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Crime-fighting robot
monkeys fit cliché
But the lack of innovation in a new
cartoon about a superhero team probably
will not matter to its intended audience
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Anime style, which seems to be growing in popularity among many new American cartoons these days, is in full effect in the new ABC Family/Toon Disney series "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!"
Problem is, someone forgot to tell the series' creators that there should be a bit of anime substance thrown into the mix as well.
The background story for this series is standard superteam fare. Chiro is a lonely latch-key child who, while walking around the outskirts of Shuggazoom City, stumbles upon an abandoned giant robot.
Intending to salvage the robot for parts, he instead activates the robot, unleashes the energy of the "Power Primate" and suddenly becomes the proud owner of his very own crime-fighting team.
Think "Power Rangers" meets "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." With robot monkeys.
It's not surprising to find that "Monkey Team" shares a pedigree with "Teen Titans," a series that this reviewer panned in this space more than a year ago.
Three seasons, a toy line and a spinoff comic book later, it's apparent that audiences dig this stuff. So Ciro Nieli, "Teen Titans" director, was tapped as executive producer and creator of the new series.
Like "Teen Titans," "Monkey Team" looks cute and will likely lend itself to many merchandising opportunities down the line should it succeed. But there's not much else to distinguish it from others in the same genre.
The series debuts tomorrow morning on ABC Family with the episode "Chiro's Girl." In this episode, Chiro falls in love with a cute girl who -- surprise! -- is a double agent for the bad guy, but -- double surprise! -- actually falls for him.
All of the predictable standards of the genre are present here, including giant robot battles, speed lines and characters shouting out the names of special moves like "MAGNO BALL LAAAAAASER!" and "LADY TOMAHAAAAAWK!" at the top of their lungs.
Also accounted for is the customary all-powerful supervillain bent on world domination, in this case a snarling chap known as the Skeleton King.
If this first episode is any indication -- one of his first lines is "Doomed citizens, surrender and bow to my will, or send out your monkeys to their fate" -- it appears that the one-dimensional Skeleton King will be doing a lot of posturing and snarling at the robo-monkeys as plot after plot is foiled.
Fun for children? Perhaps. If anything, though, this is one of those series that provides frothy fun for a half hour and then is easily forgotten soon after the closing credits.
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