''Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars!'' (also known as ''Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Menace'' in Canada) is an animated series created by
Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment (known as Sunbow Productions until 1995) was an American animation studio and distributor, founded on June 23, 1980, and owned until May 4, 1998, by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York City and in the United States. Griff ...
, Abrams/Gentile Entertainment,
Continuity Comics and the French company IDDH, co-produced by
Marvel Productions
New World Animation Ltd., formerly known as Marvel Productions, was the television and film studio subsidiary of the Marvel Entertainment Group, based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It later became a subsidiary of New World Entertainment ...
and distributed by
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of K ...
's subsidiary
Claster Television
Claster Television, Inc. was a Baltimore, Maryland–based television distributor founded in 1953 by Bertram H. (Bert) Claster and Nancy Claster (Goldman) as Romper Room Inc. It was originally a producer of the children's show ''Romper Room'', on ...
. It was based on the cult comic ''
Bucky O'Hare
Bucky O'Hare is a fictional character and the hero of an eponymous comic book series and spin-off media, including an animated TV series and various toys and video games. He was created by comic book writer Larry Hama and comic book artist Michae ...
'', and animated by
AKOM
AKOM Production, Ltd. (Animation KOrea Movie 애이콤 프로덕션) is a South Korean animation studio in Songpa-gu, Seoul that has provided much work since its conception in 1985 by Nelson Shin. Its biggest claim to fame is the overseas animat ...
.
[ AKOM Production Co. at :29, IDDH at :33, Marvel Productions is at :37-:40 Sunbow at :56.]
It debuted in 1991 in the United States, and 1992 in the
UK on the
BBC.
Differences from the comics
Most of the ideas from the comic book were used for the cartoon, with several major differences: the parallel universe the story takes place in is named the "Aniverse", Willy DuWitt can travel freely between Earth and the Aniverse instead of being stranded there, Bruce is transported into another dimension instead of killed, the Toad Empire are willingly following KOMPLEX instead of brainwashed, Deadeye has a Southern accent instead of a Scottish accent, the nigh-omnipotent mouse is nowhere to be seen, and Jenny reveals her
psionic
In American science fiction of the 1950s and 1960s, psionics was a proposed discipline that applied principles of engineering (especially electronics) to the study (and employment) of paranormal or psychic phenomena, such as telepathy and psychok ...
powers to Willy DuWitt. The cartoon explored more of the Aniverse and followed a loose unifying arc, with Bucky's home planet of Warren being captured by the toads in the season premiere and rescued in the finale (which was co-written by
Neal Adams
Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a Creator ownership, creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and re ...
).
Characters
Bucky and his crew are members of the S.P.A.C.E. organization, which stands for Sentient Protoplasm Against Colonial Encroachment.
* Bucky O'Hare – a green hare, captains a S.P.A.C.E. frigate named The Righteous Indignation. Voiced by Jason Michas. His crew consists of:
* Jenny – first mate and pilot, a cat from the planet Aldebaran (not to be confused with the star in the real life universe of the same name) with mysterious magical and psionic powers common to the females of her species. They include telepathy, astral projection, energy blasts, and healing. Because of the sacred precepts of Alderbaran, she keeps these powers secret from the other members of the crew, with the exception of Willy, for whom she has overt romantic affections. Voiced by Margot Pinvidic.
* Bruce – Bruiser's older brother, a Betelgeusian Berserker Baboon who served as the Righteous Indignation's engineer. He vanished into another dimension when the ship's photon accelerator malfunctioned during battle. Voiced by
Dale Wilson.
* Willy DuWitt – engineer, a pre-teen human from
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
who enters the Aniverse via a portal between the ship's photon accelerator and his own accelerator at home. He replaced Bruce, the former engineer, who was killed (or in the franchise's terms, had "attained oneness with the Aniverse"). Later, Willy became stranded in the Aniverse when his parents turned off the photon accelerator back in his room. Bucky and his crew decide to keep Willy a secret from the S.P.A.C.E organization and the Toads. Voiced by
Shane Meier.
