It's been a few years since the last X-Men animated franchise. It's a bit hard to follow in the footsteps of the original series, and these days, Marvel has improved their quality of work (compare "Daredevil" & "Elektra" to "Ironman" and "The Incredible Hulk"). The only word to describe the series, so far is..."WOW". The animation is quite spectacular and they've integrated a lot of the original characters, people you only had a glimpse of in "X-Men: Evolution", so that the series becomes fun to the people who have been X-Men fans for most of their lives. Even to those who aren't aware of the storyline can have a lot of fun watching this series. The plot develops well, leaves you hanging onto your seat wondering, "Oh Lord, what now!". The characters are reminiscent of the original series, like the voicing and such - you can actually HEAR the difference in their accents and speech patterns. One of the best parts is that because of "X-Men: Evolution" and the live action movies, and we have forgotten that the X-Men were full, mature people, this series puts things back in perspective. They're adults, fully developed in their powers and thrust into our world. You're there, watching and anticipating the next characters to make their appearance. My advice? "You will be surprised." Take a joyride, immerse yourself all over again in the saga, keep the original storyline in the back of your head, but leave your mind open and clear. Because the way this series has started, I don't think anything is impossible....
42 Reviews
SEASON 2!!!!
xgeeyouwhyx21 November 2019
Just finished it. I'm mad I never watched it from start to finish 10 years ago!! Now that it's on Disney+ can we please finally get season 2 and see what destruction Apocalypse brings to the series please and thank you!!!
They're back!!!
Ely-girl25 January 2009
When I first heard about this show, I was as you can guess, very excited and it did not fail to live up to expectations. The X-Men (who consists of Wolverine (duh), Cyclops, Storm, Forge, Iceman, Kitty, Beast, Rogue, Emma Frost, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler) are handled very well in terms of characterization. Sure, some things have obviously changed but this is good change. They have taken the X-Men in a totally different direction as compared to X-Men (TAS) and X-Men Evolution. Basically, Professor X is in some kind of coma but is also in the future, which at the time, is being dominated, by Sentinels and it is up to the X-Men (in the present) to stop that future from happening. Neat, huh?
Wolverine and the X-Men, is in my opinion, a more-serious take on the X-Men. The stories are deeper and go in to explain some of the character's origins i.e. Cyclops which is always nice to see as opposed to the comics. The action sequences (if you can call them that) are good and certainly entertaining although I feel as if sometimes, they are a little repetitive if you know what I mean. I would say Magneto is the main villain throughout season one although they also have to battle the Brotherhood on more than one occasion and on those rare occasions, each other. Season two, however, will focus on Age of Apocalypse. I also hear Deadpool will be making an appearance.
Although Wolverine and the X-Men, is undoubtedly entertaining and has its fair share of funny moments, I prefer X-Men (TAS), mainly because Wolverine was not in the spot-light all the time and the chemistry between characters was fantastic! I just love them. Scott is such a boy scout. I also think the Phoenix saga was in a way, handled better seeing as it lasted for longer. Nevertheless, Wolverine and the X-Men is still thoroughly entertaining and I cannot wait for season two. Watch it. You won't regret it! 8/10.
Wolverine and the X-Men, is in my opinion, a more-serious take on the X-Men. The stories are deeper and go in to explain some of the character's origins i.e. Cyclops which is always nice to see as opposed to the comics. The action sequences (if you can call them that) are good and certainly entertaining although I feel as if sometimes, they are a little repetitive if you know what I mean. I would say Magneto is the main villain throughout season one although they also have to battle the Brotherhood on more than one occasion and on those rare occasions, each other. Season two, however, will focus on Age of Apocalypse. I also hear Deadpool will be making an appearance.
Although Wolverine and the X-Men, is undoubtedly entertaining and has its fair share of funny moments, I prefer X-Men (TAS), mainly because Wolverine was not in the spot-light all the time and the chemistry between characters was fantastic! I just love them. Scott is such a boy scout. I also think the Phoenix saga was in a way, handled better seeing as it lasted for longer. Nevertheless, Wolverine and the X-Men is still thoroughly entertaining and I cannot wait for season two. Watch it. You won't regret it! 8/10.
Best superhero cartoon in a long time!
jellyneckr31 July 2008
I caught a screening of the first three episodes of "Wolverine & the X-Men" at this year's Comic Con and although my expectations for the series were quite low, I found myself pleasantly surprised. I shouldn't give away too much, but I will say that despite being aimed primarily at children, "Wolverine & the X-Men" deals with some adult issues that will make the show appeal to an older audience while still being appropriate for the little ones. The violence is kept to a minimum, though the action is still exciting. Despite the numerous action sequences, there are plenty of moments of humor so things never get too overly serious. Thankfully, the the jokes aren't corny. They are actually quite funny as opposed to a lot of the jokes in X-Men: The Last Stand. I have to admit I can't remember if anyone on the Comic Con panel mentioned if "Wolverine & the X-Men" is supposed to exist inside the continuity of any of the live-action films, though there were several references to live-action films being a bit of an influence on the show, especially in terms of how the excellent voice work is done. Like the films, the main story is relatively faithful to the comics. The characters look similar to the way the characters are drawn in the comics with some understandable changes. Those who are fans of the comics or just fans of the movies shouldn't be disappointed. Based on what I've seen...8/10. This is the best superhero cartoon in a long time.
Still mad
nored-1410428 July 2019
This is the first series since the original X-Men I like!!!
sblackst22 September 2008
What has happened to Marvel TV cartoons?? On the DC side, excellent reimaginings of Batman, Superman and the Justice League have been plentiful with so, so many substandard versions of Spiderman and X-Men based on Manga for Generation 'Teen'. The recent 'Next Avengers - Heroes of Tomorrow' was better but again for a younger audience in my opinion.
I don't need to see a bunch of kids reenact adult X-Men situations where there's no risk. This series bodes much better, feeding off the 80s X-Men series. Yes, there are some serious plot problems having Wolverine lead but they're addressed in the right way where many X-Men don't want to follow him.
Fantastic, and well overdue.
I don't need to see a bunch of kids reenact adult X-Men situations where there's no risk. This series bodes much better, feeding off the 80s X-Men series. Yes, there are some serious plot problems having Wolverine lead but they're addressed in the right way where many X-Men don't want to follow him.
Fantastic, and well overdue.
Better than the live-action films!!!
Mash-the-stampede25 May 2009
Being a fully grown "adult" in my mid 20's who still reads comics and watches cartoons, naturally i nearly wet my pants with excitement after hearing of a new animated X-men show and after watching the trailer on "YouTube" I knew I was going to be in for something special.
I've just finished watching season one on DVD with each episode in close proximity intervals and I've got to say that the show is extremely addictive and the episodes flow really smoothly from one to the other.
There is a great storyline which pretty much starts in episode one and continues throughout the series with only a few "filler" type episodes (which are also very entertaining). The animation is top notch for an American cartoon series (I'm into Anime) and the voice casting and acting is spot-on! The legendary Steve Blum (voice of "Spike" in "Cowboy Bebop) reprises his role as "Wolverine" which is also great seeing as he's pretty much the "Kevin Conroy" of Marvel and Wolverine!
