Dynamic Music Partners has announced Teen Titans Original Soundtrack, Volume Two, an extensive soundtrack featuring music from the show’s acclaimed second season, will be available through digital retailers and streamers starting March 24, 2023. The soundtrack is being released through the collaborative’s own label, Dynamic Soundtrack Releases. As with 2022’s Teen Titans Original Soundtrack, Volume One, the release includes 99 tracks culled from the entirely of the show’s second season. Continue below for the cover art and track list booklet, along with further details.
Dynamic Music Partners describes as follows:
Teen Titans Original Soundtrack, Vol. 2 is an extensive compilation of music from the fan-favorite TV show and includes 99 tracks of the original score from such episodes as: “How Long is Forever?” “Terra,” “Date With Destiny,” “Titan Rising,” “Betrayal,” and both parts of the season finale cliffhanger, “Aftershock.” The original animated series was created by Glen Murakami and follows the titular heroes in their battles against Slade, H.I.V.E. and Raven’s demonic father, Trigon. The second season of Teen Titans was largely adapted from Teen Titans: The Judas Contract comic storyline by Marv Wolfman and George Perez.
The Teen Titans Original Soundtrack, Volume Two soundtrack release arrives March 24, 2023, from Dynamic Music Partners and Dynamic Soundtrack Records, and will be available to purchase from assorted digital retailer. Click here for coverage on Teen Titans: Original Soundtrack, Volume One, and check out the The World’s Finest Teen Titans subsite for images, videos, exclusive content and much more!
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Dynamic Music Partners recently sat down with James Harvey of The World’s Finest to discuss the exciting release of Teen Titans Original Soundtrack – Volume One, an extensive soundtrack featuring music from the show’s first season. Distributed by the music collective’s own label, Dynamic Soundtrack Records, the title is available for purchase starting July 21, 2022 through your preferred digital retailer. Here, Michael McCuistion, Lolita Ritmanis and Kristopher Carter discuss their joyful collaborative experience working on the fan-favorite Teen Titans series. Click on the image below to check out the interview.
For more on Dynamic Music Partners – including details on past, present and future works, along with news on forthcoming releases and appearances – check out their official website! On social media, be sure to follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!
The Teen Titans Original Soundtrack – Volume One soundtrack release arrives July 21, 2022, from Dynamic Music Partners and Dynamic Soundtrack Records, and is available to purchase from your preferred digital retailer. Sign up for the DMP mailing list at the form below to be notified of future releases…AND, as a special bonus for subscribing, you’ll receive a PDF guide with episode-specific track info! Also, click on the image below for a closer look at the cover art.
BACKSTAGE – TEEN TITANS – INTERVIEW WITH DYNAMIC MUSIC PARTNERS
James Harvey from The World’s Finest recently had the opportunity to talk with Lolita Ritmanis, Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter, otherwise collectively known as Dynamic Music Partners, about the their upcoming major Dynamic Soundtrack Records release, Teen Titans Original Soundtrack – Volume One! This team of award-winning composer/arranger/conductors has scored countless programs – including a wealth of superhero favorites outside of Teen Titans, from Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series to The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice and countless works in-between! Even if you don’t know their names, you know their work.
Continue below for the interview and for more details on Dynamic Music Partners’ exciting Teen Titans Original Soundtrack – Volume One soundtrack release, coming July 21, 2022 from Dynamic Soundtrack Records!
Photo #1: Dynamic Music Partners, Producer Glen Murakami, Mix Engineer Mark Mattson
Photo #2: San Diego Comic Con signing event
WF: The original Teen Titans series has long been adored by fans, what can you tell us about this soundtrack release?
Lolita Ritmanis (LR): We couldn’t be more excited that the music from the 2003 original Teen Titans series is finally being released! Throughout the years this has been the most frequently requested by the fans. This 98-track volume is a comprehensive dive into the original scores from the thirteen episodes of Season 1: “Divide and Conquer,” “Sisters,” “Final Exam,” “Forces of Nature,” “The Sum of His Parts,” “Nevermore,” “Switched,” “Deep Six,” “Masks,” “Mad Mod,” “Car Trouble,” “Apprentice, Part 1,” and “Apprentice, Part 2.”
