Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Disney XD/Nerd Corps
Disney X D’s Slugterra is one of the most popular series on the Disney Channel’s digital sister station today. The CG-based series has drawn large numbers for the network and seen a handful of episode compilations since it first debuted. This week, Shout! Factory released the series’ latest DVD, which is in fact the first non-compilation disc rom the series in the form of Slugterra: Return of the Elementals. Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals is the first “movie” spawned Disney X D’s series. Those that might not be so familiar with this presentation will enjoy this story for more than one reason. The first reason that audiences will enjoy this feature is the fact that while it is an anime series of sorts, it can only rightfully be compared to maybe one other series stylistically speaking. Another reason that audiences will enjoy this “movie” is its writing. It is a bridge of sorts between the series’ previous episodes and those to come. And unlike other features of its ilk, it doesn’t necessarily require viewers to come into the presentation with knowledge of the series up to this point. Last to note of the note of the “movie” is the series’ exhibition of its stylistic difference from the likes of Beyblade, Pokemon, Digimon, Monsuno, and others within that realm. All three factors taken into consideration, audiences will see in watching this latest release from Shout! Factory and Disney X D, that Slugterra actually proves worth watching by any anime fan.
Disney X D’s Slugterra has proven to be a big hit for the network in its now three seasons. It is sure to grow in popularity now with the brand new release of its first full length “movie” Slugterra; Return of the Elementals. The primary reason that this presentation will help increase Slugterra’s popularity is the fact that it can’t necessarily be compared to all of the other series out there today in terms of its look. Series such as Monsuno, Pokemon, and Digimon have a very specific look about them. The only series to which one could truly and justifiably compare Slugterra, as evidenced in this DVD, is the short-lived series Hot Wheels Battle Force 5. This should come as no surprise as both series are produced by the Canadian animation studio Nerd Corps. Viewers that are familiar with Hasbro Studios’ properties will see a similar trend among its series, too. So the fact that Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals can be compared to only another series under the Nerd Corps umbrella and not other CG/anime hybrid series makes it stand out right from the start. It’s only one aspect of this DVD that will impress especially audiences that are new to Slugterra, both in terms of the series and this DVD.
The look of Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals is an important part of this presentation especially among those audiences that are experiencing the series for the first time on this DVD. Just as worth noting in this DVD is the writing behind the presentation’s story (I.E. its script). The story behind this feature picks up where the events of the series’ second season leaves off. The Shane Gang thought that they had gotten rid of Dr. Black and The Goon, and saved the caverns. So, things seem okay at first. But when all the slugs start essentially becoming possessed, Eli knows that something is very wrong. It turns out that things are very bad and are about to get much worse as they didn’t finish the job after all at the end of the series’ second season. It leads to a perilous hunt for the fabled Elementals, which are essentially the ancestors of all of the slugs in the caverns. It makes for a fun story within itself and an equally enjoyable bridge between the events of the series’ first two seasons and the potential third season to come. The inclusion of a series recap before the story even begins enhances the overall viewing experience even more both for viewers that are more familiar with the series than others. It shows respect for those that might be coming on board for the first time and for those that had forgotten what had happened even having watched the series’ first two seasons. It’s one more way that Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals proves to be worth the watch by any anime fan at least once.
The writing and the look of Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals are both important in considering the impact of this DVD among its key audiences. They both help to set this movie apart from the extended features spawned from other series such as Digimon, Pokemon, and Monsuno just to name a few examples. There is one more aspect of this presentation that makes it stand out from that crowd worth noting. That last aspect is the “movie’s” stylistic approach. The stylistic approach taken with Slugterra is rather different from those aforementioned series. Whereas the series in question center on battles between characters, Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals presents a somewhat different approach. The series’ characters do use super powered creatures and even keep them in their own special containers as with the other anime series out there. But unlike those series, Eli and his friends in the Shane Gang, don’t necessarily engage in the same kind of battles per se. Rather the slugs are used as part of the overall action of the story. From saving Eli and company from a raging underground river by crafting a web to hold back rocks to protect them from evil attackers and even to heal a person, the slugs are more tools so to speak than the sort of creature used in the other anime series currently populating the television spectrum. It’s one more aspect of this feature that makes it stand out and in turn makes it even more enjoyable for viewers new and old. Together with the feature’s script and its overall style, all three elements collectively make Slugterra: the Return of the Elementals even more worth the watch by any anime fan.
The general style or look of Slugterra: The Return of the Elementals is one that can only be compared to its fellow Nerd Corps counterpart in Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 much as the series under Hasbro Studios are quite similar to one another. The story that makes up Slugterra: Return of the Elementals is full of action and even humor that audiences old and new will appreciate. Whether viewers are jumping on board for the first time with this DVD or are more familiar with the series at this point, its series recap before the presentation serves as an excellent addition to the overall program. And rounding out the whole presentation is the “movie’s” stylistic approach. While it is fantastic in its own right and bears a slight similarity to other anime series out there, it still maintains its own identity from those series in how the creatures are used. All three factors alone make this feature rather interesting in their own right. Collectively, they prove Slugterra: The Return of The Elementals is a “movie” worth at least one watch whether one is new to the world of anime or is far more a fan of the genre. Slugterra: Return of the Elementals is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online via the Shout! Factory online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-animation/slugterra-return-of-the-elementals. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory is available online at http://www.shoutfactory.com and http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
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