I believe that this series is more aimed at individuals already familiar with the "X-universe" and features many mutants never before seen in any previous animated "X-men" series. The overall tone is also "grittier" than you average cartoon series and is low on "cheese" (thankfully) with a lot of themes more aimed at teenagers and young adults as apposed to young children. That being said, the kids will still love this show as there is enough action and eye-candy to keep their short attention spans occupied outside of a story which may be a little complex for some.
Although i've been a long-time comic enthusiast and fan of the "X-men" mythos I wasn't a huge fan of the last animated X-men series "Evolutions" and thought that the early 90's series was far superior in every aspect.
However, I now have a new favourite "X-toon" and it's called "Wolverine and the X-men" and yes it is better than the early 90's cartoon series but only just ; )
Bring on "The Age of Apocalypes"!!!!
I've just finished watching season one on DVD with each episode in close proximity intervals and I've got to say that the show is extremely addictive and the episodes flow really smoothly from one to the other.
There is a great storyline which pretty much starts in episode one and continues throughout the series with only a few "filler" type episodes (which are also very entertaining). The animation is top notch for an American cartoon series (I'm into Anime) and the voice casting and acting is spot-on! The legendary Steve Blum (voice of "Spike" in "Cowboy Bebop) reprises his role as "Wolverine" which is also great seeing as he's pretty much the "Kevin Conroy" of Marvel and Wolverine!
I believe that this series is more aimed at individuals already familiar with the "X-universe" and features many mutants never before seen in any previous animated "X-men" series. The overall tone is also "grittier" than you average cartoon series and is low on "cheese" (thankfully) with a lot of themes more aimed at teenagers and young adults as apposed to young children. That being said, the kids will still love this show as there is enough action and eye-candy to keep their short attention spans occupied outside of a story which may be a little complex for some.
Although i've been a long-time comic enthusiast and fan of the "X-men" mythos I wasn't a huge fan of the last animated X-men series "Evolutions" and thought that the early 90's series was far superior in every aspect.
However, I now have a new favourite "X-toon" and it's called "Wolverine and the X-men" and yes it is better than the early 90's cartoon series but only just ; )
Bring on "The Age of Apocalypes"!!!!
He's got razors in his hands!
tashao8 September 2008
So I'm real happy I'm Canadian. Why you ask? Because I got to see the premiere of Wolverine and the X-Men last night! Now for those of you who are not Canadian or can't download the episode I shall provide a review of sorts.
Story: The story definitely has me intrigued. The episode takes place a year after the attack at Xavier Institute where Charles Xavier and Jean Grey have died? disappeared? on vacation? Its never made clear to us, but all we know is that they are gone. The X-Men have apparently disbanded because when Wolverine meets up with Beast (Hank Mcoy) in his underground laboratory, both admit they don't know where the others are.
Anyhow Wolverine helps out a family (A interracial family by the way which made me very happy, you don't see that enough) when they get in a RV crash, in return they take him to their home to heal. However, they have an anti-mutant neighbor named Carl ("He's got razors in his hands!") calls the MRD on them, which I think stands for Mutant Registration Department but I could be wrong. The family gets taken to MRD headquarters for helping out wolverine, which seems to also be a prison for mutants the ones we see are Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair), Rockslide (Santo Vaccarro), Boom Boom (Tabitha Smith), Dust (Sooraya Qadir), Pyro (John Allerdyce) and possibly X-23...
I won't go into anymore then that since most of you might not have seen the episode yet, but I will say that I'm looking forward to see what will happen in future episodes. One of my main concerns is that the show will focus too much on Wolverine and forget the rest of the characters. I can't tell from seeing only one episode but I hope those who are working on it will remember that one of the best things about the X-Men franchise is the large cast of distinctive characters.
The story isn't your atypical Saturday morning cartoon, and its obvious they want both kids and adults to enjoy it. IMDb said that the cartoon is a spin off of X2 and I can see that, especially with the strong familial bond between Rogue and Wolverine in this episode. However, its not really a continuation but more like they were influenced by the films (The first two anyhow ) It has a lot of potential that the will hopefully be carried out.
Animation: The animation is top notch. The colors are subdued and dark, I guess to avoid the whole bright colored cartoon cliché. The designs are similar to X-Men: Evolution which makes sense since Steve E. Gordon the character designer for X-Men: Evolution is the director of the series.
But if you didn't like the designs from Evo there's a high chance you won't like these ones, even though the looks and costume so far are faithful to the comics, (The X-Men we see are wearing the original yellow and blue costumes with the exception of Nightcrawler) the designs have a stylized look to them.
Voice Acting: Here is a quick low down of the voice actors.
Wolverine played by Steve Bloom: Bloom has the whole gritty and growl tone to Wolverine voice (One of my biggest disappointments with Hugh Jackson is that he didn't sound like Wolverine, its not his fault but it still made me sad), I personally think he will do a great job. He's is certainly no slouch when it comes to voice acting, anime fans will recognize him as Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop and Orochimaru from Naruto.
Beast played by Fred Tatasciore: Tatasciore is mostly a video game voice actor but he has provided additional voices in popular shows such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Family Guy, Robot Chicken, and Invader Zim. He's a great Beast with the deep yet calming voice that displays Beast intelligence, though I will always love George Buza Rogue played by Kieren van den Blink (best name EVER): I'm reserving my judgment for Karen, Rogue is not an easy character to play since you want to show her frustrations of being an outsider while not making her sound too emo. Also she doesn't have a strong southern accent which bothers me, but my favorite Rogue voice is still Lenore Zann from the 90s X-Men show so I might be biased.
Shadowcat played by Danielle Judovits: I'm very pleased with Danielle she managed to have the haughty teenage attitude without sounding annoying. Though she's a relative newcomer, she has already worked in animation with being Barbara Gordon/Batgirl from The Batman cartoon.
Nightcrawler played by Liam O'Brien: Another veteran of voice acting especially in Anime where he has played roles such as Gaara from Naruto and Vincent Law from Ergo Proxy. Though his appearance was brief I think he will make a great Nightcrawler, and I'm looking forward to his Angel.
Cyclopes played by Nolan North: Nolan is primarily a video game voice actor most notably Prince of Persia (The Prince). He has however done voice work in animation playing Hank Pym/Giant Man in the direct to video Avengers movies and Raphael in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. He says very little in the episode but what I've heard sounds good so far. He will also be playing Deadpool.
Colossus played by Phil Morris: Here's the sad thing. Phil Morris did a great job with Colossus and he had the accent without it being exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness (I'm looking at you Robert Cait!). Sadly IMDb does not list him as playing Colossus and Wikipedia has him on the cast list but not who he is playing I had to narrow it down that he was playing Colossus. This could mean that he and Colossus won't have a big role in the series, which makes me sad.
So thats the dirty low down, hope you all enjoyed it.
Story: The story definitely has me intrigued. The episode takes place a year after the attack at Xavier Institute where Charles Xavier and Jean Grey have died? disappeared? on vacation? Its never made clear to us, but all we know is that they are gone. The X-Men have apparently disbanded because when Wolverine meets up with Beast (Hank Mcoy) in his underground laboratory, both admit they don't know where the others are.
Anyhow Wolverine helps out a family (A interracial family by the way which made me very happy, you don't see that enough) when they get in a RV crash, in return they take him to their home to heal. However, they have an anti-mutant neighbor named Carl ("He's got razors in his hands!") calls the MRD on them, which I think stands for Mutant Registration Department but I could be wrong. The family gets taken to MRD headquarters for helping out wolverine, which seems to also be a prison for mutants the ones we see are Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair), Rockslide (Santo Vaccarro), Boom Boom (Tabitha Smith), Dust (Sooraya Qadir), Pyro (John Allerdyce) and possibly X-23...
