skygiants | (no subject)

I was going to make this a general post about other TV I've been watching besides epically long kdramas, but then I realized I could spend a whole post just talking about Steven Universe, so ... I'm going to do that!

If you're in the Tumblr sphere you have probably been bombarded with Steven Universe already (or at least I was, for like months before I watched it) but if not, perhaps you are not familiar with it? It's an ongoing kid's cartoon which runs for ten-minute episodes, starring these people:

Steven Universe is a sweet kid with poorly-controlled developing magical powers, inherited from his mother, who disappeared to bring him into the world. Now he's being raised by a combo of his hapless single dad and his mother's team of loyal superpowered magical gem warriors who came to Earth with her millenia ago to fight an epic war -- all of whom care for Steven very much, and all of whom are also still in the ongoing process of coping with the fact that Steven also represents the enormous, gaping hole that is the absence of the person they loved most.

It's a light, fun show! There are hijinks!

Here's some of the things I really like about Steven Universe:

1. It's adorable. Let's just start out with that. And -- unlike Adventure Time, which has some showrunners in common, and which I have mixed feelings about -- it's often sarcastic, but never mean-spirited.
2. There's a very strong single vision behind the story, and it shows. The continuity is fantastic -- having watched through the first time by myself,

attractivegeekery and I have been watching through again with our third roommate, and just about every episode I pick up on something that I missed the first time around that's picked up again later.
3. While it's mostly episodic, it does that thing I associate with FMA and other really good shonen/shojo anime -- you think you're watching a show about A Young Boy And His Exciting Magical Adventures, but there are a bunch of other people around who all very clearly are having their own stories and emotional arcs going on that you're catching glimpses of through this kid's eyes, and the more the story goes on, the more you realize that it's much bigger and more complicated than you thought.
4. Not that most of the episodes are mytharc episodes! I mean, the other thing I really like is how much the town that Steven lives in feels like a real small town where everyone knows each other and has backstory with each other, and just about every person in it has their own (very slowly) ongoing character arc -- they're not just background color or victim fodder for Steven's Magical Adventures either.
5. Rebecca Sugar, the show's creater, is really invested in representing a range of diversity and experience and relationships and nontraditional families onscreen, and that also shows.
6. Every time I'm shouting at the screen like 'NO DON'T LET THE SMALL CHILD NEAR THAT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THING,' Pearl also runs up shouting 'NO DON'T LET THE SMALL CHILD NEAR THAT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THING.' I feel you, Pearl. (Except when ... you are the dangerous thing ... )
7. There's a whole episode about different ways of engaging with fandom! There's an episode about art appropriation! So many musical episodes? SO MANY.
8. Revolutionary Girl Utena is apparently a formative influence.
9. I don't know, it's just super fun! SHARK-PUNCHING FUN.

Crossposts: http://bookelfe.livejournal.com/414540.html

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

ravengown

I keep meaning to watch SU but I think I started while the season was still running and I didn't want to pay for a season on iTunes... Is it streaming anywhere? I'll admit that I enjoy Adventure Time's humor a lot but I also keep bouncing off the Big Western Cartoons That My Friends Like.

Or something.

But I do love musicals and also supporting cool things, so...

From:

skygiants

Actually, the whole first season is now up on Hulu! :D

I watched a lot of Adventure Time as stress relief when I was finishing my thesis two years ago, but it never totally grabbed me. (Also I find the art style disturbing. FINN'S LEGS ARE JUST TOO FAR APART.) I find Steven Universe a lot more compelling, story- and emotional arc-wise. But that's just me!

From:

bcgphoenix

I just finished catching up on the whole series this past weekend! My feelings could fill galaxies, and are very similar to your feelings to boot. Especially as they relate to Pearl, because oh, PEARL, honey, I would hug you if I knew you wouldn't be weirded out by the strange human touching you. It's a little embarrassing how much I relate to her.

ETA: Also, this vid made me cry if you haven't seen it yet.

Edited Date: 2015-06-03 05:02 pm (UTC)

From:

skygiants

PEARL. I thought I was prepped for "Rose's Scabbard," but nope! Not ready! Not at all!

And YES, man, that vid was actually one of the reasons I ended up watching the show. That and watching Garnet's song like five times in a row.

From:

attractivegeekery

This show has ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT being as delightful and endearing as it is.
It just doesn't.
I have been personally victimized by this show.
IT HAS MADE ME CRY!

Which, okay...not that difficult a thing to do, but still!