* Dead-Eye Duck – gunner, a four-armed former space pirate duck from Kanopis III. He is missing an eye, and is impatient and violent, preferring to let his four laser pistols do the talking for him. Unlike the comics where he has a Scottish accent, he has an American accent. Voiced by
Scott McNeil.
* AFC Blinky – an advanced AFC ("Android" First Class). It has only one eye and uses the phrase "Calamity and Woe!" to identify problem situations for Bucky and his crew-mates. Voiced by
Sam Khouth.
The members of the Toad Empire introduced are as follows:
* KOMPLEX – the undisputed ruler of the Toad Empire. This computer program was designed to run the consumerist toad culture but instead took it over and militarized it. Its name, in toad language, is an anagram for 'Feed me'. Voiced by
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry (12 January 1941 – 21 July 2005) was an English musician and actor. In the 1960s, he was one of the first British vocalists to sing the blues in clubs and shared the stage with many British musicians including ...
.
* Toad Air Marshall – one of KOMPLEX's foremost commanders, with a uniform adorned with medals and a face covered in warts. Voiced by
Jay Brazeau.
* Toad Borg – a large, purple cyborg second-in-command under KOMPLEX. Voiced by
Richard Newman.
* Storm Toads – the mindless toad soldiers who serve as the primary attack force for the Empire.
Characters only in the animated series
Almost all the characters listed above are both from the comic book and the cartoon. Most of the new ones that were introduced are listed below.
* Bruiser – Bruce's younger brother, a Betelgeusian Berserker Baboon who joins Bucky's team as space marine on the ''Righteous Indignation''. He, like all berserker baboons, scares the toads out of their wits and loves to beat them up. He is dimwitted but well-meaning, and has great respect for Willy. Voiced by Dale Wilson.
* Commander Dogstar – Bucky's ally, captain of ''The Indefatigable'', another frigate fighting against the toads. Voiced by
Garry Chalk
Garry Chalk is a British-born Canadian actor. He has provided the voices for Optimus Primal of '' Beast Wars: Transformers'' and '' Beast Machines'', as well as Optimus Prime in the anime English dubs of '' Transformers: Armada'', ''Transforme ...
.
* Mimi LaFloo – A fox (so to speak) originally a captive of the toads, Mimi is rescued by Bucky and goes on to command her own mammal frigate, ''The Screaming Mimi''. Voiced by Margot Pinvidic.
* Frix and Frax – the Air Marshal's two bumbling subordinates. Voiced by
Terry Klassen and Scott McNeil respectively.
* Al Negator – a sleazasaur (bipedal crocodile) spy and mercenary frequently hired by the Air Marshal. He dresses and speaks in a manner consistent to the
cajun
The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana.
While Cajuns are usually described as ...
people. Voiced by Garry Chalk.
Episode list
Home media releases
Family Home Entertainment
Family Home Entertainment (FHE) was an American home video company founded in 1980 by Noel C. Bloom. It was a division of International Video Entertainment, which had its headquarters in Newbury Park, California.
History
The company was foun ...
released all thirteen episodes of the show on six VHS cassettes in North America. In the United Kingdom, BBC Video released twelve out of the thirteen episodes across six VHS tapes, then Metrodome Entertainment released all thirteen episodes on a Region 2 DVD set, as well as a single volume DVD, both of which are now out of print.
References
External links
The Bucky O'Hare Fan Fiction & Information Site*
at the
TV.com
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bucky O'hare And The Toad Wars
1990s American animated television series
1990s French animated television series
1991 American television series debuts
1991 American television series endings
American children's animated action television series
American children's animated space adventure television series
American children's animated science fantasy television series
1990s American science fiction television series
BBC children's television shows
Bucky O'Hare
English-language television shows
French children's animated action television series
French children's animated space adventure television series
French children's animated science fantasy television series
Television shows based on comics
Television series set on fictional planets
Television shows set in San Francisco
Television series by Sunbow Entertainment
Television series by Marvel Productions
Animated television series about rabbits and hares
Animated television series about frogs
Animated television series about extraterrestrial life
Television series by Claster Television