Toon time

by Jeff Purton and Jason Zingale
Staff Writers

You were 3 once. Remember the bowl of cereal, the milk dribbling down your cheeks, the TV volume turned up, the cartoons prancing across the screen and the full-belly, tear-provoking laughter? You are now 21. Remember the bowl of cereal, the milk dribbling down your cheeks, the TV volume turned up, the cartoons prancing across the screen and the full-belly, tear-provoking laughter?

Cartoons have been a part of American culture since the early 1900s. In the 20th century, there was the original pencil-and-pad Mickey Mouse. In the '60s, The Jetsons and The Flintstones graced American families' TV screens. The '70s introduced Saturday morning cartoons with the debut of Scooby Doo Where Are You? and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. The '80s weren't just big hair and break dancing — The Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jumped onto the screen with a more action-packed pace. The '90s focused on mature and comedic cartoon characters as The Simpsons became a household hobby and comic book characters became animated.

With the increased maturation of cartoons today, the same fans of '80s cartoons are the core audience for today's cartoons. But this time the characters have bigger ideas and better graphic design.

All this happened within many years of television broadcast, and there's still not a scar to be shown. So where does the Old Skool of cartoons fall, and where does the New fit in? Since competition is at the heart of any cartoon theme, let's get ready to rumble.

ANIME

DECISION: Thundercats win in a knock-down, drag-out fight to the end.

New Skool: Dragonball Z

An extreme combination of science fiction and martial arts, Dragonball Z is an anime lover's dream come true. And so it has become. Exhibiting the same artistic look and super-group feel as Thundercats, Dragonball Z has arrived in the United States with a soaring ego.

Originating in the mid-'80s in Japan, Dragonball Z was the second series by famed animator Akira Toriyama. He began the Dragonball legacy with the original Dragonball. It followed a "monkey-boy" from outer space named Goku, who landed on Earth and was adopted by an Earthling. Goku met the humans Krillin and Yamcha, who followed the martial arts, as well as other aliens.

Dragonball Z picks up where Toriyama's first series ended. Goku is now a married adult with a son. He continues to fight evil to save the Earth - always with a little help from his friends.

Like most Japanese imports, the U.S. versions are toned down for violence and language, but still have a large following that has continued to grow for the past four years. Japan aired all 291 episodes and 13 movies before Toriyama finally ended the series in the late '80s, and now Cartoon Network is showing the series little by little. It airs daily at 5 p.m. and midnight.

Old Skool: Thundercats

"From beyond any known galaxy, bringing with them the laws and ideals of their green planet, Thundera, come the Thundercats!"

Probably the only anime to hit America besides Akira was Thundercats. Forced to flee their home planet before total destruction, Thundercats land on Third Earth along with evil Mutants, led by the nefarious Mum-ra.

The Mutants follow the Thundercats to steal the source of their power, but this never happens because the Thundercats are a rag-tag group of super felines who don't let anyone tread on them. There is everyone's favorite, Lion-O, the leader; Panthro, a mechanic who wielded nunchucks; Tygra, a bolo-slinging architect; his wife, Cheetara, a speedy female with an acrobat's pole; and their two kids, Wilykit and Wilykat.

Thundercats began in 1985 and ran for 130 episodes, spawning a very successful toy line and introducing the world of anime to America. It still airs on Cartoon Network daily at 3:30 p.m., if anyone still has the urge to hear Lion-O shout, "Thunder ... thunder ... THUNDERCATS ... HOOOO!!!!"

IDIOTIC MEN

DECISION: Inspector Gadget wins in three rounds because of 1-2 punch of Penny and Brain.

Old Skool: Inspector Gadget

"Go, gadget, go!"

The phrase we longed to hear as kids was spoken by only one man - Inspector Gadget. Gadget, who wore a gray trench coat and was decked out in a gala of gadgets, was a bumbling detective despite his abilities to jump, fly and stretch any which way. He never mastered his gadgets and often set off his squirt gun when trying to use his pen.

His boss, Quimby, gave him a new assignment each week. They always involved battling the evil Dr. Claw (whose face we never saw) and his feline, Madcat.

The series originally was syndicated in '83 until '85, when Nickelodeon picked up the show and ran new episodes until '92.

Disney turned Inspector Gadget into a live-action movie in 1999. It was a big success with the K-6 set.

New Skool: Johnny Bravo

With his bulging biceps, neatly combed hair and huge ego, Johnny Bravo believes himself to be the man of the century. Johnny's ultimate search throughout every episode consists of finding and hitting on women, but he's never successful.

In short, he's the quintessential mama's boy who just doesn't get it. No matter what he does or where he finds himself, he always winds up being his own worst enemy. Underneath the basic plot line, Johnny encounters many obstacles and cases similar to what the Inspector went through. He solves these problems by the end of the show with the help of his friends.

Johnny Bravo was a part of Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons program, which commissioned 48 individual cartoons in order to find new characters for future series developments. It airs on the Cartoon Network daily at 1, 8 and 11 p.m.