I won't go into anymore then that since most of you might not have seen the episode yet, but I will say that I'm looking forward to see what will happen in future episodes. One of my main concerns is that the show will focus too much on Wolverine and forget the rest of the characters. I can't tell from seeing only one episode but I hope those who are working on it will remember that one of the best things about the X-Men franchise is the large cast of distinctive characters.
The story isn't your atypical Saturday morning cartoon, and its obvious they want both kids and adults to enjoy it. IMDb said that the cartoon is a spin off of X2 and I can see that, especially with the strong familial bond between Rogue and Wolverine in this episode. However, its not really a continuation but more like they were influenced by the films (The first two anyhow ) It has a lot of potential that the will hopefully be carried out.
Animation: The animation is top notch. The colors are subdued and dark, I guess to avoid the whole bright colored cartoon cliché. The designs are similar to X-Men: Evolution which makes sense since Steve E. Gordon the character designer for X-Men: Evolution is the director of the series.
But if you didn't like the designs from Evo there's a high chance you won't like these ones, even though the looks and costume so far are faithful to the comics, (The X-Men we see are wearing the original yellow and blue costumes with the exception of Nightcrawler) the designs have a stylized look to them.
Voice Acting: Here is a quick low down of the voice actors.
Wolverine played by Steve Bloom: Bloom has the whole gritty and growl tone to Wolverine voice (One of my biggest disappointments with Hugh Jackson is that he didn't sound like Wolverine, its not his fault but it still made me sad), I personally think he will do a great job. He's is certainly no slouch when it comes to voice acting, anime fans will recognize him as Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop and Orochimaru from Naruto.
Beast played by Fred Tatasciore: Tatasciore is mostly a video game voice actor but he has provided additional voices in popular shows such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Family Guy, Robot Chicken, and Invader Zim. He's a great Beast with the deep yet calming voice that displays Beast intelligence, though I will always love George Buza Rogue played by Kieren van den Blink (best name EVER): I'm reserving my judgment for Karen, Rogue is not an easy character to play since you want to show her frustrations of being an outsider while not making her sound too emo. Also she doesn't have a strong southern accent which bothers me, but my favorite Rogue voice is still Lenore Zann from the 90s X-Men show so I might be biased.
Shadowcat played by Danielle Judovits: I'm very pleased with Danielle she managed to have the haughty teenage attitude without sounding annoying. Though she's a relative newcomer, she has already worked in animation with being Barbara Gordon/Batgirl from The Batman cartoon.
Nightcrawler played by Liam O'Brien: Another veteran of voice acting especially in Anime where he has played roles such as Gaara from Naruto and Vincent Law from Ergo Proxy. Though his appearance was brief I think he will make a great Nightcrawler, and I'm looking forward to his Angel.
Cyclopes played by Nolan North: Nolan is primarily a video game voice actor most notably Prince of Persia (The Prince). He has however done voice work in animation playing Hank Pym/Giant Man in the direct to video Avengers movies and Raphael in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. He says very little in the episode but what I've heard sounds good so far. He will also be playing Deadpool.
Colossus played by Phil Morris: Here's the sad thing. Phil Morris did a great job with Colossus and he had the accent without it being exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness (I'm looking at you Robert Cait!). Sadly IMDb does not list him as playing Colossus and Wikipedia has him on the cast list but not who he is playing I had to narrow it down that he was playing Colossus. This could mean that he and Colossus won't have a big role in the series, which makes me sad.
So thats the dirty low down, hope you all enjoyed it.
An Average Adaptation with some good points
f-3250317 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Wolverine and the X-Men is one of the most divisive adaptations of Marvel's X-Men ever, loosely tying into the 2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Movie. Some fans love it for adding in newer elements of the mythos and being darker in tone than the first two cartoons, others dislike it for the overt focus on Wolverine, odd alterations from the mainstream canon and being gratuitously dark. This was the 1st X-Men Cartoon I really remember watching and liking as a kid (when I was 10 Years Old), but having seen every episode of both X-Men: TAS and X-Men: Evolution, I have to say those shows were better (IMO). Rewatching WATXM after seeing those felt like a step backward.
Pros: + Good Voice Acting, especially Blum as Wolverine and Wahlgreen as a British-accented Emma Frost. Clancy Brown as Sinister was also a nice touch. + Good animation, the standard you'd expect from a late 2000s action show + Good artstyle with costumes inspired by Astonishing X-Men + A few great episodes like Wolverine vs. the Hulk, Greetings from Genosha, Guardian Angel, Rover and the Foresight 3-parter + Includes aspects of the newer comics, like Emma Frost being an X-Man and + Includes adaptations of the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga and DOFP arcs
Cons:
Conclusion: Overall, Wolverine and The X-Men is passable as entertainment for older children (about 9 or 10 up; maybe a mature 8 year old) and for die-hard lovers of the X-Men comics. But for most audiences, young or old, comic book fan or not, TAS and Evolution are far more worthy of attention. Still had some pretty good ideas and episodes, just not enough to outweigh the fact that the other two cartoons did almost everything better
Pros: + Good Voice Acting, especially Blum as Wolverine and Wahlgreen as a British-accented Emma Frost. Clancy Brown as Sinister was also a nice touch. + Good animation, the standard you'd expect from a late 2000s action show + Good artstyle with costumes inspired by Astonishing X-Men + A few great episodes like Wolverine vs. the Hulk, Greetings from Genosha, Guardian Angel, Rover and the Foresight 3-parter + Includes aspects of the newer comics, like Emma Frost being an X-Man and + Includes adaptations of the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga and DOFP arcs
Cons:
- The Rest of the team isn't very well-developed
- Like Evolution S1, it spends a lot of time putting the X-Men team together; unlike Evolution, it lacks the sense of camaraderie that that defines the X-Men (and most Superhero teams in general)
- Cyclops, in particular, is nowhere near as well-written or heroic as his Evolution, Anime or even TAS counterparts
- Forge is kind of a bumbling fool, not the gadget wielding
- Several characters have their alignments changed for no reason (Rogue is an X-Man who defects to the Brotherhood instead of vice-versa (yeah, I know she said it was for infiltration purposes, but still), Psylocke is a villainess, Gambit is not only a villain but he lacks the sympathetic backstory of the evolution version, Nitro and Vanisher are now good guys, Multiple Man is a villain (I know he was in the Ultimate version and the 3rd Film, but in the 616 comics where the show takes most of its inspiration from, he's a good guy))
- The tone is so dark that it forgets to include the more fantastical and just plain fun aspects of the mythos
- Both the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga and DOFP were adapted better in X-Men TAS
- All the new aspects introduced in this variant (Emma as a member, the voice actors for Wolverine, Beast and Jean, taking inspiration from the 2000s New X-Men and Astonishing X-Men comics) were done better in the Anime X-Men
Conclusion: Overall, Wolverine and The X-Men is passable as entertainment for older children (about 9 or 10 up; maybe a mature 8 year old) and for die-hard lovers of the X-Men comics. But for most audiences, young or old, comic book fan or not, TAS and Evolution are far more worthy of attention. Still had some pretty good ideas and episodes, just not enough to outweigh the fact that the other two cartoons did almost everything better
This needs to continue!
