Megas XLR (2004–2005) User Reviews

Cartoon Network could give some love to this show

[elonmusk-is_a_moron · 8/10 · 16 July 2022]

Ah, Megas XLR. Despite the TV-Y7 rating, in many ways it felt a show aimed at older audiences, not only because all the characters were adults, the sarcastic humor and the somewhat obscure references probably totally would get over the heads of the kids watching it back then.

I guess that was the reason of why the show was unfairly cancelled, despite the high ratings: It wasn't as "marketeable" as Ben 10, and (As the cancellation of Young Justice can confirm) the executives care more about toy sales than audiences liking a show, which is why so many terrible series are still on air.

But even if Megas XLR was never destined to become a super-marketeable franchise, it will always remain as a beloved cult-classic from the 2000s which is always fun to rewatch, like Drawn Together.

Cartoon Network could give it some love, instead of acting as if this series never existed.

An underrated gem from Cartoon Network

[Rectangular_businessman · 8/10 · 28 December 2006]

Along with Samurai Jack, Megas Xlr was probably one of the best shows Cartoon Network had back then in the 2000s, a rather erratic time for the channel, where a large majority of its output was nowhere as memorable or iconic as the shows from the previous decade.

It was a fun, atypical paordy of anime shows done with a nice touch of "American humor" (The same type of humor the movies from Kevin Smith used to have, combined with a little bit of Beavis and Butt-Head irreverence.)

A shame it was cancelled so soon, but the episodes were pretty fun to watch.

Great!

[ssvfolder-1 · 9/10 · 6 February 2008]

Why oh why did they cancel it?! Why until now no other network hadn't pick up that idea?! I've been reading other replies and i can see that most of the people also relate the same way. It's a great show to watch either sober or drunk. Everybody dig giant robots!! I mean I'm 27 and this show appeals to me on both childhood and more mature levels. But the thing is that younger guys (18-19) i know, also love this show. For me Coop is the only fat ( and proud of it ) hero that i really like, and consider to be a true hero. I sincerely hope that his cartoon will be picked up by other network and return to our TV screens or to make a return futurama style.

Do you dig giant robots? If yes, then welcome to your mecha show.

[rdatsun · 12 June 2004]

I'll admit am not a person whose into mecha cartoons. Sure watching giant robots pummel each other may appeal to some, but am partial on the genre itself. Mainly because the ones I watch are always too serious or have a deeper meaning to tell. Well finally comes mecha cartoon thats purely about saving the world...in the most unorthodox methods possible.

Megas XLR (called Lowbrow when it premiered) is a about Coop, a lazy video game, food munching slacker that finds the robot Megas one day while hanging around at his local scrapyard. Unknowest to him that its a tool in saving the future that accidentally got blown to his timeline. After a bit of a paint job and some modifications (inculding ripping out the part that allows time travel) Coop fixes the bot and renames it XLR. No sooner then his first test drive with his long time bud Jamie. The real owner, a rough yet cute female warrior of the future named Kiva, comes to claim it with a evil alien force known as the Gloof right behind her. Since Coop remodified the robot's controls, he the only who knows how to pilot it . Thus he, along with Jamie and Kiva as support, becomes the Earth only hope in defeating the Gloof as well as other intergalactic baddies that come around. Heaven help us.

The series is very unique, its a breath of fresh air that the hero is is a person who goes by his own methods, even if they tend to to backfire (and they often do). Jamie is a good comic relief, the usual woman chasing coward yet so quick to point out the flaws in Coop's plan. Kiva brings a good balance to the two slackers always complaining yet has to agree that whatever works works. Thankfully they didn't over blow her seriousness. Of course the real star is Megas, the souped up machine that will save the future with its truckload of firepower. It never ceases to surprise me what kind of weapons it'll pull out next. Which what make the show so fun. And lest not forget references to countless movies, video games, anime and general pop culture.

The animation is colorful, fluid and of course anime inspired (though thankfully not all out anime i.e: The route Teen Titans took). Love the models for the villains Megas encounters too.