GIRL POWER

DECISION: Jem wins with a TKO when the Powder Puff Girls can't stand another socially conscious monster ballad.

Old Skool: Jem and the Holograms

It was a time of mullets and gender bending. The sweet sounds of Ratt filled the airwaves, and "I want my MTV!" was the battle cry. Looking to cash in on the music "revolution," Hasbro brought the original Girl Power, "Jem and the Holograms," to life. The alter ego of Jerrica Benton, head of Starlight Music and the charitable Starlight Foundation, Jem was every inch a woman of the '80s. She had two careers, a sexy boyfriend, Rio, and was socially conscious. Every penny her band made went to the foundation.

Jerrica's father invented a computer with holographic capabilities called Synergy. When her father died, Jerrica used Synergy to transform herself into the rock star Jem.

Jerrica's sister, Kimber, and two orphans from the Starlight Foundation's orphanage joined Jem's band.

The Holograms often sparred with their rival group, The Misfits. The Misfits' songs obviously were of a lower social consciousness, with titles such as "Winning is Everything," whereas Jem's music was much more tactful, with songs such as "We Can Make a Difference" and "Open a Book." Jem single-handedly broke musical and social boundaries.

New Skool: Powerpuff Girls

Wanting to create the perfect little girl, Professor Uranium mixes sugar, spice and everything nice into a creation. But somehow, a dash of Chemical X falls into the mix and creates the Powerpuff Girls, a threesome of perfect little angels who fight crime with their super strength, speed and laser vision.

Blossom is the group's leader, Bubbles the sweet one and Buttercup the rough and tough one. Together they aid the mayor in his fight against evil characters like the mad monkey scientist Mojo Jojo, The Gang Green Gang and Him.

The Powerpuff Girls is a fun kiddy show that sometimes also uses mature humor to catapult its ideas. Aired late at night, the show still brings in a strong core audience of younger girls as well as fans of anime.

The Powerpuff Girls airs on Cartoon Network daily at 11:30 p.m.

CLEVER KIDS:

DECISION: By using Animal, the Muppet Babies win in six rounds.

Old Skool: Muppet Babies

In the magical world of the nursery, we were transported to the Muppets' early days as they grew up together under the watchful eye of the Nanny.

When Nanny shut the nursery door, the Babies' imaginations ran wild and the adventures began. They explored closets that served as caves, found themselves amidst classical movies (most notably, baby Kermit running from the boulder in a scene from his imaginary movie Raiders of the Lost Bark) and even explored the inner workings of a computer.

The show stayed true to the adult Muppets with only one exception. Skeeter, sister to Scooter the computer whiz, was added because of demand for another female character in the cast. It is said that Skeeter wasn't part of the adult Muppets because she became an explorer and went off to explore the jungle while her playmates grew up to be in show business.

Although Jim Henson oversaw the show's creative aspect, he didn't lend his voice to any of the characters, as he did with the grown-up Muppets. Howie Mandel (Bobby's World) and Dave Coulier (Uncle Joey on Full House) did many of the voices. Barbara Billingsly, known to television audiences as June Cleaver, was the voice of Nanny.

New Skool: Rugrats

Nickelodeon's Rugrats filled the void that the Muppet Babies left after an eight-year reign, and it did so innovatively.

Following the footsteps of the Muppet Babies, the Rugrats' adventures are based on the imaginations and misconceptions of little ones. The cast consists of Tommy Pickles, his sinister older cousin Angelica, his friend Chucky Finster (who could pass for a young Milhouse Van Houten) and the twins, Phil and Lil DeVille.

Most of their troubles on the show result from taking the adult world so literally. In one episode, the crew helps Chucky avoid getting his picture taken because one of them had heard they comb your hair, line you up in front of a background and shoot you.

The Rugrats now are movie veterans, having appeared in flicks like The Rugrats Movie and Rugrats in Paris. These movies aren't just for kids. Rugrats in Paris is playing on Catvision this month and The Rugrats Movie soundtrack boasts artists such as Busta Rhymes, Lisa Loeb, Mya, Devo and Blackstreet.

VARIETY:

DECISION: Looney Toons knock out the Animaniacs, relying on experience and prowess.

Old Skool: Looney Toons

"What's up, doc?"

One of the most popular cartoon shows to ever grace Saturday mornings was The Bugs Bunny Show, a mixture of Looney Toons characters.

The Bugs Bunny Show first aired in the '40s and '50s as a 30-minute creation composed of a variety of shorts.

In '62 the show expanded to one hour on Saturday morning cartoons, and since then has made appearances on ABC, CBS and even Nickelodeon.

The show wasn't just Bugs Bunny though. Who could forget such memorable characters as Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd? What about Yosemite Sam's endless search for Bugs Bunny? And then there was the hilarious Wily E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts that usually ended in the coyote's falling off a cliff, a cloud of smoke, an open umbrella, the falling rock and a nostalgic "The End" sign.

