Pole Position Cartoon

[pocketmego]

I know Pole Position was popular, but I certainly don't remember it being so popular as to merit its own Cartoon show. I remember this show vaguely from childhood.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H7r2vBuA2I

 

I wonder who played that game and thought a weekly show about semi-transforming cars would work in the context of a standard race car game?

 

-Ray

[dangevin]

All I remembered was the theme song, friggin awesome. Beat the crud out of the Q-Bert cartoon theme song. And what the heck is Q-bert anyways...is he related to Gonzo?

[Crazy Climber]

Dude I honestly can not remember this cartoon at all. It does look cool though and I would like to watch it now, anyone know where you can find stuff like this, complete episodes, for sale? I don't know about some of the harmonies in that theme song though, ouch.

[Crazy Climber]

BTW - You sure there is a relation to the Atari game for this one, isn't the term "Pole Position" kind of a racing term?

[Feralstorm]

I liked that cartoon as a kiddie, but to be honest it bore a closer resemblance to Knight Rider than the video game.

[Crazy Climber]

I liked that cartoon as a kiddie, but to be honest it bore a closer resemblance to Knight Rider than the video game.

That avitar is the funniest thing I've seen in a while

[NovaXpress]

BTW - You sure there is a relation to the Atari game for this one, isn't the term "Pole Position" kind of a racing term?

Hmm, it used a different logo. I looked at a few clips and saw nothing that says Namco. Did DiC license the game or just attempt to "steal" the name?

[pocketmego]

BTW - You sure there is a relation to the Atari game for this one, isn't the term "Pole Position" kind of a racing term?

Hmm, it used a different logo. I looked at a few clips and saw nothing that says Namco. Did DiC license the game or just attempt to "steal" the name?

 

Good questions. All I can say is that when I was a kid, I remember this thing being on when I was in 1st grade. Kids pretty much associated it with the video game and it never really came into question that it wasn't based on the game. Now, however, one looks at it and wonders if indeed "name theft" was what DIC did.

 

It does make sense, the game was popular, the name wa sa generic racing term. You pretty much put anything with fast cars out and people would make the obvious associations. Thee is a guy on Youtube who does a pod cast all about 80's shows and even he assumed it was based on "the Atari game".

 

It was also on the same years and channel as Supercade.

 

Food for thought indeed.

 

-Ray

Edited August 14, 2006 by pocketmego

[+kisrael]

Heh, actually I got this mixed up with Turbo Teen:

 

That's pretty messed up. Not only is the core idea utterly retarded, but I love the jump at the end of the intro....Vroom, JUMP, *stop*...go. i wonder if the animators have ever even heard of "physics"...they make the Dukes of Hazzard look like a documentary

[pocketmego]

Heh, actually I got this mixed up with Turbo Teen:

 

That's pretty messed up. Not only is the core idea utterly retarded, but I love the jump at the end of the intro....Vroom, JUMP, *stop*...go. i wonder if the animators have ever even heard of "physics"...they make the Dukes of Hazzard look like a documentary

 

Turboteen was one of the truly Bizzaro cartoon ideas of all time. From start to finish, one wonders who had such and idea, how could they have possibly sold such a thing, and how it EVER made it on the air?

 

-Ray

[jboypacman]

Oh,man.I used to watch the Pole Position cartoon every saturday morning when it was on.Funny i only remember the talking cars and the catchy opening theme song.

[Almost Rice]

I had forgotten about Turboteen, but remember Pole Position. I really miss those cartoons from the 80s.

[pocketmego]

I had forgotten about Turboteen, but remember Pole Position. I really miss those cartoons from the 80s.

 

You're telling me. The only thing kids seem to want to watch now is Anime.

 

-Ray

[BrianC]

I had forgotten about Turboteen, but remember Pole Position. I really miss those cartoons from the 80s.

 

It's the other way around for me. I have never seen the Pole Position cartoon, but I used to catch Turbo Teen all the time. I miss 80s cartoons too.

 

You're telling me. The only thing kids seem to want to watch now is Anime.

 

-Ray

 

What's wrong with watching anime?

[godzillajoe]

What's wrong with anime?

 

The problem is saturday morning cartoons became outdated. It was cheaper to run infomercials or lame talk shows. And cartoons started to appear all over cable like USA's Cartoon Express or even on their own network.

 

The emerging popularity of cable changed eveything. And maybe even helped kill Atari?!

[pocketmego]

I had forgotten about Turboteen, but remember Pole Position. I really miss those cartoons from the 80s.

 

It's the other way around for me. I have never seen the Pole Position cartoon, but I used to catch Turbo Teen all the time. I miss 80s cartoons too.

 

You're telling me. The only thing kids seem to want to watch now is Anime.

 

-Ray

 

What's wrong with watching anime?

 

Nothing at all, if its good Anime. But what the kids are watching these daysd hardly qualifies as good Anime. Also, there is something to be said for variety. When we were growing up there was certainly anime, but it was mixed nicely with other product as well. There is very little of the same creativity and balance in todays cartoons.

 

-Ray

[pocketmego]

What's wrong with anime?

 

The problem is saturday morning cartoons became outdated. It was cheaper to run infomercials or lame talk shows. And cartoons started to appear all over cable like USA's Cartoon Express or even on their own network.

 

The emerging popularity of cable changed eveything. And maybe even helped kill Atari?!

 

Ok, I gotta ask, how did it help kill Atari?

 

-Ray

[+kisrael]

What's interesting with like, the intro to Pole Position etc, is that you can see it's people who would rather be doing "Anime" but are struggling mightily to look more western... it's kind of cool that these days than go ahead and have the style that's more natural to them.

[BrianC]

Nothing at all, if its good Anime. But what the kids are watching these daysd hardly qualifies as good Anime.

-Ray

 

Yeah, that's a good point. Most of the anime that's on Saturday Mornings has been either heavily edited or changed to appeal to how the company feels what is good for their audience.

[Atariboy2600]

Heres a poster image of some of the screengrap of both Saturday Supercade and Pac-Man cartoon of the 80s^_^

[Lauren Tyler]

Kangaroo had its own cartoon? Now I've truly seen it all!

 

But this brings back memories... at least from Pole Position and Pac-Man.

[pocketmego]

Kangaroo had its own cartoon? Now I've truly seen it all!

 

But this brings back memories... at least from Pole Position and Pac-Man.

 

I posted another thread earlier which has the opening for Saturday Supercade and most of the inidividual openings for the shows. No Kangeroo on that on though.

 

-Ray

[Godzilla]

omfg! i remember both of those shows. i had blocked the memories, put them far away and now you bring the horror back. That turbo teen sure does have a lot of junk in his trunk during transformation. that is one massive ass.

[yuppicide]

OOPS! Can't delete my post.

 

I received a PM the same time I read this topic and accidentally wrote my PM reply in this topic.

Edited August 16, 2006 by yuppicide

[The_Laird]

The Pac-land cartoon was the best!