Let get this started with the most popular cartoon to debut this year, TMNT to the uninformed that’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The cartoon was based on the popular comic book series. The cartoon was the most popular animated shows of all-time. It started a pop culture phenomenon that included toys, breakfast cereal, etc. The show ran for 10 years, 3 in syndication and 7 years on CBS and aired over 193 episodes. The show chronicled the adventures of four turtles who fell into the sewers and are befriended by Hamato Yoshi, a Japanese man who fled from New York and had nowhere to live but in the sewers. He was framed by his enemy, Oroku Saki, in a plot to kill the sensei. One day he sees a strange green glow which transforms the four turtles into human-like creatures. Hamato (now Master Splinter) changes into a giant rat from the green glow and teaches the turtles the skills of the ninja as they team up with Channel 6 news reporter April O’Neil to battle against Yoshi’s archenemy Shredder and Krang, an alien warlord from Dimension X.
TMNT
I forgot about the Bionic Six until I started doing research for the theme week. It was basically a bionic man rip-off, but their primary nemesis Dr Scrab managed to stick in my head more than the rest of the characters. It premiered on April 19th, 1987 and lasted two seasons. Jack Bennet, a secret agent for the CIA , had taken his family on a trip to the Himalayas. During this trip, Jack is called to duty to investigate unusual magnetic readings. He encounters aliens who are trying to obtain Bertomium, a mineral that can increase bionic abilities and give eternal life to its possessor. In a battle, Jack’s family becomes trapped under radioactive snow and they slip into a coma. Not seeing another way to save their lives, Jack permits Professor Sharp to operate on his family. Professor Sharp implants bionics in human beings, and the Bionic Six are born. Doctor Scarab creates his own bionic group from misfits taken from penitentiaries and asylums.
In this series inspired by the Bionic Man/Woman, the six members of the Bennet family use their bionic abilities to defeat the evil Dr. Scarab and his cyfrons whose goal is to use science for selfish gain. The family members each have special powers: Meg/Rock-1, with sonic disruptors and super speed; Eric/Sport-1, with magnetic powers; JD/I.Q., intelligent and strong; Bunji/Karate 1, martial artist; Helen/Mother-1, with psionic powers; and Jack, a good cook.
I always love the idea of Western set in future like Serenity, that why I was drawn to this show. Like most animated shows during this time it was mainly seen as commercial for the BraveStarr toy line. The toys bombed which meant they had no need for the show so it lasted only one season. The toys did have a unique gimmick each figure came with a Kerium nugget (I wonder they used for a Kerium nugget). It premiered on Sept, 14th 1987 on CBS’s slate of saturday morning shows. Kerium, a rare and powerful magic crystal, brings an infinite number of colonists from all the corners of the galaxy to the distant planet New Texas. Some are good and honest, others very malicious but no one is more dangerous than Tex Hex the leader of the Carrion Bunch, a group of outlaws under the control of the mysterious group Stampede. Hex seeks to control this immense mineral richness at all costs than is Kerium. Only one person can put a stop on his plans: BraveStarr. When there was an obstacle in the way, BraveStarr called for the power of a particular animal and used that ability to move the obstacle, like using the strength of a bear to move a boulder, or the speed of a puma to catch the criminal, the eyes of a hawk, or the ears of a wolf. To help him in the fight for the cause of justice, he had Thirty-Thirty, his horse that can transform into a human-like creature being able to stand on it’s hind legs, talk and fight alongside him. BraveStarr lived in Fort Kerium. His advisor was the wise, elderly Shaman.
Dinosaucers lasted only one season but managed to air around 65 episodes. Today it would take about 3 years to get that number. The was about a fleet of anthropomorphic dinosaurs from a planet called Reptilon. The Dinosaucers fought for the good of their homeworld, while the Tyrannos fought for domination of it. When the planet suffered because of the wars, the battle came to Earth, where the Dinosaucers teamed up with four young humans, who became their Secret Scouts in the new world. The premise sounds similar to the Transformers cartoon.
Posted under Animation
This post was written by Lobo on January 21, 2009
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