The Little Mermaid II [DVD]

Review

This sequel to "The Little Mermaid" depicts the adventures of Ariel's beloved daughter, Melody. Just as her mermaid mother longed for land, Melody longs for the underwater world... Limited edition until December 31st. -- Contents (from the "DVD NAVIGATOR" database)

The long-awaited sequel to Disney's "The Little Mermaid," with its happy ending, is here. Melody, the daughter of Ariel and the prince, is the protagonist, and her growth and adventures are depicted. Masami Hisamoto's eccentric performance as the villain is fantastic, and I hope you enjoy it in Japanese as well. The limited number of bonus features is a bit of a downside. Limited edition until the end of December this year. (Yumi Yoneda) --- October 2000 Issue -- Contents (From the "CD Journal Review")

Produced by: David K. Lovekren and Leslie Huff Director: Jim Camarad Screenplay: Elizabeth Anderson and Temple Matthews Animation Directors: Andrew Collins, Kevin Peaty, and Shawn Sells Music by: Danny Trub Voice Cast: Tara Charendoff, Pat Carroll, Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Buddy Hackett, Kenneth Maas, Max Casella, Steven Furst, Rob Paulsen, and Cam Clark Voice Cast: Emily Nakayama, Masami Hisamoto, Mayumi Suzuki, Koichi Yamadera, Tetsuo Goto, Taro Ishida, Wataru Takagi, Chafurin, Kazuhiko Inoue, and Nobutoshi Kanna -- Contents (from the "CD Journal" database)

From Amazon

This is the sequel to Disney's classic, "The Little Mermaid." Ariel and Prince Eric are concerned about their daughter, Melody. They hear that Morgana (voiced by Pat Carroll in a dual role), the evil sister of the sea witch Ursula, is after her. Ariel and her husband immediately decide to hide the story of Melody's birth (much like Briar Rose in "Sleeping Beauty") and keep their daughter away from the ocean where Morgana lives. Now, Melody is a curious teenager, secretly venturing out to sea to play with Ariel's old friends, Sebastian and Scuttle. Eventually, Morgana tells Melody the truth, and without realizing it, she falls into her trap and becomes a hostage. Ariel, the mother, returns to the depths of the ocean to rescue her daughter... Like all Disney video-only sequels, The Little Mermaid II offers excellent visuals and audio (with the voice cast largely unchanged from the original). Children ages 4 to 9 who grew up watching The Little Mermaid will be delighted to reunite with familiar characters. Four catchy songs and fun new additions, like Tip and Dash, a melancholy penguin and a plump walrus, demonstrate the enthusiasm of the new production team. However, unlike the elaborate Christmas-themed story of Beauty and the Beast (Belle's Gift) and the historical journey to England of Pocahontas (The Beast's Adventure), the plot of this sequel feels unnatural. It's no exaggeration to say it's a rehash of the original, with reimagined characters. Tip and Dash are reincarnations of Timon and Pumbaa, and Morgana's features are a slimmer version of Ursula. Unfortunately, this sequel lacks not only the gorgeous music but also the heart that made the original so appealing. . --Doug Thomas, Amazon.com