So, a YouTuber named Hiding in Private made two very lengthy videos responding to and deconstructing a few infamous video essays that were some of the more popular ones circulating during the anti-Steven Universe backlash:
Watching through them, it's genuinely good to see some in-depth responses to defend the show from years of bad faith criticisms, but even more than that is seeing how all of them (yes, even the Orchard video) wind up repeating a lot of the same tired arguments that reek of right-wing backlash and misinformation. Hell, some of what those videos argue is downright laughable to hear. Would highly recommend watching both videos if anyone is curious.
It is nice that perception of the show is slowly starting to change. I'm seeing quite a few accounts from new fans who went into the show expecting the worst after hearing all the criticisms and negativity about it, and were pleasantly surprised to discover that it was nowhere near as bad as people made it out to be.
Well, I for one...would never watch the show again.
But for reasons of disinterest than criticisms of a similar caliber to the worst of those types of people.
Though, the movie is fair game.
Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.Watching the response to the Lily Orchard video and wow, Orchard's arguments are honestly *worse* than I thought. Just straight up enbyphobic bullshit about Stevonnie and other shit about "Either do the most perfect representation possible or you'll give the conservatives fuel to hate us more", like...what the shit?
My first experience of serious SU criticism was a video titled "The Steven Universe Rant" by Robobuddies (which is now privated, apparenttly
). And honestly, I was initially into it because it pointed out stuff that never crossed my mind (more shot-reverse-shots that I rememered, fight choreography could use work, plot developements built up for several episodes like the Clusters wrapping up anticlimatically, a growing reliance on subversion etc.).
I wouldn't say it "ruined" the show for me, but I did feel less enthusiastic about the show after watching the video. But as more episodes aired, I started to warm up to SU again, and I really enjoyed watching videos discussing its better parts (like this one
).
Yeah I think Robo kind of doesn't agree with their video anymore? They gave up on animation videos and got more involved in streaming stuff (hell, they're in a few of the Real Time Fandub videos...that's them playing Silver in the Sonic 06 RTF lol) and when they still had Twitter, I remember them being far more defensive of Steven Universe. So I'm assuming they had a change of opinion and privated the video as a result.
But I do remember watching some of the video when it first came out and I couldn't really rebut the criticisms. It wasn't *as* bad as Orchard's shit or the dozens of blatantly queerphobic, misogynist nonsense that acted like Steven Universe as the queers coming for the little kids watching Cartoon Network, but Robo kind of acted a little smug with this attitude of "I'm making this video so I can say I called it when the show goes downhill". Again, an attitude they do not have anymore. It's far more mature than Lily Orchard's, uh...everything.
My God, I tried watching that first video from HIP, but when the first critique he looked at declared that the voice acting on the show was bad because the cast was mostly non-white women, I had to stop the video and smack my desk repeatedly in exasperation. Just an awful, naked display of racism and sexism. I'd like to finish the video, but even the second-hand exposure to these pure radioactive takes is too much for me to handle
Yeah, the guy tries to frame it as they—the voice actors—only got on the show because of their gender/ethnicity rather than their talent (never mind the fact that the majority of them are veteran voice actors, respected within the industry) and he takes on a "I'm just saying" tone, but the real reason for his disdain is pretty self-evident.
Also, he acts like its an absolute truth that everyone agrees on that the voice acting on the show is bad when it's just.... not. I've literally never heard of anyone who didn't like the voice acting.
Her voice acting got better later on...
But due to Garnet being the stoic, it wasn't especially notable if she didn't really compare to the rest in the first 2 seasons.
Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.Ugh, that first guy in the first Hiding in Private video is a perfect example of "people online are not very good at media comprehension and analysis." It doesn't help that their voice reminds me of another bigoted asshole I've heard before.
It really is sad that that pitiful excuse of media analysis has so many views. I can only hope that some of those people who watched that video learned that what that person did is NOT good media analysis and critique.
"I squirm, I struggle, ergo I am. Faced with death, I am finally, truly alive."There's plenty to criticize about Steven Universe without stooping to racism or misogyny. Gross. Besides, what does that mean, the voice actors only got the roles because of their gender? Presumably you'd want women to voice female-presenting characters.
The Movie I'd say mostly holds up pretty well despite SU and Future's problems. I still hate Spinel going off with the Diamonds, but I think it's obvious the crew had no idea what to do with her besides ship her off somewhere else.
