Karate Kat

Karate Kat is an animated children's television series. It was developed by Rankin/Bass and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures in 1987. The show is about Karate Kat, a brown cat who's somehow skilled in Martial arts and uses it against crime. He is usually seen wearing a blue suit with a red tie. Whenever there is trouble, he would utter his catch-phrase "I'm lean, I'm mean, a karate machine. Kee-yow." He then goes into a whirlwind spin and changes from his suit to his karate outfit. Karate Kat works for McClaws's Detective Agency run by his boss Big Mama (real name Katie McClaw). His friends/co-workers include inventor Dr. Katmandu, Ciaobaby and her sister Meowbaby (who has a crush on Karate Kat), his overweight sparring partner Katgut, and the aptly named Katatonic.

Whenever he go into the crime scene, he would occasionally be equipped with something that would help him in some situations by Katmandu. In one memorable episode, he was seen wearing red shoes with enormously long laces which were perhaps use to break his fall if he were to leap from a high place.

His nemesis is Big Papa, a gang leader who is backed by two lackeys (one fat and one thin) named Boom Boom Burmese and Sumo Sai.

The series lasted only one season and was part of the The Comic Strip show, which consisted of four animated shorts: TigerSharks, Street Frogs, The Mini Monsters and Karate Kat.

Episode list

Twenty-five episodes have been made. These are;

• The Katzenheimer Kaper - Karate Kat and his comrades attempt to solve a jewel heist.
• The Sardine Turnover Kaper - Big Papa loses the pearl on his tie as seeks help from the Mc Claw Detective Agency.
• The Mousemobile Kaper - Big Papa and his gang stole a luxury car and attempt to sell in three separate parts.
• The Crow Key Kaper
• The Kata Hari Kaper
• The Picat-So Kaper
• Ticktocking Along
• The Koffee Kup Kaper
• Kat Tracks
• The Bank Heist
• The Tabby Tire Tracker
• The Pink Sphinx - Big Papa hears news of a jewel named the Pink Sphinx and proposes to Big Mama as part of a ruse to steal it.
• Cats Ahoy
• The Cousin Kaper
• The Bathtub Bandits
• Pretty Kitty Kaper
• The Kattensniffer Kaper
• The Cats 'N Bats Kaper
• The Tabby Telemann Kaper
• Cat Goes Ape - Big Papa releases an ape from the zoo after tricking him into hunting down Karate Kat.
• The Ghost of Les Larue
• Kat's Paw - Big Mama wins the Kat's Paw Award, which is suddenly stolen.
• The Twin Brother Kaper - Karate Kat's evil twin brother, Karate Krud, shows up.
• The Amnesia Kaper
• The Lonely Hearts Kaper

Trivia

Like Mortal Kombat, the show tends to use a "k" for words that are supposed to begin with a "c."

In "The Twin Brother Kaper", Karate Kat's evil twin, Karate Krud, explains how his brother stands for "justice, truth, honor, and loyalty". In response, Boom-Boom Burmese quips, "Wow! He must be a Thundercat!" since "justice, truth, honor, and loyalty" happens to be the Code of Thundera. Larry Kenney, who voiced Karate Kat, was also the voice of Lion-O in Thundercats.

Characters designed by Nancy Beiman, production art by Bob Camp, future Director and writer of The Ren and Stimpy Show in the post-Kricfalusi era.

External links

• Petition To Get The Comic Strip Released on DVD