first, let me just say that i like them both...but i love the FILMATION show. comparing them feels a lot like comparing a classic model of sports car with it's modern counterpart. the latter has more features, but the former has more personality.
for all of the new and improved that the MYP series brought to the table, i feel like a lot of the personality that filmation brought to he-man was lost. the latter was iconic, and most of the improvements that MYP was able to implement was due to significantly less restrictions (a bigger budget, outsourcing animation, much less restrictions on violence, etc...). an example of this would be skeletor's presence as a credible threat.
the serialized storyline for MYP was great, but was not as inviting to new viewers. MYP tried to be more sophisticated and "mature" with it's stories and characterization. the problem was that they didn't go far enough. filmation made the ridiculous qualities of MOTU seem endearing. MYP often made them look awkward. you've got this sophisticated (for a daytime cartoon) story going on, and then someone exclaims, "Lord Buzz-Off, Fisto needs our help!!"
either embrace the silliness or don't. go all the way sophisticated or don't. having 60% sophisticated and 40% silly just draws attention to the silly in a bad way.
and as far as adam being an obvious kid in the MYP series...i don't count that as an improvement. as far as i'm concerned the power of grayskull is capable of clouding the minds of he-man's friends and family, cutting off their ability to recognize that they are one and the same unless the secret is revealed. they can see it physically, but the spell keeps them from making the connection, mentally. this is a world of magic we're dealing with after all.
the women of filmation were drawn in a much more appealing way as well. for me, sorceress, teela, and evil-lyn were cartoon crushes. the best thing MYP had was anything involving Keldor, or Stinkor...but i hated the snake armor He-Man wore. For all the grief that filmation got for producing a half hour toy commercial, i felt MYP was more blatant in showcasing variant armors and such just to sell figures.
