Guilty Pleasure Review #1- Steven Universe

Ok, needless to say that besides my part-time job I have a lot of time on my hands. A LOT. So I've started looking for new guilty pleasures that would help pass the time until my life is taken off *pause*. And this is how I found the delightful ahem, gem (pun intended, you'll get it soon enough), that is Steven Universe.

(In order left to right: Amethyst, Garnet, Pearl. Steven in the bottom)

The show follows the not-so-everyday life of Steven Universe, a young boy with mostly inaccessible magic powers ( he got them from his mom) who is being raised by three super powered  women called the Crystal Gems: Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. 

Steven's mom, Rose Quartz was once a Crystal Gem, too, but she gave up her physical form to bring him into the world after she fell in love with his father, Greg Universe. He's a failed musician that lives in his van.

(Greg and Rose Quartz)

Steven doesn't live with him, rather he lives with the Gems. Or, he is a Gem. He goes on missions with them and everything. The Gems all see him as a little brother, but he's still a team member. They don't treat him like nuisance. Sure Amethyst sometimes picks on him and Pearl is overprotective, but they are all always looking out for him as he trains to be a future gem himself. Shenanigans obviously ensue. Oh, and Garnet is a bad-ass. Don't mess with her or Steven. She'll teach you a lesson.

All the characters are well developed and have actual, deep relationships to one another. For instance, Pearl and Amethyst always butt heads, but remarks on how close they used to be are always being made. Then there is the large mythos behind the show: What exactly are the gems? Are there more of them? What are all the battles and places that are occasionally mentioned? Why did Steven's mom "die" and how come he got her gem? Why is Garnet *spoilers* a cyclops? This show is deep.

There is also the beautiful artwork on the show. The background and Beach City itself are just beautiful and definitely take a lot of time and love to make. Even the places-of-the-week are awesome!

There's a high level of artistic development going on here that most cartoons don't ever achieve (or want to). Its right up there with  Avatar: The Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra in both world building and art in my opinion.

The show originally got a lot of hype for being the first Cartoon network studios' show to be entirely created by a woman, Rebecca Sugar (she worked on Adventure Time, too). At first, the hype made me skeptical. It sort of sounded like they were making the show into a strange anomaly and was just a propaganda machine to increase female viewership of the network. Hey, what can I say? I'm a pessimist. 

I was so wrong. Rebecca Sugar made an awesome show that can attract female AND male viewers. The fact that 3 of the main characters are female doesn't make this a "girly" show. They kick ass and are respected and looked up to by Steven, a boy. Its going to be like how men love My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I'm calling it now. There will be male "gems" everywhere at Cons this Summer.

(Even Darth Vader is a Brony)

The shows are both so accessible to so many different kinds of audiences. Plus, the songs, man. They are so quirky, I love them!

(This gets stuck in you head. And just.Wont. Leave.)

I really hope that this show sticks around for a while, hopefully longer that the abomination that is Uncle Grandpa. That show is just....bad and gives me the creeps. And its over-hyped and over-played. Anyways, this show has the potential to be more epic and deserves a chance. It's funny, well-written, and beautifully drawn. Give it a chance!

So, will you be checking out the show? What are some of your favorite cartoons? Please feel free to comment below and, as always, subscribe and share if you likey~

*Steven Universe is the shit, thanks Rebecca Sugar. Also, Pinterest is still God!*