10 Facts You Should Know About The X-Men: Animated Series
Hello there once again! I'd like to dedicate this post to those of you who still remember the legendary and critically acclaimed X-Men Animated Series of the 1990s which aired on Fox Kids. If you're one of the guys from my generation (or you've simply stumbled upon this golden Marvel TV serial subsequently), here's a list of 10 facts you should know about Cyclops&Co.
The logo of X-Men: The Animated Series which was originally produced and released throughout the early and mid 1990s. Image source: Marvel Animated Wikia
The serial debuted on October 31, 1992 (yeah, that's right, right on Halloween) on Fox Kids network in the U.S.
It is the second longest all time running Marvel animated TV series (just behind Spider-Man), having been on air between 1992 and 1997 (and then back on air since 2000), spanning a total number of 5 seasons and 76 episodes (excluding cross-overs with other Marvel-based TV series at the time).
It was preceded by a 1989 pilot episode entitled 'Pryde of the X-Men' (a title evidently displaying a play on words concerning the name of one of the main protagonists, namely Kitty Pryde).
It was mainly funded by Marvel until 1997, when the company briefly filled for bankruptcy. This left the parent company of Fox Kids, Saban Entertainment, independently fund the second half of season 5 (which has a different overall design compared to the previous four seasons).
It is highly reminiscent and truthful to the original comics and revolves around the main plot of such publications as the 'Uncanny X-Men' which date as far back as to the 1960s and 1970s respectively, although artistic license and minor other adjustments or diverging storyline elements have also made it to the small screen.
The TV series was so successful and well received that it actually managed to pave the way for spin-off comics, video games, and toys that were based on it.
The show consisted of 22 minute stand-alone animated episodes. Since the creators and producers of the show deemed the running length of an individual episode to be too long and rather challenging for the audience to remember, they made sure an entire story arch was to be connected through a brief reminder in the beginning of each one. Hence the iconic 'Previously on X-Men'. The rest, as you guessed, is history.
X-Men: TAS also comprised several inconsistencies with respect to the biographies of several characters. One example would be Cable who's initially referenced as a mercenary before eventually being presented as a time traveller from the future.
The core protagonist team featured in the series was made up of Professor Charles Xavier, Cyclops, Beast, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm, Gambit, Jubilee, and Rogue. However, in the very beginning, Morph was actually a full time X-Men as well, before being later on replaced by Jubilee.
Promotional art for the X-Men Animated Series. Image source: Marvel Animated WikipediaLately, there've even been discussions about a possible sixth season which is currently in works.
Additionally, you can take a look at this more in depth 107 facts video on X-Men: TAS from ChannelFrederator:
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Aside from the intro theme music, which I really like, there's only a couple of things that I remember about this cartoon series.
My boys really liked it.
Morph, and thinking he was a little annoying. Is that why they killed him off? :)
That the voices were by and large exactly how I would have pictured the X-Men sounding like. I feel like they did a great job with all of those characterizations.
Animation wasn't as good as it could have been.