WF: What was your approach and experience like when scoring that soon-to-be-classic first season of Teen Titans?
LR: During the era of composing music for Teen Titans, for the most part we each scored individual episodes, with the exception of the very first episode: “Divide and Conquer,” which we split amongst the three of us.
Michael McCuistion (MM): We had live musicians on every episode, ranging from electric guitar to theremin to electric violin. It’s now a retro sound because it was 20 years ago, so the synth sounds and electric drums have a vintage eclectic feel.
[Series Producer Glen Murakami] gave us a very long leash when it came to creative approach for the score for each episode. Musical references from Glen were very, very broad; he said during one of our early spotting sessions “It can be anything! Whatever seems fun and right for the episode.”
And each season had a story thread, and for that there were some themes. Slade. Terra. Trigon. Most themes were about the villains (oddly!) rather than the heroes.
LR: Although we had worked on other series that Glen Murakami was involved with, Teen Titans was his baby. Over the course of five seasons and over the 65 episodes, Glen had almost magical powers to inspire creative freedom in the choices we, as composers made. He not only gave us the green light to try new things, he actually encouraged choosing the path less taken, unleashing in many ways pure fun in the process of composing.
MM: Most episodes were self-contained stories, so those had specific scores rather than following an overall series approach for instrumentation and tonality. It was open season on styles, with everything ranging from guitar pop to Baroque classical to British rock to Brazilian mambo to flamenco to vocal jazz – an extremely broad palette of styles and colors. And that was just the first season!
We were just getting started in Season One; in future seasons there were even more styles of music introduced and an ever-expanding palette of sounds and styles mirrored their ever-expanding adventures. But, at the end of the day, everything always ended up being about pizza!
WF: What was your process like when scoring episodes on Teen Titans?
KC: Teen Titans (and Justice League, which we were scoring concurrently) was a transition period for us from an informal association of three more-or-less independent composers into a tightly integrated collaboration. Once our mentor Shirley Walker transitioned from animated television to focus on feature films, we continued our work with Warner Bros as independent artists. We composed separately on each episode, which meant one or two of us would be incredibly busy while the others were waiting for the next turn. Ultimately we decided that our energies could be better spent working at the same time and began splitting composing duties on each episode of a project… Legion of Super Heroes was the first project we scored officially as Dynamic Music Partners and we’ve been working together on most of our projects ever since.
WF: With all that in mind, how did you decide on the direction of the sound of the series?
KC: Glen Murakami had a very personal, individualized vision for the series, incorporating anime elements as well as his own unique aesthetics. Apart from broad strokes: a raw, indie, guitar-leaning sound, he wanted each episode to explore its own musical identity. In fact, he explicitly said he didn’t want us to know his favorite things we created for the series so we wouldn’t feel compelled to repeat ourselves! Accordingly, each initial spotting meeting was a brainstorming session of, “what haven’t we explored yet, and how does this episode spark something unique to try?”
LR: Music production was quite involved. We always had an array of live musicians, often more than one guitar player, woodwinds, and specialty instruments as called for by the needs of an individual episode.
WF: When it comes to your already incredible resume, what makes Teen Titans stand out among your other works?
LR: Cool, fun, sophisticated, genuine, are words that describe Teen Titans to me. Everything about that series holds up to this day as just a gem with an absolutely unique point of view, while being very relatable to all generations.
WF: How important is the score to the series’ first episode? Does that episode essentially establish the show’s musical identity, or will we hear something a little different by episode 13?