Soundwise, a nice display of music cues. Usually cutting off when the characters comment on something weird or an attack fails giving the jokes extra flavor. The music itself okay, usual guitar licks and over the top dramatic pieces but it fits the action well.

Overall, Cartoon Network has really got a winner on their hands with this original piece. So if any one wants a starting point in watching mecha cartoons or just don't want a serious mecha toon in general. Look no further, Megas XLR has your ignition.

Good show.

[CaptainPronin · 10/10 · 4 July 2008]

I think that Megas was one of the best shows of Cartoon Network, too bad that it was too short. Basically it takes the anime clichés of a teen that uses a giant robot against aliens invaders. However, Coop, the main character is complete opposite of the archetypical hero: he is fat, lazy, and stupid. And the most incredible thing is his good luck, that makes him practically invincible. The way this show combines action with comedy is quite original and interesting, I loved the way in what every episode ends (the most absurd and unpredictable that you could imagine) If you like anime, absurd humor and sci-fi, you should give a look at this. And if not, I still recommend it, because Megas have tons of fun to offer.

I miss this show.

[c-kelly24 · 10/10 · 20 March 2009]

Every now & again a show comes along that's is just before its time like the Galaxy Rangers, Mighty Orbots & so forth but then there are those shows that come out at the right time & are just wicked awesome. Megas XLR was one of the greatest Cartoon Network shows to ever be created, it was right up there with Dexter, PPG & all the other great old school Cartoon Network shows. I mean come on the story was brilliant. 2 dudes find a giant robot repair & kick other robots, monsters & what ever else that got in their way butt. For 2 seasons this happened & for two seasons it was glorious to watch these two dudes Coop & Jamie fight along side their new friend Kiva to stop aliens from blowing up the earth on a daily bases. Of course they did their share of damage to the planet but it was fun to watch. If you wanted a show full of action & chicks digging giant robots this was it. Sadly it ended in 05' & nobody will put it on DVD yet but if they do buy it, watch it, love it. I still can't figure out why there was only 2 seasons.

Wish they made another season

[Criticman12 · 10/10 · 12 June 2011]

Back in 2004, CN aired an animated series about robot's taking place in New Jersey called, "Megas XLR".

This show has some great animation and it's really funny. In one episode, Coop has to get a new driver's license because his old one expired. To get a new driver's license, he has to go to the DMV. But Coop hates the DMV.

I can't say to much about the show because it's really entertaining and it has a cool theme song. If you're looking for a good animated show to watch, "Megas XLR", is worth watching. The show will also make you dig giant robot's.

The Best Show

[giorgi-kob · 10/10 · 3 September 2019]

I remember quite vividly when I was 14 or 15 years old cosmos and related fields were my favourite subjects study. I read a lot about astronomy, I watched documentary movies and read magazines, but this show, yes, Megas XLR was my favourite thing from where I was getting a great amount of motivation to carry on my studies. In show you can easily find out how cool astronomical places, events and things are portrayed. I highly recommend this show to everyone who likes funny and witty humour and kind of smart things.

LET'S. DIG. GIANT ROBOTS!!!

[alistermwasep · 10/10 · 2 January 2022]

This show really deserves a huge comeback after many years! Because it's so unique with action and humor! AND...I'm so dead desperate to see what gonna happen in the third season! Please, Cartoon Network, please revive it!

I dig giant robots, you dig giant robots, chicks dig giant robots

[basato92 · 9/10 · 23 July 2011]

When I first saw commercials for this show, I was apathetic since I was disinterested in anime inspired cartoons at the time. My sister recommended that I watch an episode, I did and I've been a fan ever since.

This an extremely entertaining show with astonishing action sequences and fights that make you want to punch the air while watching, their excellence is amplified by the shows metal soundtrack. It's accompanied by hilarious jokes and parodies of things from the 80s & 90s like Power Rangers, Voltron, Transformers, Smurfs, Sonic etc.....

The characters are very interesting. Our main character is Coop who is an overweight slacker who loves food, video games, movies and rock 'n' roll. He's the opposite of what you'd expect from a hero, he's not very smart and often ends up destroying things rather protecting them in trying to stop the bad guys. Despite his carelessness, he's extremely likable and surely envied by a lot of us who'd want our own robot.

