Steven Universe: THE MOVIE. Was it the cat’s meow?

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

The Steven Universe Movie premiered on Cartoon Network on Labor Day of 2019 as a musical. The setting took place two years after the season 5 finale and a new villain was shown! A very stretchy pink one in fact! For long time fans, this was very welcoming. This would be the first movie for Steven Universe and a small glimpse into the future of the Crystal Gems after the season finale. But as with many movies and shows, let’s focus on different parts of the movie.

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

The animation for the show was pretty much the same, all except for the villain Spinel. Spinel was a nice flashback to the early shows in the 1930s where Rubber Hose Animation was used. This means that the characters were very stretchy in their fighting styles such as Popeye, Bugs Bunny, Woody WoodPecker, and Tom and Jerry, to name a few. Her fighting style was made to be a surprise so the opponent would not know what she was up to or figure out what she would do next. Punch from the left? Nope! She twisted it to the right! In front? She makes herself flat enough to slide underneath her opponent and get behind them unexpectedly and easily. This was a great fighting style for when she was a villain! 

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

Originally, Spinel was made to entertain and be a companion to Pink Diamond. Spinel would have a lot of antics such as playing tag and stretching her arm to tag the person, wrap her arms multiple times around someone, catching a friend that is falling by stretching her arms into the shape of a fishing rod and reeling them back up, etc. She is the definition of silly! She would also be playful and make faces to have her friends smile again if they were sad or upset. That was what she was made for: to make Pink Diamond smile...until Pink Diamond abandoned her in THEIR private garden to colonize earth and left her there for six thousand years :D Her silliness and stretching abilities would explain her purpose and was a good method of attack when fighting was more about strength, team work, and facing an opponent head on.

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

Most of the characters were still in the forms we saw them in the season finale, Pearl with her new jacket, Garnet and her 3 point shades, Peridot and her new form with a star, and we even got to see Bismuth in her overalls! Steven and Connie on the other hand, being human and all, did grow up a little. We finally got to see Steven with a neck! And his relationship with Connie grew as well as being more than, “Best Jam Buds.” Not much light was shed on that to confirm this in the movie alone.

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

Throughout the movie there was one other noticeable change in Steven. In the series Steven was young and optimistic. He would do his best to comfort others, push them to do their best, and tried very hard to overcome his obstacles. However, in the movie, Steven is  more blunt and panicky. He was not being positive and focused more on figuring out what to do and to get it done immediately. He did not have his powers anymore but was also in a rush to fix his friends before the planet was destroyed. Noticing the change made this kitty uneasy, but the situation and the fact that he is more grown up was understandable. Children can be optimistic and happy go lucky. As we become older, take things more seriously, work , etc, we become tired and find more joy in doing nothing and being with family and friends. He dismantled empires and was in Pink Diamond’s shoes for years for gems sake! With this in mind, I can understand the character development, much to my dismay.

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

The songs that each character sang were a bit much, in a sense of exaggeration, but very nice! The movie opened with a great song, “Other Friends.” At first the song seems very odd since there is no context to what she is saying but once you take a look back at the movie each line is very understandable and gave a hint to what happened to her and what was on her mind. This includes lines such as, “I’m the loser of the game you didn’t even know you were playing.” This line was a reference to the fact that Pink Diamond said she was playing a game with Spinel and left her in the garden. After she passed on Steven was “continuing” the game that he was not aware of. “What did she say about me what did she say? What did you do without me what did what did you do? What did you play without me what did you play?” This was a reference to the fact that she was hurt,  was forgotten, and was left out. She also immediately asks about games that they played games without her, hinting to her original purpose of being a friend. There were other great songs such as “Drift Away, Independent Together, Isn’t it Love”, and Garnet’s best song, “True Kinda Love.” Each song explained a moment, a character, and had a great tune! Each of these songs is worth listening to!

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

The story overall was very well done! A gem that was long forgotten, new fighting styles, shenanigans, music, fusions, and everything a person (or gem) could want! Great animation, execution, and character growth! But the ending was a bit dry on this sandpaper tongue. ::Warning: Rant:: There were some parts of the movie that were hard to understand and the ending was questionable. What was “The Truth” that Garnet was singing about? How was “change” the answer for Steven? Why did Steven let Spinel go with the Diamonds of all gems?! In the beginning of the movie the Diamonds wanted Steven to stay as a replacement for Pink Diamond. They knew he was not her but “he was her.” As in, he was the closest thing to being Pink Diamond or a replacement. At the end of the movie they said that they would stay with Steven, until they saw Spinel. She ALSO belonged to Pink, was pink, a gem, and she was closer to Pink Diamond than Steven, who actually had her gem….Why was it ok to leave Spinel with the Diamonds, who have not gotten over the fact that Pink Diamond was gone? Spinel was also very hurt over what happened and was not sure how to make friends or how to be after everything. How was this ok?! ::Rant over::

Owned by Cartoon Network. Used for critiquing purposes.

Despite this, Steven Universe the Movie was definitely the cat’s meow! A new outlook on the characters, development, music, fusions, and a great villain! This cat gives the movie five out of five fishy treats! It’s definitely worth a watch and a great addition, and end to this part of the series.

Edited by: @Louisathepink and Mechanical Maiden