Street Sharks
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Street Sharks was an animated television series about crime-fighting half-man/half-sharks similar to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Produced by DiC Entertainment from 1994 to 1996. Later the Street Sharks teamed up with the Dino Vengers and the show was renamed Street Sharks and the Dino Vengers. Like a number of children's cartoons, it was created to promote an existing toy line of the same name, created by toy maven David Siegel. In the first episode, a university professor named Dr. Paradigm tested his gene-manipulation techniques on a swordfish and a lobster. Dr. Bolton, a fellow professor, attempted to destroy Paradigm's research, and was transformed into an inhuman monstrosity by the evil scientist before escaping. Paradigm later kidnapped Bolton's four sons — John, Bobby, Coop and Clint — to transform them into sharks. As soon as they transformed, the four brothers ate a hot dog stand, and fled from the police by diving into a lake and burrowing their way into the city by eating the dirt. The brothers planned to capture Paradigm so that they could force him to return them to their human selves and expose Paradigm's genetic experiments.
In subsequent episodes, Paradigm began to convince the residents of Fission City that the Street Sharks (as they became known) were vicious, deadly killers who were mutated by their father, Dr. Bolton. The brothers teamed up every episode to stop Paradigm and his deadly Seaviants from transforming the citizens of Fission City into mutants with no free will.
One of the characters' favorite catchphrases was "Jawsome", and their favorite food consists of hamburgers and french fries (although they're capable of eating just about anything - even if it's not food).
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[edit] Characters
- Jonathan "John" Bolton (Ripster): John is the smartest of the four brothers, and enjoys creating inventions. He's also an avid pool player. In the first episode of the show, he rides a motorbike. When he transforms into Ripster, he becomes a Great White Shark. John/Ripster was voiced by Lee Tockar.
- Robert "Bobby" Bolton, Jr. (Blades/Streex): Bobby is the token 'cool' brother. He's seen everywhere wearing his rollerblades, and appears to enjoy extreme sports like parachuting. When he transforms into Streex, he becomes a Tiger Shark. He gets his name from the purple streaks on him. Streex was the most popular and well-known of the four sharks (similar to how Michaelangelo was in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). In episodes 1-3, he was originally called "Blades". Bobby/Streex was voiced by Andy Rannells.
- Cooper "Coop" Bolton (Big Slammu): Coop is the sport-obsessed brother, and the strongest of the four. He's also a football player. In the first episode, he uses a skateboard to get around. When he transforms into Slammu, he becomes a Whale Shark. Coop/Slammu was voiced by D. Kevin Williams
- Clinton "Clint" Bolton (Jab): Clint's defining characteristic is that he is the lazy brother, but one of his hobbies is boxing. He appears to have some talent with mechanics, though, as he uses a jetpack in the first episode. When he transforms into Jab, he becomes a Hammerhead Shark. Clint/Jab was voiced by Matt Hill.
- Dr. Robert Bolton: Dr. Bolton was only seen in the first episode, where he tried to stop Paradigm's experiments, only to become his next subject. He transformed into an unseen inhuman creature, only to escape. It is suggested through the series that Dr. Bolton is helping the Street Sharks from the sidelines and keeps close contact with his sons. He now lives in hiding because the mutation process done to him by Paradigm is unchangeable and now lives to stop Piranoid and the same time give other mutations refuge from the humans who fear them. One episode showed him defeating Piranoid and his Seaviants to rescue a kidnapped mutate. He goes on to defeat Piranoid knocking off all his armor revealing his Piranha-like form, commenting that Paradigm has become something less (even something lesser than Bolton himself). Dr. Bolton was voiced by David Kaye.
[edit] Dr. Piranoid and his Seaviants
- Dr. Piranoid (Dr. Luther Paradigm): Dr. Paradigm is a university professor, and the main villain of the show. He's easily identified by his metal eyepatch, a villain's cliché. By the second episode, he's seen wearing a giant yellow robotic suit - this is due to his action figure wearing this same suit. The suit was heavily armoured and also had offensive capabilities like the ability to fire out harpoons. Due to an accident in the second episode, Paradigm is injected with pirahna DNA, and turns into the freakish Dr. Piranoid. The pirahna DNA was unstable, however, and as a result, Paradigm only transforms into his Pirahnoid state when he becomes highly agitated. Piranoid looks the same as Paradigm except for his fish-like lips and razor-sharp pirahna teeth. Dr. Paradigm/Piranoid was vocied by J. Michael Lee.
- Slobster: Slobster, along with Slash, is one of Paradigm's earlier experiments. He was created by injecting a lobster with the DNA of villainous figures like Ghengis Khan and Captain Blood. The lobster becomes an anthropomorphic lobster that salivates constantly. Slobster was voiced by D. Kevin Williams.
- Slash: Slash is another of Paradigm's first experiments with gene manipulation. A swordfish that was also injected with the DNA of villains like Ghengis Khan and Captain Blood, it transforms into an anthropomorphic fish with a drill bit on its face and a purple leotard. Slash was voiced by Terry Berner.
