par Frederic Martel » 23 Mar 2019, 04:56
2D/3D animated reboot (1999 theatrical film and 2000-03 sequel TV series)
Code Lyoko (1999)
Production
After Code Lyoko Godzilla's release, John Lennon wants to restart the project that makes him more famous then before. With animation experience from Rugrats and after watching some Pixar's shorts, he decides to product and direct an animated remake. Pre-production starts in 1992, with Lightstorm Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera as producers and Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures as distributors. Paul Verhoeven serves as writer and producer. However, there is no CGI studio who is interested in the movie, especially since Pixar joins up Disney for Toy Story. Production is putted on hiatus in 1993. But in 1994 (the next year), DreamWorks SKG is founded. Its founders Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen are hiring Lennon as their first president. John then restarts the production. Spielberg and Katzenberg both join him and DreamWorks, Amblin Entertainment and Nickelodeon Movies are added to production companies. The film's release is scheduled for Christmas 1998. DreamWorks bought 40% of Pacific Data Images. Universal and Paramount both sell their rights on Code Lyoko to DreamWorks.
...
John moves the production in France, because of his knowledge of future. He meets Thomas Romain and Tania Palumbo, 20-year old animator students who both created Les enfants font leur cinéma short movies, which characters' design have been inspired on Code Lyoko's stars. He also hires French animation studios Antefilms and France Animation to create animation for the movie, but the results are disappointing John, because they are not more design then Season 1-like graphics. Pacific Data Images then completes the CGI graphics, who looks like Season 2 after it, while Antefilms and France Animation take 1 year to polish characters' 2D look, to get Season 3 and 4-like designs.
...
John Lennon and Sarah Halley Finn start the voice casting in 1997. Leonardo DiCaprio is hired to voice Ulrich Stern, but after recording 20% of Ulrich's dialogue, John isn't convinced by DiCaprio's voice, which sounds a bit too young for the character's stature. John dismisses DiCaprio and then hires Casper Van Dien, who portrays Johnny Rico in Starship Troopers. After recording 35% of Ulrich's dialogue for testing, John is convinced. For Yumi Ishiyama, John doesn't consider necessary to hire a Japanese or even Asian actress to voice her. John auditionned Denise Richards, wanting Patrick Muldoon to voice William Dunbar in the series, to recreate Johnny-Carmen-Zander love triangle in Starship Troopers, but he finally leaves off this idea. Finally, Yumi Ishiyama's voice is Neve Campbell, who would appear alongside Denise Richards in Wild Things the next year. Odd Della Robbia's voice was supposed to be Paul Walker, but John prefers Macaulay Culkin. Jeremy and Aelita are both voiced by Hayden Christensen and Kate Winslet. Anna Faris is the only choice for Sissi Delmas' voice. Jim Moralès and J-P Delmas were supposed to be voiced by J.K. Simmons and Bryan Cranston respectively, but their voice are finally Mike Myers and Armand Assante. For the series, William Dunbar would be voiced by Keanu Reeves after the latter's performance in Matrix.
...
Animation is completed very fast because of a huge crew. Vocal recording takes place from August to December 1998, after actors get coached by Jean Reno and Gérard Depardieu to speak all with a French accent. Release date is delayed to June 1999, but John decides to avoid competition with The Phantom Menace and delayes again the date to October 9th 1999, his own birthday and also the day when the plot starts.
...
The MPAA rated the film PG-13 because of intense violence, language and some mature elements. After being re-edited, it gets a PG rating.
Plot
It's the prequel, but lengthened for a 75 to 80-minute runtime. Characters turn into french tweens in Kadic Academy in Paris, France. Kadic's name is a tribute to Philip K. Dick.
