NationStates Jolt Archive


Best Adventure Cartoon of the 80s

Nimzonia
22-05-2005, 18:05
It took me a considerable amount of thought to come up with an issue weighty enough for my first General Topic, but I think I have eventually found it.

For those who grew up in the 80s and early 90s, and also for those whose childhood was considerably before then but who never grew up, which do you think was the best Adventure cartoon series of the 80s?

I recall an abundance of fine cartoons from that era, but either I'm getting old, or they seem to be seriously lacking on modern TV (That's not an admission that I still watch cartoons, but an admission that I would if they were still any good).

The reason I post this, is that recently, I was browsing around Wikipedia, as I often do when I'm bored, and I stumbled upon an article about a cartoon I used to watch, but had all but forgotten (Mysterious Cities of Gold). So, after a few hours lost in nostalgic revelry, I thought I'd pose this question to general.

So, what do you remember about those saturday morning and after-school cartoons that warped our minds in the 80s, and which ones stuck with you the most?
Quentulus Qazgar
22-05-2005, 18:10
What was that french cartoon series that told how the human body works? I don't remember the english name but it was totally awesome!
Haken Rider
22-05-2005, 18:14
And the smurfs have 100%!
Nekone
22-05-2005, 18:17
Tough choices... There's also Robotech, Galaxy Express 999, Voltron...

DangerMouse was fun.

Transformers also.

but my vote went to Mysterious Cities of Gold.
Kellarly
22-05-2005, 18:18
Mysterious Cities of Gold! I saw every epsiode! I've even got the title music as an Mp3!!!!!

Awww that was a fing brilliant cartoon. The las tfew epsiodes rocked, esp when the Condor took off over the Pacific chasing the sun.
Pure Metal
22-05-2005, 18:20
defenders of the earth rocked

http://www.tvdads.com/images/defender.jpg
Nimzonia
22-05-2005, 18:20
There are also two early 90s (starting in 1990) cartoons, that I watched as a kid also, and classify along with this golden era of cartoonery.

They would be:

'Talespin', that crazy disney cartoon with the jungle book characters flying around in planes and stuff.

and 'The Dreamstone', a british cartoon which I remember quite fondly, but alas, I think it more or less disappeared without a trace after about 1995 or so.
Bloodthirsty squirrels
22-05-2005, 18:22
He-man! Ta-tatatata-tata! He-man! Tatata-tata!
Vernaher
22-05-2005, 18:24
Here's why it's Transformers, Air Commander Starscream is the greatest character in the history of anything. All hail Lord Starscream! His greatness is only enhanced by the fact that he's not just a robot, but a robot in disguise. He was indeed far more than meets the eye. Starscream for president in 2008!
Aligned Planets
22-05-2005, 18:26
My favourite was The Raccoons - I'm listening to the theme tune now.

Quentulus Qazgar - I know the one you mean! Can't remember the name!
L-rouge
22-05-2005, 18:26
Transformers won...just, but my sense of humour was certainly warped by Danger Mouse.

"Stay alert. Britain needs Lerts!"
BlackKnight_Poet
22-05-2005, 18:27
Here's why it's Transformers, Air Commander Starscream is the greatest character in the history of anything. All hail Lord Starscream! His greatness is only enhanced by the fact that he's not just a robot, but a robot in disguise. He was indeed far more than meets the eye. Starscream for president in 2008!


I tend to disagree. Skywarp was the man. He could teleport and always followed Megatrons orders. To bad he died in Transformers the movie and became a sweep or a cyclonus lol.
Super-power
22-05-2005, 18:32
I was a huge Sonic teh Hedgehog fan in the 90s . . .
But now that I've discovered Gundam, it has to be my favorite saga to originate from the 80s: First Gundam, 0080, Char's Counterattack....
Nimzonia
22-05-2005, 18:36
I tend to disagree. Skywarp was the man. He could teleport and always followed Megatrons orders. To bad he died in Transformers the movie and became a sweep or a cyclonus lol.

I preferred Soundwave, because he was the most Ironic. He was the communications expert, but he had the silliest voice of any of them.
Ravea
22-05-2005, 18:48
Thundercats are on the move, Thundercats are loose! Feel the magic, Hear the Roar, Thundercats are loose!

ROAR!

THUNDERCATS RULE!
Vernaher
22-05-2005, 18:49
Can we at least agree that the Autobots were inherrently less cool? Because if you back me up on that then I guess we're good. I mean, they're like the Kingdom of Shu, they just keep coming, blabbing on about virtue and honor and justice.
Nimzonia
22-05-2005, 18:51
Can we at least agree that the Autobots were inherrently less cool? Because if you back me up on that then I guess we're good. I mean, they're like the Kingdom of Shu, they just keep coming, blabbing on about virtue and honor and justice.


Oh yeah, sure. And how Optimus Prime's only strategy for dealing with everything was "Autobots, roll out!" What the hell does that even mean? :p
Jordaxia
22-05-2005, 18:52
Can we at least agree that the Autobots were inherrently less cool? Because if you back me up on that then I guess we're good. I mean, they're like the Kingdom of Shu, they just keep coming, blabbing on about virtue and honor and justice.

They're less cool simply because of the name.
Autobot: cliche, boring... pfft.
Decepticon: WHOA.

