There’s a lot to love about X-Men ’97. These days, reboots are pretty common, but more often than not, they don’t stick the landing. X-Men ’97, however, does. The show expands on the original X-Men: The Animated Series, showing a wider universe and delving into the complex relationship between Magneto and Professor X with great dramatic moments. Now that the television landscape has changed, the show isn’t limited to being purely episodic. Relationships can develop, and the narrative can hint at things to come.
However, what has excited fans the most is the show’s superb animation. X-Men ’97 uses a style that takes heavy inspiration from the original series, making it look like a throwback. That said, since technology has improved since the 90s, the new show uses both 2D methods and 3D techniques, which give the show a much more polished look.
Related
Beau DeMayo Criticizes Marvel After Latest Cuts to His X-Men ’97 Plans
The former showrunner for X-Men ’97 speaks pretty frankly about his disappointment with the latest news from the production.
In contrast, other animated Marvel shows have a more uniform look to them. The upcoming Eyes of Wakanda and What If… both have a very similar style. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a bit more unique, with its flat style and comic book-inspired imagery. However, no one has gotten excited about the look of these shows the way they’ve been excited about X-Men ’97. While it could be argued that nostalgia is a major factor, that show is still visually unique when compared to Marvel’s current animated lineup. Considering how many great-looking animated shows are out there, Marvel should take a cue from X-Men ’97 and switch things up stylistically.
X-Men ’97 Embraces Old School Character Designs
Animation, like any other medium, has its trends and styles throughout the decades. The 70s saw traditional cel animation mixed with the beginnings of realistic proportioned human characters. These cartoons had reduced budgets and limited animation. The likes of Hanna-Barbera’s Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? and Jabberjaw are classic examples of this style.
The 80s saw a further push into action hero proportions with the intent of selling toys, thanks to the likes of He-Man & the Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joe. Later, the 90s saw the rise of creator-driven cartoons. These cartoons were made in reaction to the limited animation ones that came before them, and they were more exaggerated and fluid. Rugrats and The Simpsons are quintessential shows from this period.
Having come out in 1992, the original X-Men: The Animated Series was a little bit prior to this shift. The show had a limited budget and largely stuck to the style of its 80s predecessors. The artistic choice to mimic the original series’ style in X-Men ’97 isn’t just to appeal to nostalgia, but also to embrace an animation style that hasn’t been widely seen for decades. Along with taking inspiration from the original show, the creative team also took some cues from classic 80s and 90s anime, such as Ninja Scroll. As a result, audiences have found it refreshing in the modern landscape of animated TV.
X-Men ’97 Embraces New Techniques
That said, the techniques involved in this visual animation style have been updated for the times. Instead of traditional cel animation with a tight budget, X-Men ’97 uses more advanced 2D animation and takes full advantage of its Disney-level budget. Instead of choosing to mimic the limited animation style of the original, the creative team chose to further invoke the feeling of the 90s by using a VHS-inspired effect. (It’s also a rare case where the VHS-inspired elements are not meant to evoke fear in a horror context.) This helps enhance the illusion that it is a 90s show, rather than something that came out in 2024. 3D elements were also added for layouts and more complex vehicles.
Producer and head director Jake Castorena has said that the creative team was very careful in how they wanted to strike the balance of evoking the old style while keeping it fresh for modern audiences. Considering the fan response, it appears that they succeeded in spades. The show appeals to the nostalgia of longtime fans, but it doesn’t feel like a tired rehash.
Just like WandaVision experimented with using different sitcom visual styles from different decades, the animation teams at Marvel should aspire to create truly unique visuals for their shows as well. X-Men ’97, with its retro-inspired look, has proven that audiences have an appetite for animated shows that break the norm. Other inventive shows, like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, also show that this isn’t limited to X-Men ’97; it’s just good animation design. Marvel has a cavalcade of classic characters, many of which have been adapted many times over. Why not take a bold risk and mix things up with something different? A breath of fresh air could renew the interest of longtime fans, and even draw new ones into the fold.
- Release Date
- March 20, 2024
- Cast
- Jennifer Hale , Ray Chase , Cal Dodd , Lenore Zann , George Buza
- Studio
- Marvel Animation
- Creator
- Beau DeMayo
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney Plus