Vintage 80s Cartoons

[hukarez]

I got into a deep thought with a few friends earlier tonight, and we were reminiscing about old 1980s cartoons that were played back in the day. Not so sure if anyone's memory is real good at this, as I was still in grade school when the 80s rolled around.

In any case - there was a cartoon that was brought up, that we all kind of remembered, yet we were completely unable to remember the actual title of the cartoon. Hopefully, someone out there remembers this cartoon, and can tell me what the name was before we pull our hair out.

Anyways, the premise of the cartoon is vague to me, except that I remember that the 'star' of the cartoon had this profoundly unique ability to transform himself into some kind of red sports car. It was something along the lines of when he came into contact with hot water, his body would start changing into a sports car, and when he came into contact with cold water he would merge back into human form.

It's a crazy concept...but then again, this was the 80s. I know I'm not mixing up this cartoon with the Transformers of Go-Bots...but my friends and I (thanks to vintage cartoons playing in the background of the cafe we were at) have been trying for hours to figure out the title of the show.

Aside from our pathetic, collective selves agreeing that the guy in the cartoon could transform into this red sports car, some of us have an inkling that it started with an "M" or the like. Arg! Surely someone out there remembers seeing a cartoon like this back in the day?

[Groundhog]

M.A.S.K perhaps?

http://www.80scartoons.net/toons/mask.html

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

M.A.S.K perhaps?

http://www.80scartoons.net/toons/mask.html

Oy! That could very well be it! I wish I could view more clips of the show at that link.

So familiar...erg...now I have to wait for the second congregation among the rest of my buddies to share this possibility. M.A.S.K... is there another website that might have clips from the show? Or maybe, the intro to the show? I noticed the animated .GIF picture going on, and while it's a bit grainy, I'm trying to remember if the car he formed into was capable of flight...

There's another show as well I've been trying to put my finger on:

It was something along the lines of some kind of 'Cowboy' dressed individual, who used "Indian powers" or the like to transform himself into a variety of animals. I think it was only 3 animals - a bear, a cheetah, and something else I can't quite recall.

I would say it was before the advent of 'Duck Tales' or the like, but...I can't rightly put my finger on it...

[Groundhog]

http://www.kryptonsite.com/mask/

[Super Ugly]

I don't know about the first cartoon, but the second sounds a lot like 'Bravestar'.

Wow, three posts in one day. I'm feeling rather prolific ...

[Groundhog]

Yup, it's definately BraveStarr.

http://www.80scartoons.net/toons/bravestarr.html

[Fritz]

I am not at all comfortable with the anything from the 1980s being termed vintage

[cuervo72]

But just think Fritz, those Cosby Show reruns are older now than those Bewitched, Batman, I Dream of Jeannie, Gomer Pyle, etc. were, at least from when I remember seeing them.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Fritz

I am not at all comfortable with the anything from the 1980s being termed vintage

No kidding. Or turning on the radio and hearing a commercial for your favorite "oldies" from the 70's, 80's and 90's. Yikes. When Jeremy and Enter Sandman are oldies...!

[ntndeacon]

It also could be Turbo Teen.
http://www.80scartoons.net/toons/turboteen.html
just another possibility.

[Raiders Army]

Thundarr the Barbarian was cool...and when the Herculoids teamed up with Space Ghost that was cool too. I can't remember the Teenagers who rode space "motorcycles" though.

[Mustang]

I think the first one is definitely Turbo Teen...

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

Thundarr the Barbarian was cool...and when the Herculoids teamed up with Space Ghost that was cool too. I can't remember the Teenagers who rode space "motorcycles" though.

Who could forget Ookla the Mok!

[Fonzie]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

Thundarr the Barbarian was cool...and when the Herculoids teamed up with Space Ghost that was cool too. I can't remember the Teenagers who rode space "motorcycles" though.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast, while technically not an 80's cartoon, was the best cartoon ever.

This isn't a discussion post. I'm just telling you...