Nuff said. I'm caught between Transformers and Danger mouse...
Vernaher
22-05-2005, 19:01
Oh yeah, sure. And how Optimus Prime's only strategy for dealing with everything was "Autobots, roll out!" What the hell does that even mean? :p
"Autobots, roll out!" translated into human english roughly means the following: Well, I'm horrible as a leader, and if tactical skills decided this war we'd all be scrap by now. So, here's what we do, just kind of ... roll over there and shoot stuff, or something. I don't know. Also, one of you try to get wounded so we can have this emotional scene where we all grieve over your loss, then get better.
See, you couldn't really have Prime going around and saying that every episode, it would waste valuable commercial time.
Super-power
22-05-2005, 19:06
Hmm... I wonder how a cross-over battle between Transformers and Gundam would go?
Upitatanium
22-05-2005, 23:42
M-m-m-m- M.A.S.K.

http://www.80scartoons.net/toons/mask.html
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 00:45
Well, of those listed, I had to vote for Dangermouse, because it is a classic...

But, of course, the GREATEST 'Adventure Cartoon' of the 80's or 90's was:

:) Ulysses 31 :)

http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~torgerk/ulysses31/
Anarchic Conceptions
23-05-2005, 00:51
What was that french cartoon series that told how the human body works? I don't remember the english name but it was totally awesome!

How My Body Works?

Not sure if that was what it was called, but I think I know what you mean. Never realised it was French though.

Was the body full of little people?
Karas
23-05-2005, 01:06
Hmm... I wonder how a cross-over battle between Transformers and Gundam would go?


No contest. Transformers would annhilate Gundams. The differance in power level is simply too great.

I'm surpised no one has mentioned Pole Position, the cartoon baded on the racing video game of the same name.
IImperIIum of man
23-05-2005, 01:50
most influential in order for me personally
1.starblazers(space battlecruiser yamato)
2.transformers
3.adventures of the galaxy rangers
Naturality
23-05-2005, 01:54
I voted Smurfs.. since it was the only one out of all those I watched during the 80's .. besides old Hanna Barbara , WB etc. cartoons.
31
23-05-2005, 01:54
Robotech: Macross saga, Masters and Invid Invasion.
Cathenia
23-05-2005, 02:01
Voltes V was perhaps the biggest thing around here - they even had a 'special edition' re-release ala Star Wars.

http://users.animanga.com/voltesv/
http://www.japanhero.com/super%20robot%20reviews/voltes_v.htm

Voltron - The Lions NOT the stupid Robots.

http://www.voltronforce.com/

He-Man is always cool - even the new edition He man I think lives up to the one that was showing when I was a child.

Thundercats had the coolest villain - Mum RAAAHHH!

But the ones I watched regularly were Transformers (Optimus Prime et al vs Megatron) and GI Joe - it just sucked though that NO ONE EVER DIED (but then it wouldn't me a kid's show right?)

Cathenia
Nimzonia
23-05-2005, 02:26
But the ones I watched regularly were Transformers (Optimus Prime et al vs Megatron) and GI Joe - it just sucked though that NO ONE EVER DIED (but then it wouldn't me a kid's show right?)

That was one of the things I remember about the Dreamstone (early 90s), the fact that it didn't shy away from randomly killing off minor characters (villains at least). The evil dark lord dude used to chuck his minions in a shark pit type thing all the time, or turn them into stone and whatnot, and I recall a few got turned into smoking boots at various points.
Falhaar
23-05-2005, 03:27
Best Cartoon Show, a tie between: Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Can you imagine the guy who came up with that?

Writer: "ok ok, so we've got these... um... these turtles, right? And they're human-sized mutants that have got, like, ninja powers... and and, they're also teenagers and they say things like 'dude' and 'bodacious' and eat a lot of pizza... oh oh, and they were trained by a giant rat... So what do you guys think?"

TV Exec: "GOLD!"

--------------------------

The best show of my youth, however, was not a cartoon. It is the best thing in the universe: MONKEY!!!!! BOW BEFORE HIS SIDEBURNS! BE AMAZED AT HIS CLOUDFLYING, STAFF-WEILDING ABILITIES!!
Cathenia
23-05-2005, 03:45
Best Cartoon Show, a tie between: Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Can you imagine the guy who came up with that?

Writer: "ok ok, so we've got these... um... these turtles, right? And they're human-sized mutants that have got, like, ninja powers... and and, they're also teenagers and they say things like 'dude' and 'bodacious' and eat a lot of pizza... oh oh, and they were trained by a giant rat... So what do you guys think?"

TV Exec: "GOLD!"

--------------------------

The best show of my youth, however, was not a cartoon. It is the best thing in the universe: MONKEY!!!!! BOW BEFORE HIS SIDEBURNS! BE AMAZED AT HIS CLOUDFLYING, STAFF-WEILDING ABILITIES!!

Eastman and Laird... It was great for a time but kinda ran out of steam. My brother and his best friend were so into it. At the very least it made Pizza Hut a major player.

Cathenia
Botswombata
23-05-2005, 04:17
I'm a gamer have been for 22yrs. Yes i've been gaming longer than some of you have been alive! I have to go with Dungeons & Dragons!
The Lightning Star
23-05-2005, 04:19
Transformers.

I hate the thundercats.

