Spiral Zone
Spiral Zone is a 1987 American science-fiction animated series produced by Atlantic-Kushner-Locke. Based in part from a toy line made by Japanese company Bandai, the series focused on an international group of soldiers fighting to free the world from a scientist who controls much of the Earth's surface. It only ran for one season, with a total count of 65 episodes. Tonka acquired the license from Bandai and created a different treatment to the series, plus a short-lived toy line. Spiral Zone is known among fans as a series that stood out from other contemporary cartoons of the 80s because of its dark story. The series has not been officially released on DVD by Hasbro, who had acquired Tonka in the 90s, including all the copyrights to their properties.
Insights
Plot Summary
In the future, the world is menaced by the Spiral Zone, a dimension ruled by the evil Overlord, a powerful alien warlord. He uses mind-controlling helmets to enslave humanity and transform Earth into his own galactic empire. A small band of heroes, led by Ned, must fight back against the Overlord and his Zoners to save the planet.
Critical Reception
Spiral Zone was a Saturday morning cartoon aimed at children, featuring a science fiction premise with themes of good versus evil and the dangers of mind control. While it had a dedicated following for its action and imaginative world-building, critical reception was generally focused on its target audience and its place within the broader landscape of 1980s animated adventure series.
What Reviewers Say
- Praised for its engaging premise and action sequences suitable for its young audience.
- Some found the animation style and character designs to be dated, even for its era.
- The themes of resistance against oppression resonated with viewers.
Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this older animated series, but those found often recall it fondly as a nostalgic part of their childhood viewing, appreciating its adventurous spirit and clear-cut morality.
Fun Fact
The show's creator, Michael Reaves, also co-wrote the story for the classic video game 'Tron 2.0'.
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