Edited by PhiSat on Aug 23rd 2023 at 12:14:40 PM
Oissu!I feel like if it had been any other animated movie Spinel would have been returned to Pink's garden but now she's been turned into a statue
and then once they leave and the camera remains focused on Spinel we see a single watery tear run down her cheek..
have a listen and have a link to my discord serverI think what they did with Spinel worked. Being the fixation of someone who doesn't really understand you or get what you're actually like as a person is horrible. (Speaking from experience here). Even if they're generally well meaning.
The show eventually starts moving towards Steven needing to identity which problems are his responsibility and which aren't and, by the time of the movie, being Spinel's therapist or the Diamonds' therapist isn't his job or responsibility. Especially with how Future only really portrays Yellow Diamond as really understanding what she did wrong. Blue and White just reverse their earlier behaviour and don't quite seem to get it. And the Diamonds are gonna be way more patient with Spinel because she seems to behave like how the Diamonds thought Pink behaved.
And then Future focuses on someone going through that process of learning when to step up and when to step back and deal with your own stuff and the sheer overwhelming guilt that can come from it because you want to help, you want to help so much and you see people suffering and hurting but you know you can't really help but you want to so bad and that causes you to tie yourself up in emotional knots.
I get the argument that Future is aimed in a weird direction compared to the earlier stuff...but it hit extremely hard for me and I can't say that it didn't help me figure out some of this stuff for myself.
![]()
![]()
His argument is that the actors on the show were chosen over more "qualified" individuals simply because they were non-white/non-male — basically the same BS argument right wingers use against stuff like affirmative action and it does not hold up to scrutiny at all.
Edited by Trooper924 on Dec 28th 2023 at 7:46:17 AM
![]()
~@Zendervai I actually liked Steven Universe: Future and I feel the hate for it is overblown. Sure, the first few episodes tend to stumble (with the conflict for Guidance feeling somewhat forced) and Bluebird Azurite/Shep are sadly underutilized but the rest of the show is great.
The animation is far more consistent (i.e better than Season 4 of OG Steven Universe) and Steven's downward spiral is an interesting way of deconstructing the original show by showing that being a Kid Hero had actual consequences.
The people who claim that the show misrepresents mental health have clearly never been where Steven has (i.e dealing with anxiety, intrusive thoughts and meltdowns etc) and couldn't possibly relate to those issues due to their own lack of personal understanding.
Also having Steven be a Main Character Final Boss is a very interesting way to end the show, and the ending of Future is better that the original show and the movie. I feel that in no universe should the sentence "I like Steven Universe: Future" be considered a hot take whatsoever.
Edited by VapourSoulOS on Aug 24th 2023 at 6:06:21 PM
"Punishment is not the answer. Punishment is easy. It's lazy. Redemption is hard. Redemption makes you work."-Skulduggery PleasantI'm currently watching the second Hiding in Private video that was linked in this post
, AKA the rebuttal towards Lily Orchard's video.
I've never seen a Lily Orchard video before so I don't know if this video is typical or if it's considered one of the worse ones, but based on what I'm hearing, I am once again reminded of how most people online aren't very good at media analysis and critique.
Honestly, after finishing the first Hiding in Private video, I'm kind of glad I wasn't a major participant in the '"Steven Universe'' fandom; it seems I dodged quite a bullet if Hiding in Private was correct that these types of videos changed the discourse for the worse.
"I squirm, I struggle, ergo I am. Faced with death, I am finally, truly alive."
Steven Universe discourse is an absolute dumpster fire. Detractors seem to think that Steven Universe is "woke racist SJW garbage" or "fascist apologia that is racist and tells you to apologize to abusers and facists" and there is no inbetween. And that's before you bring up the shows ending and the numerous amount of Common Knowledge that it spawned.
Most of the videos about the show are basically more of the same, due to them being bad faith arguments used to disguise the author's ignorance and personal biases and/or bigotry.
"Punishment is not the answer. Punishment is easy. It's lazy. Redemption is hard. Redemption makes you work."-Skulduggery Pleasant

Edited by VapourSoulOS on Aug 5th 2023 at 6:33:53 PM
"Punishment is not the answer. Punishment is easy. It's lazy. Redemption is hard. Redemption makes you work."-Skulduggery Pleasant