My Retro-Cartoon Ramblings, Part 6
We've hit a lot in the past 5 sections here. Its important to understand that TV at the time was, in general, more ridiculous. The only reason MASK was on Saturday morning in animation and Knight Rider was on in the evenings was a matter of budget. They sold us toys of both.
If they could have afforded to give KITT flip out wings and laser blasters on the FX budget from day one, you know they would have. They eventually did make the car fly, and it was boss.
(Can't show the good version of the opening song because its not on YT anymore, so here's the song, and a rare promo to show just a sample of the madness)
For complicated reasons I didn't get to watch a lot of cartoons on Saturday, and so a lot of what I watched came on Sunday, much of it thanks to Nickelodeon. This was one of my favorite shows. No one else I knew watched it. No one knew it existed.
(most of the English stuff is vanished from online, but here's a touch of the french version).
I would try and tell people about it, and they would ask if I dreamed it up. Because, it's about these two children who get lost in a cave and wind up in an underground kingdom, where they're found by the secret kingdom of legless undergrounders, whose star is slowly dying.
The children of this lost civilization, with the help of two ancient pangolins that may be robots or may be cyborgs create a legged goddess figure who, with Spartakus, who might be that Sparatkus but probably isn't, must save the inner sun from dying or all earth dies.
Throughout this, they are hunted by Radio Pirates who seem to be a Frenchman's stereotype of British hoodlums. Plus points: Body positivity, kickin' tunes. Bad points: they're slavers! (boo!)
If you feel like you've just been recruited into a cult, it isn't unjustified (and I should know), because while none of my peers or parents believed I'd actually seen this damn show, it presents its belief in the world of the sun beneath the sea with almost reverent sincerity.
The whole thing is a surreal dream-logic journey through a multi-layered inner earth, visiting historical figures and weird hypothetical alien landscapes. In one particularly harrowing episode, they visit what is implied to be the New York of the far future...
Inhabited by nothing but a lone, kaiju-like creature that thinks one of the party is a doll or pet, one that is implied be a future human mutated beyond recognition. The episode opens with slow, silent pans over the city with low wind.
I adore the show from my memories and few scattered episodes I've been able to find. I actually ordered a figure of MassMedia from France, but it came with what appeared to have been an intentionally broken arm. I was super-bummed.
The one in the pic isn't mine. Its in a box someplace waiting for me to get the gumption to try and fix it. I mean, in what other context does that character design get an action figure? She got multiple! Turns out the original Les Mondes Engloutis was HUGE in France.
It would make a beautiful open world RPG, provided it could be kept as bafflingly strange as the source material.
Also there's an episode where one of the kids escapes the pirates by unionizing the crew!
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What if...The Cross Zone got a lot bigger?
From the creative minds that bought you Namco X Capcom, Project X Zone was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012 in Japan and worldwide in 2013, receiving great praise as it bought characters from three legendary game developers -- Capcom, Sega, and Namco Bandai -- to crossed worlds, dimensions, and the fabric of time for the ultimate cross-over tactical RPG mashup!
But what if the cross zone had gotten a whole lot bigger with even MORE titles and are joined by even more characters from surprising guest companies.
What if...The Cross Zone got a lot bigger? explores what would happen if the events of Namco X Capcom, Project X Zone, and Project X Zone 2 occurred differently with the inclusion of characters, worlds, and universes of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Square Enix, and much more.
For example, my fan-made original story movie inspired by the crossover RPG.