Animany9422 February 2019
Wolverine and the X-Men is a really engaging and addictive show and needs someone to take it up for at least a second season.
The premise is that Wolverine must gather the X-Men to correct what caused the downfall into endless war and suffering in the future after an explosion at the institute works really well as a framework for the overall story. Gradually the pieces are put back together and never feels dragged out.
Though Wolverine is the central character to the story we also get a well done character arcs for others like Emma Frost, Jean Grey and Cyclops which all serve the story to perfection.
Though the violence is toned down to make it suitable to younger viewers the writers didn't shy away from keeping the tone rather dark with thrilling action scenes told through smooth and slick animation. Some shots of different places in here look absolutely gorgeous.
And the voice acting is top-notch! Steve Blum does a pretty convincing impersonation of Cathal Dodd from the 90's series and Jim Ward is suitably suiting as Charles Xavier. There are cases of truly powerful acting especially from Nolan North as Cyclops which amazed me.
Wolverine and the X-Men is very underrated in my opinion, because despite its short running time it manages to get on par with the 90's series which many use as a tool for comparison like Batman: the Animated Series is to later incarnations. But this deserves a second season, because such a cliff-hanger ending is begging to get a second season.
A must watch for X-Men fans on par with the 90's series.
The premise is that Wolverine must gather the X-Men to correct what caused the downfall into endless war and suffering in the future after an explosion at the institute works really well as a framework for the overall story. Gradually the pieces are put back together and never feels dragged out.
Though Wolverine is the central character to the story we also get a well done character arcs for others like Emma Frost, Jean Grey and Cyclops which all serve the story to perfection.
Though the violence is toned down to make it suitable to younger viewers the writers didn't shy away from keeping the tone rather dark with thrilling action scenes told through smooth and slick animation. Some shots of different places in here look absolutely gorgeous.
And the voice acting is top-notch! Steve Blum does a pretty convincing impersonation of Cathal Dodd from the 90's series and Jim Ward is suitably suiting as Charles Xavier. There are cases of truly powerful acting especially from Nolan North as Cyclops which amazed me.
Wolverine and the X-Men is very underrated in my opinion, because despite its short running time it manages to get on par with the 90's series which many use as a tool for comparison like Batman: the Animated Series is to later incarnations. But this deserves a second season, because such a cliff-hanger ending is begging to get a second season.
A must watch for X-Men fans on par with the 90's series.
An underrated animation
Rectangular_businessman14 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
For me, "Wolverine and the X-Men" was a quite underrated animated series, which certainly deserved much more success than it got. I mean, this series at least deserved to have another season, but sadly it was cancelled too soon, despite having a high level of quality, good animation (With neat designs, predating the same aesthetic that future series like The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes) In this series, unlike all the other previous "X-Men" animated shows, Wolverine was the center of attention (Clearly due the influence of the first three live action movies) However, the Wolverine from this series had a different personality that his other incarnations, being much more mature in less impulsive, behaving a paternal way towards the other X-Men. However, I don't consider that to be something bad, since the character remained being cool. On the other side, the Cyclops from this series was much more impulsive and aggressive.
In this series Wolverine and Cyclops seem to have switched roles with Cyclops as the brooding loner and Wolverine as the responsible leader I guess that was the main reason of why this didn't get all the popularity that it deserved. And that is shame, because this was a good series with lot of potential.
In this series Wolverine and Cyclops seem to have switched roles with Cyclops as the brooding loner and Wolverine as the responsible leader I guess that was the main reason of why this didn't get all the popularity that it deserved. And that is shame, because this was a good series with lot of potential.
The Best Animated X-Men Yet
MovieVoter17 November 2008
'Wolverine and the X-Men' is a new animated X-Men series that manages to surpass its predecessors thanks to some solid writing and refreshingly unique but surprisingly accurate portrayals of all the mutants. 'Wolverine' also succeeds in telling a more mature, straight forward storyline without all the cheese and convoluted plots and sub-plots from 1992's 'X-Men: The Animated Series.' Also gone is the teenage cast from 'Evolution.' 'Wolverine' sports a mostly adult cast of characters and mutants, giving a more appropriate take on the X-Men and their universe.
'Wolverine' plays it smart by not spending so much precious time expounding and explaining away the very basic, common knowledge that most people already know when going into an X-Men series: Why it is the X-Men exist, their purpose, and the reason for this conflict that exists between regular humans and evolved humans with special powers. Instead of explaining the same axioms again for the umpteenth time, 'Wolverine' rightfully assumes you possess basic knowledge of the X-Men universe and focuses on its own story.
The plot unfolds early on as the X-Men are assaulted by an unknown force, causing the disappearance of Professor X and Jean Grey, and leaving the Xavier Institute along with remaining team members in shambles. After an ordeal Wolverine faces, he moves to reunite the X-Men to solve the mystery behind the attack. Having seen up to the tenth episode myself, there's been a healthy balance of action and plot development within each episode. The action scenes are fun and inventive, with clever and unique usage of the mutant's powers. There's also the subtle and not so subtle humor in 'Wolverine,' some of which is very well done and wouldn't be out of place in a feature length movie.
Perhaps what's most interesting about 'Wolverine and the X-Men' is the attention given to some of the more unfamiliar characters who are often overlooked, or underdeveloped in prior series. You never know who will show up in an episode of 'Wolverine,' whether that be from the X-Men universe or perhaps even another Marvel license. Also explored in greater detail is the inherent ambiguity between some of the various characters and factions. Are they friend, foe, or are they simply misunderstood? These are questions you'll find yourself asking of both the familiar and the unfamiliar in 'Wolverine and the X-Men.'
Finally, the production values are all quite good, and the voice cast deserves a mention for their work. Excellent voice work all around, with proper inflections and careful avoidance of hammy overacting. The only one area I would fault 'Wolverine' in is the animation, of which I am a huge lunatic when it comes to fluidity of motion in animation. Simply put, more fluid animation would have worked wonders for several of the action sequences. Still, I don't want to disparage it too much as it's pretty typical of what you'd expect from an animated TV series, or kid's cartoons. However, what is not so typical is the overall quality and ease of viewing of the show. It's the best animated X-Men yet and it's an absolute shame it hasn't appeared on American television yet.
'Wolverine' plays it smart by not spending so much precious time expounding and explaining away the very basic, common knowledge that most people already know when going into an X-Men series: Why it is the X-Men exist, their purpose, and the reason for this conflict that exists between regular humans and evolved humans with special powers. Instead of explaining the same axioms again for the umpteenth time, 'Wolverine' rightfully assumes you possess basic knowledge of the X-Men universe and focuses on its own story.
The plot unfolds early on as the X-Men are assaulted by an unknown force, causing the disappearance of Professor X and Jean Grey, and leaving the Xavier Institute along with remaining team members in shambles. After an ordeal Wolverine faces, he moves to reunite the X-Men to solve the mystery behind the attack. Having seen up to the tenth episode myself, there's been a healthy balance of action and plot development within each episode. The action scenes are fun and inventive, with clever and unique usage of the mutant's powers. There's also the subtle and not so subtle humor in 'Wolverine,' some of which is very well done and wouldn't be out of place in a feature length movie.
