The following show critique portion of this review was written by my colleague Ben Belcher.
Back in 2003, the world at large was formally introduced to one of the best young superhero teams ever assembled. When there was evil on the attack, you could rest knowing they had your back. When the world needed heroes on patrol… there were the Teen Titans. Batman’s former sidekick Robin (Scott Menville) would lead the team consisting of: Starfire (Hynden Walch) an alien princess with incredible super powers, Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) a green teen who can shapeshift into any animal, Raven (Tara Strong) a tortured young enchantress with a dark past, and Cyborg (Khary Payton) a half-man/half-machine with all the power of both.
Teen Titans set itself apart from other animated series from DC and WB by drawing heavy influence from eastern media. The series had a much more “anime-esque” style to it as a result. This allowed for incredibly expressive and over-the-top character moments as well as super stylized action that always kept you on the edge of your seat. The show could transition almost seamlessly from a dramatic and intense scene to comedic with a simple animation queue; most of which were also borrowed from anime. The characters are dramatic and intense while still managing to be endearing and likable.
The music and sound design took influence from anime and eastern media as well. This is apparent right from the start of every episode. PuffyAmiYumi did the original theme song, that may or may not be playing as I type this, as well as the remix for the follow-up series, Teen Titans, GO! This music was your immediate introduction to the show and this world, and it fit perfectly. It was upbeat and poppy, but with a hint at mystery and something sinister. The musical stings drip with early 2000’s rock, but it doesn’t feel off. It works well with the pacing of the action scenes, and can underscore the dramatic moments surprisingly well. Episodes revolving around specific villains like Mad Mod (Malcolm McDowell) and Trigon (Kevin Michael Richardson) use clever character themes that help to underscore the characters that they were written for while still feeling like a cohesive part of the series score. Slade (Ron Perlman), for example, has a very ominous and minimal theme that lends to his mystery and aloofness.
The series starts as though the team has been together for a while, and as such their dynamics are already established. We don’t get an origin story for the Titans like we did for the Justice League, and I think this is to the show’s favor. We get to know these characters organically as the best versions of themselves, and there’s something special about that. Each of them obviously has baggage that gets explained throughout the series, but having it not all be frontloaded into the first few episodes helps the show breathe and lets you see them deal with these issues rather than just be told about them. Every character feels deep and could easily be someone’s favorite, and I couldn’t fault them for it.
Like Batman and Superman before them, the Titans’ series would be a mostly episodic affair with a few threads extending throughout the course of the series. Early on there is the mystery as to the identity and whereabouts of Slade. This arc would adapt one of the Titan’s most famous comic book storylines, the Judas Contract, and lead into the following arcs with Trigon, Brother Blood (John DiMaggio) and H.I.V.E., and finally the Brain (Glenn Shadix). Teen Titans would also follow in their footsteps in other ways. After a whirlwind five seasons over four years, the series was abruptly canceled. Many fans were left wondering if they would ever see their beloved Titans again. Years would go by and other iterations would come and go until, finally, in 2013 they returned… sort of.
Teen Titans would be retooled into the more kid-friendly and comedic Teen Titans, GO! starring the original cast reprising their roles with a sillier twist. Many hardcore fans saw this as a betrayal and boycotted the show on principal, or simply out of spite. Regardless, the retooled series has actually lasted longer than its original predecessor and has even managed to spawn a theatrical movie in its own right.
Clearly there is a love for these characters, and Teen Titans is where that love truly stems from. Many of us may have been aware of the team, but we didn’t fall in love with them until this show. Cyborg would never have made it to the Justice League without Teen Titans. Robin would still consistently be the butt of jokes. No one would have their love of Beast Boy! The point of all this is to say, it’s a wonderful series that gave birth to a fandom that isn’t going away anytime soon. TITANS, GO!
