Mojo Jojo is the main antagonist of The Powerpuff Girls franchise, serving as the main antagonist of the original 1998 series, the 2006 anime series, and the 2016 reboot. He is an evil anthropomorphic ape, the girls' arch-nemesis and real creator, and Professor Utonium's former pet and lab.
Reviews, Heroes and Villains, Songs Inspired by The Powerpuff GirlsVariousArtistsPowerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains(Rhino).It's becoming increasingly rare forkid-oriented phenomena, especially animated TV, to have secret adult appeal-youask me, it’s been mostly downhill since Tex Avery. And then a curiosity like ThePowerpuff Girls comes along. Creator Craig McCracken has enough grasp of thedelicate line between homage and satire to rise above the kid-appealmerchandising that's plastered the girls' anime-a-go-go faces everywhere youturn. Gen X irony is one thing, but entertainment value quickly dwindles ifthat's all you have.
McCracken's 'targets' are the things he clearly,undoubtedly loves-Japanese design sense, Batman (the TV one), and KrofftSuperstars.So who is Heroes & Villains, a selection of PPG-relatedsongs by an eclectic handful of not-quite-underground, not-quite-mainstream popartists, designed for? In McCracken's introduction, he simply states, 'Ilove these bands, and listening to their music inspires my own work.' Fair enough-since it’s people like Shonen Knife (well, duh), Cornelius, andPPG end-theme authors Bis, all of whom marry Hello Kitty cuteness with agenuinely inventive take on Western influences. The remaining tracks are mostlyby bands who would probably be chased down Japanese streets a la A HardDay’s Night (this actually did happen to the Apples in Stereo, whose 'SignalIn the Sky (Let’s Go)' is a particular highlight).
Of obvious note isthe first new Devo material in a gajillion years; Dressy Bessy (who include atleast one moonlighter from the aforementioned Apples) take home the gold fortheir snazzy reinterpretation of 'Bubbles,' by '60s wackoswingers the Free Design; and ex-Pixie Frank Black, XTC-might-as-well-bes theSugarplastic, and Sweden's Komeda all weigh in handsomely. Especially cool isthe storyline that weaves the songs together-each main character has his or herown shot at the spotlight, and the artwork reinforces this: stuffed-shirt Dr.Utonium doing the robot is worth the price of admission alone. Not just forkids? Shoot, not hardly for kids at all.-David W. JacksonThe Powerpuff savethe world from bad music (before bedtime)!
ByDoctor SmithPowerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains (Rhino) is subtitled “Music inspired by The Powerpuff Girls,”but in this case there is actually truth in advertising. The eleven songssandwiched between the main theme and end theme are all new compositions, andthey way they complement one another suggests serious coordination between thesongwriters and the producers. As Craig McCracken, the series’ creator, statesin the CD booklet, “Each song on the album focuses on a different aspect ofThe Powerpuff Girls, and together they tell a story.” The selection of artistson the disc is also far from random; McCracken writes: “I love these bands,and listening to their music inspires my own work.” It’s tough to argue withthat, and I certainly won’t. In fact, my own top three choices for “BandMost Suitable for a Powerpuff Girls Album” are all here.Interspersed among the songs are a number of snippets ofdialogue, and with the help of these snippets, the songs’ lyrics, and thepictures in the booklet, you can easily follow the album’s story, even if youhave never seen the show. “The Powerpuff Girls (Main Theme)” sets the stage,telling how Professor Utonium created Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, threekindergarteners who use their super powers to fight the forces of evil. Devointroduces the girls’ nemesis, a turban-wearing, super-intelligent chimp namedMojo Jojo, with “Go Monkey Go,” a song that is appropriately both quirky andominous (and very Devo).
Ex-Pixie Frank Black follows this with “Pray for theGirls,” which continues the ominous vibe and leads to the Mayor of Townsvillecalling the Powerpuff Girls for help. “Signal in the Sky (Let’s Go)” issomething of a misnomer, since the Mayor always calls the girls on a hot line(the phone is similar to those Fisher-Price toy phones with faces on them)rather than with some Batsignal sort of device, but the Apples in Stereo fillthis song with such exuberance and joy that this is easily excused. “Walk& Chew Gum” by Optiganally Yours is a super-cool musical portrait of theancient and absent-minded Mayor of Townsville, with a backing track of lo-fi1940s-style swing music.I would have been disappointed if my favorite trio of femalemusicians hadn’t been included on this album, but apparently Craig McCrackenwas of the same mind.
