'80s Cartoon Meme

I've been tagged by *NAME HIDDEN* for a meme, one involving books, that I've probably tackled some version of in the past. The sad truth is that the past year or so, I haven't been feeling very literate. I read e-mails and blogs and comments, but I've been in the middle of two different books forever with at least four others in the “to be read” pile. While my life experience as a reader would allow me to respond to each category, I feel too distant from the subject of books to do them justice right now.

So, I changed it.

It's the exact same meme, with “'80s cartoons” now filling in for books, because they shaped who I am too, and will always be a part of me. Here we go:

1. One '80s Cartoon that changed your life:
There's a very real risk that I'll put The Transformers in every category, so while it does apply here I'm going to go with He-man and the Masters of the Universe. Every episode ended with the characters discussing some moral that applied to the day's tale, and things like honesty and compassion for one's enemies were ingrained in my impressionable mind, even moreso than they were when I went to church. If my sense of what's right derives (sadly) as much from a cartoon as my religious upbringing, then that show certainly changed my life.

2. One '80s Cartoon that you have watched more than once:
The Transformers once again would fit the bill, and between frequent reruns after school between seasons and VHS tapes and later DVD boxed sets purchased as an adult, I've viewed this series more than any other series from the decade.

3. One '80s Cartoon you'd want on a desert island:
Besides The Transformers? Never mind the fact that I somehow have electricity, a television, and a DVD player. Forget the fact that the presence of technology on a desert island means I'm probably on the island of Dr. No and will soon be distracted from cartoons by the arrival of Honey Ryder. I guess I'd need something cool, something that stands the test of time and can still be enjoyed by an adult, and something I haven't seen in a long time so it will seem fresh to me. Based on those requirements then, I would want to watch Battle of the Planets. I'd want to, but since it came out in 1978 and the original Japanese Gatchaman from which it was edited debuted in 1972, it wouldn't fit the category. This leaves me with Thundercats. Considering the fact that after they crashed they were able to cannibalize their ship and make a huge fortress, tank, and other vehicles, perhaps I might glean inspiration to help me out of my predicament. Sure I'd be on a tropical island with cartoons and a beautiful girl, but it would belong to some handless villain bent on world domination through atomic means. I wouldn't want to linger. Another show I haven't seen since it first aired is Bionic Six. It'd be great to watch that again.

4. One '80s Cartoon that made you laugh:
My gut answer is The New Scooby-Doo Movies, especially for all their guest stars, but while I watched the show in the ‘80s apparently I watched it in syndication as it originally ran from 1972-1973. The funniest cartoon I've ever seen may be The Tick, but that ran 1994-1996. Freakazoid! and Animaniacs also ran in the ‘90s. I guess most of the cartoons I watched in the ‘80s focused on action and adventure, and comedies grew in popularity in the ‘90s. However The Simpsons, believe it or not, debuted in their own series in 1989. It seems like yesterday, and after 17 years they still make me laugh.

5. One '80s Cartoon that made you cry:
Long-time readers of this blog, or even this specific post, won't be surprised when I cite The Transformers: The Movie. There was no internet back then, and the only source of spoilers were other kids getting to the theater first, as was the case with every major film for me, especially the key revelations in the Star Wars trilogy. Yes, tragically, I knew who was who's father and who was who's sister through the elementary school grapevine well before I saw it for myself and learned the kids weren't making that stuff up. But I was fanatic about The Transformers, begged and pleaded, and got my parents to take me on opening weekend. When you're a child, and you've watched characters every day, you feel their deaths on screen. The casualties of war were no mere Redshirts, though to someone seeing the film without having seen the show it might seem like that. I had no idea who they were going to kill off in the film, or that any characters were being written out. Completely unspoiled, one death more than any other distressed me. I didn't actually cry, but there was definitely a genuine lump in my throat and sadness on the drive home, quite a feat for a cartoon. On a lighter note, I just came across a long-lost music video from the film.

6. One '80s Cartoon you wish would have been made:
I would love to have seen a full-fledged adaptation of the G.I.Joe and The Transformers comics. While the respective cartoons were produced by the same company and shared voice actors and musical cues, there was never any real crossover. In the third season of The Transformers, a character named Marissa Faireborn was introduced, the implied daughter of Flint and possibly Lady Jaye of the G.I. Joe team. In the Transformers episode ”Only Human,” the Joe's nemesis Cobra Commander appears as a character named “Old Snake”, voiced by veteran actor Chris Latta, also known for his role as Starscream. Other than these thin ties though, the two series never shared a common major event involving several characters from both shows. I'm just glad I got to see Lion Voltron team up with Vehicle Voltron and fulfill one childhood wish.

7. One '80s Cartoon you wish had never been made:
The Snorks; what the hell were those things? I also think that while The Super Mario Bros. Super Show seemed like a good idea at the time, the final execution proved all high expectations false. Let's not forget other tragic stumbles like Ewoks and Droids. And for some reason, I hated Kissyfur with an irrational passion.

8. One '80s Cartoon you are currently watching:
I should be watching He-man and the Masters of the Universe. I now have the first two DVD sets, and didn't bother purchasing the third one that recently came out. Some shows stand the test of time while others are better in our memory. He-man is still a good show, but woefully simplistic to watch as an adult without feeling embarrassed. I didn't have the same problem when The Transformers or Thundercats. came out on DVD, but I struggled and eventually stopped watching He-man.

9. One '80s Cartoon you have been meaning to watch:
Again, I've been meaning to watch He-man and the Masters of the Universe on DVD and with the new television season nearly upon us, I'm running out of what little free time I have. I guess the real approach to this question though is to consider what ‘80s shows I haven't seen. I think growing up I actually watched everything that interested me, so to the list of series I mean to see again I'd add M.A.S.K., Challenge of the Gobots, The Real Ghostbusters and Spider-man and his Amazing Friends.

10. Tag some others:
Time for a tag-fest. Those tagged have the option of completing either the original book meme, my cartoon modification, or both if feeling ambitious and in need of topics. If you choose the cartoon version, you can choose cartoons from the decade you grew up in, or not limit yourself at all if it proves too restricting. And of course you have the option of turning down the invitation to play along.

I tag the “Geekfriends™” Rey, Curt, and Jerry because they're the “Geekfriends™”. Rey did a book meme already but I know he watched plenty of cartoons too. I'll tag FawnDoo to check if he's around or has officially become part of my Milk Carton Blogroll. I'll toss a tag over to the NYC Nomad because she could use links. Finally, I'll tag Lyndon, Scott, Sean, RC, Jeff, Otis and Kev Bayer because there's a good chance some of those guys might actually participate. Anyone else that reads this is more than welcome to join in.