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Reboot

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ReBoot is a pioneering Canadian animated television series. It stands as one of the first series ever made for television using computer-generated imagery, or CGI. Created by Gavin Blair, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell, and John Grace, the show premiered on YTV in 1994. It continued to air until 2001. The series is set entirely within the digital confines of a computer system. The inhabitants call this inner world Mainframe. The show explores the struggles of living inside a machine that is constantly changing.

Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool
Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool

The central conflict involves protecting Mainframe from various digital threats. The story follows Bob, a Guardian 452, who serves as the system's protector. He works alongside his companions, Dot Matrix and Enzo Matrix. They must defend the system against dangerous viruses. One primary threat is Megabyte, an "Order Virus" who commands an army of binomes. His sister, Hexadecimal, is a "chaotic" virus with telekinetic abilities. Hexadecimal's face is unique because it uses a series of masks to show different emotions.

A major mechanism in the world of Mainframe is the arrival of the User. When the User loads a game into the system, it manifests as a large, electrical violet cube. This cube descends onto a section of the city and seals it off. This area becomes a gamescape. Any inhabitants trapped inside the cube are transformed into NPCs, or non-player characters. These characters must play against the User. If the User wins the game, the sector is "nullified." This means the area is destroyed. The residents are then reduced to energy-draining, worm-like parasites known as Nulls.

The characters in ReBoot undergo significant development and changes. Enzo Matrix begins the series as a young boy who idolizes Bob. However, after entering a game he cannot win, he undergoes a transformation. He and his friend AndrAIa, a game sprite, change their icons to game sprite mode. Because of accelerated game time, they actually age while traveling through systems. Enzo eventually grows up and adopts the name Matrix. He becomes a hardened hero who carries a weapon named Gun and Bob's damaged keytool, Glitch.

Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool
Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool

The production of ReBoot was a massive technical undertaking. The concept was first conceived in 1984 by a British creative collective called The Hub. After eight years of development, the creators moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. At the time, the technology required for 3D animation was very limited. The creators used Silicon Graphics workstations and Softimage Creative Environment software. Because the technology was new, the models often appeared blocky. This aesthetic was a deliberate choice to match the fictional computer setting. The production was a painstaking process because no other company had attempted a 3D project of this scale.

Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool
Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool

As the series progressed, the animation quality improved significantly. By the third season, the software capabilities of Mainframe Entertainment had advanced. The animators could include subtle details like eyelashes and shadows. The polygonal characters became much more lifelike than in the first two seasons. This technical growth coincided with a shift in the show's tone. The target audience moved toward viewers aged 12 and older. Consequently, the storylines became darker and more mature. This allowed the show to explore complex arcs, such as the relationship between the sibling viruses Megabyte and Hexadecimal.

Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool
Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool

ReBoot also faced challenges regarding network censorship. During its time on the ABC network, the show encountered many script and editing changes. These changes were imposed by the Board of Standards and Practices to ensure the content was appropriate for children. For example, the character Dot was viewed as too sexualized. Animators were forced to change her physical design to be less curvy. In other instances, specific words or even a sisterly kiss were removed by censors. After severing ties with ABC, the creators gained more freedom. This freedom allowed the show to reach a wider audience through syndication and to tell more complex stories.

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File:Glitch - Guardian Bob's Keytool.jpg
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