Loonatics Unleashed

Loonatics Unleashed
First Season DVD Box Cover
Genre	Post-apocalyptic Science fantasy Comic science fiction Action/Adventure Steampunk Dystopian fiction Mystery Comedy-drama
Format	Animated television series
Created by	Adam Trevor Grant Joseph Louis Grant
Developed by	Andy Rex
Written by	Adam Trevor Grant David Brauton Joseph Louis Grant Clint Taylor Tom Kling Andrew Austin
Directed by	Dan Fausett Kenny Thompkins Curt Walstead Clint Taylor Andrew Austin
Creative director(s)	David Brauton (season 1) Andy Rex (season 2) Michael Arnold
Starring	Charlie Schlatter Jessica DiCicco Jason Marsden Rob Paulsen Kevin Michael Richardson Candi Milo
Narrated by	Candi Milo
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	(26 episodes) (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Sander Schwartz
Producer(s)	Ron Myrick Miguel Gaban
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	Kids' WB
Original run	September 17, 2005 (2005-09-17) – May 5, 2007 (2007-05-05)
External links
Website

Loonatics Unleashed is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on the Kids' WB for two seasons from 2005 to 2007 in the United States, Teletoon in Canada, Kids Central (now known as Okto) in Singapore, Cartoon Network's Boomerang in Australia, Cartoon Network in the UK, Southeast Asia and Latin America, and XHGC in Mexico. It is still broadcasting on Clan TVE.

The series was loosely based on the Looney Tunes cartoon characters, with the series described by Warner Bros. as an "action-comedy." Loonatics Unleashed is meant to be a mixture of the Looney Tunes shorts' irreverent style of humor and a modern action animated series, with the characters designed in an anime inspired style. It is the first ever Looney Tunes cartoon series not to recapture the style of the original shorts.

Story

Further information: List of Loonatics Unleashed episodes

The first five episodes of Loonatics Unleashed occur in the year 2772, the year that a meteor strikes the fictional city-planet of Acmetropolis, knocking it completely off its original axis. However, instead of destroying the planet, the impact of the meteor and its resultant shock wave gives off supernatural cosmic energies that give some inhabitants superpowers while incapacitating others. A mysterious and powerful woman called Zadavia calls upon six of the affected residents to form a team of superheroes. She becomes their supervisor, dispatching them for the purpose of combating any and all threats to Acmetropolis and its citizens. The newly formed team is known as the Loonatics and reside on the 125th floor of a large tower. These characters are the descendants of the classic Looney Tunes characters, according to multiple press releases and official sources. Descendants of other Looney Tunes are unverified, though implied in certain situations.

A mysterious character known as Optimatus reveals that the meteor's striking Acmetropolis in 2772 was not an accident but a deliberate attempt to destroy Acmetropolis. Despite his failure in destroying the planet - the first attempt caused the energy release that gave the Loonatics and others their powers; the Loonatics stopped a second attempt with a space rock — he plans to attack the planet a third time. Later, in the two-part season-ending episode, "Acmegeddon," Optimatus returns and is revealed to be Zadavia's brother. He targets the Loonatics, Zadavia and all of Acmetropolis, hoping to destroy them all. They successfully save Acmetropolis along with the rest of the solar system and send Optimatus to an unknown location in the universe via wormhole.

Season 2 introduces many new characters and possible Looney Tunes. A second story arc begins: Optimatus returns, and as old villains reunite, Zadavia and the Loonatics, now joined by Sylth Vester and Tweetums, must save the galaxy once more. Before the series finale ends, Optimatus decides to use his powers for good.

Characters

Main article: List of Loonatics Unleashed characters

The main characters of the series. These characters are the descendants of the classic Looney Tunes characters, according to multiple press releases and official sources. Descendants of other Looney Tunes are unverified.

Ace Bunny

• Voice Actor: Charlie Schlatter

Ace is smart, savvy, a born leader, and Bugs Bunny's descendant, who wears his uniform with yellow accents. An adept martial artist and swords-hare; his sword, as revealed in the second season is a weapon from the planet Freleng (link to Friz Freleng) called the Guardian Strike Sword. Before getting his powers, Ace was a martial arts stunt double in films. He may have a romantic relationship with Lexi as Bugs has with Lola in the past. It's unknown if there's any relation between Ace & Lexi. An example of his concern about Lexi can be seen in the episode "It Came From Outer Space". Ace became a little worried after hearing that Lexi went to Melvin's proposal, and he became protective of her, as Melvin insists that he will take Lexi. Ace loves to play with his opponents before he wins, as his ancestor. However, in cases of someone who has the ability to a level where they could be a potential threat to him and his team dealing with them, he does so accordingly less.