Optimus Prime would own them all. They could "Thundercats, HO!" all they wanted: Robots > cat people.
Cannot think of a name
23-05-2005, 04:31
Eastman and Laird... It was great for a time but kinda ran out of steam. My brother and his best friend were so into it. At the very least it made Pizza Hut a major player.

Cathenia
To expand--they where indy comics guys. The Turtles started off with one drawing and athropomorphic turtle, the mutant. The other made it a teenage mutant. Ninja was of course the natural conclusion. The original comics, before the cartoon came out, where pretty good. It came out when I was in a phase of collecting as much indy comics as I could without discrimination (even Fat Ninja and a Canadian comic called Samurai). There was a knock off even sillier Adolescent Radioactive Samurai Hamsters. One issue was in 3-D.

So, um, where on that list is-
http://www.patchgeeks.com/patches/JOE02.jpg
???

Though Robotech was my favorite.
Nimzonia
23-05-2005, 04:36
Mysterious Cities of Gold! I saw every epsiode! I've even got the title music as an Mp3!!!!!

Awww that was a fing brilliant cartoon. The las tfew epsiodes rocked, esp when the Condor took off over the Pacific chasing the sun.


Totally. I think it needs more votes! They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

I'd love to get it on DVD and watch it again, but alas, it's only available in French.
Vernaher
23-05-2005, 05:39
Here's a better question, which battle cry is worse: "Thundercats, HOOO!" or "Autobots, Roll Out." My personal vote is for the Autobots', mainly because, sad as this may seem, Optimus Prime could never look quite as intimadating as Lion-O. But that may just be because cats scare the bajeesus out of me. They smell, and they piss all over the furniture.
How good of a show would that have been? Mumm-Ra: "Whatever you do, don't let those Thundercats in here, I just got the couch reupholstered from the last time they were here, and the smell still hasn't gotten out of my pants!" Are you telling me you wouldn't have watched that?
Nimzonia
23-05-2005, 07:18
I reckon Mumm-Ra probably smelled a bit musty anyway.
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 07:34
How My Body Works?

Not sure if that was what it was called, but I think I know what you mean. Never realised it was French though.

Was the body full of little people?


That was a classic too.

IIRC Mysterious Cities of Gold was also french. Well as franco-japanese collaberation anyhow.
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 07:35
Totally. I think it needs more votes! They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

I'd love to get it on DVD and watch it again, but alas, it's only available in French.

:eek: Not even English subtitles!??!
Nimzonia
23-05-2005, 07:44
IIRC Mysterious Cities of Gold was also french. Well as franco-japanese collaberation anyhow.

I was torn as to whether to call it 'Mysterious Cities of Gold' or 'Mysterieuses cites d'or' in the poll, but decided on the former, due to the majority of people here probably not having seen it in french (if at all).

I don't know if the french version is subtitled, but I imagine not, since it's only released in France and Canada. Apparently there's some legal argey-bargy about who owns the rights to the english version. Rather a shame, really.
Cathenia
23-05-2005, 07:46
How about Mighty Man and Yuk? That was a real gas at times especially how Yuk's always trying to get noticed (he's like Rodney Dangerfield, he don't get no respect) and how he revives Mighty Man by sticking him in that doghouse on his head. That was so ridiculously funny.

Cathenia
Cathenia
23-05-2005, 07:49
"Popular Mechanics for Kids" - with Elisha Cuthbert!!!

I don't think we learned a lot of science from that but what we learned was really sort of... scientific.

Cathenia
Cobra 2
23-05-2005, 07:59
Thundercats was my favourite. Thunder Thunder THUNDERCATS!

Anyone remember dinoriders? I used to love that as well. It had some pretty good villians like their leader resembled a frog and there were hammerhead guys and guys that reminded me of ants.
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 08:11
I was torn as to whether to call it 'Mysterious Cities of Gold' or 'Mysterieuses cites d'or' in the poll, but decided on the former, due to the majority of people here probably not having seen it in french (if at all).

I don't know if the french version is subtitled, but I imagine not, since it's only released in France and Canada. Apparently there's some legal argey-bargy about who owns the rights to the english version. Rather a shame, really.

Yeah, was a great series. Not many of my mates watched here in the UK, wasn't too popular :( Think it was only shown once. Can't understand why they don't show it again. Its amazingly better than half the crap thats on these days.
Nimzonia
23-05-2005, 08:37
Yeah, was a great series. Not many of my mates watched here in the UK, wasn't too popular :( Think it was only shown once. Can't understand why they don't show it again. Its amazingly better than half the crap thats on these days.

I'm sure it must have been shown more than once in the UK, as I think I saw it around 1989-90, and it was a good 7 or 8 years old by then.
Cromotar
23-05-2005, 08:38
I loved Danger Mouse, though in the poll I went with Cities of Gold. I currently own the entire series, and still love it to this day.
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 08:45
I'm sure it must have been shown more than once in the UK, as I think I saw it around 1989-90, and it was a good 7 or 8 years old by then.

Yeah thats when I saw it.

Check this out!!!!

ULTIMATE MCoG LINKY (http://mcog.bkernst.net/index.html)


EDIT: :eek: *Gibbers* There are dvds available *gibbers* :D
Delator
23-05-2005, 08:54
Anyone remember dinoriders? I used to love that as well. It had some pretty good villians like their leader resembled a frog and there were hammerhead guys and guys that reminded me of ants.

