Ulysses 31

[devilchicken]

Some of the Brits might know something about this - one of the better, and more imaginative serial cartoon series to air on UK kids TV during the 1980's.

For those who have never heard of it - it was an adaptation of Homers Odyssey set in space, done by a collaboration of French and Japanese animators.

Interestingly enough it holds up remarkably well today - except for the odd few moments of cheese. Some of the episodes are quite dark and rather disturbing considering the target audience.

[Jules]

Amazon's on-line DVD rental in the UK is a great way to watch box-sets of these old series (a lot of the on-line movie rental sites only seem to do film releases). The only episode one I recall was Sisyphus.

[devilchicken]

You can actually rent/buy the entire series on DVD. It was released last year after years of being only available in France.... in French.

Its really worth rewatching - even watching them as an adult the show is still really rather good.

The episode that always stuck in my mind was 'The Magician in Black'.

[DeeCrowSeer]

The only downside to the release of such shows on DVD is that I feel less special for being able to remember the theme songs. Sniffle. It was a great one though!

The only episode I vaguely remember is one where they find a planet of... were they "poppy-eaters"... just sort of lying around doing nothing and feeling kinda groovy. I presume there was some sort of terrible threat that blokey had to save them from, to snap them out of their decadent slacking... otherwise kids everywhere would be turning on and dropping out. Can't have that, now can we? :)

[devilchicken]

LOL - in that episode I think a planet was going to be destroyed, and the poppies were put there by the Gods to keep the population hopped up so that they couldn't do anything to save themselves.

Its really strange though - most people I've spoken to about the show seem to remember that one Sisyphus episode.

Seriously its well worth seeing again - still holds up very well today.

I wonder if that means they'll be putting out 'Mysterious Cities of Gold' anytime soon. That was made by the same animation studio.

[Ilium]

Yeah I remember this show, it was probably the first time I was introduced to Homer.

[devilchicken]

Homer mixed with Japanese Manga stylee.

It really was quite ahead of its time.

[Heiron]

Ah,one of my favourites too!
I was watching it as a kid.The Greek TV showed it again some years ago but I didn't watch it then,maybe I was busy at that time.
I vaguely remember some episodes.One that impressed me was the one with Cronus and that game with the name that I hadn't realised till then."Cronos" is a similar name with "Chronos"(=time) and obviously the ancient Greeks had linked this deity with time.In the episode the guy had to do with time too.He was full of clocks or something.

[devilchicken]

There's a character in one particular episode I remember vividly that I'd quite like to use in a short story

[Grey Mouser]

I remember liking this series, though I can't remember anything more than the theme tune now. It had a certain something.

[devilchicken]

You can get it on DVD, I suspect, for not very much now.

Well worth watching again - its still very good, and very dark for a kids cartoon.

1 episode has Ulysses kidnapped by the Sirens - who drug him and offer him a "lifetime of unearthly delights".

[Ilium]

1 episode has Ulysses kidnapped by the Sirens - who drug him and offer him a "lifetime of unearthly delights".

Well that must have gone straight over my 9 year old head when I watched it the first time round!

Will keep an eye out for the DVD now though.

[Nick Knife]

I remember watching it alot after school when I was a kid . It was good. The theme tune, or the part sung by the robot has always stuck in my head.

[Papi]

I remember Ulysses 31, and Nono the little robot !

[Pebble]

Any one remember, the Kieth Griffin strip - Prince Wayfinder? Introduced Rocket Raccoon, if my is working. Similarly based on the Odyssey, whether the story written by Homer or not is debatable.