KC: Glen had a specific request for the first episode: Make the first cue sound like Batman Beyond (the immediately-preceding series we worked on), up to the end of the teaser, then Bam! Gonna hit the viewers with an entirely new music style in the Japanese Pop/Rock theme song (performed by the perfectly-cast Puffy AmiYumi), and once we return to the show, we’re off on a new style: youthful, punky, quirky and rock guitar-driven. That general concept guided us through the entire season, and on to the entire series, but the boundaries of those ideas was so broad as to allow the score to explore some pretty far-out fields. I suppose you could trace the route from episode 1 to 13 by way of Google Maps with the routing set to “as circuitous as possible!”
WF: What was the trickiest character theme to come up with? Who was the easiest? Did the show’s lighter tone make it easier or harder to create the right sound for each character?
MM: It’s interesting that you say the tone of the show was lighter…it may have started out that way, but give a listen to “Masks” or “The Apprentice, Part 1” and see if you still feel that way! Glen’s confidence in us gave us the ability to go virtually anywhere and draw upon any style or mood for inspiration. I was always really excited to go with my gut feeling when conceptualizing the music for each individual episode. So really the trickiest part was to make sure that there was always something unexpected and interesting around the next corner for the viewers, a musical approach that would amplify a unique facet of the Teen Titan’s world, their nemeses and their current predicament. And that was also the part that was most fun for me as a film composer.
WF: Any stand-out memories from scoring the first season, such as favorite Teen Titans highlights?
LR: My “smile from ear to ear” personal favorite musical moments of Volume One, without a doubt are found in the series premiere episode “Divide and Conquer.” Michael, Kristopher and I cover quite a bit of ground, from edgy (now sounding weirdly retro-hip) guitar driven grooves, to funky – vocal jazz infused selections, to creepy – creative sound-design elements highlighting “Slade” one of our main villains.
As for my solo episodes in Teen Titans Original Soundtrack – Volume One, I have been asked numerous times for the music from the episode “Sisters,” the episode where Starfire’s sister, Blackfire comes to earth. Alien robots start attacking Starfire and of course, Teen Titans have to protect her. The music has moments of sisterly sweetness, but then turns on a dime to reveal what really is going on under the surface. A 180 degree departure is the music I composed for the episode “Forces of Nature,” again about siblings, this time about two supernatural brothers “Thunder” and “Lightning”, who later become honorary Teen Titans. The score plays on nature – and the power of nature (thunder and lightning) through the use of ethnic drums and almost a Cirque du Soleil vibe.
“Switched” and “Deep Six” musically cover “creepy puppet music” to zombie music and rock opera.
KC: “Nevermore” was not only a wacky-while-dangerous exploration into Raven’s mind, but a wacky exploration into an Eastern-inspired meditation theme smashed together with heavy metal guitar playing up the danger. Two episodes, “Car Trouble” and “Mad Mod” started a trend I followed over the course of the series of decade-inspired scores, with “Car Trouble” featuring 1950’s doo-wop vocals and horns, while “Mad Mod” was grounded in 1960’s rock.
MM: I remember spotting my first episode with Glen, “Final Exam,” and we were talking about the opening infomercial. The idea was that this showcased a very elite academy that was extremely selective about their students, very highbrow, so I ended up writing a proper classical piece that was a really unusual juxtaposition with the imagery of weapons and explosions. Even the tempo was slow and stately rather than fast and action-like despite the battles on the screen. It seemed to create more questions that way, questions that would be answered in the episode that followed (and that musical theme became the Hive theme in the battle sequences later on too). It was a great intro for me as a composer into the world of the Titans and what was truly possible with such a wide spectrum of expression. Later, in “The Apprentice, Pt. 1,” Glen wanted the feeling that Robin was descending into a very, very dark place, so we agreed all the melodies would go downward throughout the whole story. By the end of the episode it sounded so dire – a great cliffhanger for Part 2 that followed!
WF: Here’s a different question: Can you share with us one thing you learned to do while working on Teen Titans? Perhaps picking up a new instrument, or using a familiar one in a new way? Did the series inspire you to try or do anything new, musically?
