Critical Hit!

Id like to talk about one more 80s nostalgic cartoon while it’s still fresh in my mind. The show was released in 1983 with 3 seasons spanning 27 episodes. That show of course is Dungeons and Dragons. Now I know what you’re thinking, isn’t Dungeons and Dragon a board game from the 70s? And isn’t Dungeons and Dragons not that obscure? Yes both are true but little people know about the animated series that spawned from the game.

First off the show is epic! (In its own right and at a certain POV) Now even though the show is based off the game it actually seems to stand alone. Most of the time when I was watching it, I forget it was based off the game. The show probably would have done just as good without the D&D name. The stories for each episode are great, the animation is good. The characters don’t come off too annoying. It’s campy; don’t get me wrong but campy in a good way. I actually enjoyed this show very much. There are enough main characters that have different attitudes, abilities, age groups and sensibility’s that a kid can choose to relate with. The show even gets intense and nail biting at times. That’s what cartoons of the 80s and 90s were all about, epic adventures, warriors, knights, good formulas and shows that just had balls.

Great artwork!

The shows basic premise is five friends are at a carnival and go onto a D&D based ride. The ride then transports them into a real life fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. The kids are immediately thrown into danger and are magically given a “role” and magical weapon by a mysterious riddle spewing wizard named Dungeon master.

Main Characters of D&D: Diana, the Acrobat, Sheila, the Thief,Presto, the Magician,Bobby, the Barbarian,Eric, the Cavalier,Hank, the Ranger and Uni, the Unicorn

The plot of the show's episodes are pretty much the kids are trying to find a way home and the dungeon master appears mysteriously (most of the time) and gives the kids riddles on how to solve the problem they face in each episode.  The main antagonist is Venger, voiced by Peter Cullen, known for Optimus Prime. Venger (like all bad guys) wants to take over the land but first he needs all the weapons from the kids to do so. But of course the kids overcome him whenever they meet, Wash, rinse, repeat.

Dungeon Master

Venger!

Two episodes I can think of off the bat that where my favorites was "The Time Lost" Where a Nazi pilot makes it into their world, wants to turn over a new leaf and ends up helping to kids and returning to his own time reformed. The other is  "The Dungeon at the Heart of Dawn" This episode was balls to the walls! Where the”implied” devil himself is released and everyone is drained of their powers. Everyone ends up being defeated and is saved seconds before death. One episode actually created controversy and was so intense that the National Coalition on Television Violence demanded that the FTC run a warning during each broadcast stating that it had been linked to real life violent deaths.

 

In closing I recommend you watch this show, it’s a great trip down memory lane. Definitely noteworthy enough to mention on this blog. I picked up the entire series cheap at Frys Electronics for 15 bucks.

The final episode was never made but a script and radio drama was made. Fans of the show have actually decided to make the episode a reality by animating it themselves.