As a BIG fan of mad scientists and zany science-fiction adventures, I was immediately drawn to Rick and Morty on Day One.  The Adult Swim animated show was absolutely unique, even if it was initially based on Back to the Future characters. Throughout the years, the show’s audience has grown by leaps and bounds, eventually leading to Cartoon Network ordering 70 new episodes in 2020 following the conclusion of the fourth season.

And then the show’s drama really began.

Series co-creator (as well as original voice actor for both Rick and Morty) Justin Roiland was charged with felony domestic abuse and was promptly fired from his own show. There was a whole lot of anonymous judgement against the guy online, who was apparently perceived guilty before proven innocent. When the California state charges were eventually dropped and his characters were recast, I had already lost interest in the show.

Even though my DVR continued to record new episodes as they aired, I have yet to watch them. Maybe someday I will, but for now, 21 episodes of Season 6 and 7 still await my attention… and then Rick and Morty: The Anime premiered recently, and my overall perception of the franchise seems to be improving.

This new take created and developed by Takashi Sano offers a mystery within the multiverse, and I’m absolutely here for it.

The Galactic Federation is still chasing the Smith family throughout space and time. There’s multiple Ricks causing dimensional havoc, randomly appearing in fissures of space-time, who have discovered a loophole in teleporting without using portal guns. Beth, Space Beth and Summer attempt to chase after Rick, who’s seemingly lost in time after stealing a supposed “anti-matter bomb,” that’s really just an item that reverses the flow of time. Morty’s got a crush on Elle, who has memories of future events that might just help resolve this cat-and-mouse game.

Dimensions are intersecting, multiple realities are simultaneously progressing and all of it is real for our characters. With infinite paths available, we only get one life to live. There’s no escaping the past (or the future, if you believe Rick Prime).

“Wow, reality sure is convenient…”

The new series touches upon the evils of artificial intelligence, deep dives of virtual reality and time travel. Two of my biggest pet peeves about the OG show were the ridiculous outcomes to multiple situations that never tend to matter in the long run of the story’s canon and time travel, in general.

I’ve always disliked certain time travel stories because the main characters usually go on grand adventures, bad things may happen (including deaths), and then the hero usually abandons that fate for another one.

That story structure always felt like a waste of time for me, making the character’s entire journey unnecessary, as it never really happened.

While I’m digging the title song, “Love is Entropy,” the entire Anime feels like fan service at times. Featuring so many flashbacks, flash forwards and flash sideways, there’s so many time jumps, this show definitely puts LOST to shame. And to top it all off, each episode includes new Pocket Mortys character reveals. One of these days, I’m tempted to finally download that free game (Space Morty rules!).

This show may not be everyone’s cup of tea — especially original fans of RaM — because it does offer something slightly different. It looks and sounds different, but in the long run, it feels like a believable standalone story for our already-developed main characters.

After watching three episodes, it’s safe to say that Rick and Morty: The Anime is My Guilty Pleasure. I’m now contemplating my return to the regularly scheduled series…