To me, me X-Men. While those words are said by Cyclops in the trailer for the highly anticipated revival of the beloved animated series, I am happy to say everyone who grew up in the 90s can say the same thing. X-Men ‘97 picks up right where X-Men: The Animated Series left off, with the mutant team coping with the death (at least as far as Earth is concerned) of Charles Xavier. And thanks to this new series, we can be transported right back a time where we watched these heroes in action.
Of course, that nostalgia trip begins with the return of the iconic theme song, which accompanies an updated recreation of the old series’ opening title sequence. The theme itself is only slightly altered but it still hits all of those same notes that will put you right back on your couch with a bowl of your favorite sugary cereal and you wolverine pajamas on. You know, the ones with the feet that have those little rubber grips. You know you had them. Interestingly, the opening sequence does change a bit with each episode and it will be fun to see if that continues through the entire series.
The series also delivers an impressive updated animation that mirrors the 90s style of the original series ot the point that it’s, dare I say, uncanny. It’s refreshing to see this style of art again and, in some of the more close-up shots of our favorite characters, it almost even appears a bit grainy to further return us to the time period in which the show is set. There are a few brief moments that almost feel as though you are watching an anime, but they don’t last long.
X-Men ‘97 also returns much of the voice cast from the original series, with each actor returning to their respective roles seamlessly. Alison Sealy-Smith particularly shines at Storm, reprising the weather goddess with a thunderous performance in the early episodes. Newcomer Jennifer Hale also stands out as Jean Grey, adding a lot of heart and emotion to the series.
And just like the original series, this one beautifully gives various characters some time in the spotlight. Perhaps the performances of Sealy-Smith and Hale stand out the most because the first handful of episodes put more focus on Storm and Jean Grey, but other characters also have their moments. There are also bread crumbs being laid out for future stories that will give some of those other characters more time to shine.
And while the series doesn’t fall into the trap of providing nothing bu fan service, it does offer up just enough. There are plenty of exciting nods to stories and character that will make longtime fans happy. Morph especially provides a lot of these fun moments, briefly transforming into various characters.
Speaking of which, this series is a wildly fun adaptation of beloved comic book stories. Much like the original series, X-Men ‘97 makes some slight alterations to its source material, in order to fit these stories into a half hour runtime. Slightly simplified versions of some of your favorite X-Men stories are told in this series and they are done in a way that will make both comic faithfuls and new fans happy.
Of course, this new series can’t jus be exactly like the old one. These are heroes who have been through countless battles against the likes of Apocalypse, Sabretooth, Omega Red and so many other iconic villains. A simple fight against a few Sentinels just isn’t going to cut it. This series delivers bigger action, while also throwing in more depth and emotion to balance it out and bring a beloved animated series into the present day in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re watching something that went off the air almost 30 years ago.
Overall, X-Men ‘97 is everything fans of the original series want it to be. It brings us right back to the series that, for soe many of us, opened the door to the Marvel Universe. The characters, the stories and even the animation bring that old series back to life, thanks to the voices of the returning cast. And yet, it still feels like something new. It adapts more classic X-Men comic stories in a way that fans can enjoy even if they don’t share that nostalgia for the 90s series. But mostly, it will make X-Men fans smile as they hear that extraordinary theme song once again.
The first two episodes of Marvel Animation’s X-Men ‘97 are streaming now on Disney+, with new episodes coming every Wednesday.