From:

skygiants

DEEPLY UNFAIR. It came close to making me cry, which is actually pretty dang hard to do since, as my brother likes to say, I'm mostly dead inside!

From:

melannen

Steven uuuuuniverse!

From:

skygiants

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl AND STEVEN!!!

From:

aquamirage

YAY YOU WATCHED STEVEN UNIVERSE

is Connie your favorite character because I feel like maybe she would be

From:

skygiants

I did, AT LAST, watch Steven Universe! I LOVE CONNIE SO MUCH but I don't know if she's my favorite favorite character? I have many emotions about both Pearl and Garnet. I don't know, though, everyone's pretty great!

From:

aquamirage

The week of the 15th is a new ep EVERY DAY so you caught up just in time, too.

From:

skygiants

I know, right?? NOT THAT WE'RE EXCITED HERE OR ANYTHING.

From:

scifantasy

This, Gravity Falls, and Adventure Time itself are in contention as my next cartoon-watched-on-tablet show, once I finish Phineas and Ferb (whenever that may be).

From:

hebethen

Why are you so good at summaries #6 lord almighty

It's also been pointed out that the diversity isn't just onscreen, but rather that the showrunners took steps to secure the involvement of talented people who are traditionally excluded from opportunities in the field as well, which is pretty cool.

I am so eager for Stevenbomb II @_@

From:

skygiants

I really like Gravity Falls also, but I think Steven Universe might edge it out!

(Not only do I not like Adventure Time as well, but there is SO MUCH of it. A MILLION YEARS. @___@ Okay, six seasons. Still!)

From:

skygiants

There are moments when I identify with Pearl on a VERY DEEP level.

And yes, it's awesome, right? I remember seeing posts about the cast of women who make up Steven Universe and they're ALL SO BEAUTIFUL. (Also, just, Estelle's voice. ESTELLE'S VOICE. I love Garnet but some days I find it a deep tragedy that she is a stoic character who speaks the least of all.)

From:

wakeupnew

YAYYYYYYY I WANT EVERYONE TO WATCH THIS SHOW!!!

i just finished yesterday or the day before, and i'm already rewatching again \o/

From:

batyatoon

I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH

From:

alias_sqbr

I really must get around to watching this show!

...I really must get around to finding a non dodgy VPN :/

From:

yasaman

Steven Universe is just SO SWEET, and such a fundamentally kind show, I love it so. It has absolutely made me burst into happy tears multiple times. Garnet is THE BEST.

Also, have you tried Over the Garden Wall? It was a ten-part miniseries that aired on Cartoon Network last year. Really gorgeously made, with a wonderful story that went to funny, scary, sad, and lovely places. Also features a child who could give Steven a run for his money in terms of how adorable he is. The first episode is up for free on youtube.

From:

pegasuswrites

I so need to watch this. Every time it turns up on my Tumblr dash I want to run around shrieking because BODY DIVERSITY. (I do so love it when there are chubby people in cartoons...)

From:

skygiants

IT'S THE BEST FOR REWATCHING, too. Karen and I were rewatching like the very first episode and Steven breaks that photo of Rose that's a big deal for Greg and Amethyst in their episode?? STEVEN BREAKS THE PHOTO, I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN. It's all like that!

From:

skygiants

It is just. ABSOLUTELY CHOCK-FULL of charm!

From:

skygiants

Those would probably both be good things to do! >.>

From:

skygiants

Yeah, I love how very kind and understanding it is at the heart of it -- like, I just feel like the showrunners have such deep affection for all their characters, and feel like it's important that they have affection for each other! And that makes me really happy. ALL COMEDY IS DERIVED FROM FEAR except it isn't really, it's derived from people caring about each other and trying their awkward best to show it.

I haven't watched Over the Garden Wall yet, but

attractivegeekery has promised me she's going to make me at some point soon! It's been on my radar for a while, I do really want to watch it.

From:

skygiants

Yeah, the body diversity is fantastic! It's one of the shows that it makes me happiest to see cosplay for, too, because so many different people of different body types killing it as Rose or Amethyst or whoever.

From:

pegasuswrites

It's so nice to see, isn't it? :) (I really, really must make watching this a priority...)

From:

escritoireazul

Well, this has completely sold me on giving the show a try. It sounds delightful and adorable.

From:

skygiants

Yay! I hope you like it as much as I have. :D

From:

brainwane

I just recruited a friend into SU fandom this year and only now ran into this post again and so now I've sent it to him -- along with your "Clean Light" vid. Thank you for this great recruiter post. :)