Steven Universe

Original title: Steven Universe Characters: Steven Quartz Universe, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Peridot Production: Cartoon Network Studios Author: Rebecca Sugar Country: USA

Year: 2013 Gender: Comedian / Adventure / Sci-Fi Episodes: 113 Duration: 11 minutes Recommended age: Children from 6 to 12 years old

All this takes place in Beachcity, a town that bases its income almost entirely on the presence of tourists, during the summer. For the rest of the year, the city seems almost asleep but, at the same time, enlivened by characters that are nothing short of bizarre. In such a place it seems that nothing surprising can really happen but, suddenly, the scenarios change radically. A group of monsters could haunt the streets, just as the sea could magically vanish into thin air, leaving behind an atrocious scenario. A crazy world, in which stands the Temple of the Crystal Gems, designed to protect all citizens.

Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems

Initially we find ourselves dealing with Steven Quartz Universe, or a decidedly immature child, who hides a heart of gold. His mother, Rose Quartz, was the head of the Crystal Gems, a member of a group of aliens who decided to give up their physical form, with the sole purpose of allowing Steven himself to come into the world. A heavy legacy for Steven, who finds himself being led by Amethyst, Pearl and Garnet, committed to training him, in order to be able to master the incredible and often unmanageable powers, which Rose Quartz has given him. His mother was their guide and, through this training, the three hope to find something of her in him in such a chaotic world. They are in fact rebels, going against their similar aliens who saw in the Earth only the umpteenth outpost to be exploited to the core. They have already been rejected several times but still do not give up. The thrust of the series is this ongoing battle.

To hear the plot told, without seeing the scenes put into action, the risk is to believe that everything is nothing more than a jumble of clichés. It is not possible to completely deny this aspect of Steven Universe, especially since it is Sugar herself who has pointed out her many sources of inspiration, such as the ancient stories told in the Rising Sun, heavily adapted, of course. Some scenes do nothing but shout the name Studio Ghibli, without any desire to hide the homage or fool their audience. In other cases, however, the thing is really obvious, as with the volumes of Sailor Moon on the bedside table of the protagonist. The rest, however, is entirely the invention of Sugar, which places elements so geographically distant in a vaguely Western world.

Wanting to analyze the sociological aspect of the series, it is easy to see how the secondary characters who alternate behind Steven, are nothing more than the hilarious incarnation of the worst defects that characterize Western populations. It is easy to identify them as average Americans but they are not. The speech is in fact much broader. They range from the downright mean mayor, who only aims to get re-elected, to the classic apathetic teenager who hates the world. To appreciate this magnifying glass placed on oneself, which highlights how the level of self-irony and the American comic process is far ahead of ours.

But let's try to better analyze the Crystal Gems, the personal trinity of the young Steven, who sees in them both friends and sisters, not to mention the role of mothers they play towards him.

Garnet she is the leader of the group, always very resolute and able to show the right way to those who decide to follow it. He also has great skills as a fighter, while at the same time coming to embody both the mad destructive fury and patience. According to the original dubbing at least, it is also characterized by a clearly African American type of speech, with a heavily monotone tone. On this aspect are based most of the comic curtains that see her as the protagonist.

The main feature of Pearl it is instead that of being an excellent swordswoman. His heart is pure and his soul somewhat sweet. Above all, however, he often lets himself be devoured by anxiety and neurosis, to the point of sometimes simply wanting to protect Steven at any cost, almost not caring about the task to which he is called. He often prepares the battle plans of the group and, in the Japanese imagination that dominates the series, undoubtedly represents a skilled samurai, especially for the propensity to sacrifice for the cause.

What often throws the group into total panic is without a doubt Amethyst, which is the most playful and least reflective character of all. When it comes to fighting, he throws his head, without thinking about the consequences, at least not completely. She is the only one among the Gems to have a glimpse of human behavior. She eats and sleeps for example, which brings her a lot closer to Steven. To affect her alien nature is perhaps the fact that she was born on Earth, unlike the others.

They could be heroines, perfect guides, in contrast with the youthful soul of the protagonist, but this is not the case, quite the contrary. These are multifaceted characters and protagonists of many scenes, able to identify many young spectators, giving them a positive example, although different from character to character.

On the graphic front, the series reaches very high peaks, not to mention the extensive soundtrack, which highlights its adult traits more. A cartoon for children studied and prepared with care, without taking an immature audience by the nose, getting them used to certain standards right away.

Involved in cases of censorship in many countries, Steven Universe goes its own way, without drawing a precise boundary on the front of sexuality, unspecified in many of the characters present, not being fundamental for reproductive purposes. It is a way of showing an equal way, judging people on the basis of other elements, other than appearance, therefore color, and gender.