Petulant children, pod-racing, planet-hopping science fiction...sound familiar? No, this is not a discussion on the celluloid-suicide that was The Phantom Menace but something rather more surprising. A contemporary animated series that pushes the boundaries of the art form (even if it doesn"t push the boundaries of story-telling).

The last few years have seen a spate of great next-generation animated vehicles grace our screens, from the motion-captured beauty of Skyland to the exhilarating escapades of Galactik Football. Both series combined traditional 2-D, 3-D and G elements to fuse a new style of action that at first glance merits more than a small screen audience. Unfortunately, although both shows have subsequently found limited releases in France and Spain, they are yet to schedule or announce an English language release. Which leaves the sterling Oban Star-racers to take the deserved plaudits.

The 26-episode story follows the exploits of Molly, a young girl who escapes the confines of her boarding school to search for her father. Through a series of misadventures Molly finds herself recruited to the Earth team as they commence preparations for the toughest intergalactic competition of their lives - the Great Race of Oban. What follows is a sprawling tale of friendship, hardship and ship-to-ship battling. Molly and the Earth team uncover deceitful plots, survive incredible bouts of hardcore racing action, and bond over shared successes and failures.

The strength of this show however (for I can hear your eyebrow raising dear readers) was never going to be hung from the biceps of it"s story, but rather on the courage of it"s creator, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, and his artistic vision. Unhappy with the opportunities offered by potential investors, Yeatman-Eiffel set up his own company and spent nine years building Oban Star-Racers into the show he"d envisaged...and that show is beautiful!

Although 2-D animation is predominant throughout and all characters are rendered this way, the action sequences are blended with 3-D vehicles and environment to superb effect. The direction here is immaculate; camera angles, and intense story-boarding have been united to superb effect and increase the tension and excitement then-fold, while palette selection, sound effect and design bring a unique stylistic edge to an often hackneyed genre. The results get better and better with each 22 minute instalment.

This show won"t be everyone"s tastes. It is, after all, still animated, and aimed largely at a younger audience. For those who are interested in spending some diverting hours engrossed in a fun show that wears it"s creative heart on it"s sleeve, I urge you to invest in the Oban series. If you ARE still looking for some form of higher qualification then perhaps the knowledge that Oban was nominated in the 2007 BAFTA awards for animation will help. Either way, the future of cartoons is looking brighter by the day.