I remember Dino-Riders. That show, and only that show, satasfied my pre-teen addiction for both dinosaurs AND futuristic weaponry! I even owned some of the toys.

Ahem...

*cough*TRANSFORMERS*cough*

Excuse me. :p
The Alma Mater
23-05-2005, 09:08
What was that french cartoon series that told how the human body works? I don't remember the english name but it was totally awesome!

It was one of the "Il était un fois..." series by procidis. In English it was called "Once upon a time ... [insert subject here]". You are specifically thinking of "Once upon of time... life".

See http://www.procidis.com/gb/series/d_series06.html to check if we're talking about the same series ;)
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 09:12
It was one of the "Il était un fois..." series by procidis. In English it was called "Once upon a time ... [insert subject here]". You are specifically thinking of "Once upon of time... life".

See http://www.procidis.com/gb/series/d_series06.html to check if we're talking about the same series ;)

:eek: Wow, i haven't seen that series in ages.
Hypocria
23-05-2005, 09:24
I remember Dino-Riders. That show, and only that show, satasfied my pre-teen addiction for both dinosaurs AND futuristic weaponry! I even owned some of the toys.

Ahem...

*cough*TRANSFORMERS*cough*

Excuse me. :p


I'd like to agree on both counts. Oh and there's Defenders of the Earth, Cities of Gold, Conan the Adventurer, Thundercats et cetera.

Incidently does anyone remember a show called "Samurai Pizza Cats" (seriously :D ). I think it was shown on one of those inane (inane now, obviously not when i was 10ish) morning breakfast shows on a saturday in the UK.

I ask people i know about it and they give me a funny look. I don't think i made the whole thing up . . .
Funky Beat
23-05-2005, 10:36
The Smurfs... that really takes me back. How about Gumby? Anyone like (liked) Gumby, or was that in the 90's?
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 10:46
I'd like to agree on both counts. Oh and there's Defenders of the Earth, Cities of Gold, Conan the Adventurer, Thundercats et cetera.

Incidently does anyone remember a show called "Samurai Pizza Cats" (seriously :D ). I think it was shown on one of those inane (inane now, obviously not when i was 10ish) morning breakfast shows on a saturday in the UK.

I ask people i know about it and they give me a funny look. I don't think i made the whole thing up . . .

If you are insane, I share your delusion... I also recall "Samurai Pizza Cats"...
Hypocria
23-05-2005, 12:41
It's nice to know i'm not the only crazy one :D .
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 12:48
It's nice to know i'm not the only crazy one :D .

On the contrary... I feel perhaps I am adding weight to that argument... since nobody seems to recall "Ulysses 31"...

Perhaps I did imagine it...
Hypocria
23-05-2005, 12:51
Ulysses?

Did it involve a bloke with a beard and his crew traveling through space looking for . . . something?

With a theme tune that really stuck in the head?
The Alma Mater
23-05-2005, 12:54
On the contrary... I feel perhaps I am adding weight to that argument... since nobody seems to recall "Ulysses 31"...

Perhaps I did imagine it...

Well.. Samurai Pizza cats existed, but was not a cartoon of the 80s (it started in 1991).

And I remember Ulysses and his spaceship well. And that definately was an 80s product :)

A link that might proof useful for this topic:
http://www.80snostalgia.com/classictv/index.html
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 12:58
Ulysses?

Did it involve a bloke with a beard and his crew traveling through space looking for . . . something?

With a theme tune that really stuck in the head?

They were looking for his son, Telemachus, I believe...

Yep, annoying theme song that went "Ulee-Seee-eeee-eeee-eee-eeeSe"... and a deranged tiny red robot that ate random metal stuff...

But some really cool Greek myth content, buried in some French-ish animation... maybe?
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 13:02
Well.. Samurai Pizza cats existed, but was not a cartoon of the 80s (it started in 1991).

And I remember Ulysses and his spaceship well. And that definately was an 80s product :)

A link that might proof useful for this topic:
http://www.80snostalgia.com/classictv/index.html

Yay! If I'm imagining it... so are hundreds of other people!!!
Hypocria
23-05-2005, 13:06
They were looking for his son, Telemachus, I believe...

Yep, annoying theme song that went "Ulee-Seee-eeee-eeee-eee-eeeSe"... and a deranged tiny red robot that ate random metal stuff...

But some really cool Greek myth content, buried in some French-ish animation... maybe?


That's the one.

Just to pull some other names out of the hat:

Bravestar - "Strength of a bear, speed of a puma" apparently

Jace (could be Jason) and his Wheeled Warriors - The bad guys were cars that were plants but were cars too while also being plants . . . i think.

Bucky O'Hare - Animal rebels fighting an intergalactic war against the evil Toad Empire. Wonder where they got that basic concept from ;)

(Possibly not from the 80s though)
The Alma Mater
23-05-2005, 13:11
I just have to post this quote from 80snostalgias section on thundercats:

Lion-o is the leader of the Thundercats, and has a nifty toy called the Sword Of Omens. It's not a very big thing to begin with (hey, size isn't important after all, it's what you do with it that counts). He turns it on (ooer) by swinging it about (yes, this really was a kids cartoon, it's not my fault you've got a dirty mind), and yelling ?Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats, Ho!?, and then it gets bigger and becomes a most powerful weapon (fnarr, fnarr).

