Thundercats always had great character designs. The originals had a style that made me think they could have come off of a Heavy Metal album cover - especially Mumm-Ra - who always looked to me like Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie. (And also why I probably kept thinking Tcats should have a Heavy Metal soundtrack. But that’s another discussion thread topic!) I’m happy that Studio 4C (I can’t figure out how to get the degree symbol in there) stayed true to the designs andkept the characters recognizable.
I’m especially happy with the new design for Lion-O. The biggest problem I had with the character in the original was that he was supposed to be a child in a man’s body, and it didn’t feel to me as if that angle was played-up sufficiently if at all. Even when Mumm-Ra or some other character called him, “boy,” it just didn’t ring true. So I like the idea here that they’re making him a teenager. I have an easier time buying into the idea that he could be immature and arrogant that way. I always wanted to see him starting out as this spoiled and self-centered teenager who believes that simply by birthright he’s entitled to everything, and then soon learns the universe doesn’t work that way, and watch as he grows into the man and leader he’s meant to be. I don’t think the original did that all that well.
Incidentally, I recall a proposed comic book reboot that also would have used this concept, but it never went anywhere.
For me, making him a teenager not to mention Tygra’s brother just doesn’t work for me. The magic of it all was the fact that he was in an adult body, yet had his original child mind. Over the series, he matured more and more, it was fun to see that.
As for the new designs.. I hate them. Give me the original designs any day of the week. It’s all an ego thing, the new creators have to make it in their image because they are “gods” now and feel that they can do what they want. However, had they been more true to the source material.. it probably would perform better.
I’ve always been for people have their own opinions but this is just mind boggling. Their job was to make it appeal to people these days, and I know personally a lot of people that never took the original designs seriously. I fail to see how that makes them think they are “Gods” for wanting to make the new show appeal to more people than just us that grew up with it.
I mean don’t get me wrong, the fact that you don’t like them I get. Not everyone is going to. (Especially people that grew up with the original.) But that part about them only changing it because of their egos and thinking they are gods is just kind of… wow.
I think I prefer tha classics. The only I like the most, because it’s more cpngruent with the character’s characteristics and abilities, is Panthro. Lion-O is ok, but Tygra and Cheetara look too young IMO.
I don’t dislike the character design, but I don’t really love it either. Overall, they look more like elves than Thundercats. I’m willing to give it a shot, but I hope the writing, voice acting, & music makes up for what’s lacking upon the first look (i.e. promo shots & trailer).
The original series had its own distinctive ambiance that pulled you in (as if that kick-ass intro/theme song didn’t already have you wetting your pants). This looks like it may be trying too hard.
I’m actually in somewhat of an agreement with voice_guy here. While the trailer definitely swayed my opinion to being very optimistic for the new show, when a property changes hands and a new show or movie is produced, or when there’s an effort to bring some property over to the big screen, there’s almost always ego involved and its called:
Creative Control
The Hollywood types all use it and most often abuse it. Its probably the singular reason why video game movies are almost always horrible: The company behind the movie, instead of staying true to the source material, always has to put their own “spin” on it to call it their own.
Now almost always horrible doesn’t translate into box office disaster all of the time. And they don’t always stray from the source material (starting with X-Men around a decade ago, the string of Marvel movies that have been big hits, have pretty much been largely accepted by their comic fan bases because they were pretty close to the source material). Those are the exception though, not the rule.
Ultimately I’m not as familiar with Jelenic and whoever else is behind the character designs they took, but he did seem like kind of a putz in his earlier interviews about the show. So I’m of the opinion that there were probably some ego driven decisions behind character re-designs as well. Not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying that Hollywood studios are full of huge egos and that permeates to all aspects of a show/film for better or for worse.
Honestly, it has as much to do with ego (Not them thinking they are “Gods”) as it does with them just trying to make the characters updated and more appealing to people that don’t already have attachments to the original show.
Like it or not, everyone I Talk to that didn’t grow up with the show (And some that did) have nothing nice to say about the original character designs, especially the costumes. (My favorite, a girl asked me why Lion O wears a women’s swimsuit with stripper boots.)