LR: Believe it or not, I am only now fully embracing the concepts I learned about creativity during the era of working on Teen Titans (for Glen Murakami.) When I am given a longer leash, it generally comes a surprise! If I could speak to the composer I was back then, I would say: “Enjoy the longer leash! Have some fun! Just go for it! You may not hit the mark every time, but you will absolutely be serving the project through unabashed, unfiltered creative energy!” I hear it in the music, but I remember how stressed I was at times putting myself out there and wondering if the music will be approved. It is all about collaboration and trust. We had that with Glen.
WF: What’s the planned release schedule for Teen Titans? We know Volume One arrives this summer, but is there anything you can tell us about future releases?
MM: At this point all we can tell you is that we are planning to release as much of our music as possible from the series. We don’t have a set release schedule; we’ll make announcements when there’s more on the way. We’ll be keenly watching sales of the first volume, and the interest we see in volume one could help us determine details about future releases. Since we’re releasing this ourselves we really appreciate your help and the help of all the fans on social media in getting the word out there so as many people as possible who love the show will know that this music is finally becoming available to enjoy.
WF: As we wrap this interview up, and in addition to Teen Titans, are there any other recent or upcoming works you’d like to shine a little light on?
KC: We are thrilled to share that we scored the upcoming Warner Bros. animated movie, Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons. We loved working with director Rick Morales on this beautiful story, packed full of heart, family and overcoming obstacles through teamwork. The movie drops Oct. 18, 2022. And, in the grand tradition of Vaguebooking and NDAs, we are just now wrapping work on a wonderful movie that is going to be incredible to talk about… when we’re finally able to!
The Teen Titans Original Soundtrack – Volume One soundtrack release arrives July 21, 2022, from Dynamic Music Partners and Dynamic Soundtrack Records, and is available to purchase from your preferred digital retailer. Sign up for the DMP mailing list at the form below to be notified of future releases…AND, as a special bonus for subscribing, you’ll receive a PDF guide with episode-specific track info!
Teen Titans selected credits:
Music by: Lolita Ritmanis, Kristopher Carter & Michael McCuistion
Score orchestrated, conducted and produced by: Lolita Ritmanis, Kristopher Carter & Michael McCuistion
Music Recorded and Mixed by: Mark Mattson and Mako Sujishi
Label: Dynamic Soundtrack Records
All music published by: Warner-Barham Music, LLC (BMI)
Album mastered by: James Nelson/Digital Outland
Synthesists: Lolita Ritmanis, Kristopher Carter & Michael McCuistion
Guitars: Greg Herzenach, Paul Jameson, Gabriel Moses
Woodwinds: John Yoakum
For more on Dynamic Music Partners – including details on past, present and future works, along with news on forthcoming releases and appearances – check out their official website! On social media, be sure to follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!
La-La Land Records has provided a look at the track list for Young Justice: Outsiders – Music from the DC Universe Original Series and Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans – Music from the DC Animated Movie, two upcoming CD soundtrack releases from the record label available starting August 25th, 2020 at 12noon PST. Both releases feature music from the two recent DC Comics-based animated projects. Both titles are limited editions of 1000 units, and the first orders to be placed at www.lalalandrecords.com on August 25th on both titles will get CD booklets autographed by the composers at no additional charge. Dynamic Music Partners provides the score to Young Justice: Outsiders, and Jason Lazarus handles scoring duties for Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans.
Continue below for a tracklist breakdown of both titles, provided exclusively to The World’s Finest by La-La Land Records.