Allright, so I'm easily amused sometimes. Blame the mead ;)

And I just remembered "Jayce and the weeled warriors". By J. Michael Straczynski it appears.. the man who also gave us Babylon 5. Bless him :)
Werteswandel
23-05-2005, 13:11
Wow... Transformers, Count Duckula, Mysterious Cities of Gold, Once Upon a Time... Life and Ulysses 31. But top dog is Dangermouse. I still watch that even today...

Other that haven't cropped up yet: Inspector Gadget (I'm amazed no one's mentioned this!) and Dogtagnan & the Three Muskehounds.
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 13:19
That's the one.

Just to pull some other names out of the hat:

Bravestar - "Strength of a bear, speed of a puma" apparently

Jace (could be Jason) and his Wheeled Warriors - The bad guys were cars that were plants but were cars too while also being plants . . . i think.

Bucky O'Hare - Animal rebels fighting an intergalactic war against the evil Toad Empire. Wonder where they got that basic concept from ;)

(Possibly not from the 80s though)

Bravestar, I remember... possibly an early forerunner to "Firefly", with the scifi cowboy thing going on. He had a robot horse, I think. That's about all I remember.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors... yep - that was the one with the organic vehicles... a fantastic concept, unfortunately underused... in that they always ended up crashing into each other by the handful.

Bucky O Hare, I don't know,.
Anarchic Conceptions
23-05-2005, 13:40
It was one of the "Il était un fois..." series by procidis. In English it was called "Once upon a time ... ". You are specifically thinking of "Once upon of time... life".

See http://www.procidis.com/gb/series/d_series06.html to check if we're talking about the same series ;)

Yeah, that was what I was thinking about :)


Incidently does anyone remember a show called "Samurai Pizza Cats" (seriously :D ). I think it was shown on one of those inane (inane now, obviously not when i was 10ish) morning breakfast shows on a saturday in the UK.

I ask people i know about it and they give me a funny look. I don't [I]think i made the whole thing up . . .

Yes, yes. I remember it. I also get funny looks when I mention it, for years I thought I made it up too :D
Cathenia
23-05-2005, 13:50
I just have to post this quote from 80snostalgias section on thundercats:

Lion-o is the leader of the Thundercats, and has a nifty toy called the Sword Of Omens. It's not a very big thing to begin with (hey, size isn't important after all, it's what you do with it that counts). He turns it on (ooer) by swinging it about (yes, this really was a kids cartoon, it's not my fault you've got a dirty mind), and yelling ?Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats, Ho!?, and then it gets bigger and becomes a most powerful weapon (fnarr, fnarr).


Well... Thundercats does seem to have... some... subtext to it ;)

Me and my brother laugh at the good guys there - I mean they're fascists! They land in a strange planet w/c is essentially Mum-Ra's turf then drive out the 'natives' just because they're the 'good guys'... sounds like the way some nations are run...

Cathenia
Tonissia
23-05-2005, 14:11
Gundam > every show on the list
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 14:13
Gundam > every show on the list

Yeah, caus Gundam is better than the Smurfs :rolleyes: :p :D
Crookfur
23-05-2005, 14:22
Wow it is cool to hear that others have seen soem of the shows i dimly remeber from my youth:
i can't rmemeber much about samuri pizza cats bar they were cats, used sword and had a pizza shop with a revolver on the roof that they got fired out of or soemthing...


Now other honorable mentions:

80 days around the world (cartoon with animals, Fogg was a lion)
trap door, ok not really an adventure cartoon but it was fantastic.
Kellarly
23-05-2005, 14:30
80 days around the world (cartoon with animals, Fogg was a lion)
trap door, ok not really an adventure cartoon but it was fantastic.

80DAtW I've got on video :cool: and

Trapdoor is frikken amazing, the skull was the best :D
Mezzaluna
23-05-2005, 15:07
Here's why it's Transformers, Air Commander Starscream is the greatest character in the history of anything. All hail Lord Starscream! His greatness is only enhanced by the fact that he's not just a robot, but a robot in disguise. He was indeed far more than meets the eye. Starscream for president in 2008!


LMAO!!!!

Hmmm...top three are He-Man, D&D, and the Smurfs....and as much as you all are gonna want to slap me with a fish, I have to give my final vote to THE SMURFS!

Yeah, usually it was just happy Smurfberry picking and singing that damn "La la la" song, but once in a while, the Smurfs did some f'ed up stuff.

I mean, come on! Did anyone else see the episode where there was a yellow fly that passed on some sort of infectious disease? Infected Smurfs turned yellow and would hop around saying "G'nap!", then biting the other Smurfs to spread the infection. Very 1950's paranoid-horror type stuff. Classic, and very, very scary.

Then there was the episode where Papa Smurf went away and Brainy decided to be King. The Smurfs split into two camps, loyalists and rebels. The rebels attacked the castle using guerilla tactics, and eventually the whole village was in smoking ruins. Creepy, Lord of the Flies feeling. I remember being stunned.

I couldn't make shit like this up.
Sdaeriji
23-05-2005, 15:09
Clearly it is the Transformers. To say anything else is just silly.
Kiwi-kiwi
23-05-2005, 15:09
Man, at first I thought the only show on that list I'd seen (the original) of was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but dude! I vaguely remember Mysterious Cities of Gold! Man I had no idea what that show was, or what is was about, but I did watch it!

