As I write this review, a big budget film version of Speed Racer, the classic cartoon series from the 1960s that has retained a loyal cult following to this day, is about to be released in theaters. Whether it will rev up or crash and burn at the box office is the subject of some debate in certain circles of the Internet.

To capitalize on this film's release, Lionsgate presents Speed Racer: The Next Generation: The Beginning, the first episode of a new animated series to air on the Nicktoons Network. As its title would suggest, this cartoon is a continuation of the Speed Racer franchise rather than a reboot.

In this series, we are introduced to Speed, an orphan who at the start of the program is unaware of his lineage. He comes to a racing academy whose headmaster, Spritle (a character grown up from the original series and, in a nice bit of casting, voiced by octogenarian Peter Fernandez, the original voice of Speed Racer) takes an interest in his welfare. We also meet X, another son of Speed Racer, and a wide array of other students at the academy. This is a state of the art place of learning where kids come to learn how to race around virtual environments; I guess that's a growing career market. In any case, Speed and his friends build / rebuild Speed Racer's car. It has an engine that doesn't run on gas (a neat environmental idea that hopefully will be explored in future episodes) and certain evil corporate interests have a vested interest in not seeing this engine catch on.

Speed Racer: The Next Generation: The Beginning is a bit of a letdown. It's not bad, per se, as the characters are likeable enough in a Hanna Barbera kind of way. The computer generated animation, however, is disappointingly simplistic, especially in outdoor scenes where backgrounds are basic and bland. In addition, unlike a lot of other current animated fare on television, there aren't a whole lot of winks and nods to the adults watching the show. This is pretty much strictly for the kids.

Also, with a 66 minute run time, the feature seems comparatively short for a DVD release, especially in an age when television shows and cartoons are now typically packaged in season sets. If you're interested in seeing an updated take on Speed Racer, I'd suggest either watching it on Nicktoons if you have the channel or renting this. Considering the MSRP for this disc, it's probably best to wait and see if this episode will be included on a season one box set should one become available down the line.

The DVD

Video:

Speed Racer: The Next Generation: The Beginning is 4x3 full screen, assumedly representing the aspect ratio it's broadcast in on Nicktoons Network. Modern animation tends to look pretty good on DVD and this release is no exception: colors are bright and vivid. It's a shame that the animation itself isn't more detailed, especially with the backgrounds. There's some minor aliasing noticeable, especially with the rapid checker flag motif in the show's intro. And with so much of modern television now being produced in widescreen, the full screen format here seems somehow limiting in scope.

Sound:

The sole audio track is a strong Dolby Digital 5.1 that nicely mixes the soundtrack, the dialogue, and the special effects in a pleasing, straightforward manner.

Subtitles are also offered in English and Spanish.

Extras:

When the disc is played, trailers automatically precede the main menu for Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow {a new Marvel animated film coming in August 2008}, Speed Racer {the original animated series}, 24x24: Wide Open with Jeff Gordon, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles {original animated series}. These four trailers are made available collectively under a Trailer Gallery link in the "Special Features" menu.

This "Special Features" menu offers these additional extras:

The Making of Speed Racer: The Next Generation is a mildly interesting, hastily edited overview of the series with sound bytes from the series' creators and vocal talent. At just over 10 minutes, it isn't particularly in-depth and everyone involved gushes about how wonderful the show is in typical featurette fashion.

The Virtual Track Racing Game is a simulated game that asks children to use the up, down, right, and left arrow keys on their DVD player's remote to control the Mach 6 on the racing track. An announcer tells the user what to do, and animated arrows come up on the screen to indicate which button to press and when. It's decidedly simple and seems designed for the very young.

Meet the Folks at the Racing Academy provides biographical sketches of the characters on the television show: Speed, X, Conor, Lucy, Annalise Zazic, Zile Zazic, Jared & Jesse, Chim Chim, Headmaster Spritle, Professor Susan Winn, and Professor Armand Aniskou.

Final Thoughts:

Speed Racer: The Next Generation: The Beginning is an interesting curiosity that had just enough going for it to suggest the series could be a success if it were improved. As it is, given the short running length and so-so extras, I'd recommend those interested in this series either catch it on cable or rent this DVD. It'd be likely that this episode would be included on a first season DVD release, should one be forthcoming.

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