While searching for some other cartoons I hadn't heard of on Youtube just a few mornings ago, I saw on one channel a few screen-caps of this, which are video links of the musical numbers. I decided to search for the whole special and watched that on the same site, as I just had to check this out and it's another one that I'm glad I did. Despite not having seen all of movies/specials by DIC, I've already settled that this is most definitely my most favorite of those by DIC. This is it, this is the one. It's become one of my most favorites by DIC overall, one of my favorite cartoons of the 2000s, one of my favorite musical cartoons, and just one of my favorites in general. There's no mistake about it, this ranks with the best of DIC and as one of the very last (or next to last) works ever made by the company, I say it's one of the penultimate things (if not the penultimate thing) for the animation studio to go out on a very great note (pun unintended). I was wishing there was more to this and that it had been expanded into a T. V. series, but I found out there's, at least, one follow-up to this: A sequel that has yet to have its own page featured here called Will The Zizzles Sizzle or Fizzle?, which I plan to watch also on Youtube when it's available in English. I read on another site that the sequel has yet to be brought to home video, but if it's really just as great as this, then it needs to be brought to home media as well already pronto. This seems to be the most, if not, one of the most overlooked and underrated works by DIC, but it deserves more acclaim. It's rare to come across anything straight-to-video that's outstanding, but this is one of those rarities.
The story revolves around a small, mostly green robot with an antenna and horn or funnel-shaped ears, and a nose known as iZ. He was created by a scientist named Dr. Eugene Zizzle, who designed iZ with the intention of making the world a better place. But some government agents and people in black want to take iZ and use him for some other purpose. IZ escapes and flees to a corn field, where a neighbor discovers crop circles (or rather, crop letters "I" and "Z"), and believes some alien has (or aliens have) arrived. Eventually, iZ makes his way to a radio station where the DJ discovers him. The DJ hasn't been having much success nor luck with trying to score the next hit and if this continues, he and his family, known as the Franklins, won't be able to move back to New York and they'll remain in their new home, a midwestern, rural town. Mr. Franklin also has to deal with a record label head and his son. Mr. Franklin later brings iZ back to his home to show to his wife, Mrs. Franklin, who is a manager and/or record producer. After a mishap, iZ then heads to the garage where the couple's daughter, son, and their friend/bandmate who form a trio, are playing. After they too see and find him, they think he could add something to their music/sound, and become a quartet. Although they gel quite well and it seems like they have just what they need to become an overnight sensation finally, the agents eventually come to the Franklin home looking for him and have iZ recaptured in their custody. But there's an idea and a way found to have iZ released, and the plan goes into motion before that's resolved, and all goes well.
The art and animation are crisp, clean, and clear. The writing of the story is ingenious in how it's all brought together before the resolution. The voice cast sounds like they voiced their characters well. Most of the cast members of this I don't recognize nor am I familiar with, but I just noticed and found out that the daughter, Vera, was voiced by Yasmeen Sulieman, better known simply as Yasmeen, who is best known and remembered for her 2002 hit, "Blue Jeans", is among the cast, which is just spectacular to know, and it's great to hear her in this. She isn't one of the bigger names in music, but at least someone still recognized her name in this, which is me, as I'm the only one I know of who has. As for the music, concerning the musical numbers, there are four, original songs, which are the highlights of the compositions in this, more than the incidental music, as they are really what shine through here. The first song sounds like a mixture of some form of rock and electronics, but the three others are more straight-ahead rock and I guess the trio would fall into modern pop/rock, and some kind of alternative rock. They're very catchy, hard-hitting, and, ineluctable. The characters are fine, especially IZ, who is trying to find his purpose, learn of what he is, remember where he comes from, and who created him.
This didn't disappoint a bit, highly enjoyable and well-done. One of the best, animated musicals I've ever seen and heard. I'm telling all who read this, this is a must-watch. This band have the makings of becoming true hit-makers. And iZ is just who will give the Zizzles the edge needed. Some time after watching this, while I was going through the search engine, I learned that there was an iZ toy, which I think came out before this. Making this one of the toyetic cartoons, but it's one of the better ones. That's still dandy to know, just the same. Recommended.
