Conan and the Young Warriors

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Conan and the Young Warriors
Conan and the Young Warriors.png
Genre Cartoon, children's fantasy
Developed by Michael Reaves
Written by Brynne Stephens
Michael Reaves
Steve Perry
David Wise
Len Wein
Directed byJohn Grusd
Wally Burr (voice director)
Voices ofPhil Hayes
Mark Hildreth
Kelly Sheridan
Chiara Zanni
Jim Byrnes
Kathleen Barr
Michael Donovan
ComposersKinder & Co.
Thomas Chase Jones
Steve Rucker
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producersJoe Bacall
Tom Griffin
C.J. Kettler
Stephanie Graziano.
ProducerJohn Grusd
Running time23 minutes
Production companies Sunbow Productions
Graz Entertainment
Hanho Studios
AKOM
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseMarch 5 (1994-03-05) 
August 27, 1994 (1994-08-27)
Related

Conan and the Young Warriors is a 1994 American television animated series produced by Sunbow Entertainment and aired by CBS as a sequel to the animated series Conan the Adventurer, but featuring a different set of characters (besides Conan). [1] The series was developed by Michael Reaves and directed by John Grusd. It lasted only for one season of 13 episodes. [2]

Contents

Plot

With Wrath-Amon vanquished and his family returned to life from living stone, Conan thought that his questing had finished. However, now he has to train and protect the "Chosen Ones", a trio of new young warriors who are in possession of magical "star stones", until the time comes in which they are destined to rule over Hyboria.

Aside from Conan's character design, which is identical to the one in Conan the Adventurer, this series has a few small links to its predecessor. Occasionally, a trumpet line piece of background music mirroring the theme to Conan the Adventurer is used. At one point, a character uses Zulu's trademark sign of Jhebbal Sag to summon animals to help them. Conan once seeks out a wizard he claims "Grey Wolf of Xanthus" told him about; he also mentions that he once knew a firebird, and jokingly claims that he ate him. The fact that Conan's sword is made of metal from the stars is mentioned several times, a reference to the original series in which a major theme was that Conan's sword was made of a magical star metal.

Characters

Episodes

  1. "The Third Talisman" (written by Michael Reaves) - The evil sorceress Sulinara plans to steal the three star stones belonging to Conan's young friends.
  2. "Arena" (written by Steve Perry) - Conan and his friends attempt to free a city from an evil king, but the tyrant captures Conan and leaves him in the arena to compete in a fight to the death.
  3. "Dreamweaver" (written by Brynne Stephens) - Sulinara sends nightmares upon the children, as she wants to get to the precious stones.
  4. "Carnival of Cardolus" (written by Brynne Stephens) - Conan and his charges are looking for a basilisk, scales of which are an effective means against all poisons, but an unscrupulous circus owner is also after the curious animal.
  5. "Isle of the Lost" (written by David Wise) - Sulinara is seeking a precious stone that has the power to transform people into mindless monsters.
  6. "Covenant" (written by Len Wein) - Sulinara conjures the demon lord Demonicus to get the star-stones of Conan's young friends – in return, he can take revenge on Conan, against whom he has once suffered a bitter defeat.
  7. "Wolf in the Fold" (written by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry) - An earthquake awakens the shapeshifter that was sealed beneath the ruins where Conan and the children reside.
  8. "Once a Thief" (written by Bryce Malek and David Wise) - Loki manipulates Brynne into stealing his hammer back from the King of Shadizar.
  9. "Brothers of the Sword" (written by Michael Reaves) - Conan reluctantly works with the shaman of Navah's Pict tribe to stop a possessed old ally from resurrecting a monster called the Unitaur.
  10. "Feet of Clay" (written by Bryce Malek) - A sorcerer steals a mystical shield that was being guarded by Draegen's cowardly former mentor, Commander Horus.
  11. "The Hand of Fate" (written by Brynne Stephens) - The Young Warriors encounter Tisara, a beautiful trained warrior with skills beyond their own. She claims that Brynne, an admitted former thief, stole the star stone that was rightfully hers.
  12. "The Separation" (written by Michael Reaves) - Epimetrius informs Conan that his time with the Young Warriors is at an end, and that they will now be mentored by Ninjus. Ninjus is actually a servant of Necromas, an evil deity who has enslaved Epimetrius.
  13. "The Night of the Serpent" (written by Lydia C. Marano and Brynne Stephens) - Draegen falls in love with a princess who a prophecy alleges will marry a descendant of Set.

Home video release

Eight episodes were released over four DVD volumes by MRA Entertainment in Australia, followed by a DVD pack containing the four DVD volumes:

TitleRelease DateEpisodes
Volume 1 [3] March 23, 2003
  • "Isle of the Lost" (episode 5)
  • "Dreamweaver" (episode 3)
Volume 2 [4] March 23, 2003
  • "Carnival of Cardolus" (episode 4)
  • "Wolf in the Fold" (episode 7)
Volume 3 [5] March 23, 2003
  • "Brothers of the Sword" (episode 9)
  • "Arena" (episode 2)
Volume 4 [6] March 23, 2003
  • "Covenant" (episode 6)
  • "The Third Talisman" (episode 1)
4 Pack [7] March 13, 2006
  • "Isle of the Lost" (episode 5)
  • "Dreamweaver" (episode 3)
  • "Carnival of Cardolus" (episode 4)
  • "Wolf in the Fold" (episode 7)
  • "Brothers of the Sword" (episode 9)
  • "Arena" (episode 2)
  • "Covenant" (episode 6)
  • "The Third Talisman" (episode 1)

Reception

According to The A.V. Club , this cartoon, like its predecessor, "has been significantly defanged, dumbing down and infantilizing the character to the degree that he’s robbed of his savage appeal". [8]

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References

  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 134–135. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 211–212. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  3. "Buy conan and the young warriors volume 1 on DVD - DVD Australia online at dvdorchard". Archived from the original on 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  4. "Buy conan and the young warriors volume 2 on DVD - DVD Australia online at dvdorchard". Archived from the original on 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  5. "Buy conan and the young warriors volume 3 on DVD - DVD Australia online at dvdorchard". Archived from the original on 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  6. "Buy conan and the young warriors volume 4 on DVD - DVD Australia online at dvdorchard". Archived from the original on 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  7. "Buy conan and the young warriors 4 pack on DVD - DVD Australia online at dvdorchard". Archived from the original on 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  8. The Conan mythos | Film | Gateways To Geekery | The A.V. Club