Steven Universe

Steven Universe
The Season 2 onwards title card showing characters from left to right on the beach at dusk: Pearl, Garnet, Steven and Amethyst.
Genre
Created byRebecca Sugar
Voices of
Theme music composer
Opening theme"We Are the Crystal Gems"
by Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz and Deedee Magno Hall
Ending theme"Love Like You"
by Rebecca Sugar
ComposerAivi & Surasshu
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes160 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJackie Buscarino
Editors
  • Mattaniah Adams
  • Paul Douglas
Running time11 minutes
Production companyCartoon Network Studios
Original release
NetworkCartoon Network
ReleaseNovember 4, 2013 (2013-11-04) –
January 21, 2019 (2019-01-21)
Related
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe (Zach Callison), who lives with the Crystal Gems—magical, mineral-based aliens named Garnet (Estelle), Amethyst (Michaela Dietz) and Pearl (Deedee Magno Hall)—in the fictional town of Beach City. Steven, who is half-Gem, has adventures with his friends and helps the Gems protect the world from their own kind. The television pilot was first shown in May 2013, and the series ran for five seasons, from November 2013 to January 2019. The television film Steven Universe: The Movie was released in September 2019, and an epilogue limited series, Steven Universe Future, ran from December 2019 to March 2020. Books, comics, video games and soundtracks based on the series have been released.

The themes of the series include love, family and the importance of healthy interpersonal relationships. Sugar based the lead character on her younger brother Steven, who was an artist for the series. She developed Steven Universe while she was a writer and storyboard artist on the animated television series Adventure Time, which she left when Cartoon Network greenlit her series for full production. The series adopted a storyboard-driven approach, where storyboard artists drew scenes, wrote dialogue and shaped the narrative. The design of Beach City and the Crystal Gems reflected Sugar’s personal inspirations, such as Delaware beaches and childhood experiences, while incorporating influences from anime, video games and art history. Animation was handled by Korean studios Sunmin Image Pictures and Rough Draft Korea, while the music composed by Aivi & Surasshu became an integral part of the series identity.

The series received critical acclaim for its storytelling, character development and visual design. Critics praised its exploration of complex themes like identity, relationships and mental health, as well as its prominent LGBTQ representation, which included the character Garnet, a fusion embodying a same-sex relationship, whose component characters made history in the first same-sex wedding in children's animation. The voice acting and music were also lauded, with songs like “Stronger Than You” resonating with its audience. It earned numerous accolades, including a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Program, becoming the first animated series to win the award, and a Peabody Award for Children's & Youth Programming, both respectively in 2019. It consistently appeared on “best-of” lists for animation, including being ranked #99 on BBC's 100 Greatest Television Series of the 21st Century. Additionally, its influence extended beyond entertainment, inspiring other creators and fostering a broad fanbase.

  1. ^ Rearick, Lauren (August 1, 2018). "Steven Universe Is the Revolutionary Cartoon Teaching Young People It's OK to Be Confused". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024. Steven Universe has amassed an impressive following […] to express how the […] adventures of an animated child has changed their lives.
  2. ^ Opam, Kwame (February 1, 2017). "Steven Universe is a defining example of artistic resistance in our time". The Verge. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. The stakes […] would be high in any science-fantasy story.
  3. ^ Baron, Reuben (February 14, 2022). "25 Shows Like Adventure Time You Should Watch Next". Looper. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Steven Universe starts as a lighthearted comedy before going in more serious dramatic directions.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Tracey (March 25, 2020). "Steven Universe changed TV forever. For its creator, its queer themes were personal". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. A whimsical, musical coming-of-age story […]

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