Lexi Bunny

• Voice Actor: Jessica DiCicco

Lexi is the trendy female rabbit, Lola Bunny's descendant, and with pink on her uniform. She is the co-leader alongside Ace since they are close or even equal in almost everything. Before gaining her powers, Lexi was a student at Acmetropolis University who tried to join the school's cheerleading squad. The captain, afraid she was too good, did not accept her. Her relation to Ace, if any, is unclear. She could also be in love with Ace and does seem to care deeply about him. A notable example was when she released some tears when she thought Ace had perished in a ship crash and subsequently embraces him when she saw him alive and well. Lexi occasionally expresses concern about her looks, the first time being in the pilot episode "Loonatics on Ice" when Zadavia tells them about the freeze, Lexi mutters about how wearing a sweater would make her look chubby. A further example is in "The World Is My Circus" after being mutated by the DNA scrambler of RingMaster and Otto she says that they can't keep fighting and the Pepe Le Pew look is not her. This is an ironic statement as she along with all the other Loonatics would eventually encounter Pierre Le Pew (the evil human parody of Pepe Le Pew), who observed her placing a Pterosaur back into the Acmetropolis Zoo (it was implied that he released the animals to be able to recruit Slam to his illegal fights arena) and attempted to flirt with/hit on her by complimenting her looks. Lexi however was predictably repulsed by Pierre's stench and creepy mannerisms. Lexi can greatly amplify her powers, especially her "Brain Blast", when underwater, generating enough power to disturb other sound frequencies and even to cause explosions. This was first seen at the episode "A Creep in the Deep".

Danger Duck

• Voice Actor: Jason Marsden

Danger Duck (or just Duck) is the spotlight hungry, egotistical member of the Loonatics, Daffy Duck's descendant, and wears an orange uniform. Duck longs to one day lead the Loonatics but he tolerates the leadership of Ace. Even though this is clear, it is implied that Duck is the second-in-command due to his power, cunning and proeminence in the series and also by sometimes giving orders, hints or advices that even Ace and Lexi will follow without question. Before gaining his powers, Duck worked as a swimming pool cleaner, and true to form, he dreamed of becoming a lifeguard. He is usually shown up by other characters or angering them with his antics. He is very boastful and has a habit of attempting to re-invent himself (such as requesting name changes for himself, or attempting to add a cape to his uniform). He can also be extremely opportunistic, once trying to be Slam Tasmanian's wrestling manager simply for profit, then haggling with Slam over how much each of them should get (with preference that Duck receive 90% and Slam 10%). Of all the characters, he seems to be used most often as comic relief, despite or perhaps due to his arrogant personality. However, he proves his worth from time to time. Throughout the series, he is rarely called Danger Duck by his team mates and is almost always referred to as just Duck. As shown at the episode "A Creep in the Deep", when underwater, Danger Duck can exhibit its full power in the shape of a powerful energy stream he calls "Aqua Dense", which he uses mainly to blow or blast his enemies away.

Slam Tasmanian

• Voice Actor: Kevin Michael Richardson

Slam is the group's gluttonous, muscle-bound heavyweight, descendant of the Tasmanian Devil (and most likely Tasmanian She-Devil)and has purple on his uniform. Before gaining his powers, Slam was a professional wrestler, called Twisted Spinner (The Terror from Somewhere). His speech sounds like simple grunting of English, but is implied to be dialogue the audience is not meant to understand, like his ancestor. The other Loonatics will sometimes mention what Slam said, effectively translating anything important. In the second season, he speaks better English, but still does not seem fluent in the language.