Next we have Jamie, Coops best friend who shares similar interests though he's more interested in chicks as opposed to Coop's interest in food. He provides the comic relief and doesn't do much else for the most part, he'd rather use Megas as a means to world domination and getting chicks (so would the rest ha ha) instead of saving the world from dangerous situations in which he tries to escape.

We have Kiva Andru. She's from the war torn future fighting against the alien oppression of the Glorft led by Gorrath. She was originally meant to be the pilot of Megas which was stolen from the Glorft, but an accident happened and the robot ended up in the past at the hands of the grossly incompetent but manages to get the job done Coop. She's the serious foil to Coop & Jamie's easy going attitude with just enough of a sense of humor to befriend the 2 and badass enough to give the bad guys an ass kicking as well. She reminds me of Rukia from Bleach, both are empowered females from another place (whether it be another dimension, time, realm etc...) who loses her powers to the more relateable male character and proceeds to train him but despite what they've lost they still retain enough strength & determination to kick some.

Last but certainly not least, we have Megas, the giant robot. How can you not like this robot, it has a cool paint job, controlled by a steering wheel & game controller and a car for a head, how awesome is that! It seems like this robot has infinite weapons, every other episode he has a different gun with lasers and missiles, it makes every fight scene look fresh and different. Definitely one of the coolest robots ever.

Overall, excellent show; great characters, daunting action sequences, rollicking jokes, cool music, does not take it self seriously at all. This show is pure fun, truly a masterpiece in the art of animation. I recommend this show to all.

Poking fun at anime tropes.

[Animany94 · 7/10 · 26 January 2020]

The story about this giant robot flung into the past to be discovered by unlikely heroes who then would be trained to slay the big baddie from the future could've been interesting, but is sadly abandoned to focus more on poking fun of anime tropes.

But it does that pretty well even if it becomes juvenile at times. But seeing this duo of teenage slackers handle this dangerous weapon while ruining more than they save is genius. The one hero, Coop, isn't exactly the brightest mind around, he's an overweight gamer eating constantly. He's in charge. His friend, Jamie, is always trying and failing at getting a date and spends much time hitting on the attractive owner of the robot from the future, Kiva. They're not exactly your typical heroes and that's what makes this work.

I would've wished they focused more on the story, but the nice animation and the good voice acting from David Deluise, Steve Blum and especially the most over-the-top performance ever by Clancy Brown at least made it entertaining.

Cartoons + Anime + Robots

[goldenawards · 8/10 · 29 August 2021]

It's amazing how you can combine cartoon and anime, script of this series is grand and brilliant, the villains are unique and even satire other cartoons and animes. The 3 main characters combine a lot, each has a story behind and a reason, the style anime made the series more cool. The battle animations are another strong point of the serie.coop and jamie has a fantastic and really funny connection and the addition of kiva, an awesome warrior, completed the group. This series should have more visibility and recognition. Of the best series of the action cartoon and also one with one of the best scripts.

One of the Greatest Shows on Television

[Krendall · 27 April 2005]

Like many people, when I first heard about Megas, I was skeptical. I have never been a huge fan of giant robot shows (Voltron, Gundam W, Big O, and G Gundam being the exceptions) so I figured this would be nothing special.

Boy, was I ever wrong when I finally started watching the show.

Megas XLR is about a super robot from the future built by the destructive race known as the Glorft. With their next target being Earth, a human girl named Kiva steals the robot and sends it back in time. It's found in a junkyard in Jersey City by a slacker/gamer/anime fan/wrestling fan/gearhead named Coop and his girl-obsessed sidekick Jamie. Coop completely rebuilds the robot, using his car and various video game controls to pilot it. When Kiva attempts to reclaim Megas, she finds that she can't even pilot it anymore! Kiva then recruits Coop and Jamie to help her fight the Glorft, who have also traveled back in time to reclaim Megas.

The show parodies nearly everything from the 1980's to the present, be it movies, anime, video games, or whatever else the creators think of that day. The blend of action, comedy, and even some serious moments cause the show to be downright entertaining on nearly every level. If you have not watched Megas XLR yet, I advise you to give the show a try.