Perhaps what's most interesting about 'Wolverine and the X-Men' is the attention given to some of the more unfamiliar characters who are often overlooked, or underdeveloped in prior series. You never know who will show up in an episode of 'Wolverine,' whether that be from the X-Men universe or perhaps even another Marvel license. Also explored in greater detail is the inherent ambiguity between some of the various characters and factions. Are they friend, foe, or are they simply misunderstood? These are questions you'll find yourself asking of both the familiar and the unfamiliar in 'Wolverine and the X-Men.'
Finally, the production values are all quite good, and the voice cast deserves a mention for their work. Excellent voice work all around, with proper inflections and careful avoidance of hammy overacting. The only one area I would fault 'Wolverine' in is the animation, of which I am a huge lunatic when it comes to fluidity of motion in animation. Simply put, more fluid animation would have worked wonders for several of the action sequences. Still, I don't want to disparage it too much as it's pretty typical of what you'd expect from an animated TV series, or kid's cartoons. However, what is not so typical is the overall quality and ease of viewing of the show. It's the best animated X-Men yet and it's an absolute shame it hasn't appeared on American television yet.
When you just gotta have another show!
datdudesketch30 November 2008
Okay... while I don't share everyone's enthusiasm i must say that this version of the mythos is just good enough to keep me entertained. Great stories, great voice work, and great action sequences.
Wolverine did lead the team on occasion in the books and he is the oldest in the house... makes sense for him to be the leader here. The other thing is that cool is the other characters' personalities. I love the way they portrayed Mr. Sinister, he's absolutely perfect. One of my favorite villains that I've yet to learn everything about. It's like they took both Evo and TAS and mixed them in for a better series. Not perfect in my book, it still leaves me wanting an upbeat soundtrack and brighter style. The whole "we're making it darker" thing doesn't work for me. Every individual X-man is dark and tortured enough. Through some happiness on these characters.
When I first saw the ads I got sick to my stomach. The way they designed wolverine's arms and torso is like something out of Fist of the north star... just way to big. Did Rob Liefeld draw this? X-men Evo is a little exaggerated as well but not as much as this one. But I digress, it's very entertaining when you just need another hit of X-men in your veins.
Anyway, until Bruce Wayne buys the X-mansion and evicts all the muties to the morlock tunnels... make mine Marvel. :P
Wolverine did lead the team on occasion in the books and he is the oldest in the house... makes sense for him to be the leader here. The other thing is that cool is the other characters' personalities. I love the way they portrayed Mr. Sinister, he's absolutely perfect. One of my favorite villains that I've yet to learn everything about. It's like they took both Evo and TAS and mixed them in for a better series. Not perfect in my book, it still leaves me wanting an upbeat soundtrack and brighter style. The whole "we're making it darker" thing doesn't work for me. Every individual X-man is dark and tortured enough. Through some happiness on these characters.
When I first saw the ads I got sick to my stomach. The way they designed wolverine's arms and torso is like something out of Fist of the north star... just way to big. Did Rob Liefeld draw this? X-men Evo is a little exaggerated as well but not as much as this one. But I digress, it's very entertaining when you just need another hit of X-men in your veins.
Anyway, until Bruce Wayne buys the X-mansion and evicts all the muties to the morlock tunnels... make mine Marvel. :P
The most boring Wolverine cartoon of All time!!!
x_badd21 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This cartoon really isn't impressive and anybody who doesn't agree is a Wolverine fan. Wolverine AND HIS X-Men as I call it is all about Logan. I know he's popular but the whole point of a team is so that everyone get their own time in the spotlight. This show was all about "Wolverine" not the X-Men they are merely his lackeys. It's not impossible for Wolverine to become leader but the circumstances have to be right. Storm, Nightcrawler or even Beast would have been better at the job especially considering they have successfully fulfilled that role in the past.
The overall plot was disappointing we were led on from episode 1 and only saw progress right before the season finale. Some characters simply just fell flat, Blob and Toad were empty shells of their former selves. These guys were never smart or powerful but you could get where they were coming from and what motivated their actions but in this series they were just numb skulls. Emma Frost was also disappointing. I know there were challenges making her character more appropriate for kids but she seemed to be pointless and boring whereas the Emma I'm used to is complex and intriguing. I expected that a team led by Logan would encounter more action but the fight sequences were mainly disappointing.
Continuity was also screwed up. Forge was a kid/the tech guy and Kitty was acting like his babysitter on their mission. Here's an accomplished Native American Shaman and a veteran from the Vietnam war who needs the protection of a teenage girl. I wasn't aware X-Men were in the business of babysitting mutant babies. Mystique had this whole fabricated history to tie her in with Wolverine more than her kids Nightcrawler and Rogue. I realize the series tried to incorporate a multitude of x-characters which was noble but ultimately it fell short in the characterization dept.
The only reason I gave this show 3 stars is because I enjoyed the Nightcrawler and Cyclops solo episodes, the season finale and a few scenes with Kitty and Rogue.
The overall plot was disappointing we were led on from episode 1 and only saw progress right before the season finale. Some characters simply just fell flat, Blob and Toad were empty shells of their former selves. These guys were never smart or powerful but you could get where they were coming from and what motivated their actions but in this series they were just numb skulls. Emma Frost was also disappointing. I know there were challenges making her character more appropriate for kids but she seemed to be pointless and boring whereas the Emma I'm used to is complex and intriguing. I expected that a team led by Logan would encounter more action but the fight sequences were mainly disappointing.
Continuity was also screwed up. Forge was a kid/the tech guy and Kitty was acting like his babysitter on their mission. Here's an accomplished Native American Shaman and a veteran from the Vietnam war who needs the protection of a teenage girl. I wasn't aware X-Men were in the business of babysitting mutant babies. Mystique had this whole fabricated history to tie her in with Wolverine more than her kids Nightcrawler and Rogue. I realize the series tried to incorporate a multitude of x-characters which was noble but ultimately it fell short in the characterization dept.
The only reason I gave this show 3 stars is because I enjoyed the Nightcrawler and Cyclops solo episodes, the season finale and a few scenes with Kitty and Rogue.
The Best X-Men series EVER!!!!
tayz923012 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
So, I was a bit skeptical at first glance of this show. I mean, I hate Wolverine, and seeing him a leader just didn't sit right with me. But It is the X-Men and I love the X-Men, so of course I was going to tune it. And I was blown away. For a modern "children's" animated series, this show is full of action, drama, emotion, and character development (for the most part). Now, the first few episodes didn't exactly send me flying out of my seat, but it does have a pretty long (26 episode) season, so of course there as going to be some good and some bad episodes. I waited to review the show until seeing the entire first season, and it's great. I'd say about 2/3 of the first season is good. My favorite episodes of the season would be Hindsight Parts 2 & 3 (ep.2-3), Time Bomb (ep.8), Future X (ep.9), Greetings from Genosha (ep.10), eXessive Force (ep.12) Backlash (ep.18), and Foresight parts 1-3 (ep.24,25,26). Before this, Evolution was my favorite X-Men show, but this just blows Evolution, Pryde, and TAS right out of the water. If you don't think so, just wait until the final three, which will give you a payoff you can't wait to be followed up on.
