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Battletoads

 Battletoads
type
TVTItem
 Battletoads
label
Battletoads
 Battletoads
page
Battletoads
 Battletoads
comment
In 1992, Battletoads was a hot game and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon was still going strong. Given the similarity between the two properties, it stood to reason that a good Animated Adaptation could give the games better Pop-Cultural Osmosis.Someone must have thought so, because a Battletoads cartoon series, produced by DiC Entertainment, was launched.The pilot was shown on Thanksgiving 1992. It is a prequel to the game, but does not provide the same backstory as the one published in Nintendo Power. It appeared to be based on a very, very obscure comic adaptation printed in some other gaming magazines at the time, rather than the game itself. In this origin story, Morgan Ziegler, Dave Shar, and George Pie are, rather than computer technicians, three teenage losers from Oxnard, California who are squirted with Super Serum by Professor T. Bird and turned into the Battletoads. Tasked with defending the Princess from the Dark Queen, they receive the "ancient names of honor": Zitz, Rash and Pimple.It was directed by Kent Butterworth and written by David Wise, who were both major figures in the development of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series (Butterworth was a senior animator on almost every episode; Wise was the head writer for the majority of its run, and not to be confused in this context with the David Wise who wrote the music for the Battletoads games). A natural expectation would be these guys would make a decent TMNT-alike show.The pilot bombed spectacularly. The aborted series is a textbook example of a Stillborn Franchise: a niche work being rammed into another medium, adaptation changes alienating the existing fans, critical panning, and a failure to capture a new mainstream audience. No further episodes were broadcast, and it likely destroyed any chance of a good Battletoads series ever being made, and it is now often compared to the Bubsy pilot.For many years it was nearly forgotten (though it was released on VHS in 1994), buried in the wasteland alongside hundreds of other failed TV pilots, until rediscovered by the Internet. See it in its 30 minutes of glory here. An MST-style version by Retsupurae's Diabetus is here. The Annotated Series has also covered it.
 Battletoads
fetched
2023-08-27T04:30:45Z
 Battletoads
parsed
2023-08-27T04:30:45Z
 Battletoads
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Battletoads / int_136b7ccd
type
Ms. Fanservice
 Battletoads / int_136b7ccd
comment
Ms Fan Service: Princess Angelica, in her pale blue princess gown with the shoulder straps down off her shoulders, and later, in a skimpy french maid outfit. The Dark Queen, in her black leotard and red cape.
 Battletoads / int_136b7ccd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_136b7ccd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_136b7ccd
 Battletoads / int_15184afb
type
This Loser Is You
 Battletoads / int_15184afb
comment
This Loser Is You: The three Battletoads start out as "the biggest losers in the history of Waldo P. Oxnard Junior High."
 Battletoads / int_15184afb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_15184afb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_15184afb
 Battletoads / int_1d6ac70d
type
Dagwood Sandwich
 Battletoads / int_1d6ac70d
comment
Dagwood Sandwich: At one point, the principal is seen making one. It falls apart before he can eat it, though.
 Battletoads / int_1d6ac70d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_1d6ac70d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_1d6ac70d
 Battletoads / int_21fd09a7
type
How Do I Shot Web?
 Battletoads / int_21fd09a7
comment
How Do I Shot Web?: In the course of their first fight Rash activates a Smash Hit attack by accident. As soon as the professor tells them to "think with your hands" to do so in the future, they pretty much master it right away.
 Battletoads / int_21fd09a7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_21fd09a7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_21fd09a7
 Battletoads / int_2b5ab7c1
type
Analogy Backfire
 Battletoads / int_2b5ab7c1
comment
Analogy Backfire: "Life is one big basketball game!" Um...what?
 Battletoads / int_2b5ab7c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_2b5ab7c1
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_2b5ab7c1
 Battletoads / int_2df8760d
type
Frog Men
 Battletoads / int_2df8760d
comment
Frog Men: The eponymous heroes.
 Battletoads / int_2df8760d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_2df8760d
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_2df8760d
 Battletoads / int_33d5b7f2
type
Adapted Out
 Battletoads / int_33d5b7f2
comment
Adapted Out: Curiously, Robo-Manus is nowhere to be seen in the pilot.
