TigerSharks explained
TigerSharks is an American animated children's television series developed by Rankin/Bass and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures in 1987. The series involved a team of heroes that could transform into amalgams of human and marine animals and resembled the series ThunderCats and SilverHawks, also developed by Rankin/Bass.
The series lasted one season with 26 episodes and was part of the show The Comic Strip, which consisted of four animated shorts: TigerSharks, Street Frogs, The Mini-Monsters, and Karate Kat.[1]
The animation was provided by Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation. Warner Bros. Animation currently owns the series, as they own the 1974–89 Rankin/Bass library, which was incorporated into the merger of Lorimar-Telepictures and Warner Bros. However, no DVD or streaming release of the series has been available worldwide as of today.
Production and development
Rankin/Bass followed up their successful ThunderCats and SilverHawks series with this series about a team of powered up man/marine form hybrids called the "TigerSharks". This third series also featured many of the same voice actors who had worked on ThunderCats and SilverHawks including Larry Kenney, Peter Newman, Earl Hammond, Doug Preis and Bob McFadden.
Story
In a futuristic time, the TigerShark team were humans and unidentified aliens who had to use a device called the Fish Tank in order to transform between their humanoid forms and their powered-up marine forms. The TigerSharks' base was a spaceship that could also function underwater. The ship was called the SARK and contained the Fish Tank, its own A.I., and other research facilities.
The action took place on the fictional world of Water-O (pronounced Wah-tare-oh), which was almost completely covered by water. The planet was inhabited by a race of fish-men called the Waterians. The TigerSharks arrived there on a research mission and ended up serving as the protectors of the planet against the evil Mantannas led by T-Ray who had arrived there beforehand. To make matters worse, T-Ray ended up freeing Captain Bizzarly and his pirate crew from their icy imprisonment..
Characters
TigerSharks
Protectors of Water-O, the team members are:
- Mako (voiced by Peter Newman) - A gifted scuba diver, he is considered the field leader of the TigerSharks. Mako is not only a good mediator, but also an excellent fighter. He transforms into a human/mako shark hybrid, which grants him incredible speed underwater. Mako also uses his forearm fins and head fin to slice through metal.
- Walro (voiced by Earl Hammond) - The scientific and mechanical genius who created the Fish Tank. He acts as the advisor of the team and is very respected by his comrades. Walro turns into a human/walrus hybrid. He wields a cane that has a wide variety of weapons.
- Rodolfo "Dolph" (voiced by Larry Kenney) - Second-in-command and also an experienced scuba diver. Dolph has a knack for jokes and fooling around, but he knows when to joke and when to work. Dolph turns into a human/dolphin hybrid, which makes him very maneuverable underwater and can shoot a strong jet of water from his blowhole. However, it also makes him the only Tigershark unable to breathe underwater in his aquatic form causing him to head to the surface to replenish his air supply. He speaks with an Irish accent.
- Octavia (voiced by Camille Bonora) - Captain of the SARK, communications technician and main strategist. Octavia turns into a human/octopus hybrid with tentacles instead of hair.
- Lorca - The team's mechanic and often helps Walro to repair or build new machines. He's also the team's strongest member. Lorca turns into a human/orca hybrid. He speaks with an Australian accent.
- Bronc - A teenager who, along with his sister Angel, works as an assistant aboard the SARK. Bronc is very adventurous and sometimes reckless. He turns into a human/seahorse hybrid, hence his name, which is derived from "Bronco".
- Angel - Another teenage member of the SARK's crew. Angel is more serious and responsible than her brother. She turns into a human/angelfish hybrid, hence her name.
- Gupp - The TigerSharks' pet Cocker Spaniel. While his name might imply that he turns into a guppy, his features, including flipper-shaped legs and pin teeth, more closely resemble an unidentified pinniped.
- SARK A.I. - The artificial intelligence of the SARK.
Villains
The show featured two major antagonists, both with teams of followers. Both are in alliance to conquer Water-O and destroy the TigerSharks, but plan to betray each other once these goals are met. They are:
- The Mantannas - A race of alien sea creatures who arrived on Water-O after their home planet dried up. Because they can't breathe air, the Mantannas have to wear a water-breathing apparatus to survive on land.
- T-Ray - T-Ray is a human/manta ray hybrid-type creature and the leader of the Mantannas. In seeking to conquer Water-O, he freed Captain Bizzarly and his crew from their iced prison on Seaberia. T-Ray is bent on conquering the Waterians and destroying the TigerSharks. He wields a whip.
- Wall-Eye (voiced by Peter Newman) - A human/frog hybrid who is T-Ray's aide-de-camp. He can hypnotize people by spinning his eyes.
- Shad (voiced by Earl Hammond) - A bad-tempered human/grouper hybrid. He wears a belt that can shoot electrical blasts.
- Dredge - A human/eel-like mutant who carries a purple pet electric eel on his back.
- Carper and Weakfish - Two mermen with frog-like faces. Identical twin brothers who (as befitting their names) whine and complain about everything. Carper has green skin while Weakfish has purple skin. They are also shown to have a fear of dogs as seen in the first episode when they are frightened away by Gupp.