Amazing.... now I'm going to go and watch it again
smoothmerushy13 September 2008
So, this morning I watched the first episode of Wolverine and the Xmen. I was like, alright, Xmen Evoltuion was cool, I'll give this a shot. Now, let me tell you, I am a huge comic book fan. But in a cool way. A way that attracts women, you know? Anyways, so I watched the first episode, and I thought it was pretty good. I liked the plot of it, but it wasn't enough to completely grab my attention. I just watched the second episode. WOW. AMAZING. If you watched the first and thought it was alright, WATCH THE SECOND. Something about seeing all of those familiar faces and the forming of the Xmen / Brotherhood just grabbed me and whipped my face against the wall and said "This is awesome". Once the complete first season comes out (if they break it apart like evolution by the way, I might actually run into a wall over and over again) I might break all contact with the world for a week, and bring my laptop into some vast, abandoned forest or something and just replay it over and over again. Stay off the grids, you know?
Best X-men show ever
deadhead1920021 October 2008
Far and away the best x-men series ever made, including all previous cartoons and all the movies. I've been reading the comics since I was five, no show until this one has come close to capturing all the best from the story, the art, and the aesthetic. The action scenes are spectacular, the characters are dead on and three dimensional, the story is awesome. Wolverine in a leadership role is a rare opportunity to explore a character whose had such an extensive amount of time in the spotlight. Anyone who dislikes this show clearly knows next to nothing about the book and what it stands for. The fox cartoon was nothing more than a low budget ploy to sell toys, X-men evolution was x-men meets dawson's creek, and the movies, aside from the second one left a lot to be desired. Finally, finally, something for the die hard fans is here.
This is how it should be done
underachieving7 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I may officially be a geek now, to be honest I was slightly scared of the X-men cartoon as a kid.I found it overly apocalyptic...but then again look at the subject matter they were dealing with.
When we saw that there would be a 4th go at the animated cartoon side of the X-men I didn't know what to think.I though..oh another plug for an X-Men film that would die away.Now I've actually watched most of the series on the BBC player...I think even though it is the first series, it might be the best yet...
I know a lot of people would disagree that Wolverine and the X-men is the best, especially after 'X-men Evolution' not shining as well as maybe it should have.'Evolution' was OK but I found it to be a bit 'try-hard' in the teenage-fitting-in area.It seemed to have slowed down the whole story as well.For me though.This latest series is more realistic, more cutting edge, more thoughtfully written and more poignant of all the series.
'Wolverine...' though takes the franchise by the horns and runs with all of it's might.The animation is excellent and more realistic then any of the other X-men cartoons.The detail on the X-mansion and Genosha is quite a task but it's pulled off brilliantly.The characters act like real people with real problems.
SPOILER PART***sorry but one episode has stayed with me for the past few days, It's the episode that focuses on Angel and a confrontation with his dad with for a cartoon was quite emotionally deep,Nearing the end of the episode it not only showed a fragile side to Angel but a side to how much Wolverine is aware of what his past might have been.
Another focusing on Scott and his memories of Jean Grey stays true to the myths of the X-men but also a lot of depth that normally is not portrayed in Cyclops hence why he is back seated by so many fans The Hulk episode really did nothing for me to be honest.I think the X-men stay true in their separate universe but it was an episode still handled well I love that we get to see characters such as Dust and Blink. I wished that Arclight was more the 'Omahyra Mota' type from the film then the guy I found.Hopefull we will get to see Callisto and Havok soon*** OK back into it.Yeah the characters have...well character.Kitty has attitude as does Emma Frost.Storm is gentle yet strong.Nightcrawler is subdued yet not wooden.Iceman is goofy but fun.This Magneto takes on Ian Mckellan's Magneto's brilliant disdain for Humanity...and I do actually think Sinister is quite human like in this but shows that he has gone down the path that has brought him to be who he is.
My only problems would be will story lines such as Mojo, He's just so pointless to me.'Wolverine...' does handle one of my pet peeves well which makes me enjoy it.This is time travel...Normally I don't care for it.In the 90's X-men series I thought it was used to much and different futures meant too much messing with the storyline and seemed pointlessness to me.
As for Wolverine being a leader.It makes sense in this context.If Scott is off mourning Jean's disappearance and Xavier is missing, it would make sense that Wolverine would be the one to rally the X-men and save the cause with such determination.
Last two points and then I'll shut up and go get a life.Thankfully this series has used characters not really shown in the cartoon or not portrayed well and has stayed faithful to a lot of them.It has thought about their uses as characters and given the X-men franchise a wider feel again.
My only concern really is that with so much action and storyline and characters taken up into the first series, what will be left for season 2 before they tread stories that seem to 'jump the shark'
In conclusion.This is my favourite so far and actually pushes to the X-men future while staying true to the past that has made this franchise so beloved.
When we saw that there would be a 4th go at the animated cartoon side of the X-men I didn't know what to think.I though..oh another plug for an X-Men film that would die away.Now I've actually watched most of the series on the BBC player...I think even though it is the first series, it might be the best yet...
I know a lot of people would disagree that Wolverine and the X-men is the best, especially after 'X-men Evolution' not shining as well as maybe it should have.'Evolution' was OK but I found it to be a bit 'try-hard' in the teenage-fitting-in area.It seemed to have slowed down the whole story as well.For me though.This latest series is more realistic, more cutting edge, more thoughtfully written and more poignant of all the series.
'Wolverine...' though takes the franchise by the horns and runs with all of it's might.The animation is excellent and more realistic then any of the other X-men cartoons.The detail on the X-mansion and Genosha is quite a task but it's pulled off brilliantly.The characters act like real people with real problems.
SPOILER PART***sorry but one episode has stayed with me for the past few days, It's the episode that focuses on Angel and a confrontation with his dad with for a cartoon was quite emotionally deep,Nearing the end of the episode it not only showed a fragile side to Angel but a side to how much Wolverine is aware of what his past might have been.
Another focusing on Scott and his memories of Jean Grey stays true to the myths of the X-men but also a lot of depth that normally is not portrayed in Cyclops hence why he is back seated by so many fans The Hulk episode really did nothing for me to be honest.I think the X-men stay true in their separate universe but it was an episode still handled well I love that we get to see characters such as Dust and Blink. I wished that Arclight was more the 'Omahyra Mota' type from the film then the guy I found.Hopefull we will get to see Callisto and Havok soon*** OK back into it.Yeah the characters have...well character.Kitty has attitude as does Emma Frost.Storm is gentle yet strong.Nightcrawler is subdued yet not wooden.Iceman is goofy but fun.This Magneto takes on Ian Mckellan's Magneto's brilliant disdain for Humanity...and I do actually think Sinister is quite human like in this but shows that he has gone down the path that has brought him to be who he is.
My only problems would be will story lines such as Mojo, He's just so pointless to me.'Wolverine...' does handle one of my pet peeves well which makes me enjoy it.This is time travel...Normally I don't care for it.In the 90's X-men series I thought it was used to much and different futures meant too much messing with the storyline and seemed pointlessness to me.
As for Wolverine being a leader.It makes sense in this context.If Scott is off mourning Jean's disappearance and Xavier is missing, it would make sense that Wolverine would be the one to rally the X-men and save the cause with such determination.
Last two points and then I'll shut up and go get a life.Thankfully this series has used characters not really shown in the cartoon or not portrayed well and has stayed faithful to a lot of them.It has thought about their uses as characters and given the X-men franchise a wider feel again.
My only concern really is that with so much action and storyline and characters taken up into the first series, what will be left for season 2 before they tread stories that seem to 'jump the shark'
In conclusion.This is my favourite so far and actually pushes to the X-men future while staying true to the past that has made this franchise so beloved.
