It's time for cool toys, dubious science, nefarious villains, the power of friendship and justice overcoming all. It's time for Marines riding dinosaurs, things that live under the bed, and quaint villages under attack by vile sorcerers.
"Look alive, gearheads! It's the Worldwide Heavy Gear Series! The Vanguard of Justice versus the Shadow Dragons! Let's mesh some metal!"
Heavy Gear, at the height of its merchandising, got a television show - mecha in gladiatoral combat. This "season one" was intended to set up the characters and their rivalries for when war broke out in season two, but a 4:30AM timeslot killed this show.
I've actually been looking for source material to shamelessly rip off give me inspiration for WGA, and I don't think that W.I.T.C.H. in either the TV or original comic incarnation ever would have pinged on my radar, so thanks!
I'm also somewhat surprised at how many of the W.I.T.C.H. books my local library system has available...
Dark Champions: The Animated Series is another pastiche RPG, inspired by several "street-level hero" shows that were popular during the 90s.
X-Men was the #1 show of its time, and started many others - including ones that were good or great in their own right, like Spider-Man and Batman. Batman, in particular, went to launch its own series that could include a lot more entries on this list. It took no less a series than the Power Rangers to knock down the X-Men, Batman, and Spiderman from #1.
At least, I think I remember X-Men being first. X-Men, Spider-Man, and Batman were inseperable and on top.
Cyber-Six was an indie hit that just barely managed to last one season.
Gargoyles's heroes were far more relucatant creatures.
And no trend is complete without a parody that also serves as a fine example in its own right.
Ghostbusters got two animated series, separated by about five years. The first was a straight adaptation of the movie; the latter was a "ten years later" sequel. (Often knocked for not being as good as the original, but was still the best thing on in the mornings in its day.)
For most series, going direct into syndication was a death knell. For Pokemon, it was the place to start a series that, over ten years later, is still going and still making new episodes. Most notably, this is the series that finally knocked Power Rangers down from being the defining series of Saturday Morning.
"Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight..."
Sailor Moon was a show aimed at girls in a time when "girls don't watch cartoon" Because of this, it also got 'spurned' and had to run in syndication, starting another of runaway success in syndication.
Another wordless intro. When the networks abandoned Saturday Morning, Cartoon Network was glad to step up, creating shows like this. (Of course, they were also rerun into prime time...)
I remember a lot more super hero cartoons in my youth, from Hong Kong Phooey and Underdog through Superman / Spiderman / Aquaman / Batman / and the Superfriends. Lots of Champions material there.