That's what I get for being born in the late 80's... miss all the interesting shows. Though if we jump foreward a few years, I did so love the Adventures of TinTin...
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 15:13
Clearly it is the Transformers. To say anything else is just silly.

Someone really needs to explain how this show is so popular....

I'm man-shaped.

No, I'm a car.

No, I'm man-shaped.

No...

The series just flew by....
Sdaeriji
23-05-2005, 15:18
Someone really needs to explain how this show is so popular....

I'm man-shaped.

No, I'm a car.

No, I'm man-shaped.

No...

The series just flew by....

Because for six year old boys, what are two of the coolest things in the world? Robots and cars. And they even had dinosaur Transformers, and we all know that dinosaurs are the third coolest thing in the world for a six year old boy.
Grave_n_idle
23-05-2005, 15:28
Because for six year old boys, what are two of the coolest things in the world? Robots and cars. And they even had dinosaur Transformers, and we all know that dinosaurs are the third coolest thing in the world for a six year old boy.

I don't think I had any interest in cars at age 6... perhaps that's the problem... I liked dinosaurs, and I liked robots... but that's what my Zoids were for...

Maybe it's just me... maybe I expected more from my childhood entertainment... but Transformers just bored the hell out of me.

Ulysses 31, on the other hand, was the genesis of my lifelong interest in Greek mythology...
Quentulus Qazgar
23-05-2005, 19:29
It was one of the "Il était un fois..." series by procidis. In English it was called "Once upon a time ... [insert subject here]". You are specifically thinking of "Once upon of time... life".

See http://www.procidis.com/gb/series/d_series06.html to check if we're talking about the same series ;)
Yeah, that's the one! I've been thinking about bying the ...life-series on DVD but I'm waiting for them to publish some of those other series also. They haven't shown all of them back here so I've only seen the series about life, space and the history of man.
Uginin
23-05-2005, 21:36
I gotta admit... I have a soft spot for the little blue people. :)
Sdaeriji
23-05-2005, 21:38
I don't think I had any interest in cars at age 6... perhaps that's the problem... I liked dinosaurs, and I liked robots... but that's what my Zoids were for...

Maybe it's just me... maybe I expected more from my childhood entertainment... but Transformers just bored the hell out of me.

Ulysses 31, on the other hand, was the genesis of my lifelong interest in Greek mythology...

Well then you're just a weirdo. :D
Guadalupelerma
23-05-2005, 21:45
Thundercats! Oh, the fond memories. Pimp daddy Panthro, effeminate Tigra, and of course...Cheetara...grrrrr. Is it wrong that my first naughty fantasies were of a cartoon caracter? :D

Anyone remember the one with the space hawk people? Brother, sister, sexy capitan and annoying child who had metal hawk suits grafted onto them and flew through space saving people....silver hawks I think.

still thinking about Cheetara.....
Frangland
23-05-2005, 21:49
Mine:

1. He-Man
2. Thundercats
3. Transformers

Was GI Joe a series? I know they had great action figures.
Guadalupelerma
23-05-2005, 21:53
Was GI Joe a series? I know they had great action figures.

I was great. You could run through a crossfire of color coded lazer fire and NOT....GET....HIT....Ever! Then a group of space thugs invaded and the cobra leader was overthrown, new caracters introduced, a sure sign of death for a series.
New vote for lamest battle cry:
Cobra la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!
Grave_n_idle
24-05-2005, 01:03
Well then you're just a weirdo. :D

"Weirdo", I can handle. :)
Eh-oh
24-05-2005, 01:14
Other- it has to be rugrats! 'Real pirates like sand in their shoes!'-tommy
Kibolonia
24-05-2005, 01:44
Gotta go with Star Blazers. That show had some made emotional impact. The begining where Alex Wildstars parents are killed by the planet bomb? Where his brother is presumed dead? The first time the fire the Wave Motion Gun? The reflex cannon on Pluto? Conner? trying to swim home? Planet Ballon? Sandor when we find out he lost his arms and legs in an accident? The death of Captain Avatar? That show was just dope. It's a little creepy in retrospect, with the political meditations, but still.
The Eternal Kawaii
24-05-2005, 01:57
What, no votes for My Little Pony?

It was an adventure cartoon. Really.
Reformentia
24-05-2005, 01:58
Robotech: Macross saga, Masters and Invid Invasion.

Absolutely.

I remember one episode in the Macross saga where the earth is being bombarded and there's this one scene where this soldier and this little girl are in the street then a blast wave comes along and just vaporizes them...

You just didn't see that in cartoons back then, it was all anvils on the head and squished flat and then up and walking around 15 seconds later... or if someone did "die" it was absolutely with no exceptions always the bad guy. In a very cartoonish way. Heck, it's still mostly that way now.

I always appreciated the realism in it. Yes... people die when wars are fought. Even good guys. Even innocent bystanders. And just because I was a kid that's not something to keep someone ignorant of.

