Old Show With a New Coat of Paint

When the original She-Ra: Princess of Power came out in the 80s the goal was to sell toys. The show was a spin-off from the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe that was meant to cash in off the success of the predecessor by marketing to little girls.

Despite its less than stellar start, the show is remembered fondly by kids of the past as being a campy show with general messages of friendship, love, and action.

So when it was announced that She-Ra would be getting a reboot, fans were hesitant, to say the least. Now that the series has come out that worry was not necessary. 

Does that mean everyone will love it? No, but what it does is good.

The new series changed the name slightly, instead of going by the name She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. The change is small yet is pretty telling of the story you are going to get.

Character Driven Story and Adventures

The story follows Adora an ex-horde fighter who must learn to wield a sword that gives her the power to turn to She-Ra while dealing with her negative past.

Along with Adora are other protagonists include Glimmer, a headstrong princess looking to prove herself while dealing with her protective mother during wartime.

There is also Bow, best friend to Glimmer and an archer who just wants to help everyone.

The plot mainly focuses on character development primarily from Adora, Glimmer, and another character we’re introduced to earlier on.

Though it should be noted this a big cast of characters with varying degrees of importance. Despite this most of the characters have enough time to get a feel for their motives.

And yes there is action and for the most part, it’s well executed.

However there are times where resolutions feel sped up, but even then it’s not disorientating.

The animation lends itself well to everything giving it a style while not having same face syndrome. For instance, the character designs are fun and different while still fitting together. 

Fighting scenes look pretty good and the lighting looks nice. Nothing feels overpowering.

The pace of the show is very precise and well thought out. The creators know what they want to do and it shows in the story.

A Charming Story for the Next Generation

That being said this show is made for a younger audience in mind. Certain things won’t appeal to older audiences and yet it’s charming.

The show is simultaneously endearing while being very campy. Above all, it’s about princesses, friendships, and fighting bad guys while wearing pretty clothes.

Yet it wants audiences to watch these characters grow and get better or worse.

It doesn’t feel forced and it wants to tell a story that’ll make you feel like a kid wanting an adventure. And it does that well.

The whole show is available on Netflix to watch and as for a second season, there’s been no word yet on that.

A print version of this article appeared on Tuesday, Nov. 27th. This article was adjusted for the purpose of an online publication.