X-Men ‘97 has received almost universal praise that has even come from the notoriously hard to please 90s kids that exalted the original show, and a recent interview with the originators of that series reveals one major reason why this is the case.
X-Men ‘97 is a continuation of the highly well-regarded X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s which stopped airing in 1997, giving the new series its name.
There was a lot of speculation and anxiety about whether this was a true-to-the-bone revival or an MCU project that would more closely align with the rest of Marvel’s Disney+ fare, with believers on both sides doubting it would live up to the now.
However, the show’s debut was a massive success, with the instant and sustained good reception given to X-Men ‘97 raising questions about other animated shows deserving of revival.
While the show’s directors have highlighted the influence of anime on X-Men ‘97, the show’s biggest inspiration is definitely still X-Men: The Animated Series, and not just as a spiritual predecessor.