Clone Wars

Four words to describe this cartoon series:
Better than the movie.

The Force is done they way everyone has come to view the Force in Starwars, fight scenes are huge and epic, furthermore, you don't get the sense that they are just throwing CG in the whole time. Animated by Genny Tartakovsky, it carries his distinctive flair (he worked on Samurai Jack, Powerpuff Girls, and Dexters Lab). The style fits the sound, the environment and action that is going on in this crazy galactic war as one side fights for control.


This series was unfortunately originally broken into small 5-10 minute episodes that were played on cartoon network over the course of... six months or so coming up to the release of Episode III. The plots vary and more or less are a bridging series of events between Episode II and Episode III when Lucas realized that in most of the Star Wars movies, the Clone Wars in a pivotal moment in the story, but you get to see the beginning of it and end of it. You never really get to see the grand scale of what an interplanetary battle would be like. This series is just that and nothing more. It is short, to the point, and moves along. There are no "WHOA, PLOT DEVICE" moments, other than a few little things that push Anakin more and more to the dark side, and why Grievous is so pathetic in Ep. III despite being able to, in cannon, hold himself against several jedi knights with ease. Maybe my favorite part of this series, Grievous in particular is made out how he is supposed to be. Freaking scary. Able to rip through storm troopers, and acrobatically wield two or three light sabers and be an overall wrecking ball.

For those who love Star Wars or need convincing to love it, this is a great way to do so. Better acting than in the movies, Anakin isn't a whiny useless brat, and each small series is a little unit that can be watched all at once in just a little over an hour or so.

(This is reason enough to watch it)