I liked BS's Mat in a fun way, but felt a bit of loss for the more substantial Mat. This was a lighter, more cartoony Mat. It was fun, but I think detracted from the story in a somewhat inappropriate way. I consider it a lighthearted thing and not a terribly big loss all things considered, but did notice it.

Mat has always been funny, but funny on top of banked tension, which allowed him to have substance. This Mat was anime Mat. I expected him to make noises like "oof!" after a while. I think BS was a Mat fan and just had fun with it, kind of like wearing a Mat costume for Halloween or playing him in a Broadway musical.

Speaking of Halloween, hey, zombies! Better call Scooby and the gang. We've got a caper on our hands! Stay tuned for zany antics and madcap hijinks!

(I actually think Talmanes was an improvement. Permanently dour and silent is boring and flat. Add a twinkle in his eye and barely perceptible sense of humor lying deep beneath and suddenly he's human and 3D.)