New Skool: Animaniacs

Warner Brothers made a huge comeback in the '90s with Animaniacs. The show centered around Yakko, Wakko and Dot, who supposedly had been created in the '30s but were held back because they were too screwball for the audience.

Back again, they chase around the WB security guard, a studio psychologist and his babelicious assistant ("Heeeellllooooo Nurse!") and many other characters. They also sing many educational songs about state capitals and countries.

Along with the three main stars, Animaniacs includes a larger bill with side cartoons such as Goodfeathers, Pinky and the Brain, Slappy Squirrel and the hilarious Good Idea/Bad Idea skits, along with Mime Time.

Animaniacs ran for two years before being transferred over to WB's new station.

FAMILY FUN:

DECISION: The Simpsons win in a thriller, calling on Señor Ding-Dong to help win the match.

Old Skool: The Flintstones

Mocking '60s suburbia with puns to spare, The Flintstones was the first prime-time cartoon series made especially for television. Just down Cobblestone Lane were Barney and Wilma Rubble, good friends of the Flintstone family.

The Flintstones had all of the modern luxuries of the Stone Age - a car that drove "through the courtesy of Fred's two feet," a wooly mammoth dishwasher and many other dinosaur-inspired appliances.

The cartoon ran as a prime-time show from '69 to '76, making it the longest-running prime-time cartoon until The Simpsons eventually dethroned it.

New Skool: The Simpsons

Unless you grew up in the greater Shelbyville area or your parents cringed at the sound of "cowabunga, dude," you're a fan of The Simpsons. Although it's been more than a decade since we first met America's favorite dysfunctional family, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggies' hilarious antics never seem to get old.

Even though most Americans feel it's their patriotic duty to know as much about the Simpsons as possible, there are random things some may not know.

For instance, creator Matt Groening's parents' names are Homer and Margaret, and his mother's maiden name is Wiggum. Groening also has three sisters named Patty, Lisa and Maggie.

Also, the prescription-pants-wearing Comic Book Guy, who sells "Susan B. Anthony Man" comic books and Alf Pogs in his store, is a 45-year-old virgin with an I.Q. of 170. For what it's worth, Maggie comes to $847.63 when she is run across the supermarket scanner in the intro. Although the Simpsons never have moved, they actually used six different addresses throughout the years before finally sticking with 742 Evergreen Terrace.

MYSTERIES WITH DOGS

DECISION: A rabid Blue wins in a landslide, tearing apart the Mystery Mobile.

Old Skool: Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

Scooby Doo, Where Are You? first aired in '69 on CBS. The story centered on four teenagers who traveled around the country, solving mysteries along their way. A Great Dane, who was not a prominent character, also accompanied them. The show first was called Mysteries Five and later changed to Who's Scared?

At first syndication, it was rejected because of "frightening" artwork. Fred Silverman, the leader behind the show, was flying on an airplane after the show was rejected and listening to Frank Sinatra's Strangers in the Night and the line, "Shooby-dooby -doo" stuck in his head. When he arrived in Los Angeles, he told the crew that they would call the show Scooby Doo, Where Are You? and the dog, Scooby, would be the main character.

Scooby's best friend was the skinny, bumbling Shaggy, who shared Scooby's irresistible appetite for Scooby snacks. The others in the group were Velma, the brain; Freddy, the hunky jock whose traps never worked; and Daphne, the beautiful airhead.

Who could forget the clouds of smoke that Scooby and Shaggy always ran out of or their constant hunger? How about Fred, who always left with the two girls and made Shaggy and Scooby team up? With classic memories and cheap laughs usually created from the cheesy audience laughter piped into the show, Scooby was a hit.

Scooby and Scrappy-Doo introduced Scooby's nephew, Scrappy-Doo, in 1978. Scrappy proved to be the only character in the series brave enough to face up to a monster.

In '88, as ideas for the two prior Scooby shows came to an end, a new idea was born. A Pup Named Scooby Doo let kids watching Saturday morning cartoons see Scooby and the gang venture into mysteries as children.

The show now airs reruns on Cartoon Network often, and new movies about the four teenagers and their crazy detective dog named Scooby Doo still are being made.

New Skool: Blue's Clues

We know, we know - "What the h*** are they doing comparing Scooby to some junk show for preschoolers?" But in all honesty, the similarities are striking.

First of all, there's a dog. Secondly, this dog tries to solve mysteries. In fact, some may say Blue's Clues is the last of the great mystery shows - at least since Murder She Wrote. But that's where the similarities end.

Blue's Clues is a combination of live action and animation. Host Steve Burns tries to uncover the clues that the animated Blue leaves behind. With characters like Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper and a talking alarm clock, the show easily could baffle any child's understanding of the real world's workings. In fact, it really could disturb an average college student.

However odd the show may seem, it still is wildly popular among preschoolers and some sad college students. Nickelodeon runs the same episode ten times a week, so if you're a smart cookie, you'll be able to figure out the mystery by Friday. You can catch Blue's Clues Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.