Animation series have a hard time standing out because they still carry a lot of stigma. Except for anime, which has a very dedicated audience, there is still the idea that animation is a children’s thing.
This means that wonderful series go under the radar of many people who would fall in love with great shows, like one of the best Superman series in decades, if not the best. Because My Adventures with Superman quietly premieres its third season, but is being praised by critics for a good reason: it is very good.
What You Are Missing
My Adventures with Superman is a series that premiered its first season on July 7, 2023. Although it is an American series, it is produced by a Korean studio and has a clear influence from anime, having a very simple premise: it is not exactly an origin story, but Clark Kent is still adapting to the process of being Superman. He is still coming to terms with being a superhero. And that is where the series comes from.
The series features Clark Kent as the protagonist, as it could not be otherwise, but the interest lies in how Superman is not yet the well-known and beloved hero by all and how Clark does not yet have complete certainty about what he should do at each moment. He has insecurity, indecision, doubts. He is, even, a bit more human than usual.
t the same time, both Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are starting their careers as a journalist and a photographer, respectively, being a significant part of the story. And since there is no hero without villains, Task Force X will ensure to create problems so that Superman must step up in accepting his superhero status.
In that sense, the most interesting thing about My Adventures with Superman is that it feels like a shonen. Like an anime aimed at teenage boys. It emphasizes the power of friendship, transformations, and battles, but that makes it different and interesting. And above all, it transparently hints at its inspirations. Superman’s transformation is inspired by Pretty Cure, and the series references classics like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, or Shin Godzilla, having that point of maturity where it is halfway between adolescence and adulthood: not exactly something for kids, not exactly for adults. It is something for both.
Perhaps that’s why it’s not surprising that, for its second season, they decided to air it directly on Adult Swim even though it is not specifically for adults. Because it has a tone that, while not entirely aimed at an adult audience, is still very enjoyable for them.
A series that has taken by storm
In addition, the series can boast of being an absolute success in everything related to critical reception. With a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it is all praise regarding the series. Even on Metacritic, where they tend to be much more critical, it has a surprising average score of 80, demonstrating a quality well above the average for series. Even if the audience is tremendously divided about it, loving it or hating it with no apparent middle ground.
But the critics seem to agree: it is a good series. Highlighting the charm and interest of its characters, the brilliance of the adaptation and absorption of its anime influences, and the strength of its dialogues, they acknowledge that, while not revolutionary, it is a remarkable Superman series. One that knows how to bring a character who does not always adapt to contemporary sensibilities into the present.
In addition, for the third season, which premieres this Sunday, June 14, we can expect something quite interesting. Adapting Reign of the Supermen, the arc that takes place during the tragic Death of Superman arc, where Clark Kent adopts four superhero identities to hide the fact that he is actually not dead, the series promises to do something very interesting with this season featuring one of the character’s most unique arcs. Making this third season the perfect time to get hooked on one of the best series of one of the world’s most beloved superheroes.
