All great people of legend have all became great because they started out with a dream, they strived throughout their life to make into reality. This is another one of my favorite animated/TV show of all time. This show is based on the old comic strip series from the King's Features, which at the time was sort of like Marvel and DC and the Prince was one of their famous comic hero figures. I saw this show when I was eight, I honestly never knew about the comic strip series at the time so seeing this show was a great introduction for me. I got into this show mainly because I'm a fan of the fantasy genre as I'm a "He-Man" fan but also, I really love the King Arthur legend.
However, this show really did me good as I saw this at a time when I was just moving away from my old home Yakima, Washington and transitioning into Auburn which is a town near Seattle; the Valiant saga was also about traveling far from your familiar surroundings and transitioning from them, so this show helped my transition a little easier as I had a hero I could easily emphasize with.
The animation in the show I feel is just excellent from the visuals along with the stories it accompanies you can easily forget your watching an animated show but a live action show. From the character designs of the characters that looking just perfect from their comic counterparts. But also, really love the background art from the forests to the castles that are all well detailed, some of them could easily be background art in an art gallery. However, the most important thing about this animation is that is it successfully captures a time long gone.
I really like how the series is sort of a balance with fantasy as well as an alternate history/period drama slightly similar to the alternate history books from author Bernard Cornwall who written a story on the Arthur legend being real and how it could have correlated with real history. The world of Valant is interesting, and you can say slightly predates a bit of "Game of Thrones" as it's a world where there is magic, but it is at the same time grounded, like with the fantasy creatures like a dragon and sea serpent their treated as they are a part of the animal kingdom that once existed but as time went on may have gone extinct. But we see some of the politics involved and showing how hard it truly was to create a land that was fair and just over tyranny and oppression.
Action is very solid; you have some good choreography in the swordfights and medieval combat and tactics. I even like how dark the series can be as people in this show can get injured and die. This was a daring and revolutionary move at the time as death and injury in animated shows was a rare almost nonexistent occurrence and I'm glad for this because it not just helped stay true to the comics, but it really gave the show a sense of jeopardy and helped remind us of the mortality of Valant and company. That what their doing isn't a game that and you can't afford to lose because there aren't always any second chances.
The music is great this show has some of the best tunes but that theme song is just beautiful it's one of my favorite theme songs of all time as it's just an inspiring tune.
But it's the story and the characters that really drive this series. The story structure of the series was also a revolutionary thing for its time and was before shows like "Game of Thrones" and other series out their made this format commonplace. The show goes on an ongoing linear developing structure where both the storyline and characters constantly develop as time in the show goes on. I really like this because it not just helped in staying true to the comic series but really was a breath of fresh air at the time where for once it felt like the show had direction and going somewhere, unlike most TV shows at the time which operated a bit like with skit comedies as each of the episodes was always random and not always connected with each other.
I even like that the characters in this show are all three dimensional which was rare at the time with most animated shows as most characters were two dimensional and were driven mainly by their assigned motive and persona. Each of the character in this show felt human as they have their strengths and weaknesses, agendas, and goals. But also like the character dynamics, the ones that Valant has with his friends and elders have a family dynamic to it. Even like the voice cast for the show which is another one of the best voice cast ensembles ever, as most consist not just veteran voice actors but some actors which really helped in the authentic feel of the show.
Robbie Benson is just excellent as Prince Valiant, his voice for the character just fit like a glove it's like how I feel about a lot of actors and voice actors where they are that role like Kevin Conroy is the animated "Batman", Karl Urban is "Judge Dredd", etc. Prince Valiant is another of my favorite fictional heroes.
I really like that he's a person with big dreams and ambitions as one of those dreams is to find and be a knight of Camelot. Which in a way the "Prince Valiant" saga can be a bit of a wish fulfillment fantasy, as this is about a regular person that is striving to be a knight in Camelot. Anyone that has read and is a fan of the "King Arthur" legend probably has dreamed of doing this if they ever lived within that world and time; you can say that's like with now with fans of "Justice League" or "Power Rangers" dream of being a hero alongside their ensemble.
But really that's relatable as all of us as most of us have big dreams and aspire to be what we want and more in life. He's tough and just he can be almost a badass as he doesn't take crap from anyone, nor does he let his friends and family. I also like how confidant he is in taking charge from injustices to be corrected but also simply to lead when it's needed as no one else can or is. I also like how smart, open minded and sometimes inventive he can be which sort of makes him almost "MacGyver" in the medieval times, well ok not quite more of a survivalist.
Though he's not perfect there are time when he can be a bit too prideful for his own good which can sometimes cloud his better judgement. But also, there is a naivety to him from living sheltered too long but simply inexperience in certain things in life. But one of the qualities of his character along with some of the rest is that he develops overtime, the more experience he gains the more he becomes less naïve, and his pride is more in check which helps him become the hero and person he wants to be.
Arn played by Michael Horton who is sort of just an ordinary peasant that also has big dreams. Though his character is ill confidant as he has a bit of an inferiority complex due as he lets class standing get in the way. Which makes his refrainment to Valiant and Rowanne and his time in Camelot a good thing as confidence is the very thing, he needs to achieve his dreams and be what he wants and we him slowly but surely become that.
Gawain played by my favorite actor Tim Curry his voice also fits like a glove for the role, let alone it's cool seeing him play the hero role. I like that his character has this scoundrel roguish charisma to him, a person that loves to have fun and a bit of a ladies' man. But I like that he has a strong sense of duty as he craves and never shies away from adventure, battle and doing the right thing. Even like that he's also one of the good mentor figures for Valiant for combat, Valiant is no doubt good but from Gawain's experience he knows can be even better.
Also, Merlin (played by Alan Oppenheimer whom of course was from "He-Man) he's solid as Merlin as he's another mentor figure for Valiant in not just science but also philosophy/wisdom. I like here that he's more of a scientist than a wizard, he does do some magic, but he mainly dabbles more in the word of science. Which makes this version of Merlin slightly more grounded in reality and it makes sense as science was looked upon almost as magic at the time.
King Arthur (played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr) he's sort of not just the other mentor figure for Valiant in politics, ethics, and leadership but in a way almost the secondary father figure of him. I like he's not some stereotypical two-dimensional king figure as we see how much of a gentle and just leader, he is but also just how understanding he truly is toward Valiant and others. And as usual isn't afraid to step up when he should.
I really like some of the moral and philosophical themes like Justice, Ethical standpoints, standing up against injustice and tyranny, conquering prejudice, how we shape the present and future, working hard to achieve goals, true heroism and a lot of other themes, which in a way make the show educational but in a good way. In the series that are handled well and aren't preachy (well okay in a episode or two may 'be) but there is a subtlety to them where they blend well with the story, unlike most shows and movies where there too concerned about sending a message but forgetting to tell an actual story. Sometimes what you don't say the message gets though and can go a long way.
I wouldn't mind if they did another animated adaptation of the comic strip series, but it can be more for mature audiences and even closer to the series by adapting some stories from the strip. Or even a live action TV series if the casting is correct and have the right look, feel and budget to make it possible, let alone put it on a premium channel and keep it away from dirty hands. Though this might by a tough order like with most comics of yesteryear it's not as popular as it uses to be, but then again adaptions to certain properties that don't get attention anymore do surprising spring up so only time will tell if the Prince will ride again.
"Prince Valiant" like any great legend that never dies is one you'll never forget.
Rating: 4 stars.
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