I really like "Code Lyoko." It has things that young kids like (judging from the Y7 rating and the large amount of younger kids on the "Code Lyoko" official forum, which I'm a part of) but has a depth to its storyline that gives the older crowd--like me--something to enjoy.
The animation is great. Yes, it is in the style, in a way, of Japanese anime, but it's not a carbon copy of Japanese animation that I've seen (and as an anime fan, I've seen some). No huge dinner-plate eyes or unnatural hair colors.
The character development is awesome in this show. Aelita sees the most change, going from a mere face on a screen and maiden in distress on Lyoko (who sometimes could take care of herself, but not a lot) to a real fleshed-out character. Coming to Earth long-term in season 2 really changes her. We discover that she actually has feelings, and we see our world anew through her eyes, eyes which are used to the pre-programmed digital regions of Lyoko and not to the variety of things that we have on Earth. We also feel for her as she suffers from strange visions, cheer her on as she kicks butt in Lyoko all by herself (the "surfing scene" in "A Bad Turn," where Aelita battles a whole herd of Hornets by herself on the Overboard, is the best example of this), and go through shock with her in the season's last 2 episodes as facts about her past become clear.
Speaking of that, plot...wow. The plot is so good in this series. Granted, season 1 was done in an episodic format, where each episode was self-contained, and while they might refer to one another, any particular X.A.N.A. attack was limited to a single episode. The episodes thus ran in a formula: exposition, X.A.N.A. attack on Earth, Aelita reports an activated tower, group goes to the factory (with usually one member unable to make it right away or not at all due to unforeseen circumstances), fights X.A.N.A.'s monsters so Aelita can get to the tower, Aelita gets to the tower, she types in the code, Jeremie says "Return to the past now" and the group goes back in time, and then a dénouement (resolution).
The plot has gotten better with season 2, though. Season 2 is done in a more story arc kind of format, so episodes flow together more smoothly. Plus, with fewer returns to the past, there is less of a need of the formulaic "back to the beginning as though nothing ever happened" sort of ending.
Now, all one can do is wait for seasons 3 and 4, which are coming soon, and also the rumored prequel movie which will tell how the group found out about Lyoko and Aelita.
The animation is great. Yes, it is in the style, in a way, of Japanese anime, but it's not a carbon copy of Japanese animation that I've seen (and as an anime fan, I've seen some). No huge dinner-plate eyes or unnatural hair colors.
The character development is awesome in this show. Aelita sees the most change, going from a mere face on a screen and maiden in distress on Lyoko (who sometimes could take care of herself, but not a lot) to a real fleshed-out character. Coming to Earth long-term in season 2 really changes her. We discover that she actually has feelings, and we see our world anew through her eyes, eyes which are used to the pre-programmed digital regions of Lyoko and not to the variety of things that we have on Earth. We also feel for her as she suffers from strange visions, cheer her on as she kicks butt in Lyoko all by herself (the "surfing scene" in "A Bad Turn," where Aelita battles a whole herd of Hornets by herself on the Overboard, is the best example of this), and go through shock with her in the season's last 2 episodes as facts about her past become clear.
Speaking of that, plot...wow. The plot is so good in this series. Granted, season 1 was done in an episodic format, where each episode was self-contained, and while they might refer to one another, any particular X.A.N.A. attack was limited to a single episode. The episodes thus ran in a formula: exposition, X.A.N.A. attack on Earth, Aelita reports an activated tower, group goes to the factory (with usually one member unable to make it right away or not at all due to unforeseen circumstances), fights X.A.N.A.'s monsters so Aelita can get to the tower, Aelita gets to the tower, she types in the code, Jeremie says "Return to the past now" and the group goes back in time, and then a dénouement (resolution).
The plot has gotten better with season 2, though. Season 2 is done in a more story arc kind of format, so episodes flow together more smoothly. Plus, with fewer returns to the past, there is less of a need of the formulaic "back to the beginning as though nothing ever happened" sort of ending.
Now, all one can do is wait for seasons 3 and 4, which are coming soon, and also the rumored prequel movie which will tell how the group found out about Lyoko and Aelita.
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