YOUNG JUSTICE: OUTSIDERS (2-CD SET)
TRACK LISTING:
DISC 1
1. Young Justice: Outsiders Main Title§ 0:26
PRINCES ALL
2. Anna Has Monster Heart Attack* 2:43
3. Prince Brion Asks For Help** 0:28
4. Royal Assassination* 1:32
5. Tube To A New Adventure* 0:43
ROYAL WE
6. Space Trek 3016* (Source) 0:31
7. To The Palace** 0:52
8. Tigress Meets Halo* 1:27
9. Brion Experiment Continues* 1:37
EMINENT THREAT
10. Vertigo Tortures Dr. Jayce** 1:50
PRIVATE SECURITY
11. Raging And Rapid*** 1:07
12. Over The Bridge / Around The Bend** 1:27
AWAY MISSION
13. Attack Launched*** 1:08
14. Forager Intervenes*** 0:40
15. Brion Is Enraged*** 0:41
16. An Authentic Villain*** 1:50
17. Brion Turns To Leave** 0:34
18. Wrapped In A Memory*** 1:48
19. Forager Banished** 2:23
RESCUE OP
20. Black Spider Arrives*** 1:26
21. Kids Confront Sensei* 3:23
EVOLUTION
22. The Armada Approaches* 0:46
23. The Spirit Is Forged** 0:39
24. Armada*** 2:32
25. Kalibak Joins The Fight* 2:11
26. Ancient Babylon And Beyond** 0:55
27. Vandal Battles Starro*** 1:29
TRIPTYCH
28. S.T.A.R. Labs Machine Heist** 1:36
29. JL Heroes Street Fight** 1:23
30. Bring Back The Horror*** 0:25
31. AntiLight*** 1:03
HOME FIRES
32. Family Family Family*** 1:18
33. Main Man Sneak Attack* 2:03
34. Lobo Dispatches Forager** 2:20
35. Forager Emerges** 0:56
36. Light And More Light*** 1:22
EXCEPTIONAL HUMAN BEINGS
37. I Like The Sound Of That*** 0:28
38. What’s In A Name*** 1:12
39. JL Battle Bane’s Gang** 3:48
40. Bash Bashford Arrives*** 1:05
ANOTHER FREAK
41. Fred Bugg With Two G’s** 1:35
42. Looking Backward Or Ahead** 1:28
43. Fatherbox In Control* 1:01
44. Indigo*** 0:42
45. HaloCyborg Standoff* 3:33
NIGHTMARE MONKEYS
46. He’s Dead Tom* 0:56
47. How Does This Fit*** 1:51
48. Waterfall Flashback** 0:25
49. Ready To Get Back To Life** 1:01
50. All The Kids Are Doing It** 0:46
TRUE HEROES
51. Danger Morph*** 0:51
52. Halo Horror House* 1:44
53. Might Be Ready To Be Heroes*** 1:12 TOTAL DISC TIME 73:12
DISC 2
TRUE HEROES (CONT.)
1. Off To The Halloween Dance** 0:46
2. Arriving In Bialya** 1:12
3. Bittersweet Reunion** 1:43
4. Rescue And Escape** 1:13
INFLUENCE
5. Not Their Biosigns*** 1:39
6. You Have A Choice** 0:53
7. Just Me*** 2:01
8. Granny Disciplines Barda* 1:22
9. Granny Activates Machine* 2:56
LEVERAGE
10. First Covert Mission** 1:40
ILLUSION OF CONTROL
11. Harvest Festival Montage** 1:16
FIRST IMPRESSION
12. Launch The Outsiders*** 2:37
13. Forager Misses Bioship*** 0:22
14. Reach Ships Attack** 1:53
15. Enter The Outsiders*** 1:19
16. Getting Used to It*** 0:34
17. It’s Not The Reach** 0:39
18. Mothership Crashes* 2:15
19. AntiLight Report*** 0:39
EARLY WARNING
20. More Outsiders Success* 1:51
ELDER WISDOM
21. Penthouse Battle** 1:51
22. Not Quite Right*** 0:47
23. If Not Us, Then Whom** 2:11
24. Not Hero Behavior*** 2:18
QUIET CONVERSATIONS
25. Pain*** 0:14
26. You Are Very Brave*** 0:51
27. Fighting While Planning** 2:04
28. The Unhappy One*** 0:30
29. Admitting Abuse*** 0:37
UNKNOWN FACTORS
30. Oracle Calls Aquaman** 1:43
31. Nervous About Genes*** 0:28
32. Busy Tower Life* 1:52
33. Planting A Seed*** 1:37
34. I Hope You Learned A Lesson** 2:39
ANTISOCIAL PATHOLOGIES
35. Pit Excursion* 1:33
36. Thinking About This*** 0:26
37. Spill Your Secrets*** 3:24
TERMINUS
38. Can’t Be Trusted*** 1:05
39. Wally Psychic Videogame Flashback* 1:56
40. Captured Heroes*** 1:50
41. The Age Of Darkseid Begins** 0:57
INTO THE BREACH