The point I’m making here isn’t to trash the original designs, as I’m one of them that grew up with and love the original show. But a lot of people these days may just not like the original outfits/designs as much as the new ones. It’s like He-Man in 2K2 when they finally asked kids opinions on He-Man, they wanted him to wear more armor which led to the snake armor.
Again, I’m not trashing the original just looking at it from a more neutral view point. (Something I gained from being a Transformers fan and watching my favorite characters get rebooted seemingly every few years)
From what I’ve seen, some things I like, some I don’t like. I like designs for Lion-O and Tygra except I think Lion-O’s nose is too skinny, I don’t like the design of the rest of the ThunderCats. Jaga looks kinda freaky in the preview to me. Claudus looks cool. Snarf looks terrible. Mumm-Ra looks good. Slithe looked good close-up, not so much from a distance.
I agree with you BloodofKings. I like the new ones but I prefer the classic characters. But I’m willing to roll with the new ones…for some reason I can’t yet think of them as the SAME characters. I feel like the are the grandkids of the Thundercats or something.
Ha! This reminds me of the great New Coke vs. Classic Coke thing of the '80s.
I kinda love the new designs. The only things I’d really change is I’d take away Panthro’s hair, the Kitten’s tails, and the flappy parts at the very top of Cheetara’s boots.
I love them. I expected to be indifferent to them, but I ended up really loving them. And they have pants. Which is sooo awesome. Although Wilykit’s old dress is leaps and bounds above her new outfit, but I’ll live. That’s the only thing I’d change currently.
I’m digging the new character designs. Yes they are a bit diffrent but they seem more organic to me now then they did before. Because nothing about spandex and lycra is organic. The looser fitting clothes, the acsessories, and the colors are just wonderful.
Lion-o: Armor? Well yes that makes much more sense then a swimsuit. And just the breast plate and pauldrons seem to work fine for me. I like the blue eyes, and the hair is MUCH better then the fro on fire look he was sporting before. ‘Too Much HAIR’
Panthr-o: Out of all the redesigns I’m liking his the most. I mean com’on overals with spikes on them? Looked like he was waddling about in a childs onesie. The mutton chops are wicked (then again I love weird facial hair) because I never understood why he would be bald. He looked more like a bat then a cat to me. And the scars are great, not to mention his colors. Burgendy and black. Yum.
Cheetara: Least impressed with her redo. The shorts/pants/boots thing that she has on is a bit weird to me, but other then that I think she looks fine. A bit slimmer and sleeker like a cheetah should be. And those big things around her ankles and wrists? I honestly think they are weights to keep her slowed down XD
Tygra: No words for the love I have of this redesign. SMEXY SMEXY
Kittens: Adorable! I love that they look like street rats and pick pockets with there clothing. The new hair is great. NO MORE FRO! And the colors are so cute too.
Sigh I know this opinion will not make me popular here, but being college age now… I hate the old designs. I grew up with the show on toonami, and once thought that thier designs were as good as anything in Anime. But now, I can’t help but look at a 30 year-old lion-o with that outfit and cringe. My friends (who love the Thundercats storyline and love the new designs) make all sort of jokes about the old T-cats 80’s outfits looking like they work in the red light district in questionable entertainment, and thier ‘cat’ features looking like they are painted on. And I can’t help but look at the ways the old designs look dated, and agree with them.
Now, the new designs actually make them look like armored warriors/ martial artists who actually have cat features, not alien superheroes. Besides, I’d rather have an anime look than the way a lot of modern ‘stylized’ action/comedy toons on CN look. Times change, and trying to make certain things look exactly as they did in the 80’s, just to satisfy the rose colored lenses of nostalgia, just doesn’t work.
I’m happy with how the show is coming together, yes even Panthro’s sideburns (absence or presence doesn’t matters to me).
The only two things that concern me are element of death after the initial battle. I know Claudus and Jaga can potentially die, but characters should be vulnerable even after that point: both villains and heroes.
Secondly the Sword of Omens, it should be able to slice and dice. If the sword can’t do that, it’s not serving its main purpose. I saw in the trailer Claudus was using it against the Mutant Army, and all it was doing was releasing bursts of energy. I hope that was censoring just for the sake of the trailer, but since this is war, there should be some casualties.
considering he was fighting them like 20 to 1 and they had guns it was probably a very good idea to use the energy and not just the blade. just sayin lol
