Your childhood, 2.0: Reboots and remakes for an aging generation

With 2014 coming to a close, many will look back in the past year of filmography fondly. Some, however, are looking back even further.

Some old school cartoons are seeing reboots, and some will be ready this upcoming year. This is great news for those in college who scarcely recall the 1990s, as only '90s kids will remember these shows in full.

Many are already familiar with cartoons that have been rebooted into blockbuster films, such as Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Smurfs and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Certain shows like Sailor Moon Crystal, Rainbow Brite and My Little Pony have just returned to television sets and more shows are to follow.

The Powerpuff Girls aired a 2014 Special at the beginning of the year that caused a demand for more. Just this past summer it was announced by Cartoon Network that The Powerpuff Girls will be rebooted for 2016. As with many of the cartoons, all the artwork will carry a new style with hopes to please new audiences as well as the old.

Sailor Moon Crystal’s debut was pushed back from summer 2013 to this past summer, and it’s combining the original series’ first two seasons into one. Many fans of the original manga are thrilled that the animators are attempting to stick to the original storyline.

The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was considered a flop by most critics, barely making it into the six point range for IMDb. The first Transformers film was well received by younger viewers, but adults who remembered the series from their childhood weren’t so keen on it. Both young and older audiences agree that the plethora of sequels have continued in a downward spiral.

There is a similar growing phase in the comic realm as well. The X-Men franchise has accumulated over $3 billion worldwide in its seven films alone. Another installment, titled X-Men: Apocalypse, is due May 2016.

For more information on cartoon reboots, be sure to look up your favorite shows or old cable television channels. Many more reboots are likely to follow in the trend. What shows are you looking forward to seeing again?

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