My Adventures With Superman has incorporated some seemingly unlikely influences to a winning effect, and the knock-on impact is that the Superman franchise has enjoyed a much-needed revitalization. The show is currently enjoying its second season and is riding high with a score of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and with My Adventures With Superman season 3 on the way. The DC show creators have hit their stride with reinvented iterations of classic comic characters, including Lex Luthor and Steel, but there is also a softer, more playful feel to the show when compared to something like Superman’s movie history.

The last decade or so has been a dynamic period for superhero entertainment, which has been in its ascendency. The same could be said for Japanese anime and manga, which has gone from a more niche subculture outside of its native country to a globe-conquering pop culture behemoth. Just as Western creators influenced those in Asia, the inverse is also true, with shows like My Adventures With Superman tipping their hats to it – and the impact of that influence has also helped the latest depiction of Superman and other characters become arguably the best in years.

A New Look Brings New Energy

Some Bold Creative Decisions Have Paid Off With A Show That Feels Of Its Time

A feature on Indie Wire revealed a deep dive into the process that drove My Adventures With Superman. Producers Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher revealed their mission statement: “Don’t do this stuff the way we’ve seen it before.” The duo also named direct influences like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. The vibrancy of these worlds was felt in the new show’s epic action and more intimate moments, making it feel like a breath of fresh air. There is a sense across the entire show, from its opening titles onwards, that the audience was watching something fresh and contemporary.

In this sense, My Adventures With Superman essentially serves as DC’s X-Men ’97, with its talented team focusing on reimagining the Man of Steel mythos in new and creative ways, while also staying loyal to the source material and what makes it work. This is perhaps best shown in the interpersonal relations between Clark, Lois, and Jimmy, which feel warm and comedic, keeping with Superman’s uplifting origins as a character.

The approach also allows the series to serve as a suitable counterpart to the somber depictions of DC in The Batman and the recently-cancelled Snyderverse, much in the way X-Men ’97 serves to reestablish a different side to the characters after Fox’s X-Men movies. In doing so, both series help build new futures for their respective franchises even as they honor and reference their past histories.

The New Energy Lays The Groundwork For James Gunn’s Superman

Audiences Are Being Primed For The Man Of Steel’s Epic Return to Cinemas

The cumulative impact of My Adventures With Superman’s bold new direction is that it brings Superman back in a high-profile show similar to X-Men ’97, satisfying audiences who fondly remember a classic while also avoiding retreads of old material. It also gets them fired up for a much-anticipated flagship movie arriving in 2025, as James Gunn shows what he did with the DCU since taking the reins. DC bosses may offer a starter ahead of the main course by using the show as a means of gauging how much interest there still is for the character.

It’s also worth noting that My Adventures With Superman season 2 brought the underrated hero Steel back into the fold, complete with a shiny new mech suit. This epic costume reset also provided a more interesting take on the character, whose relationship with Superman was more engaging and important compared with previous depictions, so it means that the animated show can rejuvenate interest not just in its principal characters, but also remind the audience that there is an entire stable of vibrant DC heroes and villains waiting to be rediscovered.

My Adventures With Superman finding its place doesn’t appear to have always been easy, as the producers mentioned, “We also got a lot of pressure from the people who greenlit the show to make something we haven’t seen before.” But their gambit paid off with new ways to explore an iconic world and its characters, giving them the series’ distinctive and unique feel. The show’s anime influences reinvigorate the character and viewer base, giving it the potential to bring over other viewers and expand its horizons, replicating X-Men ’97‘s ability to make its heroes futures feel truly limitless.

Source: IndieWire