction with a recent piece of mine.

You may have noticed I've talked about the cartoon 'Fairly Odd Parents'; very frequently. I've discussed what worked and what didn't work about the series. I've also stated how people wish it didn't overstay its welcome (whether they be fans or not). I did so with concern because it was still a part of my childhood; I hoped it would conclude better than it did. Even if it was hokey and silly, there was a time when it was more than just 'fairly' good. So I decided to put the effort I put in critiquing the show into practice. What do I mean by that? I decided to make my own version of the series, as Butch Hartman would put it; it's the characters in the Milo Coco style!

It was a fun exercise to take existing characters and adapt them to a storybook-like approach. My aim was to take what I liked about the cartoon and apply my own sensibilities. I started with the characters; at first glance, it might seem like I'm taking these simple geometric designs and making them more lifelike. But I did my best to capture the personality traits of these characters.

I had to work out the body proportions and what facial features to emphasise. With Cosmo and Wanda, I like their characteristics enough, but I would draw inspiration from other fairy characters; so to add to their features. I liked meddling with their exaggerated hairpieces. 

I also enjoyed drawing Crocker; I tried to capture his deformed, decrepit appearance as well his manic expressions and body movements. 

After the characters were all drawn out, it was time to figure out their poses and where to place them. The same would apply to the watercolour effects.

I would then produce further studies to see what poses to put the characters. I would also experiment with tones and textures, trying to add highlights and details with the different brushstrokes. When I had sketched out the roughs and final layout drawing, I would experiment with the watercolour. As soon as the final illustration was done, I would take it to Photoshop to fix the colours and lighting.

Furthermore, I did this project out of fondness and appreciation for Fairly Odd Parents. Not to necessarily fix it, but to represent what it did right. The series had a charm that was all it's own, it's just a shame how it's reputation was tarnished. I wanted to offer my interpretation of this comical fairy tale, as my own creative exercise. The show showcased many morals; but one lesson I learned from it, it's to leave good enough alone to not let it stay too long.