Michie Nakatani parted company with the Yamano sisterslast year, so Shonen Knife is now a duo, but they’re nevertheless here, andthey in fact kick off the trio of songs about the individual girls. As thepunkiest of the groups featured in this triptych, it’s only fitting that theyperform “Buttercup (I’m a Super Girl),” since Buttercup is the mostaction-oriented and “hardcore” of the girls. It also doesn’t hurt that myfavorite of the groups on the album does the song about my favorite PowerpuffGirl!
I should note that E. Daily, who does the voice of Buttercup, has notonly done voices on numerous other cartoons (including Rugrats) and acted inseveral films (most notably Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure), but has also lent hersinging voice to a huge number of records, including her own LP, Wild Child(A&M, 1985). The songs about the Powerpuff Girls continue with Komeda,putting their weird Swedish new wave style to good use singing about “B.L.O.S.S.O.M.,”the most intellectual of the girls. The airy and bouncy “Bubbles” by DressyBessy (a wonderfulband also featured in the soundtrack to “But I’m A Cheerleader”) completesthis very satisfying threesome.We return to the villainous side with “Fight the Power” byBis, the Scottish trio that deservedly gets to occupy two tracks on this disc.Here it seems that Mojo Jojo has defeated the Powerpuff Girls, and “Don’tLook Down,” a very XTC-esque song by the Sugarplastic looks at ProfessorUtonium’s desire to be able to help his girls. The girls areokay, and to the tune of “The Fight,” a collage of dialogue samples andsynthesizer-heavy instrumental by Cornelius, they defeat Mojo Jojo. Theirvictory is celebrated in the cheerful “Friends Win” by the Bill Doss.Track 13 is “The Powerpuff Girls (End Theme),” thealbum’s second song by Bis.
I was overjoyed when I first learned that Bis didthe theme for this show. With such high-energy, super-catchy youth anthems as“Sweet Shop Avengers,” “Tell It To The Kids,” and “Teen-C Power”under their belts, they were the perfect choice. (Collectors take note: Rhinohas also released a pink vinyl seven inch single with “The Powerpuff Girls(End Theme)” as the B-side to “Signal in the Sky (Let’s Go).”) But wait!That’s not all! After the theme, track 13 continues as the Mayor relaxes to anuncredited recording of “Love Makes The World Go ‘Round,” the song withwhich the girls saved the day in the “Mime for a Change” episode.8/16/00 - THE POWERPUFF GIRLS 'HEROES & VILLAINS' - a CDreview: I should have been tipped off that this was goingbetter than a kiddy record, when I noticed that this was on the RHINO label but nota Kid Rhino release.
I have just spent the last week groovin' to thesounds on THE POWERPUFF GIRLS new CD. This is certainly my cup of tea, aneclectic compilation of new tracks from some of the coolest musicians around. Ifyou like the end theme (by Bis) you'll really enjoy this CD.I'm most impressed with a track called WALK & CHEW GUM by a group calledOptiganally Yours. I've never heard of them, but the track here is a delightfulretro song apparently using 1940s swing music lifted off old records to create anew tune (about the Mayor). If this isn't old music, I'd like to know how theycaptured that sound quality.
It's very cool.My fave Shonen Knife do my second favorite track BUTTERCUP(I'M A SUPER GIRL) in their patented not-quite-right English spoken phoneticallystyle. 13 other great tracks by such names as Devo, Frank Black, TheSugarplastic and some folks new to me such as The Bill Doss, DressyBessy, Komeda and TheApples In Stereo. All the songs are new, written for this album, and each isabout some aspect of the Powerpuff Girls universe.The whole thing is cleverly bridged with new dialoguefeaturing the voice cast from the series, particularly the brilliant narrationby Tom Kenny (who get's to shine in a sample track called THE FIGHT byCornelius).
Oh, and there is a secret bonus track that comes on about 20 secondsafter the END THEME that's a hoot!If you are into fun pop music (like me) you'll love this new release. HIGHLYRECOMMENDED -Jerry Beck - Cartoon Research/.