[Sun Tzu]

My favorites when growing up (born in 82') -

Thundercats

(not a cartoon but...) Fraggle Rock

He-Man

Transformers

Heathcliff

and of course.... TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Fonzie

Space Ghost Coast to Coast, while technically not an 80's cartoon, was the best cartoon ever.

This isn't a discussion post. I'm just telling you...

They've recently made new episodes of this. The episodes with Dennis Miller, and the Baffler Meal were pretty good.

[Fritz]

When I see the word vintage, I want it to describe a sepia toned photo of a naked woman with bobbed hair, wide hips, and a bush Crocodile Dundee could get lost in.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Fritz

When I see the word vintage, I want it to describe a sepia toned photo of a naked woman with bobbed hair, wide hips, and a bush Crocodile Dundee could get lost in.

I thought that described "Eastern Europe".

[Easy Mac]

Voltron kicked ass.

[Fonzie]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

They've recently made new episodes of this. The episodes with Dennis Miller, and the Baffler Meal were pretty good.

Ooooh...that's great news! I didn't realize they'd gotten back into producing new episodes. I was quite sad when they went on the seemingly eternal "hiatus" a few years back. Thanks for the head's up cuervo!

[spleen1015]

hukarez, I think the show is Plastic Man.

M.A.S.K. was where all of the cars on the show had all of these hidden weapons and such. Cars turned into boats. Motorcycles turned into submarines.

This is what I remember anyway.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Fonzie

Ooooh...that's great news! I didn't realize they'd gotten back into producing new episodes. I was quite sad when they went on the seemingly eternal "hiatus" a few years back. Thanks for the head's up cuervo!

Sunday nights at 11:30PM Eastern I believe, and rerun a three hours later.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Voltron kicked ass.

But only the Lions Voltron, not the car crap.

[Groundhog]

Greatest 80s Cartoon is easily 'The Mysterious Cities of Gold'. It was fantastic. I purchased all the episodes on VCD not long ago.

[Sloan]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Sunday nights at 11:30PM Eastern I believe, and rerun a three hours later.

The entire sunday night lineup is great. Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, and The Brak Show are all awesome.

[oykib]

I used to love me some cartoons when I was a kid.

Remeber the first G.I. Joe miniseries where they had to go around the world D&D style to get the reagents for their superweapon? Voltron, Transformers, Spiderman nd his Amazing Friends, Thundercats...

But I've been watching some of the stuff they were putting out in Japan at the same time-- we missed out.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

hukarez, I think the show is Plastic Man.

M.A.S.K. was where all of the cars on the show had all of these hidden weapons and such. Cars turned into boats. Motorcycles turned into submarines.

This is what I remember anyway.

Plastic Man? Hrm. I'm going to check out those websites that GroundHog had posted up above, and see if I an recognize anything solid from clips or screenshots. I'm not too familiar with the premise of M.A.S.K. - as I could swear the protagonist of the show didn't have any sort of special equipment...

[Raven]

The first show definitely isn't MASK. Spleen is right on about that show. All the vehicles there had hidden weapons and all the heros/villians wore helmets.

Plastic Man may be what you are looking for. He could transform into whatever he wanted, and the opening trailer had him transforming into a red sports car.

[ScottVib]

MASK, G.I. Joe, He-Man, were my top 3 Toys growing up. Only MASK was on my top 3 cartoons though, most of the rest of the shows on TV sucked, but Fraggle Rock was pretty good. (My brothers loved G.I. Joe, Thundercats, He-Man, and the Transformers cartoons)

[oykib]

hukarez, as ntdeacon pointed out, the show was Turbo Teen.

Being hot or cold triggered his transformations. His Archenemy was a shadowy guy who was always inside a monster trunk.

[Dr. Sak]

By the power of greyskull!!!!!

[Masked]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Greatest 80s Cartoon is easily 'The Mysterious Cities of Gold'. It was fantastic. I purchased all the episodes on VCD not long ago.

I liked that one as well, but remember never knowing when it was on. Never thought to check if it is available now.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Masked

I liked that one as well, but remember never knowing when it was on. Never thought to check if it is available now.

