Samurai Jack
After the massive success of Dexter's Laboratory, Cartoon Network were looking to make the most out of their new found critical and commercial success.
The second project that Dextors Lab creator and Russian animation guru Genndy Tardakovsky undertook for Cartoon Network, Samurai Jack was darker, more intense and far more stylish than anything the network had undertaken in its short lifespan.
The show courted controversy though with the American rated boards, who declared that the show had to classified as PG, the first in the network's history.
Samurai Jack was about, well, a samurai called Jack who tried to defeat a demon named Aku from destroying feudal Japan. But before he can deliver a killing blow, the immortal demon sends him through time into the future, where his word is law. Jack must try and find a way of going back in time to stop Aku from unleashing his awful vision of the future.
The story each was always simple. Jack simply wanted to find and destroy Aku. That is all. If he has to help someone on the way, or destroy another enemy in his path, he will. In the most stylish ways possible.
It's the stunning animation that steals the entire show, as in full flight, Samurai Jack is s truly stunning show to watch to this day. Full of simple, blocked colours and striking shapes, it's as close as family animation has got yet to anything that might be described as artistic.
Form was the ultimate concern, as the show would often simply border off areas of the screen to make the 'shot' more dramatic or cinematic. Every single time it worked, making Samurai Jack feel like absolutely nothing before or since on the cartoon giant's channel.
The show was more than a little action heavy, but that suited the show fine. The action was always wonderful shown, full of the same kinetic energy and swagger that the very best samurai movies the show emulated could achieve.
The show ran for four seasons before the creative team at its heart got pilfered away. Tardkovsky got taken by Lucasfilm and went on to bring the same phenomenal style to the Star Wars cartoon spinoff Clone Wars.
Generating a cult following almost out of the gate, Samurai Jack was glittered in praise by critics. The show also got into a habit of winning awards, winning four Emmys and seven 'Annie's during its four year run.
Nearly a decade on from the shows culmination, Samurai Jack still stands as one of the most daring and visually striking animations of Cartoon Network's illustrious history and makes for utterly compelling viewing, with its darker tone and witty dashes of humour making it far more adult based than most shows at the time and is a must for all animation fans.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith
Tagged in TV After School Club