Thundercats!

Thundercats was another cartoon obsession of mine, and now, I just find it plain weird, LOL. But, digressing...Thundercats was the tale (no pun...ok, pun intended) of Lion-o and his friends who escape from Thundera, which is nearly destroyed, and crash land on Third Earth. There, they start a new life while trying to defeat Mum-ra, The Ever Living and the mutant gang that followed them to Third Earth. Lion-o possesses a magical sword which makes him ruler and more powerful (uh...He-man anyone?) and is nothing...uh, short...of a phallic symbol.

The Thundercats, of course, were humanoid with cat-like qualities. Whoever thought this up should have been given some award for creativity to say the least. Still, it has a place among our other "Really Cool Cartoons".

Strawberry Shortcake

While it wasn't really a TV show, but a series of videos and a collection of scented dolls (and no, the new Strawberry Shortcakes do NOT smell like the old ones), I still feel this cartoon deserves a place among "Really Cool Cartoons".

Strawberry Shortcake lived in Strawberry Land, where all of her friends had food names, like Lime Chiffon and Huckleberry Pie (the one boy among them) and their pets had food names as well (Strawberry's pet was Custard).

There was also villians, the Purple Pieman and Sour Grapes, who were constantly trying to thwart Strawberry and her friends.

The specials were most likely a vehicle through which to sell the toys...but that was ok by me. It worked, and I LOVED my dolls. I just wish they hadn't gone the way of all things cool and disappeared somewhere.

Kidd Video

"Aye-yaye-yaye-we look like--cartoons!"

You gotta love it!!!

This cartoon is one that haunted me for years, until recently. I knew the plot(a "real" rock band gets sucked into an alternate universe where they become cartoons) and I knew the bad guy's name "Master Blaster". It wasn't until recently that I was able to get more information on this really cool 80s cartoon. I'd completely forgotten about the little pixie, "Glitter" whose magic in her sneeze and the Master Blaster's thugs, the Copy Cats. A great source for all things "Kidd Video" is www.kvflipside.org. There are episode guides, as well as youtube links to watch the episodes.

My Little Pony

"My Little Pony" was all the rage in the 80s. A friend of mine had every toy there was...the stables, playsets...it was awesome. It centered around a little girl named Megan who helped the ponies of Dream Valley in their fight against evil in Ponyland. Other types of ponies were introduced, including the Princess Ponies (who had wings) and the Seaponies. It was a huge phenomenon that has recently enjoyed a resurrgance in the toy business, but they'll never be quite the same as the original toys.

Christmas is Coming!

So now that you've decided to get the "Transformers" DVDs for your SO for the holidays, you're probably thinking you need a little something to go along with it. Why not check out this link for great Christmas Gifts & Gift Baskets? They can create a specially themed basket like a movie-lovers night and each is filled with gourmet products. You can play Santa and give a bakset as a secret Santa gift.

Spending Too Much Time in Front of the TV?

Is your significant other NOT happy with you? Why not surprise her/him with flowers? There are many types of flower available this time of year. Sunflowers are native in the US between July and October. - Dahlias are available in early fall. - Roses, lilies, iris, gerbera and daisies, in fact all chrysanthemums are available year round for approximately the same price. Surprise your loved one today with a pretty bouquet so you can go back to watching your shows (for a little while anyway).

In other news...

The law firm of simmons, jannace & stagg recently represented a woman whose lawyer was suing in a federal court to get a $2 million contingency fee after settling a woman's 9/11 lawsuit (the money had been awarded from the Victim's Fund which disfavored lawyer's fees to maximize the amount of money the victim's would get). The widow's lawyers contended that the fee was exhorbitant and that because the case was already under review by the state, that they should abtain from making judgement. The case was dismissed and is under investigation.

Save Money to Buy Your She-ra DVDS

Follow the link to get free car insurance quotes. Many companies will not tell you all of your eligible discounts (the phone company is notorious for this as well...it pays to call about every six months to make sure you are getting the best package for your needs).

