Robotboy (2004)

> This is great, Tommy! I can't wait to deactivate on your bed like a real boy!
>
> **Robotboy**

***Robotboy*** is the original 2004 Canadian-French CGI animated preview that served as an original television pilot for the television series produced by DKP Effects/DKP Studios, EnSky Studios, France 3, and SPARX Animation Studios.

## History

In October 2004, an 11-minute pilot was created for the series. Unlike the main series, which was animated by Lux Animation and produced by Alphanim, the pilot presentation was animated by EnSky Studios and produced by DKP Studios. The pilot presentation only uses CGI animation instead of traditional animation, and had more simplistic sets.

## Synopsis

Robotboy is the latest creation of the world-renowned scientist Professor Moshimo. Due to fears that Robotboy would be stolen by his arch-enemy Dr. Kamikazi and his main henchman Constantine to be used to take over the world, Professor Moshimo entrusts Robotboy to 10-year-old Tommy Turnbull, his biggest fan living in San Francisco. While being protected by Tommy and his two friends Lola and Gus (or "G-Man" as he calls himself), Robotboy learns how to behave and act as if he were a real boy while occasionally battling Dr. Kamikazi and Constantine who sought out to capture him. – MIPCOM 2004

## Characters

* **Robotboy** (voiced by Blanche Ravalec in French and Susan Roman in English)
* **Tommy** (voiced by Valérie Lecot in French and Julie Lemieux in English)
* **Lola**/**Fairy Lola** (voiced by Fily Keita in French and Aaryn Doyle in English)
* **Gus** (voiced by Brigitte Guedj in French and Linda Ballantyne in English)
* **Robotgirl** (voiced by Sauvane Delanoë in French and Alexandra Lai in English)

## Trivia

* The beginning tries to give off bad vibrations, with low quality music, CGI animation and visual effects are happening in the background, which look really good.

* At least the backgrounds and scenes are passable.

* The scene where Gus is playing video games (really fast) is pretty funny.

* Its successor is a major improvement and also better animated in digital ink and paint instead of CGI.

* Plus, the later series at least tried to stand on its own removing stuff like the overdose of references.

* This is the only time Robotboy takes off his helmet when he's in his rocket shoes.

### Differences from the series

* It uses early CGI animation techniques using LightWave 3D animation software.
* In general, every character did have their personalities developed, with the main expression of Tommy, followed by Lola and Gus.
* Professor Moshimo had a grey hair color rather than his usual white hair color.
* Besides Tommy has fair skin and sunshine yellow hair, Lola has tan skin and chocolate hair, and Gus has fair skin and amber hair:
	+ Tommy and Gus's hair are consistently having their designs alternative (albeit with Gus's hair being colored amber), and mostly having their rejected Jimmy Neutron designs. When they arrive at San Francisco, it reveals that they have round eyes and wide mouths, instead of their cartoonish eyes containing two highlights and their cartoonish mouths.
	+ Gus having his hair being colored amber.
	+ Dr. Kamizaki having techniques in the science laboratory.
	+ Lola having the ability to meet Robotgirl, to appear later in the series.
	+ Robotboy and Robotgirl also were more simplified, and they have their rejected Happy Planet designs. They also lived in a hotel with many rooms inside.
* There are images of suggestive-looking children in Professor Moshimo's room.

### Goofs/Errors

* As mentioned above, it contains more risqué content than it's successor. It can feel on the nose for trying to be a joke on how the characters look anime-esque, yet can act terrible, awful, and very, very bad!

* This is also the reason why Robotboy contains so much inappropriate jokes for a kids show.

* The entire pilot feels like it came out at MIPCOM in the mid-2000s.

* Overuse of superhero references.

* Annoying voice-acting in two languages, such as French and English.

* The introduction of TV pilot isn't very interesting to watch.

* Creepy character designs.

* Dr. Kamizaki has visible testicles, which is awkward.

* Even if the TV pilot doesn't care about characters to begin with, Tommy is a bigger jerk in the pilot presentation than he is in the television series.

* Heck, he gets angry and he even slaps Gus in the face for interrupting his "activity" with Lola.

* He also slaps Lola in the face, causing her a bad headache, and bursts into tears after Tommy slaps her in the face for too many seizures.

* Stiff and creepy LightWave CGI animation.

* Lola's sugarplum fairy dance is just stupid as once. She's in a very still movement, cutting into the next design and twice. It shows pictures and art styles of The Sugar Plum Fairy for no reason at all.

* In the shots with Tommy, Lola and Gus together while Robotboy is finally charged up, and Lola is dancing to the sugarplum fairies in her butterfly bedroom from Robotboy to meet Robotgirl, Lola's fairy dress and fairy wings are colored hot pink.

* When Lola meets Robotgirl, the light hot pink flower on her fairy necklace is layered over her hot pink fairy sandals on her feet.

## Reception

The pilot presentation has received mixed reviews. It has been accused of copying many of the action and comedy-related themes in popular television series like *Mega Man* and *My Life as a Teenage Robot*.