Wolverine and the X-Men
archangel2525 January 2009
I have just seen it and I will have to say that it is at least better than X-Men: Evolution ONLY story-wise and having them in their comic book costumes. I still do not like the artwork and I am tired of Wolverine being the focal point even though he is the most popular X-Men character. I'm sorry, as long as Cyclops is still alive, he is just not a leader. X-Men: Animated Series was only better because of the artwork and their individual costumes that they worn doing that time in the comic books. What was wrong with that series is the X-Men team line-up and rebooting of some of the comic books stories that was made for the show including acting like they do not know characters who were original team members (Iceman and Angel/Archangel) or new team members (Nightcrawler, Colossus, Banshee) in some of the episodes.
Not as good as the original 90s series, but better than Evolution
TheLittleSongbird30 September 2012
I've always liked X-Men, and Wolverine and the X-Men does nothing to change that. It is a great series that is almost as good(if not quite) as the brilliant 90s series, and much more consistent than the decent but problematic X-Men Evolution. I really wish that Storm had more personality, all too often she was just there with very little to her. On the other hand, it does look great, with some very dark and detailed animation with fluid character designs to boot. The music has atmosphere and the intro is catchy as it ought to be. The writing has some clever, without being out-of-place, jokes as well as having a real arch quality to it, while the story lines complete with exciting action sequences, intense yet moving character arcs and a real sense of involvement are incredibly compelling. Apart from Storm I loved the characters, Wolverine is a charismatic leader, Nightcrawler is every bit as good, Magneto is wonderfully disdainful and Mr Sinister perfectly lives up to his name with some humanity to him also. Emma Frost is also very well done. The voice acting is just great, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more perfect choice for Mr Sinister as Clancy Brown in particular. So overall, a wonderful series. 9/10 Bethany Cox
The best X-men animated series
danielteixeira12 June 2022
Excellent!
vze3vhtf7 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
To date, the X-Men have had four animated incarnations on TV.
The first was 1989's " Pryde of the X-Men "(unless you count some sporadic appearances of X-Men characters in episodes of " Spiderman & His Amazing Friends ", from the early 1980's).
Then from 1992-97, Fox network aired, " X-Men ", which used some the art from " Pryde ", but was much more involved.
After the release of the first live action film in 2000, " X-Men Evolution " aired on Kids WB, though I still don't understand to this day why the main characters were made to be high school students?
So the latest version is "Wolverine and the X-Men", which is, in a word-Excellent!
In W.A.T.X.M., the more purist characters and atmosphere of the 1992 series, is combined with the superior graphics of ' Evolution '.
The result is a show that is superior to its predecessors in nearly every way-I say NEARLY because the writing & voice acting of the 1992 series still remains unmatched in my opinion. This series also seems to closely follow the continuity of the live action films.
In addition, it should be noted that the late Boyd Kirkland, who was one of the creators of the original ' Batman: The Animated Series ', served as Producer on both " Evo ", and " W.A.T.X.M. ".
M
The first was 1989's " Pryde of the X-Men "(unless you count some sporadic appearances of X-Men characters in episodes of " Spiderman & His Amazing Friends ", from the early 1980's).
Then from 1992-97, Fox network aired, " X-Men ", which used some the art from " Pryde ", but was much more involved.
After the release of the first live action film in 2000, " X-Men Evolution " aired on Kids WB, though I still don't understand to this day why the main characters were made to be high school students?
So the latest version is "Wolverine and the X-Men", which is, in a word-Excellent!
In W.A.T.X.M., the more purist characters and atmosphere of the 1992 series, is combined with the superior graphics of ' Evolution '.
The result is a show that is superior to its predecessors in nearly every way-I say NEARLY because the writing & voice acting of the 1992 series still remains unmatched in my opinion. This series also seems to closely follow the continuity of the live action films.
In addition, it should be noted that the late Boyd Kirkland, who was one of the creators of the original ' Batman: The Animated Series ', served as Producer on both " Evo ", and " W.A.T.X.M. ".
M
Common Modern Marvel Show
night_wng200027 January 2010
I rated this lower than I typically would, as I love Marvel, mainly because I haven't been very impressed with the past few years' attempts to re-invent the X-Men series. Opposite that thought, I do enjoy watching them, and don't plan to miss any shows, however mundane I think the story-line is. It will only get worse, now that Stan has sold interest to Disney. But, I recommend this to all Marvel fans.
I do disagree with another poster, who mentioned his disappointment, in having Wolverine be the leader of the team. This poster must not be a true fan, or know much about the original comics, because Wolverine is the bedrock of the X-Men, a natural leader, and has been so since the early days. I only wish the writers would put less attention to the characters' personal relationships, and focus more on the mission or crisis. It's irritating to see an action show or toon turned into a romantic drama, just so the producers can try to draw in a certain demographic of viewers. Enjoy it for what it is, and don't look for deeper meaning.
I do disagree with another poster, who mentioned his disappointment, in having Wolverine be the leader of the team. This poster must not be a true fan, or know much about the original comics, because Wolverine is the bedrock of the X-Men, a natural leader, and has been so since the early days. I only wish the writers would put less attention to the characters' personal relationships, and focus more on the mission or crisis. It's irritating to see an action show or toon turned into a romantic drama, just so the producers can try to draw in a certain demographic of viewers. Enjoy it for what it is, and don't look for deeper meaning.
Frustrating
DarthBill18 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
PLOT IN A NUTSHELL: When a mysterious explosion destroys half the Institute and results in the disappearances of both Professor Charles Xavier and Jean Grey, the X-Men disband. Logan, AKA: Wolverine, he of the short temper to match his short stature & adamantium claws, then takes it upon himself to reunite the X-Men and resume fighting for Xavier's dream. Throw in mystery guest Emma Frost, a bad future, & the Phoenix, and you have season 1 of Wolvie & the X-Men.
Calling the series terrible wouldn't be fair, but it is built on a flimsy premise - Wolverine becoming the leader of the X-Men. Let's be honest, Wolverine as the X-Men's leader is absurd, it is the stuff of fan fiction, which is what this series often feels like: an overzealous Wolverine fan's fan fiction brought to life, albeit with a soft spot for Nightcrawler. The inherent flimsiness of the show's premise is made all the more apparent by inconsistent, hit or miss writing. Some episodes work okay as empty headed actioners, while others flirt with interesting ideas (such as Xavier as an active player in the future), but on the whole many episodes feel hollow.
Another flaw is Wolverine himself - his flaws are actually downplayed to the point of barely existing. Though the creative team behind this series (also the same team that handled X-Men: Evolution) went to great lengths in all the press material to say they were going to depict Wolverine as a flawed & unlikely leader, but not a single episode really shows this. His mistakes are usually minor, no one but Emma really points this out, and even when he borders on being a hypocrite he's still right in the end. Too bad, considering that he had a good voice actor in Steve Blum, who sounds pretty much the way you expect Wolverine to sound (at times Blum even sounds like Cathal "Cal" Dodd, who voiced Wolverine in the 90s series).
Another problem is the balancing act of characters - while some characters such as villains Magneto & Mr. Sinister are used well (getting Clancy Brown to voice Mr. Sinister was a stroke of genius) along with Emma Frost in her big debut as a regular cast member, others are not. Of the X-Men only Nightcrawler emerged as a strong character in his own right, & Kurt's solo episodes are easily the best the series has to offer (Angel had potential but wasn't really utilized beyond a few episodes before he became Ark Angel). The team dynamic of the X-Men is not strongly established, since the others are often ignored or not fleshed out beyond their cipher roles, & for the most part they show very little genuine concern for each other (such as giving up on Angel when he turns into Ark Angel). Perhaps that was deliberate to show how disconnected they are under Wolverine's leadership, but I doubt it.