I suddenly miss my Saturday morning cartoons...
Kibolonia
24-05-2005, 02:12
I remember one episode in the Macross saga where the earth is being bombarded and there's this one scene where this soldier and this little girl are in the street then a blast wave comes along and just vaporizes them...
That's one of the best moments in TV history. And certainly the best of its kind. But it's not the first, even in an cartoon shown in America. But on balance, while Robotech is great for about the first 2/3rds of the Macross Saga, it gets extremely uneven after that.
Reformentia
24-05-2005, 02:17
That's one of the best moments in TV history. And certainly the best of its kind. But it's not the first, even in an cartoon shown in America. But on balance, while Robotech is great for about the first 2/3rds of the Macross Saga, it gets extremely uneven after that.

I was mostly dissapointed in Masters, but I did like what they were doing with the human guerilla war against the Invid before that ended.
Nascent
24-05-2005, 02:26
The Nija Turltes hands down. And while Transformers was good, they just cant beat a show with an army of mousers, robotic ninjas, a brain in a floating jar, a host of villains who lived in the sewers, turltes and a rat that could talk, walk on two legs, and knew nijitsu, and of course, we cant forget Beebop and Rocksteady, the shredders minions or the shredder's sweet subterranean drill car.

I only wish the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turltes had followed the old with the characters and such, itsa shame todays youth wont get to enjoy it.

And does anyone else remember Captain Planet? It was a good chartoon even though it had stale villains, and was a little too infomercialist.
Funky Beat
24-05-2005, 03:15
And does anyone else remember Captain Planet? It was a good chartoon even though it had stale villains, and was a little too infomercialist.

Yes, oh yes what a classic. Who was it? There was air, fire, water... so many others, but they escape my mind.
Nascent
24-05-2005, 08:25
Yes, oh yes what a classic. Who was it? There was air, fire, water... so many others, but they escape my mind.

Therre was Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Heart, and with their powers combined, they call Captain Planet!

Sorry, couldnt help myself.
Kellarly
24-05-2005, 08:38
Yes, oh yes what a classic. Who was it? There was air, fire, water... so many others, but they escape my mind.

Glam disco/soul band from the 70s ;) :D
Ulrichland
24-05-2005, 09:01
Starcom - best series ever!

He-Man was cool, though I prefer the late 1990ties revamp.
Xenazwolia
24-05-2005, 09:21
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by far. Unsurprisingly, the new series is a travesty.
Cannot think of a name
24-05-2005, 09:46
Seven pages and only two other mentions of the Joe Team? Knowing is half the battle? I know you guys watched G.I. Joe, don't go denying it because Cartoon Network a few years back started running reruns and you watched and went, "What the hell? No way I liked that, must be an implanted memory..."


How about-"Five teenagers trained to fly like birds, G-Force: Defenders of Space!" or the knock off Silverhawks, which in it's first episode had someone fall in space. Don't know where he was falling, but fall he did.
Micropolis
24-05-2005, 10:50
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by far. Unsurprisingly, the new series is a travesty.

:eek:

We have NOTHING in common. :(

The new He Man and Ninja Turtles are the rockingest things ever. For the 80's, though, I have to roll with Transformers. Lifelong addict, here.

Wish they'd got the new He Man/Turtles artists to do the new Transformers rather than the Pokemon people...
BackwoodsSquatches
24-05-2005, 10:56
Seven pages and only two other mentions of the Joe Team? Knowing is half the battle? I know you guys watched G.I. Joe, don't go denying it because Cartoon Network a few years back started running reruns and you watched and went, "What the hell? No way I liked that, must be an implanted memory..."


How about-"Five teenagers trained to fly like birds, G-Force: Defenders of Space!" or the knock off Silverhawks, which in it's first episode had someone fall in space. Don't know where he was falling, but fall he did.

I remember G-Force.

It was the precursor to all the "Vehicles that merge into one conglomerate vehicle and whoop ass" cartoons. IE Voltron, silverhawks, even Transformers, etc.


I LOVED that show.
Cannot think of a name
24-05-2005, 11:02
I remember G-Force.

It was the precursor to all the "Vehicles that merge into one conglomerate vehicle and whoop ass" cartoons. IE Voltron, silverhawks, even Transformers, etc.


I LOVED that show.
It also contained the Classic Anime Quintet:
Hero, Anti-hero, Princess, Fat Guy and Fat Guy's goofy little friend. Could be found in a number of cartoons.
BackwoodsSquatches
24-05-2005, 11:04
It also contained the Classic Anime Quintet:
Hero, Anti-hero, Princess, Fat Guy and Fat Guy's goofy little friend. Could be found in a number of cartoons.


Tell me, do you rememeber the name of the ship they flew around in?
Grave_n_idle
24-05-2005, 11:04
I remember G-Force.

It was the precursor to all the "Vehicles that merge into one conglomerate vehicle and whoop ass" cartoons. IE Voltron, silverhawks, even Transformers, etc.


I LOVED that show.

Is "G Force" the same thing we saw as "Battle of the Planets"? Five weirdly dressed kids, with helmets shaped like bird heads... and the youngest one talked in strange noises, etc?

Also seemed to be made up from several different cartoons pasted together, somehow?
Cannot think of a name
24-05-2005, 11:06
Is "G Force" the same thing we saw as "Battle of the Planets"? Five weirdly dressed kids, with helmets shaped like bird heads... and the youngest one talked in strange noises, etc?

Also seemed to be made up from several different cartoons pasted together, somehow?
Same show. I always like the G-Force title because of the ridiculous lead in (how is being trained to fly like birds going to help them defend space?)

