by Jachelle Overstreet, Reporter

Adventure time, c’mon grab your friends, we’ll go to very distant lands. With Jake the Dog and Finn the Human, the fun will never end, it’s adventure time!

Sprung forth from the mind of series creator, Pendleton Ward, Adventure Time follows the amazing adventures of a couple of the coolest heroes this side of Lumpy Space. Join up with righteous Finn the human and his BFF Jake, as they traverse the Land of Ooo saving princesses, kicking monster butt, and doing battle with the nefarious Ice King.

Based on a film short that went viral online, Adventure Time was picked up by Cartoon Network and debuted in 2010. The animated series follows the adventures of a young boy named Finn and his magical dog Jake, who can make himself grow or shrink rapidly and plays a mean viola. The two best friends live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo and spend their days being heroes and going on adventures. Along the way, we also get to hang out with a variety of fantastic side characters like Princess Bubblegum, who loves science and all the citizens in her candy kingdom. Marceline the Vampire Queen, a 1,000 year old vampire who drinks the color red and likes to rock out on her bass guitar. The Ice King, who frequently kidnaps princesses  and has his very own penguin army. And my personal favorite, Lumpy Space Princess; her lumps bring all the boys to the yard.

Originally intended for a much younger audience, Adventure Time has become a hit with fans of all ages.  Its concept may be simple, but its innocence, lightning sharp humor,  and sense of fun give the series a certain freshness that’s been lacking in cartoons over the last few years. I think that appeals to fans in every age bracket, and will continue to do so for more seasons to come. The show is silly, sweet, and ridiculously imaginative. It gives viewers a chance to just let go of everything and have fun with themselves.

The show also boasts an amazing cast of voice actors who lend their talents in bringing these characters to life. John DiMaggio, who you might recognize as Bender from Futurama, voices Jake the Dog and Tom Kenny, also known as SpongeBob Squarepants, brings us the Ice King. In addition to the regular cast, Adventure Time has also snagged a little help from the likes of George Takei, Ron Pearlman, Steven Root, Andy Samberg, Donald Glover, and Neil Patrick Harris.

Now in its fifth season, there’s no question that fans everywhere love being transported to the bizarre and magical Land of Ooo. At eleven minutes long, the episodes are fast,  fun, and completely addicting. Travel to Lumpy Space via a portal in a frog’s mouth. Find out why Donny the obnoxious grass ogre is a necessary part of the eco-system. Take part in a ninja duel! And watch as Finn becomes King of the Goblin clan. Some viewers might find themselves baffled by the over the top antics, but for those that enjoy it, get ready to experience Adventure Time the way it was meant to be seen, in high definition! This month Warner Bros released both the complete first and second seasons on Blu-ray for their viewers’ delight. Mathematical!

Each season consists of 26 episodes, and a smattering of special features that include commentaries, behind the scenes featurettes, and interviews. The Blu-ray format allows fans to view the episodes’ sharp and vivid colors the way they should be seen, and the digital downloads allow you to take Finn and Jake on the go. The commentaries were a delight to listen to. The best by far being Season One’s “Tree Trunks,” which featured Ward’s mother and her longtime friend Polly Lou Livingston, who lent her voice to the titular character. The featurettes offer an inside look at the creative minds behind the show. And they’re just as ridiculous and silly as you might expect. There is also a great featurette that delves into the show’s music.

Season One Bonus Features:

• Audio commentaries with the cast and crew.
• Featurettes
• The Wand animated short
• Music Videos
• Animatics

Season Two Bonus Features:

• 26 episode commentaries
• The Crew of Adventure Time, Interviewed by Creator Pendleton Ward

Overall

One things is crystal clear as you watch both the episodes and the special features, this series is all about the fun. It’s fun to watch, and the team behind it clearly having a blast bringing it to the screen. I highly recommend grabbing these two seasons on Blu-ray to enjoy again and again. The colorful characters and their antics will keep you laughing and having fun through multiple re-watches, and the Blu-ray format really allows the series to shine.

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Adventure Time: The Complete First Season 4 out of 5 fun adventures.

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Adventure Time: The Complete Second Season 4 out of 5 guest voices.

 Keep the adventures coming at ComicsOnline.com for more heroing, monster butt-kicking, and everything geek pop culture!