Starring the voice talents of :
Casper Van Dien : Ulrich Stern, the eldest lyoko-warrior, the team's leader, Yumi's crush and main protagonist
Neve Campbell : Yumi Ishiyama, the second eldest lyoko-warrior and Ulrich's crush
Macaulay Culkin : Odd Della Robbia, Ulrich's new roommate and best friend
Hayden Christensen : Jeremy Belpois, the youngest lyoko-warrior, the team's brain and Aelita's crush
Kate Winslet : Aelita Schaeffer, the young elf girl and Jeremy's crush
Anna Faris : Sissi Delmas, J-P's daughter who is at first friend then nemesis of the lyoko-warriors
Mike Myers : Jim Moralès, the sport teacher (His voice sounds a bit like Shrek's one, because of been both voiced by Mike Myers)
Armand Assante : J-P Delmas, Sissi's father and Kadic Academy's principal
Laurence Fishburne : Franz Hopper, Aelita's father and Lyoko's creator (Cut scene)
Teri Polo : Nicolas Poliakoff, a boy who will be one of Sissi's sidekicks
Dina Meyer : Herb Pichon, a boy with a crush on Sissi, becoming one of her sidekicks
Anne-Marie Duff : Yolande Perraudin, Jeremy's mother
Kristin Scott Thomas : Suzanne Hertz, Jeremy's grand-mother and Yolande's mother
Directed by John Lennon, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg
Produced by The Beatles, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Screenplay by Luc Besson, Thomas Astruc and James Cameron
Story by John Lennon and Paul Verhoeven
Executive producers : Di Sabatino Brothers and Paul Verhoeven
Line producers : Kathryn Bigelow, Mario Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna and Gale Anne Hurd
Co-producers : Jon Landau, Kathleen Kennedy and Ed Neumeier
Music by James Horner and Basil Poledouris
Theme song (Un monde sans danger) by Franck Keller and Ygal Amar
Edited by Michael Kahn and John Ottman
Production company : Nickelodeon Movies, Amblin Entertainment, Lightstorm Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera, Antefilms, France Animation and Pacific Data Images
Distributed by : DreamWorks Pictures
Casting by Sarah Halley Finn
Release date : October 8th 1999 (Quebec), October 10th 1999 (France and United Kingdom), October 15th 1999 (United States and Worldwide)
Budget : $ 100 million
Reception
Code Lyoko is released alongside Fight Club, The Omega Code, The Story of Us and The Straight Story. It was expected to gross $ 36-40 million for its first week-end in order to break-even with a worldwide box-office of $ 250-300 million. To the producers' and critics' surprise, trailers created a huge anticipation from Code Lyoko's fans. The film have grossed $ 35.8 million on its first day, increasing five-day projections to $ 75-90 million. It went out its first week-end by grossing $ 97.8 million and holds box-office first place until the release of Pixar's Toy Story 2.
...
Code Lyoko receives critical acclaim and was a unexpected but massive box-office success, grossing $ 989 million worldwide. Reviews praised voice acting (especially Van Dien, Christensen and Winslet), screenplay, direction, score, appeal towards teenagers and action scènes, but few critics critized Odd's redesign and adding navel piercings to students' characters. 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
...
Home media release (VHS and DVD) : August 29th 2000
A.p : 5% each
P.p.a : $ 49,45 million
T.p (5) : $ 247,25 million
Profile : $ 641,75 million
Accolades
-Saturn Awards 2000
--Best Music (James Horner and Basil Poledouris)
-Critics' Choice Awards 2000
--Best Animated Film (John Lennon)
--Best Composer (James Horner and Basil Poledouris)
--Best Family Film (John Lennon)
-Annie Awards 2000
--Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Theatrical Feature (DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Hanna-Barbera)
--Outstanding Achievement in Directing (John Lennon, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg)
--Outstanding Achievement in Effects Animation (Pacific Data Images)
--Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation (Antefilms)
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Male (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Female (Neve Campbell as Yumi Ishiyama)
-Kids' Choice Awards 2000
--Favorite Movie (John Lennon)
--Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
--Favorite Movie Couple (Casper Van Dien and Neve Campbell as Ulrich Stern and Yumi Ishiyama [respectively])
--Favorite Rising Star (Anna Faris, tied with Frankie Muntz)
Code Lyoko (2000 TV series)
Background
Some actors didn't wanted to continue to the series. Macaulay Culkin and Kate Winslet both resigned. Cobie Smulders was hired to replace Winslet, but John prefers Natalie Portman to her. Portman dubs Aelita's voice during her breaks.
