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What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Larisa Wiseman

SPIDER RIDERS follows the adventures of 13-year-old Hunter Steele after a strange sequence of events lands him in the fantastic "inner world" of Arachna. There he meets a small group of young warriors who call themselves the Spider Riders -- because they partner with humongous spiders during battle -- and joins their fight to save the land from the evil Invectid, a band of giant insect mutants. Although he's a little clueless, the skills needed to be a great warrior seem to come naturally to Hunter. He must also form a trusting relationship with his battle spider, Shadow. Hunter's lovely friend Corona coaches him on everything Spider Rider, including how to summon his "Arachna-power." She also keeps Hunter focused; as a typical teenage boy from the normal "outer world," Hunter understandably has a bit of trouble shifting his focus from food and pretty girls to the important tasks at hand.

Is It Any Good?

3

Spider Riders is sure to captivate the tween set with its compelling mix of action, fantasy, sci-fi, and comedy, with elements of everyday teen life thrown in to keep the story ever so slightly grounded in reality. Some of the dialogue may seem a bit silly and stilted, but the story is engaging, the action/battle sequences are entertaining, and the animation is dazzlingly colorful.

Overall, the series is lighthearted fun, with teens portrayed in a positive light as caring and responsible human beings. Even the evil insects -- one of whom actually sounds like Jerry Lewis at his slapsticky best -- are fairly non-threatening and provide some unexpected humor here and there. Kids who are bug-phobic might not be the series' biggest fans, but those who love fantasy cartoons and anime should enjoy it.

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