One of my favorites!

[lourdesmederos · 10/10 · 9 October 2019]

Please bring this show back so I can introduce it to my son! It was such an awesome show and I think about it often lol! 🙂

My favorite show that got Cancelled way to soon

[blakeglen · 10/10 · 15 March 2016]

Megas XLR is my Favorite show, a show with great animations all hand drawn and great satire and Action mech battles to the finest degree. So it's a real shame cartoon network cut it after only 2 seasons, It also has a fantastic soundtrack with some amazing original rock and metal soundtracks. It deserved a more season for sure but the creators have had trouble getting the rights back to it even though whoever has them I don't believe they will it's been so long and the fans myself one of them wish the originals would be able to be broadcasted on a new TV station again and new seasons and content to com back, maybe on Netflix or on youtube funded by someone that could and gives the original creators full control. So if you love this show tell cartoon network and others that could bring this how back that we want this show to return. Give it a buy on xbox live or Itunes that is where you can buy it and I promise you will love the show as much as me if you think it sounds good. The shows plot is about a robot sent back to the early 21 century and a guy that loves to eat named Coop finds it in the junkyard and fixes it up and then after that his friend Jamie and a girl worries that sent Megas back in time and they fight foes from around the galaxy with great comedy and action with one of the best soundtracks for a cartoon ever. It is an example of a show that is you will enjoy over and over again please give it a buy and then watch it and have a great time.

Landing here in Jersey

[WeAreLive · 10/10 · 18 February 2019]

This show is about two goof balls who are Coop the overweight who is a genius at fixing cars and gets hungry every two minutes and Jamie who is Coop's best friend and is into chicks. They met a young woman from the future called Kiva who is on a mission to stop the gloverf from invading the earth but there is more too it.

Our 3 main protagonist go on adventures every episode to either stop the glorf from evil or fly around in space and go on other planet but the out come afterwards isn't always positive. Also as the show goes along you would have a few parodies and easter eggs/references to other shows, pop culture and upcoming events which I find very impressive,.

The cool and slick art style is very beautiful especially since it is very anime inspired.

It also has a very good theme song. Also to Cowboy Bebop fans I find it impressive that Steve Blum and Wandee Lee were given the task to voice Jamie and Kiva in the series who were casted as Spike Spiegel and Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop.

I really wish this show was given another season because this inspired Sym Bionic Titan (which is also good and didn't have a long run either) which is one of the reasons I watched this show and I am glad I did. The ending in my opinion for this show could have been so much more and it honestly, feels incomplete.

I just hope Adult Swim/Toonami or even Netflix will pick this and Sym Bionic Titan up for another season or maybe when Cartoon Network eventually get a new president who cares about variety or just starts to put back 22 minute formats and actions shows back I would not mind seeing this back.

It is a very good show overall although it may have not aged very well for it's time but it is still one of my favourite cartoon network shows and would definitely recommend it alongside Sym Bionic Titan if you want to have a good anime inspired mech cartoon series.

A wonderful load of simple hilarity

[OleFr-Skj · 9/10 · 21 November 2016]

Megas XLR is the show for anyone who wants to see giant robots pummel giant monsters, and have fun while doing it.

The main character, Coop, is a slacker living in his mom's basement, who happens upon a discarded giant robot in his local junkyard. He quickly supes it up, with flame tracks, game controls and a shiny red paintjob for the car he uses as the Mecha's cockpit.

It sounds bizarre, and that's because it is. More importantly, the show completely embraces it. There are few hard and fast rules in this cartoon's universe; several episodes end with Coop destroying the entire city as collateral damage, only for everything to be back to normal the next day.

The show has a crude, but jovial sense of humor, and doesn't take itself very seriously, you're supposed to have fun with it. There are a lot of quick "blink and you'll miss it" moments where the creators threw in a joke that has a good chance of at least making you chuckle a little. One standout example is a scene where a fight ends with Coop throwing his enemy into a building, with the sign "Conveniently Empty Building" shown for a brief moment as a nod to the audience. The show also consistently embraces a bizarre kind of logic where Coop's Mech-mounted Car still technically counts as a "car". Because of this, not even Megas is safe from wheel clamps, speeding tickets, or towaways by the DMV.