But, yeah-same show.
BackwoodsSquatches
24-05-2005, 11:08
Is "G Force" the same thing we saw as "Battle of the Planets"? Five weirdly dressed kids, with helmets shaped like bird heads... and the youngest one talked in strange noises, etc?

Also seemed to be made up from several different cartoons pasted together, somehow?


It was remade in the late 90's as "Eagle Riders" by Saban.
The same people who do PowerRangers.
Although the plots were altered and the voices were recast.

But as for the helmets shaped like bird beaks, yah that was them.
Cannot think of a name
24-05-2005, 11:09
Tell me, do you rememeber the name of the ship they flew around in?
The Pheonix. I could try and be cool and say I actually remembered that, but I googled it. Where I also learned that G-Force is actually a 70s cartoon, though I likely was watching it in the 80s. It's all a blur...
BackwoodsSquatches
24-05-2005, 11:10
The Pheonix. I could try and be cool and say I actually remembered that, but I googled it. Where I also learned that G-Force is actually a 70s cartoon, though I likely was watching it in the 80s. It's all a blur...

You know, I bet it was a 70's cartoon, i was really young at the time.

The Phoenix..yah that was it!
Cannot think of a name
24-05-2005, 11:21
You know, I bet it was a 70's cartoon, i was really young at the time.

The Phoenix..yah that was it!
Yeah, I have a hard time figuring out when I watched Sid & Marty Kroft shows like Sigmund the Sea Monster and H.R. Puffenstuff-especially finding out that a lot of those shows where from either before I was born or at the very least before my eyes focused...
Mott Forest
24-05-2005, 11:21
Transformers was awsome, the remake sucks though. Is my memory playing tricks with me or is the quality of the animations worse in the new version?
Grave_n_idle
24-05-2005, 11:28
The Pheonix. I could try and be cool and say I actually remembered that, but I googled it. Where I also learned that G-Force is actually a 70s cartoon, though I likely was watching it in the 80s. It's all a blur...

I actually remembered the name of the ship... it occasionally even burst into flames (yes, in space...), and might even have changed it's shape some...

Can't exactly remember... I think I saw it late 70's / early 80's... so it's hard to be TOO specific.

I definitely get the feeling it was a chimerical creation though... the plotlines didn't always 'work', I think. Like I said... it FELT like someone had kind of 'stapled together' two different cartoons.
Crookfur
24-05-2005, 13:57
Transformers was awsome, the remake sucks though. Is my memory playing tricks with me or is the quality of the animations worse in the new version?

No idea although the original series coudl be pretty dire at times.
Did anyone ever notice that all music always soudned the same in teanformers? be it a hip club taken over by the decepticons to brain wash humans or jazz driving around annoying people.

The worst thing about watch these old series on DVD is that they seem to have lost a bit of thier sheen, they never seem as good as they did when you were 8.

One final question: does anyone remeber a japanese cartoon version of Thunderbirds, that used to be shown on one of the BBC1 saterday morning shows, most probabaly going live...
Iztatepopotla
24-05-2005, 14:57
Thundercats and Transformers were my favorites. Wasn't Count Duckula a nineties cartoon? If it's eighties I will have to go with that one.
Cromotar
24-05-2005, 15:01
Wasn't Count Duckula a nineties cartoon? If it's eighties I will have to go with that one.

It aired on Nickelodeon 1988-93, so it was a little of both. It was by the creators of Danger Mouse, so they're often mentioned together.
Grave_n_idle
24-05-2005, 15:04
It aired on Nickelodeon 1988-93, so it was a little of both. It was by the creators of Danger Mouse, so they're often mentioned together.

Didn't Duckula also originally turn up in Dangermouse?

I thought they got mentioned together, because the one was a spin-off of the other...
Celestial Paranoia
24-05-2005, 15:07
Thundercats!

Wow, I used to really love that show.
Cromotar
24-05-2005, 15:09
Didn't Duckula also originally turn up in Dangermouse?

I thought they got mentioned together, because the one was a spin-off of the other...

Oh yeah, that's right. Duckula appeared in 4 episodes of DM as a bad guy, and was later reformed (literally) in his own show. I'd forgotten that.
Jeruselem
24-05-2005, 15:13
Danger Mouse! The James Bond of the rodent world :D

Although I like the Transformers too. :)
Got a few of them.
Grave_n_idle
24-05-2005, 15:24
Oh yeah, that's right. Duckula appeared in 4 episodes of DM as a bad guy, and was later reformed (literally) in his own show. I'd forgotten that.

Yay! I leap from strength-to-strength in my amazing 80's-cartoon-trivia powers!
Nimzonia
24-05-2005, 17:17
I thought they got mentioned together, because the one was a spin-off of the other...

Yeah, that's why I put them in the poll together. Also, to save space, since you only get 10 options, and there's way more than 10 decent 80s cartoons (Although, I actually put the smurfs in for a laugh, and it turned out to be surprisingly popular - or loads of people voted for it because they weren't around in the 80s and it's the only one they've heard of :D ).

Also, I was pondering putting Inspector Gadget up there, but I couldn't remember if that was 80s or not. Pretty sure it counts as adventure, though.
Rasselas
24-05-2005, 19:41
Thats the hardest decision I've ever had to make!

Voted Dangermouse :cool: