The Powerpuff Girls: Dance Pantsed Review


Powerpuff-Girls-Dance-Pantsed1

The Powerpuff Girls is one of the most beloved Cartoon Network shows of all time. It’s easy to see why. It has great writing, cool main characters, and lots of action. Most of all, it was a show that appealed to both genders. (The My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic of yesterday.) The show ended in 2004, with a 10th anniversary special five years later in 2009. Since then, the franchise has remained relatively quiet. They did manage to appear in the Wii’s Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion video game. And recently IDW launched a comic series starring the girls. All good stuff, but nothing beats a new episode. This special had a considerable amount of hype. It was going to be their big return. Once the first image came out, there was some skepticism because of the new animation. But regardless we were all ready. ‘Dance Pantsed‘ is a very strange, almost trippy special. It’s very random and has its funny moments. It’s not as great as I’d like it to be though.

Here’s the official description from Cartoon Network:

In Dance Pantsed, why is Mojo Jojo kidnapping a mathematician, an opera singer and a badger? To steal Chemical X, of course, and to finally take over Townsville. But when the Powerpuff Girls thwart his plan, he invents an evil video game called “Dance Pants R-EVILution” to control their minds and bodies to fulfill his evil plot! The Professor must visit his dark dancing past to save his girls so they can save all of Townsville!

Off the bat the main thing that separates this from the show is the unusual animation. For some it’s an interesting change but for others it’s downright awful. I’m more toward the latter camp. How great would it have been to get a glorious HD update to the original animation? What we get here isn’t bad, but it’s hard to call it good. The story is pretty typical at first. Mojo Jojo wants to rule Townsville and all that. What makes this extremely different is the dancing. I really have no idea why this was incorporated. It just didn’t quite fit. Sure, it’s sometimes funny, but I just have to ask…why? It’s more weird and random than something to count as a positive.

It’s great to hear the old voices again, even if their voices sounded a little high-pitched sometimes. I was totally fine with the portrayal of the Girls until the whole toy store scene. I don’t see them from the cartoon using crying as a mean to get a new toy, it just seemed out of character. Beyond that they’re fine, if not a bit parody-ish. Mojo is the same as ever. The Mayor and his secretary get in on the action and dance with Professor Utonium. The Professor for the most part is alright, but again very parody-ish. I will say that the robotized dancing Powerpuff Girls were pretty cool. The ending seemed kinda far-fetched, even for Mojo. But yet again, this is more like a parody than legitimate special.

Powerpuff-Girls

Overall, the Powerpuff Girls returns with a rather lacking special. It’s very different, so you won’t be bored while watching. It just feels a bit silly, and not the good kind. The dancing looked strange and it’s a bit hard for someone who grew up with the cartoon to take it seriously. Or maybe that was the point? Perhaps the special intended to poke fun than be serious. The best part by far is when Blossom gave her speech on what the Powerpuff Girls are.

2.5/5

twohalfstar.png

 


Daniel is has been a Powerpuff Girls fan for quite some time. His favorite is Blossom and you can follow him on Twitter: @Destroyer_199