A survey of cartoon characters related to this issue's theme of licensing and merchandising, answering, "What ten films would you want to have with you if stranded on a desert island?"
This month, we picked a few cartoon characters, and asked each of them what films they would want to have with them if stranded on a desert island. Speed Racer has been around the block a few times, and is merchandised on apparel, toys, books, collectibles, calendars, magnets and in a PlayStation game. He was featured in the November 1997 issue of Animation World Magazine when he starred in a Volkswagen commercial. The six tiny dragons of Pocket Dragon Adventures are also time-tested characters. For more than 20 years, they existed as drawings and paintings by Real Musgrave before being licensed and turned into a line of collectible ceramic figures, then an animated series by Wolfmilll Entertainment and BKN Kids Network. Now, of course, there's also licensed merchandise based on the series.
Speed Racer's Faves
1. Kimba the White Lion (Tezuka Productions).
2. Astro Boy (Tezuka Productions).
3. Gigantor (TCJ/Delphi).
4. Marine Boy (Japan Telecartoons/K. Fujita & Associates).
5. Clutch Cargo (Cambria Studios, Inc./Streamline Pictures).
6. Battle of the Planets by Sandy Frank.
7. Robotech (Tatsunoko).
8. The original The Adventures of Jonny Quest (Hanna-Barbera).
9. Mighty Mouse (Terrytoons).
10. Rocky & Bullwinkle (Jay Ward).
Pocket Dragon's Picks:
1. Zoom-Zoom, the dragon who wants to fly, picks Dumbo (Disney) and Plane Crazy (Disney).
2. Specs, the over-educated dragon whose nose is always in a book, selects The Pagemaster (20th Century Fox) and Schoolhouse Rock (ABC).
3. Filbert, the adventure-loving leader, wants to take The Adventures of Jonny Quest (Hanna-Barbera) and King Leonardo and his Short Subjects (TOTAL Television/Leonardo Productions).
4. Scribbles, the Rube Goldberg-esque inventor, loves to watch Inspector Gadget (DIC).
5. Binky, the sweet and adorable youngest dragon, can't get enough of My Little Pony (Sunbow) and The NeverEnding Story (Warner Bros.).
6. Cuddles, the sleepy and most timid Pocket Dragon, thinks he wants to take Sleeping Beauty (Disney) and The Reluctant Dragon (Disney).
7. Plus, Pocket Dragon Adventures has got to come along.
And they don't even want to know what Dragon Slayer is about...
