Mythic Warriors

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Mythic Warriors
Also known asMythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend
Narrated by James Blendick
Country of originCanada
France
Original languagesEnglish
French
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time22 minutes
Production companies Nelvana
Marathon Media
Scottish Television Enterprises
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseNovember 7, 1998 (November 7, 1998) 
January 22, 2000 (January 22, 2000)

Mythic Warriors (also known as Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend) is a 1998-2000 anthology animated television series, [1] which featured retellings of popular Greek myths that were altered so as to be appropriate for younger audiences, produced by Nelvana and Marathon Media. [2] Two seasons of episodes were produced in February 8, 1998 and March 14, 1999; [3] then aired as reruns until May 21, 2000, when CBS' abolition of its Nelvana-produced children's programming in favor of Nick Jr. and later, Nickelodeon content resulted in its cancellation. The series was based on the book series Myth Men Guardians of the Legend written in 1996 and 1997 by Laura Geringer and illustrated by Peter Bollinger. [4]

Contents

The series was a fixture of CBS' Saturday-morning cartoon lineup. Scottish Television screened the series as part of its children programme Inside Out. The show was repeat in 2009 on wknd@stv , which is a children's television strand on Scottish television channel, then on Saturday mornings on STV during 2010. The series has been translated into Scottish Gaelic and is broadcast on BBC Alba since 2010.

Most of the characters in the show are portrayed with their original Greek names, with a few Romanized exceptions (e.g. Hercules, Ulysses).

Myth Men

Myth Men Guardians of the Legend is a book series written in 1996 and 1997 by Laura Geringer and illustrated by Peter Bollinger. [4] It is a comic series targeted at children age 4-8 and published by Scholastic Books, Inc. [5] It received the Children's Choice award. [6]

The series includes both male and female mythical heroes, including Perseus, [7] Heracles, [8] Odysseus, Theseus, Andromeda and Atalanta. The books retell the actual myths and legends with added fantasy elements.

Premise

Depictions of gods

The sun god Helios and his demigod son, Phaeton. Helios Phaeton.jpg
The sun god Helios and his demigod son, Phaeton.

This show is well known for its unique depictions of the Greek gods. Most were shown as gigantic (approximately 10–12 feet tall) humanoids possessing immortality, the abilities to fly and teleport, supernatural powers of a magical nature (as opposed to cosmic), and the ability to alter their appearances at will; including reducing themselves to the size of a typical human, as well as completely altering their looks, voices, and even gender. When in their natural form, an echo would accompany their voice whenever they spoke.

Instead of classic attire resembling that of human nobility often employed during Hellenic times, the Olympians were instead depicted as wearing brightly colored clothing more typical of a warrior's formal attire, the exceptions being Hera, Demeter, and Hephaestus.

Between the first and second seasons, the depictions of several gods changed. Hades' attire was slightly altered. Persephone aged from a teenage-looking young girl to a grown goddess. The most significant changes, however, were to Aphrodite and Athena; the former shifted from a giggling pencil-thin schoolgirl-like teenager, to a conniving fully mature armor-clad lust goddess, with an entirely different voice and manner of speech as well. Athena was altered from a blonde in monotonous silver armor; to a brunette cloaked in blood-red dual-split dress with matching cape, plus golden shin guards and arm-bands in addition. Despite the complete change in depiction, her voice did remain the same.

Gods who made cameo appearances

Episode list

Season 1

  1. Andromeda: The Warrior Princess (November 7, 1998) –
  2. Hercules and Iolas (November 14, 1998) –
  3. Odysseus: The Journey Home (November 21, 1998) –
  4. Perseus: The Search For Medusa (November 28, 1998) –
  5. Jason and the Argonauts: The Search for the Golden Fleece (December 5, 1998) –
  6. Persephone and the Winter Seeds (December 12, 1998) –
  7. Icarus and Daedalus (December 19, 1998) –
  8. Odysseus and Circe (December 26, 1998) –
  9. Atalanta: The Wild Girl (January 2, 1999) –
  10. Prometheus and Pandora's Box (January 9, 1999) –
  11. Bellerophon and Pegasus (January 16, 1999) –
  12. Theseus and the Minotaur (January 23, 1999) –
  13. The Labours of Hercules (January 30, 1999) –

Season 2

  1. Psyche and Eros (September 25, 1999) –
  2. Odysseus and the Trojan Horse (October 2, 1999) –
  3. Odysseus and Penelope: A Kingdom Lost (October 9, 1999) –
  4. Hercules and the Golden Apples (October 16, 1999) –
  5. Cadmus and Europa (October 23, 1999) –
  6. Jason and Medea (October 30, 1999) –
  7. Damon and Pythias (November 6, 1999) –
  8. Castor and Pollux (November 13, 1999) –
  9. The Hounds of Actaeon (November 20, 1999) –
  10. Phaeton: The Chariot of Fire (November 27, 1999) –
  11. Androcles and the Lion (December 18, 1999) –
  12. King Midas: The Golden Touch (January 15, 2000) –
  13. Hercules and the Titans: The Last Battle (January 22, 2000) – After being denied a throne on Mount Olympus by Zeus despite Athena's vision, Hephaestus is tempted by Alcyoneus into freeing the Titans from Tartarus. Zeus and Athena work to convince Hercules to help them fight the Titans.

Cast

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References

  1. "STE partners with Nelvana in CBS deal".
  2. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 421. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  3. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 577–578. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  4. 1 2 Erickson, Hal, Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003, McFarland & Co, 2005, page 578
  5. barnesandnoble.com: Ulysses
  6. www.tv.com
  7. barnesandnoble.com: Perseus
  8. barnesandnoble.com: Hercules