Stitch! The Movie is the fastest direct-to-video Disney sequel to date. It only took one year for Disney to figure out how to continue the franchise. Since Lilo & Stitch is my favorite movie from the Post-Renaissance, I was immediately on board with a sequel. Despite rudely dropping Lilo from the title, Stitch! The Movie serves as a backdoor pilot for Lilo & Stitch: The Series. Unlike most Disney Channel shows, my brother and I actually watched all 65 episodes of the animated series. Even with TV quality animation, almost the entire original voice cast returns for the sequel. Jumba and Pleakley now live with Lilo, Stitch, and Nani in their Hawaiian home rebuilt with alien technology.
Lilo helps Stitch find cousins to call his own, Nani explores her relationship with David, and Pleakley continues to wear drag. Stitch! The Movie is the perfect setup for a series since Jumba unveils a pod containing the other 625 experiments. Although Stitch is Experiment 626, I never considered that there were more. The “big dummy” Gantu returns to Earth to kidnap Jumba and bring the experiments to his former evil partner Dr. Hämsterviel. The diminutive hamster-like villain is a great main antagonist for the sequel and its series.
We’re also introduced to the hilarious 625, who has all of Stitch’s powers and can speak, but is also a coward who only makes sandwiches. The primary experiment is 221, a mischievous electrical experiment that Lilo affectionately names Sparky. Cobra Bubbles is called in to help and the Grand Councilwoman is also informed of the loose experiments. The movie jumps back and forth between Earth and space, but the rest of the 623 experiments are spread across Hawaii. Lilo & Stitch are tasked with finding and rehabilitating everyone of them. The catchy end credits song “Aloha, E Komo Mai” ended up being the opening song for the series. Stitch! The Movie is something every Lilo & Stitch fan should appreciate.
Stitch protects Experiment 221
Preceded by: Lilo & Stitch & Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch & Followed by: Leroy & Stitch
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Lilo & Stitch are pretty cool characters I have to admit, and the original film is entertaining. The Direct to Video sequel does look like it keeps to the in-universe story of the characters. I remember when they announced the series for ABC’s Saturday morning line back in the day and thought the kids of the day would get a kick out of it.
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As a kid from back in the day, I did get a kick out of it.
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