Steven Universe

JoeKarta

JoeKarta

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I don't know if anyone wants to actually talk about this kids cartoon about lesbian aliens singing and crying, but here is a thread for it anyway.

Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It is the coming-of-age story of a young boy named Steven, who grows up in the town of Beach City living with three magical humanoid aliens, the "Crystal Gems" Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. Steven, who is half-Gem, goes on adventures with his human friends and helps the Gems protect the world from their own kind. Sugar developed the series while working as an animator on Adventure Time, and it premiered on November 4, 2013 as Cartoon Network's first series to be created by a woman.

The series has received critical acclaim, being praised for its art design, music, voice acting, and complex characterization and science-fiction world-building. It was nominated for an Emmy Award and two Annie Awards. Steven Universe was renewed for a third season in 2015. Companion books, comics, and a video game based on it have also been released.
 
Really loved the first half of season one! Now I just really love the sound track...

Great concept though, and not all hope is lost! I still watch every week with my little brother... Him and I get a kick out of Fuzzy's reactions to the episodes as well.
 
MORE LIKE STEVEN POONIVERSE HEPH HEPH HEPH

The show's okay, but the story drags on way too much. For a show with 50 episodes in one season, the actual story starting at about episode 40 is unacceptable.
 
BeepBoopWAH said:
MORE LIKE STEVEN POONIVERSE HEPH HEPH HEPH

The show's okay, but the story drags on way too much. For a show with 50 episodes in one season, the actual story starting at about episode 40 is unacceptable.
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NICE ONE.

I agree, but what really throws me off is how quick it jumps. They had 36 episodes where they took everything slow and introduced ideas through subtle detail. Then all of the sudden they chuck a story at you, mash potato in some new concepts. It just felt off. The story also follows a lot of clichés, but it's fun to sit in denial about fan theories that ultimately become apart of the show.

I really love the drawing style and jump in animation quality by season two though. I also like being able to tell who storyboarded what episode just by the way the characters look (each storyboarder has their own little quirks for drawing each character... Maybe I just look too much into it though WarioKey::).
 
chicken said:
NICE ONE.

I agree, but what really throws me off is how quick it jumps. They had 36 episodes where they took everything slow and introduced ideas through subtle detail. Then all of the sudden they chuck a story at you, mash potato in some new concepts. It just felt off. The story also follows a lot of clichés, but it's fun to sit in denial about fan theories that ultimately become apart of the show.

I really love the drawing style and jump in animation quality by season two though. I also like being able to tell who storyboarded what episode just by the way the characters look (each storyboarder has their own little quirks for drawing each character... Maybe I just look too much into it though WarioKey::).
Click to expand...

Cliché like how?

I like the 70's anime inspiration art-style wise
 
Maybe Cliché wasn't the right word to use, but a lot of it feels predictable. The personalities sort of blend at times, and their vices are all the same
(Amethyst and Pearl are both very emotional, Peridot and Rose both didn't/don't understand Earth/Human ((Rose of course ends up becoming fascinated by them)), Pearl and Lapis both want/wanted to go home, etc...)
.

Rose is very Mary Sue
(people deny this by saying her understanding of humans was very flawed, but of all the issues to have, that's such a Mary Sue problem)
, and Pearl and Lapis are straight out of fan fiction (just their entire personalities really. Pearl felt unique in the beginning of season one, but as she developed she started to become more like the main character of a typical fan fic). Garnet didn't really have time to develop, she just kinda jumped into a different personality by season 2. Plus, who didn't see
Amethyst actually being a very angsty/insecure character
coming?

The show makes fair use of foreshadowing, but some of the most predictable things
(Peridot having to team up with the crystal gems as a prime example)
happen without any real obvious foreshadowing.
You can hear Peridot's voice singing with the crystal gems in the extended theme, but it's very quiet. Most people even tried denying it, and saying it was just everyone harmonizing.

A complaint that I see a lot is that most things happen when it's convenient for the plot, which I agree with. There have been a lot of events in the show (I'd have to go back and rewatch to tell you exactly which moments) where I just sit there and go,
"Why didn't Garnet's future vision work there?", "Did she REALLY not see this outcome?", "Is she playing dumb?".

I hope this doesn't feel like I'm just bashing it without a real reason, or that I'm trying to argue!! I'm not. I'm just sort of opinionated when it comes to SU, and I'm not always the best at explaining my thoughts. :) All of this being said though, I still think the show has potential and a good amount of charm! I don't expect the show to be some grand master piece, and it's pretty great for it's time period. Everything has it's flaws, and I will say Steven Universe does do a good job at making up for them (even when predictable things happen, the show puts an interesting twist on clichés. Making everything feel really special, and myself as a viewer feeling very hyped).
 
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