- Killamari: Killamari is the third of Dr. Paradigm's mutants ("Seaviants" in the show's lingo), created from a squid captured off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Slash and Killamari despise each other. Killamari has the ability to project natural 'spears' or 'harpoons' from his mouth and the many suckers covering his body- these projectiles drip with an extremely potent venom. In his first appearance, he almost killed Jab, but Lena and Bends concoted an anti-venom which has since reduced his threat. Killamari was voiced by D. Kevin Williams.
- Repteel (Phil Mahab): Repteel is the only one of Paradigm's Seaviants to have originally been human. The aged owner of a run-down hotel accidentally demolished by the Street Sharks during a fight with Paradigm's Seaviants, he willingly allowed Paradigm to merge his genetic codes with those of a moray eel and an electric eel. As Repteel, he feeds on electricity and shoots miniature eels from his hands, also charged with electricity. Repteel was voiced by Tony Wike.
- SharkBot: SharkBot was a result Dr. Paradigm's experimentation with robotics. Sharkbot was used to bust Repteel out of prison, and as well frame the Street Sharks for the crime. The Sharks ultimately reprogramed him to destroy Paradigm's lab, resulting in its destruction. His shell was salvaged, and remade into a SharkBot 2.0. He continued to be a threat for the sharks on many occasions until its final destruction at the end of season 2. Sharkbot was voiced by Steve Gibbs.
[edit] Allies
- Lena Mack: Lena is a student of Dr. Paradigm's who suspects that he's not as good-natured as he makes himself out to be. Her suspicions prove right when she rescues the Street Sharks and discovers what he has done to the Bolton brothers. She helps the brothers whenever she can. She also has a younger brother in high school. Lena was voiced by Pam Carter.
- Bends: Bends is Fission University's technical genius, despite being as much of a goof as Streex and Jab. He supplies the Sharks with their motorbikes and other gear. He also provides them with a hidden base underneath the University's ice hockey rink. Bends was voiced by Jim Hogget.
- Moby Lick (Jets Taylor): Moby Lick was an attempt by Dr. Paradigm to create a fourth Seaviant. After first dosing him with an experimental mind control serum, Dr. Paradigm then gene-slammed him with a killer whale. However, he eventually broke free of Paradigm's mind control and became an ally of the Sharks. Moby Lick has a long, prehensile tongue (the source of his name), great strength and the ability to suck up water and then expel it through his blowhole. He also retains an acquaintanceship/friendship with Jab and Bends, as he knew them prior to the Boltons' gene-slamming. Jets/Moby Lick was voiced by Khary Payton.
- Rox (Melvin Kresnik): Rox was an up-and-coming musician before he stumbled upon a makeshift laboratory—supposedly Dr. Bolton's—and ate some of Paradigm's mutating popcorn, turning him into a bull shark. Bolton had, however, previously developed an antidote for the mutagen, and put it in a salt shaker. As a result of ingesting the two together, Melvin still retained his hair. Dr. Piranoid had wanted to gene-slam all the people at a concert (which was to originally feature Melvin Kresnik) into mutants by combining popcorn with animal genes. Ultimately, the Street Sharks stopped Dr. Piranoid, and Rox continued to live his life as a rock star, remaining close friends with fellow musician Streex.
- El Swordo: A circus performer who worked with a large swordfish named Spike. Spike was abducted and used by Paradigm, and his trainer sought them out in the desert. The two were eventually 'fused' together, resulting in a combination of memories, but is dominantly the human in action and personality.
- Mantaman (Dr. Terrence "Terry" Morton): When Dr. Paradigm ventured into space to examine an alien specimen found encased in stone by a scientist. The alien wasn't dead, however, but merely in suspended animation; being reactivated by Paradigm's meddling. The scientist then deliberately gene-slammed himself with a combination of the alien's DNA and manta ray DNA to help the Street Sharks fight the alien. Mantaman was then seen leaping towards the Earth's atmosphere at the very end of the episode. He has a younger brother named Ryan who appears in a later episode. Mantaman was played by Adam West.
[edit] Others
- Guy in the Sky: Guy was Fission City's top air radio reporter and paparazzi. He was never fully seen, but people recognize him for his yellow helicopter that shows up everywhere. He was a constant nuisance to most people in Fission City, especially the Sharks. Guy was voiced by Tony Wike.
- President David Horne: The President of the United States. After the Sharks proved their innocence by stopping Paradigm from taking over the country, Horne proclaimed the Sharks as heroes, and appointed them as special agents. President Horne was vocied by Tony Wike.
[edit] Street Sharks in other languages
- German: Street Sharks
- Finnish: Katuhait
- Portuguese: Os Tubarões da Rua
- Spanish: Los Tiburones Del Asfalto
[edit] See also
- Extreme Dinosaurs (A spin off series)
[edit] External links
- Street Sharks at DiC Entertainment
- Street Sharks at the Internet Movie Database
- Street Sharks at TV.com
- The Ever-Jawsome, Ever-Forgettable Street Sharks - A satirical synopsis of the two-part pilot episode.
- Street Sharks at the Big Cartoon Database