The Project X Zone Movie (Capcom x Sega x Bandai Namco x Cartoon Network x Nickelodeon x Disney x Pixar x Square Einx x Channel Federator x Channel Awesome)
The Project X Zone Movie 2: Fate of Many Worlds (Capcom x Sega x Bandai Namco x Cartoon Network x Disney x Pixar x Square Einx x Marvel x Star Wars x Level-5)
NAMCO BANDAI
Namco X Capcom (Reiji Arisu, Xiaomu)
Project X Zone (Mii Koryuji, Kogoro Tenzai)
Tekken (Jin Kazama, Kazuya Mishima, Heihachi Mishima, Ling Xiaoyu, Alisa Bosconovitch)
.hack// (Kite, BlackRose)
.hack//G.U. (Haseo)
Tales of Versperia (Yuri Lowell, Fylnn Scifo, Estelle Sidos Heurassein)
Summon Night 3 (Aty)
Adventure of Valkyrie (Valkyrie, Kurino Sandra, Sabine)
Bravoman (Arnold/Bravoman)
Wonder Momo (Kanda Momo/Wonder Momo)
Soulcalibur V (Natsu)
Soul Edge (Taki, Mitsurugi Heishiro)
Tales of Destiny (Rutee Katrea, Stahn Aileron)
Xenosaga (KOS-MOS, MOMO, Shion Uzuki)
Tower of Druaga (Gilgamesh, Ki)
Shadow Land (Tarosuke)
The Genji and the Heike Clans (Taira no Kagekiyo)
Baraduke (Masuyo Tobi)
Burning Force (Hiromi Tengenji)
Ordyne (Miyuki Chan)
Dig Dug (Taizo Hori)
Klonoa (Klonoa, Guntz)
God Eater (Alisa Ilinichina Amiella, Soma Schicksal, Lindow Amamiya, Ciel Alencon, Nana Kouzuki)
Yumeria (Neneko, Neito)
CAPCOM
Street Fighter (Ryu, Ken Masters, Chun-li, Guile, Cammy White, Ingrid)
Ghosts n' Goblins (Sir Arthur)
Okami (Amaterasu, Issun)
Viewtiful Joe (Viewtiful Joe, Sexy Silvia)
Monster Hunter (Monster Hunter, Felyne, Palico, Gore Magala)
Breath of Fire III (Ryu, Nina, Momo, Garr, Rei, Peco, Honey)
Resident Evil Revelations (Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine)
Resident Evil 6 (Leon S. Kennedy, Helena Harper, Ada Wong)
Resident Evil: Dead Aim (Bruce McGivern, Fong Ling)
Ace Attorney (Phoenix Wright, Maya Fey, Apollo Justice, Athena Cykes)
Darkstalkers(Morrigan Aensland, Demitri Maximoff, Felicia, Hsien-Ko, Donovan Baine, Anita, Jon Talbain, Victor Von Gedenheim)
Dead Rising (Frank West)
Devil May Cry (Dante, Trish, Lady, Nero, Nico)
Bionic Commando (2009) (Nathan Spencer)
Captain Commando (Captain Commando, Hoover (Baby Head), Jennety (Mack the Knife), Sho (Ginzu the Ninja))
Dino Crisis (Regina)
Final Fight (Guy, Mike Haggar)
Mega Man (Rock/Mega Man, Roll, Blues/Proto Man, Rush, Tango, Eddie, Beat)
Mega Man X(X, Zero, Axl)
Mega Man Legends (Tron Bonne, Servbots, Mega Man Volnutt, Roll Casket)
Star Gladiator (June Lin Milliam)
Strider (Strider Hiryu)
Forgotten Worlds (Unknown Soldier 1P, Unknown Solider 2P, Sylphie)
Cyberbots (Jin Saotome, Princess Devilotte de Death Satan IX)
SEGA
Billy Hatcher (Billy Hatcher, Chick Poacher, Rolly Roll, Bantam Scrambled)
Golden Axe (Ax Battler, Gilius Thunderhead, Tyris Flare)
Panzer Dragon (Keil Fluge, Blue Dragon)
Alex Kidd (Alex Kidd, Stella)
NiGHTS into Dreams (NiGHTS)
Skies of Arcadia (Vyse, Aika, Fina, Cupil, Gilder, Enrique, Drachma)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Shadow the Hedgehog)
Sonic Boom (Sticks the Badger)
Bayonetta (Bayonetta, Jeanne, Viola, Luka)
Virtua Fighter (Akira Yuki, Pai Chan, Kage-Maru)
Fighting Vipers (Bahn)
Shenmue (Ryo Hazuki)
Shinobi (Hotsuma)
Shinobi: Nightshade (Hibana)
Space Channel 5 (Ulala)
Streets of Rage (Axl Stone)
Sakura Wars (Ichiro Ogami, Sakura Shinguji, Gemini Sunrise, Erica Fontaine)
Yakuza/Like A Dragon (Kazama Kiryu, Goro Majima, Ichiban Kasuga)
Resonance of Fate (Zephyr, Leanne, Vashyron)
Valkyria Chronicles III(Kurt Irving, Riela Marcellis, Imca)
Sega Saturn Advertisements (Segata Sanshiro, Sega Shiro (Segata's son))
Shining Force EXA(Toma, Cyrille)
Dynamite Cop (Bruno Delinger)
Zombie Revenge (Rikiya Busujima)
NINTENDO
Fire Emblem Warriors (Rowan, Lianna)
Fire Emblem: Awakening (Chrom, Lucina)