42. Halo In Excelsis* 1:58
OVERWHELMED
43. Patience** 0:41
44. What Would Superman Do** 1:28
45. Artemis Will Never Walk Alone* 3:30
46. Markovia Here We Come** 0:48
NEVERMORE
47. Brion Usurps Throne* 2:04
48. I Am The Superboy** 0:49
49. All’s Well That Ends Wait Is That A Cliffhanger* 1:49
50. Young Justice: Outsiders End Credits Long Version§ 0:55 TOTAL DISC TIME 73:45
TOTAL ALBUM TIME 2:26:57
§ composed by Kristopher Carter,
Michael McCuistion and Lolita Ritmanis
* composed by Kristopher Carter
** composed by Michael McCuistion
*** composed by Lolita Ritmanis
TEEN TITANS GO! vs TEEN TITANS
TRACK LISTING:
1. Titans Vs Titans 1:30
2. The Unkindness 1:32
3. Titans of Infinite Earths 1:00
4. Face Yourself 0:26
5. A Portal Opens 1:01
6. Meet Your Challengers 1:25
7. Countdown 0:44
8. Tournament of Champions 2:21
9. A Crack in Her Gem 0:57
10. Master of Games 0:37
11. Who We Are 0:36
12. Get Them Back 0:24
13. Lord of Madness 0:26
14. A Raven’s Power 0:44
15. Amends 0:57
16. Inner Demon 1:30
17. Unleashed 2:24
18. Bigger Problems 1:53
19. Sinister Plan 1:05
20. Hatching a Plan 0:51
21. Polar Infiltration 2:26
22. Not So Silent Night 1:58
23. Into the Multiverse 0:58
24. Out of Patience 0:42
25. Hexagon 0:55
26. Reinforcements 1:17
27. Under Siege 2:35
28. No Time For a Plan 0:45
29. Tug of The War 1:14
30. Lessons Learned 1:20
31. Worlogog (Instrumental) 0:45
32. More Serious 0:49
33. In Sync 1:02
34. We Are Titans (Alternate Version – Instrumental) 1:36 TOTAL ALBUM TIME: 41:52
La-La Land Records previously released soundtracks for the first two seasons of Young Justice and Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, along with a wealth of other titles from assorted DC Comics-based animated properties, including Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and more.
Stay tuned for further updates on Young Justice, select Teen Titans Go! reports, and details on other forthcoming La-La Land Records titles, right here at The World’s Finest. Check out The World’s Finest Young Justice sub-site for additional content, including images, videos, reviews and exclusive content on this release and more. In addition to soundtrack details, a review of the Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans animated feature is also available here. Discuss this news by clicking the link below.
Teen Titans: The Complete Series Label: Warner Archive, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Studios: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment Blu-ray Release Date: December 3, 2019
Description: It’s a full plate of crime-fighting and chaos as Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy go up against killer villains such as Brother Blood, Mad Mod and their archenemy Slade. Get ready for all the big battles and unbreakable bonds that make these friends the unstoppable Teen Titans!
Developed by producer Glen Murakami and executive producer Sam Register, and based on DC Comics’ young super hero team, Teen Titans: The Complete Series stars Greg Cipes (The Middle, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Beast Boy, Scott Menville (LEGO DC: Batman – Family Matters) as Robin, Khary Payton (The Walking Dead) as Cyborg, Tara Strong (Batman: The Animated Series, My Little Pony, Unikitty!) as Raven, Hynden Walch (Adventure Time, Groundhog Day) as Starfire, and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad!) as Trigon/Hexagon.