Cast
Casper Van Dien : Ulrich Stern
Neve Campbell : Yumi Ishiyama
Hayden Christensen : Jeremy Belpois
Ryan Reynolds : Odd Della Robbia
Natalie Portman : Aelita Schaeffer
Keanu Reeves : William Dunbar
Anna Faris : Sissi Delmas
Mike Myers : Jim Moralès
Armand Assante : J-P Delmas
Laurence Fishburne : Franz Hopper
Teri Polo : Nicolas Poliakoff, Heidi Klinger
Dina Meyer : Herb Pichon, Anaïs Fiquet
Michelle Tratchenberg : Milly Solioveff
Lupita Nyong'o : Tamiya Diop
Rachel Bilson : Hiroki Ishiyama
Nicole DeHuff : Johnny Cleary
Danai Gurira : Samantha Knight
Denise Richards : Mathias Burel, Emmanuel Maillard, Priscilla Blaise
Jodie Foster : Yolande Perraudin
Kristin Scott Thomas : Suzanne Hertz
Laura Dern : Anthéa Hopper
Guest starring
Daniel Day-Lewis : Walter Stern
Marcia Gay Harden : Lilian Stern
Ralph Fiennes : James Dunbar
Elizabeth Shue : Félicia Dunbar
Ken Watanabe : Takeo Ishiyama
Lucy Liu : Akiko Ishiyama
Dylan McDermott : Michel Belpois
Kevin Sorbo : Robert Della Robbia
Julia Roberts : Marguerite Della Robbia
Marilyn Manson : Chris Moralès
Reception
The series received generally mixed reviews.
...
For Season 1, praise was directed towards performances of Van Dien, Campbell, Christensen, Reynolds, Day-Lewis, Assante, Scott Thomas and Myers, score, romance and action ; criticism was aimed at performances of Portman, Faris, Meyer, Polo and Richards, tone, violence and clothes.
...
Season 2 receives negative reviews, critizing tone, plot, excessively hornying alvinolagnia, lack of extracurricular involvement, characters' behavior (especially Yumi and Aelita), clothes, violence and language, but received praise for Van Dien, Campbell, Christensen and Reeves' performances, action, romance, story, effects and animation. Episodes Marabounta, Déjà vu and Tip-Top Shape were considered by fans as « a dumb excuse to turn the lyoko-warriors into premature sex symbols », but the first one receives praise for starting Ulrich and Yumi's romance.
...
Season 3 receives praise for Reynolds, Van Dien and Reeves' performances, action, effects, animation, score and story, but criticism was aimed to romance, lack of episodes, violence and predictable plot. Straight to Heart, The Secret, Temporary Insanity and Final Round were critized respectively for Yumi's behavior, swimming pool scene (because of Mathias Burel's belly), Ulrich's wrist getting crunched and secondary characters' behavior, but the latter receives praise for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance.
...
Season 4 receives positive reviews for effects, animation, plot, tone, score and vocal performances of Van Dien, Reynolds, Campbell, Portman, Christensen, Manson, Myers, Faris and Reeves, but criticism was aimed to Jeremy's behavior, short action scenes and lack of lyoko-warriors appearing togheter on Lyoko. Fight to the Finish receives praise for animation, action and using score from Starship Troopers but was critized for plot and ending, both considered as unepic.
...
Despite this, the series break audience's records. 7.3 million [of] viewers for nearly every episode as of 2002. Season 4 gets 9.3 million viewers by episode in North America.
Accolades
*2001
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon and Paul Verhoeven)
--Favorite Song (A World Without Danger by Noam)
--Favorite Rising Star (Hayden Christensen)
-Annie Awards (November 2000)
--Outstanding Animated Primetime or Late Night Television Program (John Lennon)
--Outstanding Achievement in Directing (Paul Verhoeven and Jérôme Mouscadet)
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Male (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
-Emmy Awards (September 2000)
--Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
*2002
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Male Butt Kicker (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon, tied with The Simpsons)
--Favorite Rising Star (Ryan Reynolds)
-Annie Awards
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Male (Keanu Reeves)
*2003
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon, tied with Spongebob SquarePants)
-Annie Awards
--Best Animated Television Production (John Lennon)
--Best Animated Television Production Produced for Children (John Lennon)
*2004
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon)
-Annie Awards
--Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Television Production (John Lennon)
--Character Design in an Animated Television Production (Tania Palumbo)
--Directing in an Animated Television Production (Paul Verhoeven and Jérôme Mouscadet)
--Music in an Animated Television Production (James Horner, Basil Poledouris, Franck Keller and Ygal Amar)
--Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production (Keanu Reeves as William Dunbar, tied with Jeff Garcia for Jimmy Neutron)
--Writing in an Animated Television Production (Sophie Decroisette, Ed Neumeier, Bruno Regeste and William Wisher Jr.)
To be continued...
2D/3D animated reboot (1999 theatrical film and 2000-03 sequel TV series)
[i]Code Lyoko[/i] (1999)
Production
After [i]Code Lyoko Godzilla[/i]'s release, John Lennon wants to restart the project that makes him more famous then before. With animation experience from [i]Rugrats[/i] and after watching some Pixar's shorts, he decides to product and direct an animated remake. Pre-production starts in 1992, with Lightstorm Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera as producers and Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures as distributors. Paul Verhoeven serves as writer and producer. However, there is no CGI studio who is interested in the movie, especially since Pixar joins up Disney for [i]Toy Story[/i]. Production is putted on hiatus in 1993. But in 1994 (the next year), DreamWorks SKG is founded. Its founders Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen are hiring Lennon as their first president. John then restarts the production. Spielberg and Katzenberg both join him and DreamWorks, Amblin Entertainment and Nickelodeon Movies are added to production companies. The film's release is scheduled for Christmas 1998. DreamWorks bought 40% of Pacific Data Images. Universal and Paramount both sell their rights on Code Lyoko to DreamWorks.
...
John moves the production in France, because of his knowledge of future. He meets Thomas Romain and Tania Palumbo, 20-year old animator students who both created [i]Les enfants font leur cinéma[/i] short movies, which characters' design have been inspired on [i]Code Lyoko[/i]'s stars. He also hires French animation studios Antefilms and France Animation to create animation for the movie, but the results are disappointing John, because they are not more design then Season 1-like graphics. Pacific Data Images then completes the CGI graphics, who looks like Season 2 after it, while Antefilms and France Animation take 1 year to polish characters' 2D look, to get Season 3 and 4-like designs.
...
John Lennon and Sarah Halley Finn start the voice casting in 1997. Leonardo DiCaprio is hired to voice Ulrich Stern, but after recording 20% of Ulrich's dialogue, John isn't convinced by DiCaprio's voice, which sounds a bit too young for the character's stature. John dismisses DiCaprio and then hires Casper Van Dien, who portrays Johnny Rico in [i]Starship Troopers[/i]. After recording 35% of Ulrich's dialogue for testing, John is convinced. For Yumi Ishiyama, John doesn't consider necessary to hire a Japanese or even Asian actress to voice her. John auditionned Denise Richards, wanting Patrick Muldoon to voice William Dunbar in the series, to recreate Johnny-Carmen-Zander love triangle in [i]Starship Troopers[/i], but he finally leaves off this idea. Finally, Yumi Ishiyama's voice is Neve Campbell, who would appear alongside Denise Richards in [i]Wild Things[/i] the next year. Odd Della Robbia's voice was supposed to be Paul Walker, but John prefers Macaulay Culkin. Jeremy and Aelita are both voiced by Hayden Christensen and Kate Winslet. Anna Faris is the only choice for Sissi Delmas' voice. Jim Moralès and J-P Delmas were supposed to be voiced by J.K. Simmons and Bryan Cranston respectively, but their voice are finally Mike Myers and Armand Assante. For the series, William Dunbar would be voiced by Keanu Reeves after the latter's performance in [i]Matrix[/i].
...
Animation is completed very fast because of a huge crew. Vocal recording takes place from August to December 1998, after actors get coached by Jean Reno and Gérard Depardieu to speak all with a French accent. Release date is delayed to June 1999, but John decides to avoid competition with [i]The Phantom Menace[/i] and delayes again the date to October 9th 1999, his own birthday and also the day when the plot starts.
...
The MPAA rated the film PG-13 because of intense violence, language and some mature elements. After being re-edited, it gets a PG rating.
Plot
It's the prequel, but lengthened for a 75 to 80-minute runtime. Characters turn into french tweens in Kadic Academy in Paris, France. Kadic's name is a tribute to Philip K. Dick.