Xenoblade Chronicles (Fiora, Shulk)
DISNEY
Gravity Falls (Dipper Pines, Mabel Pines)
Kim Possible (Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Rufus)
American Dragon: Jake Long (Jake Long, Trixie, Spud, Fu Dog, Lao Shi)
Darkwing Duck (Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck)
DuckTales (2017) (Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webby Vanderquack, Launchpad McQuack)
Phineas & Ferb (Phineas Flynn, Ferb Fletcher, Isabella Garcia-Sharpio, Burford Van Stromm, Baljeet Rai, Candace Flynn, Agent P)
Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja (Randy Cunningham)
Mighty Med (Oliver, Kaz)
Sofia the First (Princess Sofia the First)
Disney's Descendants (Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos)
Wreck-It Ralph (Vanellope Von Schweetz)
The Simpsons (Bart Simpson)
The Lion Guard (Kion, Bunga, Fuli, Besthe, Ono, Anga)
PIXAR
Brave (Princess Merida of DunBroch)
The Incredibles (Mr. Incredibles, Elastigrl, Violet Parr, Dash Parr, Jack-Jack Parr, Frozone)
MARVEL
Captain America
Iron Man
Thor
Hulk
Black Widow
Hawkeye
Falcon
Vision
Wasp
Captain Marvel
Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel
Black Panther
Spider-Man
Doctor Strange
Iron Fist
Ghost Rider
She-Hulk
Wolverine
Storm
X-23
Future Avengers (Makoto/Hurricane, Chloe/Charade, Adi/Codec, Bruno/Twister)
STAR WARS
Rey
Finn
Poe Dameron
BB-8
CARTOON NETWORK
Ben 10(Ben Tennyson, Gwen Tennyson, Kevin Levin)
Generator Rex (Rex, Six, Bobo)
The Life & Times of Juniper Lee (Juniper Lee)
The Powerpuff Girls (Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup)
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (Mac, Bloo)
Dexter's Labratory(Dexter)
Samurai Jack (Samurai Jack)
Ed, Edd, n Eddy (Ed, Double D (Edd), Eddy)
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes (Kaio O. Kincaid (K.O.), Radicles X, Enid Mettle)
NICKELODEON
SpongeBob SquarePants (SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks)
Fairly OddParents (Timmy Turner, Cosmo, Wanda, Poof)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko)
Winx Club (Bloom, Stella, Aisha, Techa, Musa, Flora)
El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera (Manny Rivera/El Tigre, Frida)
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (Jimmy Neutron)
Danny Phantom (Danny Fenton/Danny Phantom, Sam Manson, Tucker Foley, Jazz Fenton)
My Life as a Teenage Robot (XJ9/Jenny Wakeman)
Glitch Techs (Miko "Me_K.O." Kubto, Hector "High Five" Nieves, Ridley, B.I.T.T., Zahra Rashid)
SQUARE EINX
Kingdom Hearts (Sora, Riku, Kairi, Ventus)
The World Ends with You (Neku Sakuraba, Shiki Misaki, Daisukenojo "Beat" Bito, Raimu “Rhyme” Bito, Yoshiya "Joshua" Kiryu, Rindo Kanade, Tosai “Fret” Furesawa, Nagi Usui, Shoka Sakurane)
Final Fantasy (Warrior of Light)
Final Fantasy II (Firion)
Final Fantasy III (Onion Knight)
Final Fantasy IV (Cecil Harvey)
Final Fantasy V (Bartz Klauser)
Final Fantasy VI (Terra Branford)
Final Fantasy VII (Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith, Cid, Yuffie) (Kingdom Hearts incarnation)
Final Fantasy VIII (Squall Leonheart) (Kingdom Hearts incarnation)
Final Fantasy IX (Zidane Tribal)
Final Fantasy X (Tidus)
Final Fantasy XI (Shantotto)
Final Fantasy XII (Vaan)
Final Fantasy XIII (Lightning)
Final Fantasy XIV (Y'shtola)
Final Fantasy XV (Noctis Lucis Caelum)
OTHER TITLES
CHANNEL AWESOME
Nostalgia Critic (Nostalgia Critic)
Angry Video Game Nerd (Angry Video Game Nerd)
Atop the 4th Wall (Linkara)
The Angry Joe Show (Angry Joe)
LEVEL-5
Professor Layton (Professor Hershel Layton, Luke Triton)
CHANNEL FEDERATOR
Bravest Warriors (Chris Kirkman, Beth Tezuka, Danny Vasquez, Wallow, Plum, Catbug)
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