I finally finished Voltron: Legendary Defender!
I didn’t binge Voltron, I savored it.
Netflix and Dreamworks’ rendition of the character and the overall story was very different from the 80’s story and that’s ok because the original was weak, from a writing perspective.
In making the 80’s show, World Event Productions had to use old Japanese footage, from another show. They recut it into something that they could work with. Needless to say, that process severely limited the storytelling. The themes were often repetitive with weak character motivations.
During this time, one of the key reasons for a cartoon was to promote toy sales. They often served as a 22 minute advertisement. No real thought or care was necessary in making compelling stories or advancing the artform of animation.
In the old stories, the five pilots (now Paladins) never could seem to figure out that they were unable to defeat pretty much anything or anyone until they formed Voltron. I was often prone to think, eventually, after about five or so near disastrous battles, these pilots would have gotten the hint that they need to start with Voltron and go from there. They never did.
I didn’t care because I was 8 or 9 years old. I just liked to see a giant robot wreck some Robeasts. I even had a stick that I saved when I pretended I was Voltron (because it looked like the blazing sword)
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with 80's Toy Review