Tech E. Coyote

• Voice Actor: Kevin Michael Richardson

Tech is the team's technician and Wile E. Coyote's descendant. His specialties include constructing equipment and conducting surveillance, and he has the power of regeneration, a joke based on Wile E. Coyote's habit of being gratuitously harmed in one scene and being perfectly fine seconds later. Caring deeply for his creations, Tech is often unhappy when they are destroyed or severely damaged. Before gaining his powers, Tech was a student at the Acme Institute, where his urge to achieve perfection led to numerous screw-ups. Like his ancestor, Tech relies on scientific doodads with the distinctive difference that he makes them himself, and that they actually work the way he built them. Tech is rather obsessed with his creations, as seen when he exclaims in "The Menace of Mastermind" (after Mastermind tampers with his gizmoes) "What has that ghastly woman done to my babies?!". Tech does not have an English accent, as his ancestor did, but sometimes whimpers (in "Cape Duck"), growls (in "Family Business" and "The Music Villain") and even howls (also in "Cape Duck"). He was the first Loonatic shown to have previously known a villain (Mallory "Mastermind" Casey from the Acme Institute). His uniform contains the color green.

Rev Runner

• Voice Actor: Rob Paulsen

Fast-talking Rev is a head-spinningly quick character, and the Road Runner's descendant with red on his uniform. Unlike his ancestor, who only made a "meep-meep" noise, Rev can actually talk, though usually at high speed, sometimes annoying or confusing others. Before gaining his powers, Rev was a delivery boy for Quick Wrap Sandwich Shack and an inventor. In numerous episodes, it is shown that without his powers, Rev, like his brother Rip, speaks at a normal speed; that is, more slowly than an average anthropomorphic roadrunner (although, curiously, he retains his rapid speech when swapping powers with Tech after an incident with a DNA scrambler in "The World is My Circus." Also, his parents, though seemingly unaffected by the meteor that struck Acmetropolis, talk as fast as him).

Rev talks at a normal pace during the brief time when the villain Drake Sypher stole all the powers of the Loonatics.

Principal Voice Actors

• Charlie Schlatter - Ace Bunny
• Jessica DiCicco - Lexi Bunny
• Jason Marsden - Danger Duck, Rupes Oberon
• Candi Milo - Zadavia, Harriet Runner, Misty Breeze, Queen Grannicus
• Rob Paulsen - Rev Runner, Gorlop, Mr. Leghorn (2nd Time)
• Kevin Michael Richardson - Slam Tasmanian, Tech E. Coyote

Additional Voices

• Charlie Adler - Optimatus
• Joe Alaskey - Melvin the Martian, Sylth Vester, Royal Tweetums, Stoney the Stone
• Dee Bradley Baker - Otto the Odd
• Jeff Bennett - Professor Zane, Dr. Fidel Chroniker
• Bob Bergen - Pinkster Pig
• Dan Castellaneta - Additional voices
• Bootsy Collins - Boötes Belinda
• Jim Cummings - Additional voices
• Kaley Cuoco - Weather Vane
• Tim Curry - Ringmaster
• Grey DeLisle - Apocazons
• Michael Clarke Duncan - Massive
• Jeannie Elias - Additional voices
• Bill Farmer - Mr. Leghorn (1st Time)
• David Faustino - Time Skip
• Vivica A. Fox - Black Velvet
• Mark Hamill - Adolpho
• Florence Henderson - Mallory Mastermind
• Mikey Kelley - Rip Runner
• Tom Kenny - Gunnar the Conqueror
• Maurice LaMarche - Ophiuchus Sam, Pierre Le Pew
• Phil LaMarr - Drake Sypher
• Daran Norris - Alien Dad, Ralph Runner
• Khary Payton - General Deuce
• Cree Summer - Additional voices
• James Arnold Taylor - Bugsy the Bug
• Simon Templeman - Dr. Dare
• Billy West - Electro J. Fudd, Sagittarius Stomper
• Serena Williams - Queen Athena

Crew

• Bootsy Collins - Theme Song Singer (Season Two)
• Jamie Simone - Casting and Voice Director

Reception

The show received mixed reviews from critics, scoring about 5/10 on IMDB. Although having a large fanbase, the show was also greeted with criticism from audiences familiar with the original versions of the Looney Tunes characters; the show received 7.6/10 on TV.com.

DVD release

DVD name	Release date	Ep #	Additional information
The Complete First Season	March 13, 2007	13	Features: Loonatics Unleashed: Villain Invasion.
The Complete Second Season	August 14, 2007	13	No Additional Features.

External links

• Official website
• Loonatics Unleashed at the Internet Movie Database
• Loonatics Unleashed at TV.com
• "Loonatics Promo Short Gives First Look at New Series"
• National Public Radio Talk of the Nation interview about Loonatics Unleashed
• Loonatic Unleashed Teletoon Site