Animaniacs, Vol. 1 DVD Reviews

I remember watching this show after school and on Saturdays and laughed out loud to the cultural references and bumbling violence. Even though I was around 11 I loved that it made fun of the movies, especially Batman. While I probably missed the double entendres and adult oriented jokes, I was tickled with glee just watching the violence and the slapstick jokes. I recently saw a couple of the episodes and they hold up really well if not better now that I know some of the movies that they were making fun of (ie Goodfeathers). However, the jokes are dated referencing movies and actors that are past their prime, but still funny none the less. They are still funny if you still remember the movies and peoplpe they make fun of which shouldn't be too hard. There were more songs than I remember but they are fun and some of them even teach you GEOGRAPHY. I still love the capitol of the United States song, I believe that's how I remember the capitals for a test.

Just imagine a show that has violence, slapstick comedy, cultural parody, and even a lesson to be learned, (albeit the wheel of morality jokes sometimes feel flat sometimes and were just random and funny the other times) and that is how Animaniacs come off as to someone longs for the carefree days. I still remember the universe song which stated that we're all really small. My only gripe with the disc set is the lack of season, instead they chose to lump shows together, but then again, its better than nothing. So if one would like to walk down memory lane with a big bowl of sugary cereal and some friends with some childishness, then get the dvd and make it a night, eh, weekend morning.

There is just so much going on within the laughter of great animation on video. There have been so many classic cartoon series of the past that are getting new lights and to new audiences for DVD. That has arguably been the case with so many great cartoons from Garfield & Friends, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and especially The Simpsons. That also happened with one of Warner Brothers best animated series of the 90's, Animaniacs. The cartoon series was one of the best and zaniest of them all. Following th tales of not just Yakko, Wakko & Dot, it also captured characteers from Buttons & Mindy, Rits & Runt, and the successful spinoff Pinky & The Brain. Now, there is a taste of that great cartoon series now on home video.

Animaniacs, Volume 1 is a reflection of the first episodes of this great cartoon series from 1993. The episodes here were just as fun and looney as they were made a decade ago, and remastered well. The collection incluudes some of my favorite episodes and shorts from De-Zanitized, where Dr. Scratch N' Sniff recalls his psychology analizing of the Warners, and how messed up they really are, to La La Law, a spoof on L.A. Law, where The Warners try to help the doctor beat a misunderstood parking violation, and turn the courtroom upside down, and Les Miseribles, that highlights Rita the cat and Runt the dog on how they first meet, and their beginning on a search for a new home.

About a year ago, the series breathed new life thanks to its run on the Nicktoons network. While there are so many people who are now interested in shows like Spongebob Squarepants, and Fairly Odd Parents, the classics seem to really never die. Animaniacs, volume 1 is a great buy for all ages. It is definitely as cute as Dot is.

Episodes: B+

Price: A-

Remastering: B 1/2+

Extras: B 1/2-

Overall: B

Yeah, it's a not really a full first season, but the first 25 half-hour shows is still a big number for a 5-disc set! I just can't wait to buy this for my siblings, because I loved the show as a kid, and nowadays, I still appreciate the zany Looney Tunes-esque slapstick antics, solid art style, and great voice-acting.

As listed on tvshowsondvd.com, the first 25 episodes are:

1. De-Zanitized, The Monkey Song, Nighty Night Toon
2. Yakko's World, Cookies For Einstein, Win Big
3. HMS Yakko, Slappy Goes Walnuts, Yakko's Universe Song
4. Hooked on a Ceiling, Good Feathers (pilot episode)
5. Taming of the Screwy
6. Flipper Parody, Temporary Insanity, Operation Lollipop, What are We?
7. Piano Rag, When Rita Met Runt
8. The Warner's Lot Song, The Big Candy Store, Bumbie's Mom
9. Wally Llama, Where Rodents Dare
10. King Yakko
11. No Pain, No Painting, Les Miseranimals
12. Garage Sale of the Century, West Side Pigeons
13. Hello Nice Warners, La Behemoth, Little Old Slappy From Pasadena
14. La La Law, Cat On a Hot Steel Beam
15. Space Probed, Battle For the Planet
16. Chalkboard Bungle, Hooray for Slappy, The Great Wakkoroti: The Master & His Music
17. Roll over Beethoven, The Cat and the Fiddle
18. Pavlov's Mice, Chicken Boo-Rhyshnikov, Nothing But the Tooth
19. Meatballs or Consequences, A Moving Experience
20. Hitchcock Opening, Hearts of Twilight; The Boids
21. The Flame, Wakko's America Song, Davey Omelette, Four Score and Seven Migraines Ago
22. Guardin' the Garden, Plane Pals
23. Be Careful What You Eat, Up the Crazy River, Ta Da Dump
24. Yakko's World of Baldness, Oppurtunity Knox, Wings Take Heart
25. Disasterpiece Theatre, Hercule Yakko, Home On The Nile, A Midsummer Night's Dream

In addition, you'll also get the extra: "Animaniacs Live!" where Maurice LaMarche, voice of Brain, along with Animaniac friends comment on the facts of Steven Spielberg's show. The audio, too, is presented in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound--can't wait to hear the theme song blasting through my Kenwood reciever system!

So, is this show as good as these other reviews are claiming? Yes and no.
Certainly this TV-made show, more than any other, comes close to the quality of the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Unlike Tiny Toons which relied too heavily on the "look, they look like young versions of the Looney Tunes!" factor, Animaniacs blasted onto the screen in a flash of originality.
The problem lies with the format of the show. As it featured a number of different characters the quality of the show depended on which characters appeared that day. The Warners (brothers and sister) were the stars and deservedly so. Riffing on the Warner back catalogue (both animated and live-action) without being reliant on it, the wacky adventures of these characters were the spine of the show. Also a highlight were Pinky and the Brain (so good they got their own show) and Slappy Squirrel ("You remind me of a young Scappy Doo!"). The rest of the characters were less successful. Mindy and Buttons was a variation of the tired old 'runaway child and victim babysitter' scenario that has been done by Popeye, Tom and Jerry and Roger Rabbit to name a few (although one episode brilliantly referenced this with look-alikes of all these characters chasing babies around a construction site). Goodfeathers, although amusing initially, was a one joke wonder that really went over the heads of anyone who wasn't familiar with the films it parodied and Rita and Runt didn't seem to even have one joke to keep it going. The less said about the Hip Hippos the better although Chicken Boo was a welcome sight as long as his segment didn't last more than 60 seconds.
All this said, many of the best moments come when one or more of these characters made cameos in the cartoons of others and one-off's such as 'The Flame' showcased some beautiful writing and characters that would not have otherwise had a forum.
As with Tiny Toons, this show seemed to have various units animating it - with varying quality - and the writing was also a little hit and miss at times. Perhaps I'm just being picky and as I say, this was (and still is) head and shoulders above any other TV cartoons before and since.
The theme tune deserves 5 stars alone!