 Battletoads / int_33d5b7f2
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1.0
 Battletoads / int_33d5b7f2
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_33d5b7f2
 Battletoads / int_351e0e53
type
Dean Bitterman
 Battletoads / int_351e0e53
comment
Dean Bitterman: The Principal, who for some reason has it in for the main three and threatens to suspend them if they keep hanging out together.
 Battletoads / int_351e0e53
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1.0
 Battletoads / int_351e0e53
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_351e0e53
 Battletoads / int_389b0e
type
Title Theme Tune
 Battletoads / int_389b0e
comment
Title Theme Tune: A surf pop song announcing that "here we come" and that "we're the Battletoads!"
 Battletoads / int_389b0e
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1.0
 Battletoads / int_389b0e
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_389b0e
 Battletoads / int_38a57680
type
Flying Car
 Battletoads / int_38a57680
comment
Flying Car: Introduced with a Back to the Future Shout-Out: "Where we're going, we don't need tires!"
 Battletoads / int_38a57680
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_38a57680
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_38a57680
 Battletoads / int_3a88a563
type
Vocal Dissonance
 Battletoads / int_3a88a563
comment
Vocal Dissonance: Morgan and Dave's voices really seem out of place in their Battletoad forms. George's still works, but it should be deeper as Pimple.
 Battletoads / int_3a88a563
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_3a88a563
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_3a88a563
 Battletoads / int_422cefe3
type
True Blue Femininity
 Battletoads / int_422cefe3
comment
Princess Angelica, in her pale blue princess gown with the shoulder straps down off her shoulders, and later, in a skimpy french maid outfit.
 Battletoads / int_422cefe3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_422cefe3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_422cefe3
 Battletoads / int_43e36f2f
type
Acrofatic
 Battletoads / int_43e36f2f
comment
Acrofatic: George is by far the largest of the main trio but is actually able to move pretty quickly around a basketball court and even manages to jump high enough to do a slam dunk. (Though ends up going through the hoop himself in the process.)
 Battletoads / int_43e36f2f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_43e36f2f
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_43e36f2f
 Battletoads / int_43eb61dc
type
Villain Teleportation
 Battletoads / int_43eb61dc
comment
Villain Teleportation: Including teleporting through the spigot of a frozen drink dispenser as a visual gag.
 Battletoads / int_43eb61dc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_43eb61dc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_43eb61dc
 Battletoads / int_571bfe2
type
Super Serum
 Battletoads / int_571bfe2
comment
Super Serum: The genetic essence of the ancient Battletoads.
 Battletoads / int_571bfe2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_571bfe2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_571bfe2
 Battletoads / int_580be152
type
Adaptational Modesty
 Battletoads / int_580be152
comment
Adaptational Modesty: The Dark Queen is slightly more modest in design, though still startlingly underdressed by Saturday Morning cartoon standards.
 Battletoads / int_580be152
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_580be152
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_580be152
 Battletoads / int_6293c185
type
Sequel Hook
 Battletoads / int_6293c185
comment
Sequel Hook: "The Beginning..." Doubly ironic, as the franchise itself went dormant after this pilot and the arcade game.
 Battletoads / int_6293c185
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_6293c185
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_6293c185
 Battletoads / int_6a4f3cf7
type
Took a Level in Dumbass
 Battletoads / int_6a4f3cf7
comment
Took a Level in Dumbass: The Battletoads are decidedly dumber here than in the games. George/Pimple gets it the worst.
 Battletoads / int_6a4f3cf7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_6a4f3cf7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_6a4f3cf7
 Battletoads / int_6bf93fc7
type
FanService
 Battletoads / int_6bf93fc7
comment
Fanservice: Having captured Princess Angelica, the Dark Queen hangs her spreadeagled on a wall (dressed in a skimpy french maid outfit) and threatens her with an Agony Beam to extort control of the MacGuffin from her.