Aside from Coop himself, the show also stars a hilariously incompetent villain of the overly dramatic variety. He rambles on about how superior he and his alien kin are to the "Primitive Earthers", but is at the same time a massive egotist and drama queen. Coop's own band of heroes includes his buddy jamie, the charmingly funny slacker, and Kiva, the mech pilot from the future and designated (though often ignored) voice of reason who aids Coop in learning the ropes of piloting Megas, and hopefully someday making it back to her own time.

The show's action scenes are big, loud and ludicrous, by design. Here, too, the show embraces it, and gladly gives Megas an impossibly huge amount of firepower, weapons and bizarre gizmos for fighting absolutely whomever would dare oppose Coop and company.

Megas XLR is a show that's great fun to watch. It lampoons a great number of anime clichés, and has fun with its own world and concept. A definite win for this Cartoon buff.

Wow

[umlaziking · 10/10 · 6 August 2022]

I remember watching this back then, man it was such an amazing show and I still can't believe cartoon network cancelled it. This show had amazing animation, really great humor, an amazing soundtrack and most importantly it had an amazing story to tell...let's honestly hope it gets revived by adult swim some day so that it can get an amazingly written ending it fully deserves...they did it with samurai Jack, why not this one? Lol.

Who digs giant robots?

[Legonovsky · 13 October 2005]

So me and my friends wake up one Sunday morning after a party and flip on the TV, and end up watching cartoon shows. We got a blast from the past in Captain Planet, we were nostalgic over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (have you seen the new version? it's terrible!), and then we wandered across Megas about halfway through the episode "Ice Ice Megas." Good god, I've never laughed so hard. All three of us were splitting our sides over the writing of this show. What got me hooked was how all the characters, main or otherwise, bounced off of each other. Little moments just made the show for me, where the ice man yells "We are saved!" after Coop smashes a bad guy, only to change his mind with "We are doomed..." when Coop knocks over a building not ten seconds later.

Not to mention the total lack of continuity in Megas' abilities. The contents of his chest cavity change ALL THE TIME.

For its sharp writing and and phenomenal ability to parody genre after genre, I can say without doubt, that I DIG GIANT ROBOTS!

frivolous, fun parody of giant robot toons

[mcgrew · 16 April 2005]

The premise of this sounds just like any 'giant robot' (or cartoon sf) show - battle robot needed to save the (future) world, agent sent back to retrieve it from the past to which its been banished. OK, fine. But the makers take this and turn it into a weird, fun, crazy parody of such things.

The robot has been obtained by two new-jersey lamers, who turn out to be a super-robot- pilot and well, a lamer (sorry, Jaime.) The future-agent is stuck here (acting alternatively as the fish-out-of-local time-water, and voice of reason, and super-fighting-chick). OK, fine. But the makers take this and use this basic parody to parody pretty much every cliché in the genre (and some other genres) with a gusto that is just plain fun to watch! If you know stuff about Japanese animation stuff, you'll appreciate the parodies of plots, characters, and even scene stylings. If you don't, its still funny enough on just a joke-level (Coop dreaming of smashing the DMV to tiny bits, for instance) to make it fun. Keep your eye on button labels and general sign age, there's good cleverness there.

All in all, a great, high-morale program -- people having fun making a good show. Nice!

Open mouth; insert foot.

[scottishsuzied · 7 August 2004]

I have never been a big fan of mecha cartoons. Sure I'd watch MS Gundam with my brother-in-law when staying at my in-laws house, but I was just NOT interested. When first saw the commercial for this 'toon, I bemoaned "Oh no! Not another one!" But one Saturday night, while half asleep, the show started. I was too tired to reach the three feet for the remote, and I was too comfortable to just roll over. So I watched the show. There was this one line (I can't remember for the life of me what it was, but it had something to do with video games [of course]), and It reminded me of something my husband would say and I started laughing so hard, I woke up and started watching the show. I've tried to watch it every Saturday ever since.

