The Jedi comeback

By Deni Rose M. Afinidad
Contributor

First, The Lord of the Rings, then Harry Potter, and now, Twilight. Yes, sagas, we can?t get enough of them. But even before there was Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter or Edward Cullen, there was first Anakin Skywalker who ruled the reel and sparked the frenzy for anthologies.

Now, Anakin vies to redeem his throne in the hearts of saga followers with the recent premiere of a new animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Set between Star Wars: Episode II and Star Wars: Episode III, Star Wars: The Clone Wars reveals the untold stories within the epic battle. With new characters, new worlds and new excitement, this all-new series on Cartoon Network promises to take audiences on exciting and eye-popping adventures every Friday at 7 p.m.

?It?s Star Wars like you have never seen before!? says Karen Cho of Turner Entertainment Networks Asia Inc., distributor of Cartoon Network in Asia.

In the signature style of Lucasfilm Animation, Star Wars: The Clone Wars chronicles the adventures of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano and other favorite Star Wars characters as they struggle against the dark side during the divisive, action-packed Clone Wars. Each week, a new ?mini-movie? in the galaxy-changing Clone Wars comes to center stage, brought to the screen by supervising director Dave Filoni and executive producer George Lucas.

Non-stop, adrenaline-pumping battles and astonishing new revelations are to be expected as the Jedi Knights struggle to maintain freedom and restore peace to the galaxy by using their army of genetically engineered clones to fight the seemingly never-ending droid army. Ideal for family viewing, this series is designed to appeal to fans of all ages?from kids who are just learning about the Star Wars galaxy to longtime fans. Viewers can also catch the encore screening on Saturdays, 10 a.m.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is said to have already taken the United States by storm with the series? premiere last October. The new Lucasfilm Animation series scored as the most-watched series premiere in network history, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. The one-hour new series premiere also reigned as the no. 1 program from 9-10 p.m. among all major kids? networks in kids 6-11, kids 2-11, tweens 9-14, teens 12-17 and persons 20+, earning triple-digit increases compared to the same period last year. The weekly, CG-animated series also attracted the largest tweens 9-14 audience for any premiere telecast of an original series in Cartoon Network?s 16-year history.

?No doubt, Star Wars: The Clone Wars will also be smashing records in the Philippines,? says Cho. With a new story on Cartoon Network each week, Star Wars: The Clone Wars aims to continue the tradition of thrilling storytelling, astonishing visuals, and extraordinary music that have always been the hallmarks of the Star Wars saga.