Finally, the DVD boxed set fans have all been waiting for. Packaged in a sturdy slipcover, the DVD comes in a fold-out case with two discs and an insert containing episode summaries and bits of trivia, some of which came from this website. The packaging is brightly colored and attractive.

The DVD quality is exceptional. If the animation looks more brightly colored than you remember, that's because the negatives have all been cleaned and fully restored. The sound quality is also excellent.

Now for the extras. My reviews on this are mixed.

Audio Commentaries: Only two episodes, "Search for the Starsword" and "The Zombie Master" feature audio commentaries. The latter commentary, with writers Michael J. Reaves and Marc Scott Zicree, is a real bonus for fans, as Reaves and Zicree really seem to have a great time watching the episode and provide a lot of interesting information along the way. The other commentary, featuring Lou Schiemer, Michael Swanigan and others, is rather weak. I like my audio commentaries to relate to what's on the screen, and when commentators go off on tangents that have little to do with what I'm watching, I get annoyed.

Interivews: The interviews are also mixed. Once again, Zicree and Reaves were fascinating to listen to, particularly Zicree, who went on for about 18 minutes with some great inside information on what inspired the various episodes he and Reaves collaborated on. I was a little disappointed that Lou Scheimer had so little to say, and that he voices so much regret that the character of Blackstar wasn't a superhero like He-Man because it limited what the studio could do with him. I disagree, Lou. At least he acknowledges that many fans like Blackstar just the way he is.

Tom Ruegger, sitting with Scheimer, was completely useless, but then, readers of my episode reviews already know how I feel about his creative efforts. There were other interviews, but these are the ones which stand out. It would have been nice to get interviews with some of the voice actors, as both George DiCenzo (Blackstar) and Pat Pinney (Klone) did their first voice work on this show.

A lot is said about the development of the Trobbits, including the problems in writing for these seven characters and an amusing comment about the Running Trobbit stock footage (I'll leave you to discover this delightful tidbit yourself), and Lou does answer a question about what inspired the two halves of the Powerstar idea, but nothing is said about the origins of other characters.

Other Extras: I found the image gallery difficult to navigate, as there is no way to jump from Sketches to Model Sheets to Cels. Since all these images are readily available online, I saw very little here I hadn't seen before. I still haven't been able to find the sections with the Background and Promotional Art, so if anyone knows how to access these, let me know.

With the "Magic of Filmation" documentary, I would have preferred a more linear format tracing the development of the studio and its style through the decades. I don't own any of the He-Man DVD sets, but I can tell this one is very Masters of the Universe oriented. At the time, BCI might not have realized it would be producing other Filmation DVDs, or they might have gone with a more generic documentary suitable for all the series. This one has a few interesting anecdotes, but lacks the structure it needs to keep average viewers engaged.

The DVD-ROM scripts and storyboards are worth checking out.

All in all, the DVD is worth getting.