This brings me to what may be the series biggest failure character wise: Cyclops/Scott Summers. I have always been a Cyclops fan, but there was nothing about this version of him that was particularly sympathetic. With better writing the idea of Cyclops & Wolverine swapping roles may have been moderately interesting, but it quickly becomes apparent that Cyclops doesn't work in the role of angry loner because he doesn't have the same luck Wolverine usually has in that role. While Wolverine's flaws can turn into strengths at the drop of a hat, Cyclops is made to look like a chump when he tries to do what Wolverine is known for, like going off on his own or not being a team player. Where the experiment truly fails is "Breakdown", a ham-fisted reworking of Scott's origin that incorrectly casts him as the laughingstock of the original 5, a hopelessly incompetent wimp who couldn't handle one basic training simulation & needed Jean to lead him by the hand & tell him what to do when facing off with Magneto, then years later an emotionally volatile man-brat who physically assaulted Wolverine when he thought the clawed one was trying to steal Jean from him, and then fell apart when Jean disappeared. They boiled Scott down to the stereotype that he is nothing without Jean, & gave him no positive qualities or growth to compensate. We never see him when he was at his best, which makes it difficult to swallow his fall from grace since he apparently had no grace period to fall from. Not once do we ever see anything resembling the hero from the comics, the efficient & fearless leader who fought for Xavier's Cause like a knight defending the Holy Grail. This version of Scott deserves sympathy from no one, & certainly doesn't deserve either Jean or Emma. Yeah, Scott had a crappy life, but so did Magneto. Though a fine actor, Nolan North can't save this walking shack of faults characterization.
On the flip-side of Scott's poor characterization is the utter lack of characterization for Storm (saddled with a horrible character design), the real co-leader & 2nd in command when Scott isn't around. For the most part Storm is just there to fill up scenery & has little to contribute beyond an occasional thunderbolt. The writers didn't even try to offer a reason for why Storm didn't take over as leader, despite years of stories that show what a natural leader she is, which is all the more unfortunate considering that Wolverine got along better with Storm in charge than he did with Cyclops. Where Cyclops had to nearly twist Wolverine's arm to make him do anything he didn't want, Storm could get him to settle down & behave himself just through the sheer strength of her personality.
Season 1 gets 5 out of 10 stars for certain characterizations (Nightcrawler, Emma Frost, etc.), occasionally interesting ideas & competent voice actors, but loses points for inconsistent writing & insincere handling of other characters.
Calling the series terrible wouldn't be fair, but it is built on a flimsy premise - Wolverine becoming the leader of the X-Men. Let's be honest, Wolverine as the X-Men's leader is absurd, it is the stuff of fan fiction, which is what this series often feels like: an overzealous Wolverine fan's fan fiction brought to life, albeit with a soft spot for Nightcrawler. The inherent flimsiness of the show's premise is made all the more apparent by inconsistent, hit or miss writing. Some episodes work okay as empty headed actioners, while others flirt with interesting ideas (such as Xavier as an active player in the future), but on the whole many episodes feel hollow.
Another flaw is Wolverine himself - his flaws are actually downplayed to the point of barely existing. Though the creative team behind this series (also the same team that handled X-Men: Evolution) went to great lengths in all the press material to say they were going to depict Wolverine as a flawed & unlikely leader, but not a single episode really shows this. His mistakes are usually minor, no one but Emma really points this out, and even when he borders on being a hypocrite he's still right in the end. Too bad, considering that he had a good voice actor in Steve Blum, who sounds pretty much the way you expect Wolverine to sound (at times Blum even sounds like Cathal "Cal" Dodd, who voiced Wolverine in the 90s series).
Another problem is the balancing act of characters - while some characters such as villains Magneto & Mr. Sinister are used well (getting Clancy Brown to voice Mr. Sinister was a stroke of genius) along with Emma Frost in her big debut as a regular cast member, others are not. Of the X-Men only Nightcrawler emerged as a strong character in his own right, & Kurt's solo episodes are easily the best the series has to offer (Angel had potential but wasn't really utilized beyond a few episodes before he became Ark Angel). The team dynamic of the X-Men is not strongly established, since the others are often ignored or not fleshed out beyond their cipher roles, & for the most part they show very little genuine concern for each other (such as giving up on Angel when he turns into Ark Angel). Perhaps that was deliberate to show how disconnected they are under Wolverine's leadership, but I doubt it.
This brings me to what may be the series biggest failure character wise: Cyclops/Scott Summers. I have always been a Cyclops fan, but there was nothing about this version of him that was particularly sympathetic. With better writing the idea of Cyclops & Wolverine swapping roles may have been moderately interesting, but it quickly becomes apparent that Cyclops doesn't work in the role of angry loner because he doesn't have the same luck Wolverine usually has in that role. While Wolverine's flaws can turn into strengths at the drop of a hat, Cyclops is made to look like a chump when he tries to do what Wolverine is known for, like going off on his own or not being a team player. Where the experiment truly fails is "Breakdown", a ham-fisted reworking of Scott's origin that incorrectly casts him as the laughingstock of the original 5, a hopelessly incompetent wimp who couldn't handle one basic training simulation & needed Jean to lead him by the hand & tell him what to do when facing off with Magneto, then years later an emotionally volatile man-brat who physically assaulted Wolverine when he thought the clawed one was trying to steal Jean from him, and then fell apart when Jean disappeared. They boiled Scott down to the stereotype that he is nothing without Jean, & gave him no positive qualities or growth to compensate. We never see him when he was at his best, which makes it difficult to swallow his fall from grace since he apparently had no grace period to fall from. Not once do we ever see anything resembling the hero from the comics, the efficient & fearless leader who fought for Xavier's Cause like a knight defending the Holy Grail. This version of Scott deserves sympathy from no one, & certainly doesn't deserve either Jean or Emma. Yeah, Scott had a crappy life, but so did Magneto. Though a fine actor, Nolan North can't save this walking shack of faults characterization.
On the flip-side of Scott's poor characterization is the utter lack of characterization for Storm (saddled with a horrible character design), the real co-leader & 2nd in command when Scott isn't around. For the most part Storm is just there to fill up scenery & has little to contribute beyond an occasional thunderbolt. The writers didn't even try to offer a reason for why Storm didn't take over as leader, despite years of stories that show what a natural leader she is, which is all the more unfortunate considering that Wolverine got along better with Storm in charge than he did with Cyclops. Where Cyclops had to nearly twist Wolverine's arm to make him do anything he didn't want, Storm could get him to settle down & behave himself just through the sheer strength of her personality.
Season 1 gets 5 out of 10 stars for certain characterizations (Nightcrawler, Emma Frost, etc.), occasionally interesting ideas & competent voice actors, but loses points for inconsistent writing & insincere handling of other characters.
Great, consistent animated series
hodgesdanny5 August 2022
Excellent animated series. It's a shame it didn't get a second season. It's much sturdier and more consistent than X-Men: Evolution and almost as good as the 90s series. The cast is great, the animation looks sharp, and there are some engaging story and character arcs, particularly Magneto, Gambit, Nightcrawler, etc.
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