This is another under the radar gem, I remember watching this in the mid 90's and I thought it was really cool as there really hasn't been that many fantasy sci-fi animated shows during that time which I sorely miss, this show was a breath of fresh air. And yes I remember the toy line which was cool and even the video game for the PS1 and Saturn which was actually good if not a great licensed game, only disappointment was there was never an arcade game for this show which I'll admit was one thing I was waiting to happen.
It's a crying shame this franchise never rose to become the next big one, much like with other franchises like "Visionaries" and "Inhumanoids" ( also under the radar gems and ones I've reviewed) this show really had lots of potential which like an incomplete plastic skeleton never had enough time to be fully built.
One thing that really made this franchise unique is that it's a dark sci-fi fantasy which we never really had much of in animation and still don't. The animation presentation I think is great, it's 90's animation and it's used well I really love the attention to detail from the background to the characters, as well as the use of color mainly the use of darkness which really gives this show an ominous threatening atmosphere which enhances the dark sci-fi fantasy feel.
The action is solid, I like how well choreographed the shootouts, sword play and vehicular action is. The music is really cool, I really like the theme song, which is an honorable mentions on favorite themes, it just has this really cool rocking tune to it that actually catchy.
I really like the story line which is really good and unique because of how dark the show really is, you could also say this show could have been if the film "Army of Darkness" ever became an animated series it might be something like this (an animated show on the "Evil Dead" franchise that's something I'd love to see). We see the whole show takes place in the post apocalypse which was truly unique as there weren't that many animated shows using that setting, let alone in the fantasy genre except for show I mentioned "Visionaries".
It both fascinating as there shows so much to this world we don't know about but also at the same time a little sad because we see how much the living have truly lost. I also like how we see how the good guys in the show don't always win or something their victories are incomplete, this also adds to the dark feel showing that in the war against good and evil it's never a one sided affair.
I even like that narrative touch they put in the show whom is the CGI Gold Skull you see in the titles as well as the beginning and end of the episode voiced well by one of my favorite voice actors Tony Jay. His voice as the narrator is just music to my ears, just hearing him makes me wish he was a horror host for a horror audio program.
The characters I like there designs from the Skeletons to the humans all well designed. Like the character Jennifer/Talyn who is hot and looks like Jean Grey from the 90's X-Men cartoon and of course ironically this character is voiced by the same voice actress Jennifer Hale. Though as characters their all serviceable, which I'll admit is one bone of the show as some of them like Justin and Jennifer and a Skeleton villains like Shrek and Arcula (Skeleton with four arms) are slightly archetypal. Not to say that their bad characters they just needed to be rounded out more.
Though there are a few characters that stand out that I like, for the good guys there is the uncle of the Lightstar family Guardian. He's awesome, he's sort of a mix of both Man at Arms from "He-Man" but also Burt Gummer from "Tremors". I like that he's battle hardened and has never let himself get soft and lose his edge during peace time, we see throughout his life after a previous war he's continued to prepare which I honest feel is the best time to prepare for war or train for battle just like insurance you never know when you'll need it. Even like that he's pretty much the father figure to the Lightstar trio as they've all lost their parents at an early age which you could say makes the characters journey coming of age.
Joshua/Grimskull his character is awesome too. I really like the design of him sort of reminds me a little of the design of Matt Cordell from the "Maniac Cop" trilogy, His character is pretty much a zombie but a good guy, and that's cool just showing you can do more with that particular monster. His character like the three has a magical ability/superpower which is a bit similar with Shadowcat mutant ability on "X-Men" as is able to go into and though the shadows.
Which I though was awesome and very useful as almost most to everything casts Shadows which give you more freedom to go wherever you want and any direction you want. This in a way makes him sort of the intelligence officer and hitman of the group as this ability makes him access places and sneak in to gather intel or take out hard targets stationed in difficult places to reach and hit.
But his character is interesting as he is a person that is on a road to redemption as he let himself get seduced by the darkside of the force for a while and feels partial responsible for what happened to their world; despite the fact it wasn't totally his fault as he did have a change of heart and tried to stop Baron Dark from making the world what it is today.
And of course, Baron Dark whom I think is another underrated animated villain. His character is pretty much like Skelitor from He-Man only unlike him he has done something that character barely does actually succeed. His character is a little scary and dark hence his name, but he's also a little funny there is some funny charisma and humor from him.
I personally would love a revival, but it should be for a premium channel and aimed more for a mature audience. There really is lots of potential where we could get a little more depth in both the fantasy world and characters. Like give a better origin/elaboration on the skeletal powers like instead of a power crystal it could be from a Necronomicon like book or a H.P. Lovecraftian spin where it some sort of ancient evil that came to the planet.
Have some flashbacks on how Baron Dark and his Skeleton army had home court advantage. Make the war a little more evenly matched where both the good and bad guys win and lose some. Have some story and characters arcs not just with Joshua but Justin, Jennifer, and may 'be Shrek (I know wild idea on that one but I say why in a minute) see how much the war has affected them and their place in things like with the character Shrek may 'be we see her have some conflicting thought and emotions about her decision on being a Skeleton warrior and realize how much she's lost from it. You can also give them some relationships with other characters see how they bounce off with others and how it affects them. I don't know this is a nice thoughts to consider.
Overall, this is another under the radar animated gem worth looking at, it's good to the bone.
Rating: 3 stars
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