 Battletoads / int_6bf93fc7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_6bf93fc7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_6bf93fc7
 Battletoads / int_7f48a2b2
type
"YEAH!" Shot
 Battletoads / int_7f48a2b2
comment
"YEAH!" Shot: At the end.
 Battletoads / int_7f48a2b2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_7f48a2b2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_7f48a2b2
 Battletoads / int_86ae1278
type
Adaptational Dumbass
 Battletoads / int_86ae1278
comment
Adaptational Dumbass: In this series, the toads come off as dumber than they do in the games. Justified as they're teenagers still in high school.
 Battletoads / int_86ae1278
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_86ae1278
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_86ae1278
 Battletoads / int_87b8f581
type
Refusal of the Call
 Battletoads / int_87b8f581
comment
Refusal of the Call: One of the shortest examples ever. Zitz refuses to help the guy who just turned them into giant toads when confronted by the Dark Queen, then immediately changes his mind and attacks when she grabs Princess Angelica.
 Battletoads / int_87b8f581
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_87b8f581
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_87b8f581
 Battletoads / int_8b69997a
type
Crunchtastic
 Battletoads / int_8b69997a
comment
George/Pimple saying "Cosmic" in various Crunchtastic ways ("Cosmerific," for example) and Dave/Rash's "Psychotronic!"
 Battletoads / int_8b69997a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_8b69997a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_8b69997a
 Battletoads / int_9a7f6233
type
Fictional Video Game
 Battletoads / int_9a7f6233
comment
Fictional Video Game: Any resemblance between "Galaxy Wars" and any Real Life arcade game is coincidental.
 Battletoads / int_9a7f6233
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_9a7f6233
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_9a7f6233
 Battletoads / int_a3049ac6
type
The Chosen Zero
 Battletoads / int_a3049ac6
comment
The Chosen Zero: The princess and T. Bird literally just give their Super Serum to the first three humans they see, those humans happen to be "the biggest losers in Oxnard."
 Battletoads / int_a3049ac6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_a3049ac6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_a3049ac6
 Battletoads / int_a65288e2
type
Ascended Extra
 Battletoads / int_a65288e2
comment
Ascended Extra: Princess Angelica gets lines and some personality, which is more than she ever got in the games.
 Battletoads / int_a65288e2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_a65288e2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_a65288e2
 Battletoads / int_a6c69bd
type
MacGuffin
 Battletoads / int_a6c69bd
comment
MacGuffin: Princess Angelica's amulet.
 Battletoads / int_a6c69bd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_a6c69bd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_a6c69bd
 Battletoads / int_aa42306e
type
Totally Radical
 Battletoads / int_aa42306e
comment
Totally Radical: The characters non-ironically use catchphrases like "psychotronic" and "cosmerific".
 Battletoads / int_aa42306e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_aa42306e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_aa42306e
 Battletoads / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 Battletoads / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Morgan/Zitz. After he and the others reveal their form as the Battletoads to their school and the principal orders for the police to be called:
 Battletoads / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_ae3d6438
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_ae3d6438
 Battletoads / int_b13bb418
type
Alien Among Us
 Battletoads / int_b13bb418
comment
Alien Among Us: Subverted, T. Bird walks around openly and doesn't seem to be at all afraid of being seen. Played somewhat straight with Angelica, who tries to work like a normal human.
 Battletoads / int_b13bb418
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Battletoads / int_b13bb418
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_b13bb418
 Battletoads / int_b4eff8a8
type
Epic Fail
 Battletoads / int_b4eff8a8
comment
Epic Fail: Morgan/Zitz making a computer monitor explode just by pressing a few keys and Princess Angelica making a jelly doughnut explode by gently pinching it. Though the latter might have been an animation error.
 Battletoads / int_b4eff8a8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_b4eff8a8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_b4eff8a8
 Battletoads / int_b8e3f20a
type
Demoted to Extra
 Battletoads / int_b8e3f20a
comment
Demoted to Extra: Boss enemies from the games like Big Blag and General Vermin appear in the show, but only as no-dialogue background characters.
 Battletoads / int_b8e3f20a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_b8e3f20a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_b8e3f20a
 Battletoads / int_bcc4b873
type
By the Power of Grayskull!
