He-Man’s Brazen New Look Highlights a New Direction for the Upcoming New Netflix Cartoon
You’ve heard of legend Kevin Smith’s new show, picking up where the original 1980’s cartoon series left off, but this is something very different.
This is the NEW Masters of the Universe show.
While Smith’s release is targeted squarely at the adult audience (those of us who yearn to reminisce over our childhood heroes), Netflix’s new Masters of the Universe is aimed at claiming a new generation of fans (i.e. it’s for the kiddos).
Owned by Mattel, the He-Man franchise has had its struggles, starting even before its ‘80s launch. As resilient as He-man and Battle Cat themselves, the story lives on, and there has never been as exciting of a time to be a fanboy (or girl, or person).
Mattel’s Big Reveal at the CG Animated Reboot
Mattel is done holding out on us, and the wait is over. During a recent Virtual Analyst Day Meeting hosted by way of ToyArk, Mattel revealed the first look at the reboot series, as well as the associated line of action figures.
We might be aging ourselves, but we can’t hold back our excitement. As a fan of the original Masters of the Universe, any iteration of the famed duo and their band of heroes is a welcome addition. Yet, some have already voiced concerns over the new look.
That said, the new look is … well … very different. We’re not even sure where to start so we’re just going to say it; this is not our He-Man.
Battle-Cat
Battle Cat features futuristic armor, and takes on a more realistic cat-like appearance, deviating from the original tiger form. His fur is still green, but more neon in color, notably missing his hallmark striped pattern (except for Battle-Cat’s tail). Of note are the oversized claws, looking like they could make Skelator and his crew put up or shut up.
He-Man
Ok, this is where we have to cross our arms and squat like the old men we almost are. He-Man’s body, is, quite disproportionate, and not in a good way. Featuring short legs, a ridiculously thin waist, and an oversized chest with gigantic arms wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for the teeny-tiny head that sits atop the mountainous upper body. Just how bad is it? His head is the size of his fist. That bad.
But it’s not all nonsense. He-man’s new armor is as cool as Battle-Cat’s armor, and the sword is a notable upgrade. OG fans might not like its futuristic look (resembling a sword wielded by one of the Transformers), the sword is formidable and sure to be a hit with kids.
A Necessary Upgrade
Let’s face it, the kids today are simply harder to keep entertained, and even harder to turn into regular ritualistic fans. Like it or not, the reboot of He-Man is a necessary transformation for capturing the hearts and minds of today’s youth.
Although time will tell, we stand hopeful, By The Power of Greyskull, that this new iteration is enough to revive the same love and admiration we had for the original Masters of the Universe as children ourselves.