Cast also includes Golden Globe Award winner Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy) as Slade, Ashley Johnson (Blindspot) as Terra, Lauren Tom (Batman Beyond) as Gizmo, Wil Wheaton (Stand By Me, Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Aqualad, Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad, Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Cinderblock, T’Keyeh Crystal Keymah (In Living Color, That’s So Raven) as Bumblebee, three-time Emmy Award winner Keith David (The Thing, The Live) as Atlas, John DiMaggio (Futurama, Adventure Time) as Brother Blood, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) as Kid Flash, Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) as Mad Mod, actor/author/spoken word artist Henry Rollins as Johnny Rancid, Clancy Brown (Emergence, The Shawshank Redemption) as Trident, Judge Reinhold (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) as Negative Man, Dave Coulier (Full House) as Captain, Billie Hayes (H.R. Pufnstuf) as Mother Mae-Eye, and Academy Award nominees Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Thomas Haden Church (Wings, Sideways) and Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile) as Arella, Killer Moth and Hayden, respectively.
Teen Titans: The Complete Series ran for five seasons (2003-2006), and all 65 episodes are contained in this 6-disc collection. The Special Features include:
• “Finding Their Voices” (featurette)
• “Comic Creations: From Comic Book to Cartoon” (featurette)
• “Puffy AmiYumi” (featurette)
• “Catching Up With … Teen Titans” (featurette)
• “Teen Titans: Know Your Foes” (featurette)
• “Teen Titans: Friends and Foes” (featurette)
• Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo (feature film)
• The Lost Episode (bonus episode)
• …and much more!
Light-hearted, fun and riddled with charming character beats and cool action, Teen Titans left a definite mark on the superhero animation landscape when it debuted in 2003. The animated series amassed a huge following, one that remains devoted to the series to this very day. And finally, those fans get to experience this charming animated series in sweet widescreen HD, and it’s truly something to behold. Warner Archive has whipped up a stellar release for Teen Titans: The Complete Series, an excellent Blu-ray title that both long-time and even casual/new fans should snatch up!
Thoughts on the Teen Titans series itself will be brief, as the focus is this arguably long-awaited Blu-ray connection. That said, a few words on this classic series still need to be said.
One can’t help but notice, right out the gate, how confident this series was about what it wanted to be and what it wanted to deliver. Teen Titans character designs, each member’s distinct character quirk and place on the team, or just the overall tone, Teen Titans makes everything clear right from the start. The creators behind this series knew that – at the time – an action series like this could be a risk, but their conviction in their abilities is tangible from the get-go, and that helps in really giving the show the steady foot it needs against its detractors. And it’s this confidence that serves the show throughout to its controversial series finale. After is establishes its world in the first season, it’s safe to say the scale just keeps growing with each following season. Like the show’s tone and character designs, Teen Titans took more than a few risks, and they paid off tremendously.
It also helps that Teen Titans takes the time to give every member of the team the spotlight throughout the series, with each season focusing more on certain member from the team. Robin, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy all get plenty of time in the spotlight, all with deep dives into their characters’ respective histories. Raven’s arc in particular remains a series highlight, as does Teen Titan‘s take on the classic “The Judas Contract” comic storyline. Not only do these storylines reinforce their importance and role in the team, but they tend to help push character development forward in meaningful ways. These are great characters and the team dynamic between the five is inspired.
Teen Titans holds up exceptionally well all these years later and honestly, upon revisiting, it’s better than I remember it. Is every episode a home run? Of course not, as it is with nearly any other series, but it remains a stellar series nonetheless and, if for whatever reason you haven’t given it a shot, now is the opportune time to. Warner Archives’ Teen Titans: The Complete Series not only has the 65-episode entire series, but it also includes the “lost episode” and spin-off Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo movie. Besides, the series remains a breathe of fresh air from the standard superhero fare, and offers up a fun, unique take on the beloved DC Comics characters. It’s fun, wholesome and balances the show’s comedic bent and the heavier material with ease. Give Teen Titans a go! It’s a series well worth your time.