 Battletoads / int_bcc4b873
comment
By the Power of Grayskull!: "Let's get warty!" "Let's get normal!" to return to human form.
 Battletoads / int_bcc4b873
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_bcc4b873
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_bcc4b873
 Battletoads / int_d68c925d
type
Creator Provincialism
 Battletoads / int_d68c925d
comment
Creator Provincialism: Oxnard, California "sounds so mysterious"?
 Battletoads / int_d68c925d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_d68c925d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_d68c925d
 Battletoads / int_d99a228f
type
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
 Battletoads / int_d99a228f
comment
Unusually Uninteresting Sight: The cashier at the Stop N' Scarf doesn't look up from his newspaper/magazine once during the Diner Brawl.
 Battletoads / int_d99a228f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_d99a228f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_d99a228f
 Battletoads / int_e034faef
type
Limited Animation
 Battletoads / int_e034faef
comment
Limited Animation: To the point where characters walk by moving their cels. The lack of animation budget might have been the biggest negative that kept the show from generating interest.
 Battletoads / int_e034faef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_e034faef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_e034faef
 Battletoads / int_e6b5d22f
type
Catchphrase
 Battletoads / int_e6b5d22f
comment
Catchphrase: "'Toads rule!" George/Pimple saying "Cosmic" in various Crunchtastic ways ("Cosmerific," for example) and Dave/Rash's "Psychotronic!"
 Battletoads / int_e6b5d22f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_e6b5d22f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_e6b5d22f
 Battletoads / int_f01a1b71
type
Insignificant Little Blue Planet
 Battletoads / int_f01a1b71
comment
Insignificant Little Blue Planet: According to T-Bird, Earth is "so backward and insignificant that the Dark Queen never bothered to conquer it."
 Battletoads / int_f01a1b71
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_f01a1b71
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_f01a1b71
 Battletoads / int_f142aaf5
type
Diner Brawl
 Battletoads / int_f142aaf5
comment
Diner Brawl: The first Fight Scene.
 Battletoads / int_f142aaf5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_f142aaf5
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1.0
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_f142aaf5
 Battletoads / int_f8b8f119
type
We Don't Need Roads
 Battletoads / int_f8b8f119
comment
We Don't Need Roads: T-Bird modified the car so it can travel between galaxies, saying "Where we're going, we don't need tires". A Shout-Out to Back to the Future.
 Battletoads / int_f8b8f119
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_f8b8f119
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 Battletoads
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Battletoads / int_f8b8f119
 Battletoads / int_fc7c4f92
type
Canon Immigrant
 Battletoads / int_fc7c4f92
comment
Canon Immigrant: The Toads' human names get used in their bios for the arcade game.
 Battletoads / int_fc7c4f92
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_fc7c4f92
featureConfidence
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 Battletoads
hasFeature
Battletoads / int_fc7c4f92
 Battletoads / int_fd94c4ac
type
Theme Naming
 Battletoads / int_fd94c4ac
comment
Theme Naming: Morgan Ziegler becomes Zitz, George Pie becomes Pimple, and Dave Shar becomes Rash.
 Battletoads / int_fd94c4ac
featureApplicability
1.0
 Battletoads / int_fd94c4ac
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1.0
 Battletoads
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Battletoads / int_fd94c4ac
 Battletoads / int_ff7e9adf
type
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
 Battletoads / int_ff7e9adf
comment
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Blonde Princess Angelica, in her light blue princess gown, makes a striking contrast to the Dark Queen in her black leotard and red cape.
 Battletoads / int_ff7e9adf
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 Battletoads / int_ff7e9adf
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Battletoads / int_ff7e9adf
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ItemName
 Battletoads / int_name
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Battletoads

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Battletoads
hasFeature
By the Power of Grayskull! / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Creator Provincialism / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Failed Pilot Episode / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Fat Comic Relief / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Frog Men / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Insignificant Little Blue Planet / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
One-Episode Wonder / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
Pilot / int_a5517131
 Battletoads
hasFeature
The Anime of the Game / int_a5517131
 BattleToads
sameAs
Battletoads