Alienators: Evolution Continues (original) (raw)
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Television series, 2001–2002
| Alienators: Evolution Continues | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Also known as | Evolution: The Animated Series |
| Genre | Comic science fiction |
| Created by | Louis Gassin |
| Based on | _Evolution_by Don Jakoby |
| Directed by | Fabrice BeauPascal GaugryCamille Prinele |
| Voices of | Mark AchesonAndrew FrancisFiona HoganCusse MankumaAkiko MorisonKirby Morrow |
| Theme music composer | L.A. Piccirillo |
| Opening theme | "Evolution (Creepy Crawly)" |
| Ending theme | "Evolution (Creepy Crawly)" (Instrumental) |
| Composers | L.A. Piccirillo Jean-Michel Guirao |
| Country of origin | United States Japan France[1] |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Andy HeywardMichael MalianiTom PollockIvan ReitmanDan GoldbergJoe Medjuck |
| Producer | Michael Ryan |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production companies | DIC Entertainment, L.P.The Montecito Picture CompanyDreamWorks TelevisionColumbia TriStar TelevisionDentsu Inc.[1] |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox Kids (United States)M6 (France)[2]Animax (Japan) |
| Release | September 15, 2001 (2001-09-15) –June 22, 2002 (2002-06-22) |
Alienators: Evolution Continues (also known as Evolution: The Animated Series in some regions and the UK) is an animated comic science fiction television series. It is a continuation of the 2001 Ivan Reitman-directed science fiction comedy film Evolution.[3][4] 26 episodes were produced.
Created by Louis Gassin, the series is produced by DIC Entertainment, L.P. in association with The Montecito Picture Company, DreamWorks Television, Columbia TriStar Television and Dentsu Inc., the latter of which handled distribution of the series in Asian territories. Although the Evolution intellectual property was owned by DreamWorks and is now the property of Paramount Pictures (which owns the studio's pre-2010 live-action back catalog), the series itself is now owned by WildBrain (formerly known as DHX Media).
The series was the basis for a Game Boy Advance game of same name that was developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Activision.
As with the film, the premise of the series is that a meteor carrying organisms that evolve at a very quick rate crashes into the Arizona desert; single-celled alien organisms on this meteor quickly evolve into monstrous creatures, dubbed the "Genus". A team of scientists, the Alienators, must eliminate all these creatures before they destroy all life on Earth. The characters, Ira Kane, Harry Block, Lucy Mai, and Wayne Green must study all these extraterrestrial lifeforms and find a way to defeat them all. The "Genus" is led by a "humanoid manifestation" named Scopes.
- Ira Kane (voiced by Kirby Morrow) – A professor whose expertise, along with his passion for science, helps him lead the team in eliminating the Genus.
- Harry Block (voiced by Cusse Mankuma) – A coach who always keeps up on game scores, etc., and loves coaching the women's team. His strategies help the team to victory.
- Lucy Mai (voiced by Akiko Morrison) – A tough and aggressive but benevolent lieutenant trained by a Special Forces team called the Blue Berets.
- Wayne Green (voiced by Andrew Francis) – A 17-year-old firefighter-in-training. After being infected with alien DNA, Wayne develops a "sympathetic mutation", causing him to mutate parallel to the Genus.
- Allison Reed (voiced by Fiona Hogan) – A scientist and associate of the Alienators.
- G.A.S.S.I.E. (Genetically Altered Symbiotic Stasis in Evolution) - An alien cell who was neutralized by Ira and evolved into a slime creature. It behaves like a dog and can track other Genus creatures.
- Scopes (voiced by Mark Acheson) - The Genus's leader, who is highly intelligent, maniacal, arrogant, and intent on taking over the universe. He takes on many forms throughout the series, but is most commonly seen as a humanoid octopus.
- General Granger - An arrogant and treacherous general who seeks to use the Genus to conquer Earth, eventually becoming Scopes' pawn.
In 2001, DIC picked up the animation rights to produce an animated series based on the film. Fox Kids acquired the North American broadcast rights and ordered 26 episodes to be produced for the Fall of 2001.[5][6] The series premiered in September.[7]
The same year in June, Lions Gate Home Entertainment signed a home media distribution deal DIC Entertainment which included Alienators.[8]
In September, DIC signed an alliance agreement with Dentsu, the latter of which would invest, partner and co-produce the series with DIC in exchange for Asian and Japanese distribution rights excluding India.[9]
In September 2001, YTV acquired Canadian broadcast rights to the series under a deal with DIC Entertainment.[10]
In the United States, Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Trimark Home Video released Evolution: The Animated Movie on VHS and DVD on January 29, 2002. This release consisted of the 3-part episode "Survival" in a feature-length format. It was re-released by Sterling Entertainment on November 13, 2003 with the DVD version containing the fourth episode "Don't Drink the Water" as a bonus feature. The entire series is also available on Amazon Video.
In the United Kingdom, Anchor Bay UK released a single DVD/VHS set of the series on June 28, 2004 containing the first four episodes and later on released another DVD containing the next four. Avenue Entertainment would also release 2 DVDs containing 2 episodes each.
In Japan, six VHS/DVD releases, consisting of the entire series, was released in Japan by Happinet in January 2003. These sets were later released as part of two boxsets.[11]
- ^ a b "DIC teams in Japan". September 11, 2001.
- ^ "Cool New Shows".
- ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 21. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 72–73. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- ^ "'Evolution' multiplies as Fox Kids toon". January 18, 2001.
- ^ Rick DeMott (January 17, 2001). "DIC To Transform Live-Action Evolution Into Toon". Animation World Network. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ "Alien, pranster, secret agents and Olsen twins for Fox".
- ^ "Distrib kids around". June 8, 2001.
- ^ "WildBrain". Archived from the original on April 17, 2004.
- ^ "Diginets heat up the race to hook Canuck kid viewers".
- ^ "エボリューション The Animated Series DVD-BOX1". January 25, 2003 – via Amazon.