If you are woman who works late hours and are concerned about driving home alone at night, one insurance company has created the "buddy on demand"...a blow up "man" that you need only to push a button and he will inflate. What will they think of next?

Need a Break From Watching Cartoons?

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Need to Step Away From the TV?

Have you been watching too many of your old favorite 80s and 90s cartoons on DVD? Need a little break? Why not consider a Orlando Vacation Home rental? From Orlando you can visit any of the major theme parks, like Disney, Epcot, etc. Or you can tool around downtown Orlando, rich with historic homes and buildings great shops and more. Orlando is also home to many lakes, perfect for lounging by and getting some fresh air.

In Entertainment News

Last night I was watching the "Best Week Ever" on VH1, and they were talking about how Britney Spears was spotted blowing a huge amount of money at this very posh boutique in Los Angeles. She bought her new baby boy a custom crib (details could not be released as to what it looked like because of customer confidentiality). While most of us can't afford to spend money like she can, you can get some great personalized baby gifts when you click on the link.

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"Transformers"

"More than meets the eye...Transformers robots in disguise..."

The good guys: The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, a huge robot who could transform into a big rig

The Bad Guys: The Decepticons, led by Megatron, a robot who could transform into a big ol' gun.

The who, what & where: After battle for control of Cybertron, their home planet, the Autobots and Decepticons left in search of new energy sources. Not wanting the Autobots to gain an advantage, the two sides fought in space and crash landed on Earth (around 4 million years ago). Eventually they were awakened, and the battle continued, though the Autobots now had human allies, and eventually new Autobots joined their caused (like the dinobots, who weren't very smart, but could kick some serious hiney).

Is it airing now: Different versions have come and gone over the years, but "Transformers Cybertron" airs on the Toon network at 6 a.m.

Other News: Transformers the motion picture is set to be released in 2007. I believe the teaser trailer came out with Superman Returns (though I had already seen it on the internet) and it looks REALLY COOL!
Watch it here:


Transformers movie cartoons 80s

...and now for this commercial interruption...

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Jem and the Holograms

Ok, so now that that's stuck in your head, recall if you will "Jem and the Holograms." This was one of my FAVORITE cartoons growing up. Jerrica and her sister Kimber inherited half of her father's record company, which was constantly trying to be taken over by the smarmy Eric (who inherited the other half, and managed the trouble making Misfits). Jerrica also inherited Synergy, a computer that could create holograms of antyhing Jerrica could dream up, including her alter ego, Jem, a songstress with really cool pink eye make-up and a not-so-bad voice. Of course, they competed with the Misfits for fame and glory, all while trying to keep the Starlight Foundation (a home for orphaned and runaway girls) afloat and keep her younger, jealous sister in check. What was a girl to do?

Jerrica struggled with all of her masks, but mostly with the decision not to tell her boyfriend Rio, who not only loved Jerrica, but also had the hots for Jem. Ahhh....if only she'd be honest, but then it wouldn't have been as much fun.

The series lasted for three seasons, and ended with one orphan finding her long-lost father and the Misfits offering truce with Jem. After much back and forth, it seemed like Rio had finally chosen Jerrica for good, though I don't think he ever learned she was Jem.

This show is out on DVD and can be ordered at amazon.com.
Jem and the Holograms

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Dungeons and Dragons

I was soooo psyched to see this airing on the Disney Channel the other night! "Dungeons and Dragons" was about 4 teens and one's younger brother who were thrust into a fantasical world while riding the Dungeon and Dragons roller-coaster at a theme park. Their only guide/help was Dungeon Master (who shall be known, henceforth as DM), a short little wizard with extreme magical powers. He gave each of them a gift. To Hank, their leader, he gave a magical bow that never ran out of arrows (they were in fact made of a magical light and could do neat things like wrap around orcs). To Eric, the cowardly cavalier, he gave a shield that would deflect anything. Red-haired Diana became the thief, and was given a magical invisibility cloak. Sheila, who also happened to be a gymnast, was given a staff that could resize at will. Young Bobby, Diana's younger brother, became the "barbarian" and was given a wooden club that could shake the earth. Last, but not least, was Presto, who was given a wizards hat, but often had trouble conjuering exactly what he wanted though usually got something he needed. The DM instructed the kids that the only way to get home was to defeat the evil Venger, a demonish creature that rode a flying black steed though he himself had wings.