You can get it on pretty much any format now, all from fan-taped collections. Apparently an official DVD release is on it's way, as well as possibly a new series.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by oykib

hukarez, as ntdeacon pointed out, the show was Turbo Teen.

Being hot or cold triggered his transformations. His Archenemy was a shadowy guy who was always inside a monster trunk.

Aha! That's probably it. I was checking out that 'Plastic Man' bit, and I had a feeling that wasn't it either. Outstanding, outstanding. I haven't been this frustrated with figuring out names for old school cartoons I used to watch back in Hawaii since 'Mazinger Z'...

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by oykib

I used to love me some cartoons when I was a kid.

Remeber the first G.I. Joe miniseries where they had to go around the world D&D style to get the reagents for their superweapon? Voltron, Transformers, Spiderman nd his Amazing Friends, Thundercats...(

Dude, not being a total nerd...ahhh....who am I kidding? I'm married and have 3 kids. Dungeons and Dragons was an awesome cartoon. I especially like the bow with unlimited arrows.

[Raiders Army]

Dola,

Two years ago I bought G.I. Joe the Movie (the one with Globulus and Don Johnson as a "voice actor") and watched like maybe the first 3 minutes and last 3 minutes of the movie. It was totally better as a kid, and sucks as an adult.

Transformer the Movie on the other hand, is still great

[Suicane75]

2 words baby, Star Blazers.

[spleen1015]

Does anyone remember Silver Hawks?

hxxp://webusers.xula.edu/mbullock/team1.gif

[Groundhog]

I LOVED Silver Hawks.... wow, that brings back some memories. I watched it every day before school.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

2 words baby, Star Blazers.

OH YEAH!

Those are expensive and hard to find these days.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

2 words baby, Star Blazers.

All I remember about that cartoon is the end of the theme song...

[sterlingice]

These are the kinds of thing IRC are for.

SI

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

These are the kinds of thing IRC are for.

SI

a/s/l ???

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

a/s/l ???

Anyone who says that gets a stern warning about that not being a greeting and that proper English is the way to ask questions. Then, if they do it again, they get kicked.

SI

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Anyone who says that gets a stern warning about that not being a greeting and that proper English is the way to ask questions. Then, if they do it again, they get kicked.

SI

ROFL

* Groundhog slaps sterlingice around a bit with a large trout

.. I am just kidding of course, as I use IRC very regularily, including right now.

[PsychoCop]

Transformers: The Movie still kicks tremendous amounts of ass! Optimus' big entrance was always my favorite part... "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost..." *insert ultimate beatdown of decepticons here*

Anyone remeber COMIC STRIP?

[oykib]

Originally Posted by PsychoCop

Transformers: The Movie still kicks tremendous amounts of ass! Optimus' big entrance was always my favorite part... "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost..." *insert ultimate beatdown of decepticons here*

Anyone remeber COMIC STRIP?

Yeah, but I only ever liked TigerSharks, which was the last and least of the Rankin/Bass commercials masquerading as cartoons (1-Thundercats, 2-SilverHawks).

I loved Transformers: the Movie when I was a kid. It's still pretty good. But if you'd been living in Tokyo at the same time, you could've seen the first run of Macross: Do You Remember Love? in the theaters.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Tasan

OH YEAH!

Those are expensive and hard to find these days.

I met a guy who had the entire collection on DVD, I so badly wanted to ask him to make me copies but I had just met him and I didn't wanna be a leech, now I wish I had. I've come close to buying them but I just can't pull the trigger on it.

[PsychoCop]

Macross rocked. ROCKED.

Anyone here ever seen episodes of Mainger Z, Daimos or Voltes V? Pretty OLDSCHOOL Japanime...

[hukarez]

You know, there was a series in that whole Robotech saga that didn't turned me off. I can't seem to remember the details well enough; since their onslaught of DVD box collections busted out...


But in any case, Transformer toys these days - the prices are outrageous. The re-issue classics that Toys R Us carries...I just can't fathom dishing out $32 per figure. At least, not until I win the lotto like everyone else!