Moving to the actual Blu-ray release of Teen Titans: The Complete Series and, much like this show itself, the end product is fantastic. Housed in a chunkier-than-usual Blu-ray case, the entire DC Comics-based animated series, along with the spin-off movie and bonus content, are all included on the set’s six discs. And much like the physical set, the content housed within looks sharp.
Looking first the audio and video quality, it’s a great overall presentation, though not perfect. The video transfer is bold and relatively crystal clear, nicely bringing the show’s bright color scheme to vibrant life. However, some episodes are littered with white specks that intermittently pop on the screen. The image also appears occasionally blurred and washed out at times, particularly with some cenes involving quick, fast motions. This could possibly be the result of the actual source material, as digital coloring at Warner Bros. Animation was in its relative infancy as this show was rolling out. Macroblocking is also noticeable, varying in noticeable amounts episode to episode. The audio is as clear as can be, however, thanks to an excellent DTS HD 2.0 mix. Even with the small image issues, Teen Titans has never looked or sounded so great.
To cover the bonus content ported over, starting with Season One, “Finding Their Voices” features the cast, producers and voice director Andrea Romano discussing how they found the voice cast for the series. After that, “Comic Creations” details the Teen Titan’s comic book origins and the character’s jump from the four-color page to the screen. It features appearances from comic talent along with those from the animated series. Next a Puffy Ami Yumi music video and a preview of the Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi animated series, followed by a “Puffy AmiYumi” featurette, which is a fluff piece of the band, who provide the show’s theme song, being interviewed by the Teen Titans. Two bonus episodes of The Hiros is also included. On the Season Two disc, “Catching up with … Teen Titans” is the disc’s sole extra and recaps the first season and serves as a nice refresher if needed.
Continuing, Season Three bonus content is a “Teen Titans: Know Your Foes” featurette which looks at the big foes of the season with insight from the series’ producers and writers. Season Four also includes a “Teen Titans: Know Your Foes,” featurette, but it focuses on the bad guys found in the fourth year of the series. “Teen Titans: Friends and Foes,” the sole extra for Season Five, is pretty self-explanatory, looking at both the good and bad guys who do battle in this series, again featuring comments from the cast and crew. The bonus disc for Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo includes the 12-minute “The Lost Episode,” a 12-minute episode that was originally released online as part of a promotional effort when Teen Titans was on the air. Unfortunately it’s in standard definition quality.
It’s worth noting that this collection also marks the first Blu-ray release for Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, something long overdue. Extra kudos to Warner Archive for including it both in this collection and giving it it’s own separate Blu-ray release, as well.
Overall, for fans of Teen Titans, this collection is a no-brainer purchase. Not only is the entire animated series presented in stylish HD available on Blu-ray, but Teen Titans: The Complete Series also ports they key bonus content from the original DVD releases. Granted, this set would’ve been worth it for just the episodes alone, but the bonus content is a nice touch. While the set does have a few small issues, they are minuscule in at best and don’t take away from its overall quality. This is the Blu-ray collection that fans have been waiting for, and Warner Archive does not disappoint. Highly Recommended!
And just a little extra note, once you’re done soaking in the excellent Teen Titans: The Complete Series Blu-ray collection, I highly recommend picking up the recent Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans animated movie. It’s a legitimately great animated feature that’s smart, hilarious, even a little touching, and does justice to not only Teen Titans but to the long history of these teen super-heroes, too. Click here to check out the review.
Additionally, Warner Archive is also giving separate Blu-ray releases for all five seasons of Teen Titans and Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo. The artwork for all six titles can be found below.
Please note Warner Archive provided a copy of this title to The World’s Finest for review, but that had no impact on the product’s final assessment.