The gang was also accompanied on their journeys by Uni, every little girl's dream pet--a baby unicorn. Uni could teleport once a day, though most often just found herself in trouble.

The show only lasted two seasons, and while a final episode was written, entitle "Requiem", it was never filmed. Follow the link to read what would have happened.

Is it airing: For some reason, I can't find this listed on Zap2it's tv listings scheduled, but I'm fairly certain it was airing on Disney around 5:30-6 either Saturday or Sunday night (though there is a possibility it was ABC Family.

DVD Availability: It appears to be available overseas, so if your DVD player can play Region 2, you can get it at amazon.com.

Captain Planet

"Captain Planet" was an interesting, ecologically minded cartoon in which Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, created 5 magical rings that were given to said number of teens across the planet. When the power of the rings combined (Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit) a green-haired, blue skinned hero would emerge to save the day, Captain Planet. While the cartoon was a little hokey, the message was clear. We all need to work together to save our planet.

Even though there are no new episodes being made, there are several websites devoted to the show, and it even boasts its own charity, The Capitan Planet Foundation. It supports k-12 projects and activities that help children learn to treat our planet responsibly.

It can be seen weekdays at 6 am on the Boomerang Network.

She-ra: Princess of Power

Born out of a need to capitalize on the female market, She-ra, the "twin" sister of He-man/Prince Adam was born. Not only did She-ra possess super-human strength, her sword was a little better (it possessed a gemstone), her animal partner was not only a unicorn but could fly as well (and had beautiful rainbow colored wings), her transformation was better...and yet it was really awesome (at the time anyway!) She-ra (AKA Princess Adora) became leader of the rebellion on Etheria (those pesky "evil forces of Hordak"), with help from Bow, an archer, Frosta (with the power to freeze), Queen Angella and her daughter Glimmer, Double-Trouble, Peek-a-Blue and a few others. I will not admit to owning most of the dolls or the Crystal Water Fall playset, or that I owned She-ra goldenbooks--all of which might be in storage somewhere...*ahem*

Anyway...it seems She-ra figurines are quite collectable these days...so drag 'em out of storage and say hello to Ebay! (or you could always set them up-you know-for their, uh, collectability and coolness.)

Tranzor Z

In a Voltron like cartoon, Tranzor Z was a huge robot that was piloted by young Tommy Davis. A "female" robot, Aphrodite, was piloted by Jessica Davis, Tommy's cousin. Together they attempted to foil Dr. Demon's evil plans to try and take over the world. Was it as good as Voltron...nah, but it was fun in it's own right (though Tranzor Z was the first of the super robot anime cartoons it originally aired in 1972-1974). This series did have an ending, with Tommy and Jessica finally defeating Dr. Demon and his evil team.

What's interesting about Tranzor Z, as it was the first cartoon featuring a super giant robot, you could say it is the father of all the ones that followed...Voltron , today's Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go, even the ever popular "Power Rangers" series.

Voltron

Voltron was a really cool 80s cartoon, that has made various comebacks over the years, but they were never as good as the original. Here is the opening sequence, which will fill you in on the story's background.

From days of long ago...

Now that you've watched it...you'll remember that Sven (in the white and black uniform) was killed, and Princess Allura took his place in the blue lion. This was one of my favorite cartoons back in the day. There was a little bit of romance (Princess Allura and Lion leader, Keith), a really cool robot, and of course, the whole thing took place in outer space. From reading various episode guides, it appears the cartoon was never really given a finale, yet has returned in two different formats. One featured vehicles that joined to form the super robot, the other featured three teams, land, water and air (each with like 5 members).
Is it airing now: not that I can find
Available on DVD: It's coming, according to WEP (the company that produced the show). You can however, buy VHS tapes of a few episodes at their site (google World Event Productions).