Thursday, February 27, 2014

DVD Review - Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Big Help

Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Big Help
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 18, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00HE11KA2
Running Time: 66 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Throughout the early '80s the majority of the animated television shows and series were created only to sell a toy line. While the majority target audience was boys, there were a few aimed for girls, such as Strawberry Shortcake.

It was created by the American Greeting for a greeting cards in the late‘70s. What started out as only Strawberry Shortcake and her cat, Custard, eventually lead to 32 different character designs. The cards became extremely popular, eventually launching into the toy industry with a rag doll, followed by other toys and merchandising. Later, Strawberry Shortcake and friends appeared in a series of animated specials and quickly disappeared as the franchise became unpopular.

Strawberry Shortcake made a brief return in 2003 with a brand-new toy line and animated series, later appearing in a big-screen feature film, but it seemed it was the wrong time for a reboot as the new generations of kids didn't exactly catch on to it. Nevertheless, Strawberry Shortcake received another reboot with another line of toys and a new computer-animated series, Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures, which three seasons have already aired and a fourth season is in the works.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released the franchises' latest DVD titled Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Big Help, featuring a 'Printable Coloring Pages" and "Sunshine Girls" Music Video as special features.

The episodes on the single-disc set are:

Babysitter Blues - Strawberry Shortcake agrees to baby-sit a Baby Berrykin.
A Stitch in Time - Orange and Lemon become Fashion Elves to help Raspberry with her fashion design dreams.
Fish Out of Water - Orange adopts a bitty fish.


Though I was more into TMNT, He-man and other action cartoons during the '80s, I was well aware of Strawberry Shortcake, as I had an aunt (six-years older than me) who owned a few of the dolls and I think maybe a doll stroller. I wasn't aware Strawberry Shortcake started out as a greeting card until I went to research the franchise for this review. The characters have gone through a major redesign for the new incarnation, now wearing clothes that resemble our current time and not the '80s. It takes a while to get use to the computer-animation. Overall, the episodes on Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Big Help are cute with likeable characters. With Easter just around the corner, the DVD would me a great present.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.


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