Steven Universe Review · 4:33am Mar 19th, 2015

Been a while since I reviewed anything, so what better way to come back than with one of my favorite shows? If there's any of you who haven't already seen the series, DO IT! This show is honestly brilliant in every way, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Allow me to give a more detailed reason why I just adore this series. Though, it'll be difficult to explain the truly great parts without spoiling anything.

The premise revolves around a group of females known as the Crystal Gems named Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, along with a young boy named Steven who's half human and half gem. The crystal gems are defenders to the people of Earth, though really no one knows them or what they do, so it's not really your typical superhero story. Beyond that, describing the series' events is difficult because, unlike other cartoons, the show combines elements of both fantasy-action and slice of life to create a cohesive story that flows through the whole series. Events that happen in episode 5 can come up again 30 episodes down the line, really rewarding long time viewers who understand the reference. If you're a fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Avatar the Last Airbender, you'll be familiar with the formula.

The stories are told are not afraid of getting emotionally heavy or tackling mature themes such as love, death, remorse, or dealing with one's inner flaws, giving it a depth that's not given enough credit in shows aimed for a younger audience. The show is also very self-aware, pointing out things that are strange or dumb on the surface and using them to add to the humor. It also pokes fun at things such as video games and anime tropes, tastefully using them for parodying the mediums. The series also has an ever-growing lore surrounding the Crystal Gems and their past, the bulk of which is used for the more dramatic moments, especially during the later episodes.

Presentation wise, the series succeeds with leaps and bounds. The style brings an element of realism with how its environments and characters appear with their more human elements, also blending in more dream-like and wondrous senses with their fantasy settings and creatures. The world is one that looks like that of our own, but dig deeper and it begins to look more like one of a child's imagination, in a good way.

The animation is very smooth and easy on the eyes, with characters that all look to match their personalities. Steven provides a feeling of child-like innocence and wonder, while the gems each individually give off their own sensations. Garnet is stoic and strong, Pearl is graceful and intelligent, and Amethyst is wild and fun-loving, but they later show layers you may not have expected from each of them. The side characters provide their own unique flares when needed, never feeling too intrusive when they show up.

Tones wildly vary. You may have one episode that's your average slice of life, another that follows a gem related adventure, and then a series of episodes that have a heavy atmosphere and sense of sorrow or deep joy. The mood always fits the needs of the story and the two never contrast. You feel excited during the action scenes, happy during the comedic parts, and anxious during the dramatic points. The music adds to this with often atmospheric pieces that help set the mood. Sometimes the music completely stops to add to weight of the scene. And the musical numbers will be stuck in your head for hours.

Overall, I highly recommend anyone here check out the series themselves. It's just the kinda show that makes you feel good, leaves you thinking, or haves you wanting more. Season 2 has just started and I could not be more excited to see just what they have in store for us.