Starring the voice talents of :
Casper Van Dien : Ulrich Stern, the eldest lyoko-warrior, the team's leader, Yumi's crush and main protagonist
Neve Campbell : Yumi Ishiyama, the second eldest lyoko-warrior and Ulrich's crush
Macaulay Culkin : Odd Della Robbia, Ulrich's new roommate and best friend
Hayden Christensen : Jeremy Belpois, the youngest lyoko-warrior, the team's brain and Aelita's crush
Kate Winslet : Aelita Schaeffer, the young elf girl and Jeremy's crush
Anna Faris : Sissi Delmas, J-P's daughter who is at first friend then nemesis of the lyoko-warriors
Mike Myers : Jim Moralès, the sport teacher (His voice sounds a bit like Shrek's one, because of been both voiced by Mike Myers)
Armand Assante : J-P Delmas, Sissi's father and Kadic Academy's principal
Laurence Fishburne : Franz Hopper, Aelita's father and Lyoko's creator (Cut scene)
Teri Polo : Nicolas Poliakoff, a boy who will be one of Sissi's sidekicks
Dina Meyer : Herb Pichon, a boy with a crush on Sissi, becoming one of her sidekicks
Anne-Marie Duff : Yolande Perraudin, Jeremy's mother
Kristin Scott Thomas : Suzanne Hertz, Jeremy's grand-mother and Yolande's mother
Directed by John Lennon, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg
Produced by The Beatles, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Screenplay by Luc Besson, Thomas Astruc and James Cameron
Story by John Lennon and Paul Verhoeven
Executive producers : Di Sabatino Brothers and Paul Verhoeven
Line producers : Kathryn Bigelow, Mario Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna and Gale Anne Hurd
Co-producers : Jon Landau, Kathleen Kennedy and Ed Neumeier
Music by James Horner and Basil Poledouris
Theme song (Un monde sans danger) by Franck Keller and Ygal Amar
Edited by Michael Kahn and John Ottman
Production company : Nickelodeon Movies, Amblin Entertainment, Lightstorm Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera, Antefilms, France Animation and Pacific Data Images
Distributed by : DreamWorks Pictures
Casting by Sarah Halley Finn
Release date : October 8th 1999 (Quebec), October 10th 1999 (France and United Kingdom), October 15th 1999 (United States and Worldwide)
Budget : $ 100 million
Reception
[i]Code Lyoko[/i] is released alongside [i]Fight Club, The Omega Code, The Story of Us[/i] and [i]The Straight Story[/i]. It was expected to gross $ 36-40 million for its first week-end in order to break-even with a worldwide box-office of $ 250-300 million. To the producers' and critics' surprise, trailers created a huge anticipation from Code Lyoko's fans. The film have grossed $ 35.8 million on its first day, increasing five-day projections to $ 75-90 million. It went out its first week-end by grossing $ 97.8 million and holds box-office first place until the release of Pixar's [i]Toy Story 2[/i].
...
[i]Code Lyoko[/i] receives critical acclaim and was a unexpected but massive box-office success, grossing $ 989 million worldwide. Reviews praised voice acting (especially Van Dien, Christensen and Winslet), screenplay, direction, score, appeal towards teenagers and action scènes, but few critics critized Odd's redesign and adding navel piercings to students' characters. 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
...
Home media release (VHS and DVD) : August 29th 2000
A.p : 5% each
P.p.a : $ 49,45 million
T.p (5) : $ 247,25 million
Profile : $ 641,75 million
Accolades
-Saturn Awards 2000
--Best Music (James Horner and Basil Poledouris)
-Critics' Choice Awards 2000
--Best Animated Film (John Lennon)
--Best Composer (James Horner and Basil Poledouris)
--Best Family Film (John Lennon)
-Annie Awards 2000
--Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Theatrical Feature (DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Hanna-Barbera)
--Outstanding Achievement in Directing (John Lennon, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg)
--Outstanding Achievement in Effects Animation (Pacific Data Images)
--Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation (Antefilms)
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Male (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Female (Neve Campbell as Yumi Ishiyama)
-Kids' Choice Awards 2000
--Favorite Movie (John Lennon)
--Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
--Favorite Movie Couple (Casper Van Dien and Neve Campbell as Ulrich Stern and Yumi Ishiyama [respectively])
--Favorite Rising Star (Anna Faris, tied with Frankie Muntz)
[i]Code Lyoko[/i] (2000 TV series)
Background
Some actors didn't wanted to continue to the series. Macaulay Culkin and Kate Winslet both resigned. Cobie Smulders was hired to replace Winslet, but John prefers Natalie Portman to her. Portman dubs Aelita's voice during her breaks.