- Captain Bizzarly (voiced by Earl Hammond) - The captain of a crew of pirate with aquaphobia who controlled all crime-related activities on the vast oceans of Water-O until the Waterians froze him and his crew in ice many years ago. T-Ray freed Captain Bizzarly and his crew expecting them to join forces even though they each secretly plan to betray the other once their goals are accomplished. Captain Bizzarly now constantly tries to get rid of the TigerSharks and regain control of the oceans of Water-O from his base at Castle Dragonstone.
- Dragonstein - A winged sea dragon-like creature with bolts in its neck who is Captain Bizzarly's pet and bodyguard. He can fly, breathe fire when above the water, and maneuver underwater where his fire attack can convert to a powerful underwater steam attack.
- Spike Marlin - A wrinkly-faced humanoid who is Captain Bizzarly's first mate. He wields a customized polearm.
- Long John Silverfish - A humanoid with fish-like features. He wields an electrified whip.
- Soulmate - A humanoid and only female member of Captain Bizzarly's crew who dresses like a samurai. She wields a sword, among other weapons.
- Lump - A slimy shapeshifting blob-like creature. Even though Lump can't swim, he can still float as seen when he assumes the form of a raft in the event of the different pirate ships getting sunk by the TigerSharks.
- Grunt - An towering ape-faced humanoid who grunts like an ape and is the largest of the pirates. He's the muscle of Bizzarly's crew.
Other characters
- Pappagallo - A Waterian who is a member of Water-O's ruling council.
- Hydra - A female Waterian who is a member of Water-O's ruling council.
- Goby - A Waterian who is a member of Water-O's ruling council.
- Bowfin - A young Waterian.
Episode list
- Voyage to Water-O - Mako leads his crew to Water-O when their teammate Lorca and two Waterians have been captured upon the arrival of T-Ray and the Mantennas. To make things worse, T-Ray has freed Captain Bizzarly and Dragonstein from their icy prison. With the Fish Tank invention, the TigerSharks must rescue Lorca from T-Ray and Captain Bizzarly.
- SARK to the Rescue - The TigerSharks work to protect the Waterians while working to reclaim a cargo of a deadly explosive called X-400 from a sunken cargo ship while planning not to let it fall into the wrong hands. Meanwhile, T-Ray sends Carper and Weakfish to reclaim the Sawbill from the TigerSharks so that they can free the rest of Captain Bizarrly's crew from their icy imprisonment.
- Save the SARK
- The Deep Fryer
- Bowfin
- Pappagallo's Present
- The Lighthouse - The Mantennas have sabotaged the Waterian City by having it drift to Killer Reef after detaching the cable that holds it in place. As the TigerSharks come to their aid, Captain Bizarrly and Grunt destroy a vital lighthouse that lured SARK onto the rocks at Killer Reef. As Octavia works to free the SARK, Captain Bizzarly as Soulmate and Lump fire on the SARK. Now the TigerSharks must work to stop Captain Bizarrly's attack and keep the Waterian City from drifting into Killer Reef.
- Go with the Flow
- Termagant - Lorca and Bowfin look for a giant fish named Termagant on Pappagallo's behalf. Though T-Ray and the Mantennas end up aggravating Termagant with Lorca and Bowfin caught in the crossfire. After getting away from Termagant, Loca and Bowfin reunite with the TigerSharks as they work to keep T-Ray from harming Termagant further and keep it corralled.
- The Terror of Dragonstein
- The Search for Redfin
- The Kraken
- Stowaway
- Iced
- The Volcano
- A Question of Age
- Eye of the Storm
- Departure
- Murky Waters
- Spellbinder - Water-O's ruling council contacts the TigerSharks to inform them that Captain Bizzarly is searching the Misty Isles for a hypnotic weapon called the Spellbinder that was once used to enslave some ancient Waterians. Though it doesn't have an effect on females. When Captain Bizzarly gets his hands on the Spellbinder, he tests it on Lump and allows Soulmate to use it on the TigerSharks. After Soulmate hypnotizes Mako, Dolph, Walro, Lorca, and Bronco are hypnotized by Soulmate. Angel gets detained, and SARK gets hijacked, it's up to Octavia and Gupp to save their friends and fight off Captain Bizarrly's crew.
- The Waterscope
- The Point of No Return
- The Scavenger Hunt
- Paradise Island
- The Treasure Map
- Redfin Returns
In other media
The TigerSharks made a cameo in an episode of the 2011 ThunderCats remake called "Legacy."[2] They are among the animals that were forced to work under Mumm-Ra.
Merchandise
A TigerSharks action figure line was made by LJN, which also made toys for ThunderCats.
Notes and References
- Book: Erickson . Hal . Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 . 2005 . 2nd . McFarland & Co . 978-1476665993 . 209–210.
- News: EXCLUSIVE: ThunderCats Episode 7 Clip 'Legacy' Reveals SilverHawks And TigerSharks!. MTV. https://web.archive.org/web/20120526192245/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/08/30/new-thundercats-silverhawks-tigersharks-reveal-episode-7-legacy/. dead. May 26, 2012. 2011-08-31.
