The Legend of Zelda (TV series)

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The Legend of Zelda
Title screen, shown at the beginning of each show
Title screen, shown at the beginning of each show
Genre Animated television series
Running time 15 minutes
Starring Cyndy Preston
Jonathan Potts
Len Carlson
Colin Fox
Elizabeth Hanna
Country of origin Flag of United States United States
Original channel Boomerang (UK)
Original run 1989–1990
No. of episodes 13

The Legend of Zelda was an American animated series loosely based on the first and second Legend of Zelda games created by Shigeru Miyamoto for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Contents


[edit] Show premise

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Link defending Hyrule from Aquamentus
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Link defending Hyrule from Aquamentus

Each episode of Zelda followed the adventures of the hero Link and the royal Princess Zelda as they defended the kingdom of Hyrule from an evil wizard named Ganon. Most episodes consisted of Ganon (or his minions) attempting to either a) capture the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda, b) kidnapping Zelda herself, or c) use some other villainous scheme to conquer Hyrule.

A common running joke of the series was Link’s repeated failure to convince Zelda that he deserved a kiss for his heroic deeds. Link’s fairy sidekick, Sprite, was always willing to give him a kiss for free, but due to her small size he never seemed to take serious notice. This theme was most likely inspired by the final moments of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and may itself have influenced the common belief that Link and Zelda are romantically involved in the subsequent games, an idea only rarely hinted at in the games themselves.

Link usually met Zelda’s obstinate rejection with his trademark sarcastic catchphrase, “Well excuuuuuse me, Princess,” which became popular in gamer culture of the period. The line also appeared in the three Zelda games released for the Philips CD-i.

In the episode "The Missing Link" in which Link becomes separated from his body after it becomes trapped in Ganon's Evil Jar with his spirit remaining free, Ganon realizes that Zelda is able to see Link because of the possible fact that she really could be in love with him (which Ganon finds revolting). To Zelda's irritation, Link begins to dance and sing, alerting Ganon to their presence. After defeating Ganon, Link confronts Zelda about their mutual feelings, but she tells him to drop the issue.

[edit] Release

[edit] United States of America Releases

The Zelda cartoons were first shown every Friday as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, from 1989 to 1990. The Super Show introduction and live action sequences were kept intact, as they were the base format for the series, but Zelda was shown in place of the animated Super Mario Bros. series which ran during the rest of the week. Each episode ran around fifteen minutes. The series was produced by DiC Entertainment, and were made in association with Nintendo of America. Due to the syndicated nature of the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, only one season of sixty-five episodes was made, and Zelda was aborted after only thirteen episodes.

Along side the Super Mario Bros. cartoon, Zelda was first released to the public in the form of two-episode VHS tapes in the early 1990's. Only three volumes were issued, and the color of the VHS slipcases attempted to match the gold color of the original NES games.

The initial release of Zelda on DVD was by the animation company Allumniation Filmwor, in the early 2000s. The first DVD, Ganon's Evil Tower, was released on July 22, 2003. It included three episodes of the Zelda cartoon and two episodes of Sonic Underground. The second DVD was released on September 27, 2005 and was titled Havoc in Hyrule. This DVD contained a further five Zelda episodes.

The complete Zelda series was subsequently released on October 18, 2005 by Shout Factory, and included extra bonus features such as interactive DVD games and line art from the series.

[edit] United Kingdom

The Zelda cartoons were originally shown in the UK on the early morning TV show, TV-AM in the early 1990s, they were shown during the Half-Term holidays around 9am. They were never commissioned for a second rerun though. They were also shown on CITV in the 1990s within the Super Mario Show,they also were shown on Channel 4 on its sunday morning kids line up that included the likes of Jayce and the wheel warriors.

Shout Factory are also unable to sell the DVD in the UK or in Region 2 format DVD, as they do not have the licensing rights in the UK. It is rumoured that the TV Channels Jetix and Boomerang both have the rights to air the cartoon on their respective channels.

[edit] Voice cast

[edit] Episodes

  1. The Ringer (Originally Aired 9/15/1989)
  2. Cold Spells (Originally Aired 9/22/1989)
  3. The White Knight (Originally Aired 9/29/1989)
  4. Kiss ’N Tell (Originally Aired 10/6/1989)
  5. Sing for the Unicorn (Originally Aired 10/13/1989)
  6. That Sinking Feeling (Originally Aired 10/20/1989)
  7. Doppelganger (Originally Aired 10/27/1989)
  8. Underworld Connections (Originally Aired 11/3/1989)
  9. Stinging a Stinger (Originally Aired 11/10/1989)
  10. A Hitch in the Works (Originally Aired 11/17/1989)
  11. Fairies in the Spring (Originally Aired 11/24/1989)
  12. The Missing Link (Originally Aired 12/1/1989)
  13. The Moblins are Revolting (Originally Aired 12/8/1989)

[edit] Trivia

  • The incarnations of Link and Zelda from this series also made appearances in three episodes of the cartoon Captain N: The Game Master, "Having a Ball", "The Trogan Dragon", and "Quest for the Potion of Power". Ganon also appears in Quest for the Potion of Power.
  • Zelda actually does kiss Link in the Captain N series.
  • Link is right-handed in the cartoon, but left-handed in most Zelda video games. The cartoon keeps with Medieval tradition, in which the sword was kept in the right hand, while the left was normally used for shield defense. However, in every Zelda game except for the Wii version of Twilight Princess, Link is left-handed.
  • Link carries a sword in the series but never actually stabs anyone with it, and rarely even attempts to. This was perhaps due to broadcast standards and practices of the time. Instead, Link shoots pink beams from his sword, as he does in the first Legend of Zelda game when he has full hearts.
  • Zelda is a blonde in the cartoon, whereas she has red hair in both The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link. This was either a stereotype that princesses were supposed to be blonde, or a correction of Zelda's real hair color, similar to Princess Peach of the Super Mario games. Zelda has remained a blonde in all subsequent appearances.
  • Link did not have a fairy sidekick in The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link (though fairies were prevalent), but has one in this series named "Sprite". Years later, in Ocarina of Time, Link would be given a fairy sidekick named "Navi", who's voice is nearly identical to Sprite's.
  • In episode 7, "Doppelganger", a whistled version the Super Mario Bros. theme music is played while Link is practicing.
  • Clips previewing the episodes were shown in the middle of the live-action segments when Mario's cartoon was shown. These clips were cut from most of the video releases as well as Yahooligans! TV, but restored for the Super Mario Bros. Super Show DVD set (except for King Mario of Cramalot).
  • Over the course of the show's 13 episodes, Link uttered his infamous catchphrase, "Excuse me, princess" nearly 30 times.[1]

[edit] References

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[edit] Airing History

[edit] External links


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