Cast
Casper Van Dien : Ulrich Stern
Neve Campbell : Yumi Ishiyama
Hayden Christensen : Jeremy Belpois
Ryan Reynolds : Odd Della Robbia
Natalie Portman : Aelita Schaeffer
Keanu Reeves : William Dunbar
Anna Faris : Sissi Delmas
Mike Myers : Jim Moralès
Armand Assante : J-P Delmas
Laurence Fishburne : Franz Hopper
Teri Polo : Nicolas Poliakoff, Heidi Klinger
Dina Meyer : Herb Pichon, Anaïs Fiquet
Michelle Tratchenberg : Milly Solioveff
Lupita Nyong'o : Tamiya Diop
Rachel Bilson : Hiroki Ishiyama
Nicole DeHuff : Johnny Cleary
Danai Gurira : Samantha Knight
Denise Richards : Mathias Burel, Emmanuel Maillard, Priscilla Blaise
Jodie Foster : Yolande Perraudin
Kristin Scott Thomas : Suzanne Hertz
Laura Dern : Anthéa Hopper
Guest starring
Daniel Day-Lewis : Walter Stern
Marcia Gay Harden : Lilian Stern
Ralph Fiennes : James Dunbar
Elizabeth Shue : Félicia Dunbar
Ken Watanabe : Takeo Ishiyama
Lucy Liu : Akiko Ishiyama
Dylan McDermott : Michel Belpois
Kevin Sorbo : Robert Della Robbia
Julia Roberts : Marguerite Della Robbia
Marilyn Manson : Chris Moralès
Reception
The series received generally mixed reviews.
...
For Season 1, praise was directed towards performances of Van Dien, Campbell, Christensen, Reynolds, Day-Lewis, Assante, Scott Thomas and Myers, score, romance and action ; criticism was aimed at performances of Portman, Faris, Meyer, Polo and Richards, tone, violence and clothes.
...
Season 2 receives negative reviews, critizing tone, plot, excessively hornying alvinolagnia, lack of extracurricular involvement, characters' behavior (especially Yumi and Aelita), clothes, violence and language, but received praise for Van Dien, Campbell, Christensen and Reeves' performances, action, romance, story, effects and animation. Episodes [i]Marabounta, Déjà vu[/i] and [i]Tip-Top Shape[/i] were considered by fans as « a dumb excuse to turn the lyoko-warriors into premature sex symbols », but the first one receives praise for starting Ulrich and Yumi's romance.
...
Season 3 receives praise for Reynolds, Van Dien and Reeves' performances, action, effects, animation, score and story, but criticism was aimed to romance, lack of episodes, violence and predictable plot. [i]Straight to Heart, The Secret, Temporary Insanity[/i] and [i]Final Round[/i] were critized respectively for Yumi's behavior, swimming pool scene (because of Mathias Burel's belly), Ulrich's wrist getting crunched and secondary characters' behavior, but the latter receives praise for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance.
...
Season 4 receives positive reviews for effects, animation, plot, tone, score and vocal performances of Van Dien, Reynolds, Campbell, Portman, Christensen, Manson, Myers, Faris and Reeves, but criticism was aimed to Jeremy's behavior, short action scenes and lack of lyoko-warriors appearing togheter on Lyoko. [i]Fight to the Finish[/i] receives praise for animation, action and using score from [i]Starship Troopers[/i] but was critized for plot and ending, both considered as unepic.
...
Despite this, the series break audience's records. 7.3 million [of] viewers for nearly every episode as of 2002. Season 4 gets 9.3 million viewers by episode in North America.
Accolades
*2001
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon and Paul Verhoeven)
--Favorite Song (A World Without Danger by Noam)
--Favorite Rising Star (Hayden Christensen)
-Annie Awards (November 2000)
--Outstanding Animated Primetime or Late Night Television Program (John Lennon)
--Outstanding Achievement in Directing (Paul Verhoeven and Jérôme Mouscadet)
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Male (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
-Emmy Awards (September 2000)
--Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
*2002
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Male Butt Kicker (Casper Van Dien as Ulrich Stern)
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon, tied with The Simpsons)
--Favorite Rising Star (Ryan Reynolds)
-Annie Awards
--Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting, Male (Keanu Reeves)
*2003
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon, tied with Spongebob SquarePants)
-Annie Awards
--Best Animated Television Production (John Lennon)
--Best Animated Television Production Produced for Children (John Lennon)
*2004
-Kids' Choice Awards
--Favorite Cartoon (John Lennon)
-Annie Awards
--Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Television Production (John Lennon)
--Character Design in an Animated Television Production (Tania Palumbo)
--Directing in an Animated Television Production (Paul Verhoeven and Jérôme Mouscadet)
--Music in an Animated Television Production (James Horner, Basil Poledouris, Franck Keller and Ygal Amar)
--Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production (Keanu Reeves as William Dunbar, tied with Jeff Garcia for Jimmy Neutron)
--Writing in an Animated Television Production (Sophie Decroisette, Ed Neumeier, Bruno Regeste and William Wisher Jr.)
To be continued...
