It’s probably fair to say that I’m not the biggest Aquaman buff. However, when I heard there would be a new animated mini-series event based around the King of the Seven Seas… I was somewhat excited! Over the next three weeks, I’ll be sharing my thoughts and reactions to said new animated series and weighing up DC and HBO Max’s new venture into alternative animation.
Voice Acting To Conquer the Seven Seas
Firstly, I’m not the biggest critic when it comes to voice acting, but I must say. The voice acting in this show, is pretty impressive! Personal favourite for me, was Dana Stryder, who voices Ocean Master. Ocean Master appears at the very start of the show, demanding his revenge on Aquaman, in what I can only describe as a hilarious scene. Furthermore, Aquaman is voiced by Cooper Andrews, who will be familiar to many DC fans. Andrews is the actor who portrays Victor Vasquez in both Shazam films. Andrews provides a lovable and fun side to Aquaman, a somewhat new portrayal which is extremely welcomed.
Additionally, Gillian Jacobs provides the voice of Mera. Jacobs has accumulated quite a few voice acting roles alongside her popular appearance as Britta in Community. Thomas Lennon provides the voice of Vulko, Aquaman’s trusty advisor. Unfortunately, Vulko takes somewhat of a backseat role in the first episode. However, I assume more screen time in the later parts. All four actors give some good performances! I was thoroughly impressed, to say the least!
Aquaman’s Animation Style
Moreover, the show has a different style of animation, which I was a big fan of. Additionally, I’d argue the new art style gives off a younger, lighter tone, with extreme facial reactions at points. The style is reminiscent of quirky shows that also appeal to adults, such as Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and Regular Show. I firmly believe this show wouldn’t work as well as it would if the show opted for a basic or more CG-centric animated style, something akin to Young Justice, maybe.
Furthermore, there are some great sequences throughout the episode, with some cool action that looks as if it’s come straight from a comic book, and it is awesome, to say the least! I was a huge fan of the stylistic choices with the colours too, and the fact that the show has a separate identity from the DCEU’s film series.
Is it a worthy ‘Aquaman’ title?
Definitely, I would say yes. The story follows Aquaman and Mera as they search for the mysterious Outpost 4, which Atlantis haven’t heard from in a long time. I think the episode is quite a fun one, and definitely introduces us to this fun new world, which I would argue the main Aquaman films wouldn’t necessarily show us. The pair end up finding the Outpost, however, its found hidden under a huge mound of sand…
Moreover, I’d argue the show is very kid-ish at times, whilst sometimes a few jokes here and there are aimed at older audiences. I believe the show is set to debut on Cartoon Network, so that possibly best explains the show’s intended demographic. I wouldn’t say this is off-putting, but I would love to see some R-rated comic book animation further down the line on HBO Max.
‘Aquaman: King of Atlantis’ Chapter 1 – Final Thoughts
In conclusion, I really enjoyed the opening iteration of this Arthur Curry-centric mini-series. I was a big fan of the ending, as it sort of ends on a cliffhanger involving a certain character… I’m excited to see where this goes, too, and look forward to the next episode!
Aquaman: King of Atlantis – “Dead Sea” begins streaming exclusively on HBO Max, Thursday 14th October
