He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

In case you didn't know already, I've been working feverishly to pen up a series of reviews on BCI's entire He-Man/ She-Ra DVD box sets to be published here on Associated Content in the next few weeks. Amidst my reviewing (I happen to be smack dab in the middle of the first volume of the first season of She-Ra Princess of Power) when an advanced copy of the soon-to-be-released 2002 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Volume One set arrived to my office. Needless to say, (since, after all, you are reading this) all other projects got put on hold while I absorbed each and every moment of the 13 episode, 3 disc set. I suspected this latest BCI release was going to be special when I first heard the series was coming to DVD a few months back but I was wrong: It has surpassed my expectations in nearly every possible category.

Before we dig into the set, a brief history lesson is in order. He-Man has been around in animation for a solid 20 years in various incarnations beginning with the well-known Filmation material from the early 1980s. Filmation's series (not including spin-off She-Ra) ran for two massive (65 episode) seasons even though the character rights belonged to the producers of the toy-line, Mattel. The second animated incarnation (from Jetlag Productions) was known as The New Adventures of He-Man that ran from 1989-1990 again following the 65-episode tradition set by Filmation. The show only lasted one season and brought a futuristic/ scientific approach to the He-Man Universe. Despite some decent writing and interesting character development, the series was never well-received by fans of the original and it had appeared that perhaps the He-Man legacy would be permanently laid to rest. Then in 2001 Mattel decided to again take a stab at the He-Man toy concept and sought out Mike Young Studios to assemble a corresponding animated series. Airing in August of 2002 on Cartoon Network, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe again appeared on broadcast television. This time the show's writers learned from their past mistakes and made certain to keep the material close to the fantasy roots of the Filmation original.

It is rumored that BCI worked diligently to secure the rights to bring this series to the home DVD market (which would complete the entire trio of animated He-Man series' to their roster). Low and behold, February 19, 2008 marks the official release of the program in Volume One form, which equates to the first 13 episodes of season one. The show ran for two seasons total, the first of which consisted of 26 episodes and the second of another 13 meaning it is very likely the entire He-Man and the Masters of the Universe DVD releases will consist of three (13 episode) volumes. If the next two are anywhere near as impressive as this, the first one, fans have much to celebrate.

For those who have not experienced the show in its original airing back in 2002, it can best be summarized as a modern approach to classic animation. All of the characters, locations, and morals that made the original Filmation collection so memorable are all present with a crisp new look and updated animation techniques. The story actually begins with a 3-part episode entitled The Beginning that walks the viewer through the entire history of He-Man's coming into existence and even offers up some insight into questions that was never fully explained during the original show's 130 episode run (including precisely what secrets Castle Grayskull holds that Skeletor seeks so desperately). Also unique in this iteration of the source material (and certainly welcome) is the use of many supporting characters right from the onset on both sides of the playing field. The originals are often criticized for their weak roster, which often resulted in simple plots resolution but prepare for a much larger supporting cast here. Also noteworthy is the fact that the no longer do a few voice actors double, triple, or even quadruple up on the voices. The voice direction here is spot-on and clearly draws from a deep pool of talent.

Die-hard fans of the original may be initially discouraged by the almost caricature over-exaggeration of the character art but once viewed in action, such concerns are immediately lost to the engaging plots and stunning visual presentation within. Many of the original show's writers (including Larry DiTillio) are responsible for authoring the 2002 release's episodes and the continuity is immediately apparent as a result. Fans of the original can look forward to what is basically a continuation of the cherished source material while at the same time, no prior knowledge of the originals is required to jump right into the heart of the excitement.

Like all of BCI's releases, this 3-disc DVD compilation is loaded with bonus material and insider extras that take the presentation value to a whole new level. Among them are 5 audio commentaries with the writers and producers to key episodes of the season. For the first time we are treated to 3 video commentaries, which shed a great deal of light on the process of putting an audio commentary track together (the conversation just keeps on going long after the credits roll by). Animatics for the first three episodes (The Beginning) are included as are DVD-ROM scripts for all 13 episodes. There is also a new featurette called The World of He-Man, 3 extensive image galleries, and lastly (which has become quite a little collector's bonus) 2 brand new art cards; this time by Ben Templesmith and Dustin Nguyen come tucked into each package.

Speaking of packaging, this latest set is sheer magical- even by BCI standards, which I generally consider the best in the business. While photographs don't actually do it justice, the exterior art is printed on a clear slip-sleeve that slides over the inner foldout package. Once the outer sleeve is removed, a beautiful mural of both Grayskull and Snake Mountain is revealed. This package then tri-folds outward revealing more wonderful artwork by Emiliano Santalucia holding the beautiful episode guide and art cards to the left and the three discs in the center/ right. While it may not sound all that important in the overall viewing experience, the attention to detail is unprecedented and certainly adds to the appeal of owning this exquisite volume.

Included across the three discs are the following episodes:

The Beginning Part 1
The Beginning Part 2
The Beginning Part 3
The Courage of Adam
Sky War
The Deep End
Lessons
Siren's Song
The Ties that Bind
Dragon's Brood
Turnabout
Mekaneck's Lament
Night of the Shadowbeasts

In conclusion, BCI has managed to raise the bar on their He-Man DVD collections once again. Each of the 13 episodes is presented in anamorphic widescreen and contains moral tags at the end (just like the good old days) which were never even broadcast on Cartoon Network originally! The presentation, bonus material, and packaging all simply ooze with quality and texture. If you had asked me yesterday whether or not I thought BCI could somehow raise the bar on their next He-Man release I would have answered with a resounding no. Yet their efforts and attention to detail have somehow managed to reach the next plateau. About the only complaint I've encountered in my cyber-travels to the Mike Young version of the He-Man material is that no iteration, regardless of quality, can recreate the nostalgia and timelessness of the Filmation original. While there may be some truth to that complaint, the good folks at BCI have arranged it so no longer does one have choose which version of the story to add to their collection. I find myself alternating between (and simply adoring) them all.