Video Quality
Teen Titans honestly looks marvelous on Blu-Ray with its 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Warner Archive gives each season one disc plus a separate disc for Trouble In Tokyo for a six-disc collection. If your only exposure to this show is the original broadcast or DVD versions, you will be knocked out by the jump in quality. While the streaming version is also quite strong, these Blu-Ray discs help clean up the image by eliminating any nasty compression artifacts or digital nuisances of that nature. Colors are incredibly vibrant and bold throughout the entire run. The animation style lends itself to clean character outlines brought to life with thin lines, along with some very expressive backgrounds that look wonderful in high definition. There is the occasional jagged line or background banding, but overall deficiencies in the transfer are rare. There is no visible damage or dirt that was spotted while checking out these episodes. Everything looks sparklingly new and crystal clear. Black levels run very deep with no crush detected. This presentation really dazzles in all respects.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a forceful DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track for the five seasons plus a deliciously bombastic DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio lossless soundtrack for Trouble In Tokyo that serves the show well. Dialogue is given priority in the track with a crisp, clear presentation in the center speaker that subtly creeps into surrounds during moments where different environments are being engaged. Music is incredibly immersive with stings accentuating certain scenes. Sound effects from action scenes and other kinetic moments provide a nice punch in the low end that is appreciated. The show employs a good use of environmental effects that are directionally accurate within the mix. All in all, this is an excellent audio presentation that brings the show to vibrant life. This release comes with optional English SDH subtitles for those who desire them.
Special Features
Season One
- Finding Their Voices – Making Teen Titans: An eight-minute featurette in which the creative team discusses establishing the world and tone in the first season, casting the right voices for these roles, the qualities that the performers bring to the characters and more. There is some fun behind-the-scenes footage that you will want to check out.
- Comic Creations – From Comic Books To Cartoons: A 22-minute piece which explores the impact the property had on the creative team in their youth, the evolution of the property over the decades, the different tenets of the characters, how being teenagers affect the narrative, the adaptation of the heroes and villains for the show, the tone and more.
- Puffy AmiYumi Music Video: A three-and-a-half minute music video for the theme song.
- Sneak Peek At Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi TV Show: A 40-second snippet of another animated show.
- Puffy AmiYumi Interview: A 13-minute interview with the group behind the theme song conducted by Robin in which they discuss getting involved with the show, the lyrics for the song, the response to the song, what powers they would want and more.
- Toon Topia Bonus Cartoon – The Hiros Episodes 1 & 2: Two brief cartoons totaling nearly nine minutes are provided here in standard definition. These are both amusing and worth checking out.
Season Two
- Catching Up With Teen Titans: A five-minute recap of events from the first season which might help prepare those who take an extended break between seasons. This is composed solely of previously aired clips.
Season Three
- Know Your Foes: A 15-minute featurette in which Producer David Slack, series story editor Amy Wolfram, series story editor Rob Hoegee, and voice-casting/voice-director Andrea Romano discuss some of the key villains in the series and the performers who bring them to life including Slade, Red X, Blackfire, Brother Blood, Mumbo, and The Hive Trio. This is a fun look at some of the most memorable personalities.
Season Four
- Know Your Foes: A 15-minute featurette in which Producer David Slack, producer Glen Murakami, series story editor Rob Hoegee, series story editor Amy Wolfram, casting/voice director Andrea Romano, character designer Derrick Wyatt, and director Ben Jones discuss some of the key villains in the fourth season including Trigon, Control Freak, Bob & The Source, Mother Mae-Eye, and Billy Numerous. Those who watch the season three piece will know what to expect.
Season Five
- Teen Titans – Friends & Foes: A 25-minute featurette in which producer Glen Murakami, casting/voice director Andrea Romano, series story editor Amy Wolfram, series story editor Rob Hoegee, character designer Derrick Wyatt, director Michael Chang, and director Matt Youngberg take on the heroes and villains of the season. Much attention is paid to the Doom Patrol event crossover, but there are also discussions of Titans East, Honorary Titans, Kid Flash, Brotherhood of Evil, and the Gordanians.
Trouble In Tokyo
- The Lost Episode: A 12-minute episode that never made it to air is included here in high definition which features the Titans squaring off against a wicked rocker who is looking to stir up trouble on stage. This is a good bit of fun and should not be overlooked.
Final Thoughts
Teen Titans is one of the gems of the 2000s-era DC output with the perfect balance of daring storytelling and levity that most shows cannot nail. The show does an amazing job of serving up poignant character arcs along with breathtaking action sequences you will not soon forget. Teen Titans GO! has been on so long that it might be easy to forget the quality of this original iteration. While it is easy enough to stream, this is a show you want to own and in the best quality possible. The Blu-Ray set of the complete series from Warner Archive packs a punch and gives fans what they want in the A/V department along with some decent legacy extras. Any comic book fan would be better off having this show in their collection. Highly Recommended
Teen Titans: The Complete Series can be purchased directly through Warner Archive or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.