Kimba!!

My Christmas present to myself - the complete, ultimate DVD collection of Kimba - The White Lion. Watched the first two episodes tonight. In some ways I was more taken aback than when I watched Thunderbirds again, in some ways saw the magic that was still there. The animation is atrocious. Repeated sequences and mass crowds all in sync and no attempt at reactive or fluid motion - you've seen little books where you flip the corners that looked much better. All characters are drawn so broadly it makes you cringe, as do the "feel good" morals of each episode.

BUT... I guess I just saw how the whole idea would - no, SHOULD - appeal to a seven year old (which was how old I was when I first saw the series). Mom's gone (a la Bambi), Dad's an impossible ideal to live up to (a la Lion King, Hamlet, and, oh yeah, I almost forgot - REAL F'IN LIFE, many times!), but everything works out. Bullies really do back down when you confront them. Some impossible coincidence always saves you at the last minute. That's where the connect with the real world breaks down, but I guess some little part of me still responds to that. Oh, and so nice to see such sweetness and optimsim packaged up and exploited by someone other than DISNEY!!! At two episodes/night, it'll take me a while to work through them, but I think I can do it!