Nice!

[AnimationJunkieX · 20 November 2004]

Megas got its start as a sort of You Pick short, and while it didn't make the final cut as I remember, it must have made a good impression. The suits in Atlanta wisely decided to run with Megas, one of their most brilliant decisions since the creation of Toonami and Adult Swim.

Absurdity is the key to humor these days, at least for me. And what could be more absurd then a couple of burned-out 20somethings in control of their own Mecha? And in Jersey, no less! Throw in a token Anime-style chick, insane villains, monsters, interplanetary hijinx, and (most importantly) a killer mock-metal soundtrack - These are a few of my favorite things... Whoops. Sorry.

And how about the details on the Megas! What geek WOULDN'T pimp out their own Mecha with flames, nekked chick reflectors, an 8-Ball gear shift knob, and Playstation Controllers? It's every nerd's dream come true.

You have GOT to love this toon. If you don't... Well, then, heck with ya. Mindless fun for everyone, Mecha destruction for the Anime geek in a lot of us, and oh, the METAL!

Wow. I used to LIVE for Saturday Mornings. Now I LIVE for Saturday Evenings. How corny is that...?

We Dig Giant Robots!

[SonicStuart · 2 April 2005]

At first when I saw some commercials for Megas XLR, I thought it was a Transformers rip-off. But then I changed my mind about the show and watched a few of the episodes and it was pretty cool and it's funny too. The show is about two teenage slackers named Coop and Jamie who discover a giant robot in a New Jersey junkyard He attached his car to the top of the robot. But...then evil aliens called Glorft land on Earth. Now 3 total opposites named Coop, Jamie, and the robot's creator Kiva must team up to stop the Glorft(and many other evil forces) from obtaining "Megas XLR"! I think the Glorft character is a little weird but yet one of my favorite sci-fi villains! My favorite characters are Coop and Jamie. This show first aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami back in May 2004. This is one of my favorite shows on Toonami!

User Rating: 9/10

BOTTOM LINE: I DIG GIANT ROBOTS!

MEGAS-Farce,destruction and humour rolled into one

[bryanmulhall · 11 March 2005]

I've only been watching this cartoon less then a week but already I love it.I watch it on Toonami every day.When I first seen it I was like "OH great another crappy japan-amation-mech crap.But I watched it and couldn't stop laughing.The humour is fantastic.They rip-off everything imaginable(especially MTV)but also McDonalds,Mario Brothers and many more.The action is top drawer.Wall-smashing and buildings crumbling and general devastation prevails.Destruction is top-drawer here(We're looking at least 20-30 buidlings been destroyed every episode)The two main characters,two teenage wasters by the names of Coop and Jamie cause farce after farce.They end up saving the planet but always destroy a large portion of their home town or cause a nuclear fall-out or something(The episode with the REGIS Mk 5 had me in bits,some of his lines are hilarious"This planet shall return to the Cosmic dust from whence it came"and stuff like that.A very,very funny cartoon and has a surprising amount of substance.Id recommend this to any cartoon fan,it will have you laughing your ass off.

A Good American Anime-que Show

[Mr850 · 17 May 2004]

This is a pretty good show. I like it a lot. In the year 2300+ the Earth is taking over by an alien race named the Glorbs. The Earth resistance fighters stole an prototype robot from the Glorbs and planned to use against them, but the Glorbs caught on to this and came after the robot. The new plan was to send the robot back in time at the beginning of the war to change the outcome of the future. But something went wrong and the robot. The robot was sent to the 1930s and ended up in a junkyard. Now in the present a dude name Coop found the robot all bang up. He bought the robot for $2 and fixed it up not knowing its real purpose. Soon after the resistance fight who stole the robot, Kiva came back to the present to demand the robot back and so did the Glorbs. Kiva wanted the robot back, but Coop had fixed the robot in a way that Kiva could no longer pilot it. Now Coop must pilot the robot and defeat the Glorbs to save the future.

This show is blend of American and Anime animation. Which, to me works pretty well. I'll put it like this. Its Anime with American attitude.