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Loonatics Unleashed is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on September 17, 2005 to May 5, 2007 on The WB, and currently airs on The CW 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.
The series was loosely based on the Looney Tunes cartoon characters, with the series described by Warner Bros.
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Quotations
Dr. Fidel Chroniker:
I've been trying to call you for the last five days.
Duck:
Ahem -- first floor, fresh air, toys. Ladies' undegarments.
Duck:
Fear not! I shall track down those criminin-inals and serve up justice duck style - with a side of melted cheese.
Gunnar the Conqueror:
Let's put this city on ice.
Lexi:
Professor Zane, you may not know this, but you might be in danger.
Lexi:
Uh, there's a party going on in your backpack, Duck.
Encyclopedia
Loonatics Unleashed is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on September 17, 2005 to May 5, 2007 on The WB, and currently airs on The CW 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.
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 a different style.
Pre-debut issues
Loonatics Unleashed generated some criticism among various animation fans for its assumed reinterpretation of the classic Looney Tunes characters. Some original Looney Tunes fans found the concept, style and tone of Loonatics distasteful. Specifically, detractors believed the idea to be a cheap "extreme" marketing ploy to appeal to a demographic at the expense of the classic Warner Bros. characters. Producers explained that Loonatics Unleashed is simply part of the Looney Tunes characters' continuing evolution in contemporary pop culture.
Another issue arose with "Buzz Bunny," the original name of Ace Bunny. Dutch freelance designer and illustrator Metin Seven had copyrighted a character of the same name.
After complaints about the original preproduction character models' appearances, including an Internet petition of protest that was started by 11-year-old Thomas Adams, the producers of the series revised and softened the characters' appearances to make them appear less menacing.
All of these responses came before the program had aired.
Story
The first five episodes of Loonatics Unleashed take place in 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 shockwave gives off supernatural cosmic energies that give some inhabitants superpowers while incapacitating others in its wake. A mysterious and powerful woman called Zadavia calls upon six of the affected residents that live in Acmetropolis 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, according to the episode "The World is My Circus." 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.
Later, in the episode "The Comet Cometh," the city's citizens are celebrating the first anniversary of the Loonatics' debut, which means that it can be assumed that the episode and all subsequent episodes up to "The Music Villain" take place in the year 2773 (unless indicated otherwise). Additionally, a mysterious character, now known as Optimatus, debuts in the final moments of the episode. He states that the meteor's striking Acmetropolis in 2772 was not an incidental event but actually a deliberate attempt to destroy Acmetropolis. Despite his attempts to destroy the planet ending in failure--the first having caused the energy release that gave the Loonatics and others their powers, and the Loonatics stopping a second attempt with a larger space rock in the episode--he states that 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 the earth 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 characters' descendants (ex. Ophiucus Sam, Sylth Vester, Royal Tweetums, Queen Granicus, Pinkster Pig, Melvin the Martian, Electro J. Fudd, Gorlop, Stoney and Bugsy, Sagittarius Stomper and his Mom). The animation style for the Loonatics has changed slightly, and the characters all gain new powers and new gadgets. The final 3 episodes of season 2 starting with the "The Music Villain" could possibly take place in 2774 due to a possible indication at the beginning of "The Music Villain" that the Loonatics are at Zadavia's residence for an overview of their performances over the past year. A second overall story arc is now introduced; Optimatus is back, and he wants Tweetums. As old villains reunite, Zadavia and the Loonatics, now joined by Sylth Vester and Tweetums, must save the galaxy once more. Before the season finale ends, Optimatus decides to use his powers for good.
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
Ace is an adroit, quick-witted, and action-driven leader who galvanizes his crew for each mission. He is also a very capable martial artist and swordsman. His weapon of choice is a collapsible sword, revealed in the second season to be a Frelengian energy weapon (a reference to Friz Freleng) called the Guardian Strike Sword. Before gaining his powers, Ace was a martial arts stunt double working for a movie studio. Ace is a descendant of Bugs Bunny, right down to the Brooklyn accent, and wears a yellow uniform. He could be in love with Lexi as Bugs possibly was with Lola in the past. However, they could be biologically related as closely as siblings or as distant as fourth cousins. Whether this is so to any degree, is not revealed. He does appear the most concerned about her and he spends more time with her than the other Loonatics. An example of his concern for Lexi can seen in the episode "It Came from Outer Space". Ace had become slightly distressed after hearing that Lexi had gone on Melvin's offer and he became protective of her upon Melvin insisting he will take Lexi. Both Ace and Lexi lack the buck teeth their ancestors had, though they both lack the whiskers. According to the WB website, Ace enjoys playing with his adversaries before finishing them, like his ancestor. However in cases of someone who possesses abilities to a level where they could be a potential threat to him and his team in dealing with them, he does so less. e.g. Massive, Sypher, Optimatus and Deuce.
Abilities and weapons:
- Agility
- Optical enhancement: Infrared laser-lock vision.
- Laser vision: Can fire laser blasts from his eyes.
- Guardian Strike Sword (weapon)
Lexi Bunny
Lexi is the trendy female anthropomorphic rabbit. Just as seductive as her ancestor 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. Lexi is a descendant of Lola Bunny, and wears a pink uniform. Her relation to Ace, if any, as well as whether Bugs and Lola (or their descendants) had children together is unclear (If so and it was from Bugs and Lola then they can be up to 4th cousins assuming they come from two different immediate families). She could also be in love with Ace and does seem to care deeply about him. This was evidenced by how she reacted to the possibility of him being dead in "Acmegeddon, Part Two" (she cried, and later hugged him), while conveniently ignoring the fact that Rev could also be dead. Aside from that, however, whatever concern she may have for his safety she seems to keep well hidden. However there may be a couple of examples where she showed mild concern but not something of a deep emotional display, i.e in "A Creep In The Deep" she told Duck off when he failed to save Ace from being captured by Adolpho and in "The Hunter", she asked why he had to let Electro capture him considering how risky it could be. In "In search of Tweetums", Lexi was the first one to run to Ace's side after he banished Deuce through a wormhole in the generator area of wormhole central by using the Guardian Strike Sword on the point where Tweetum's sceptre was located to power the machine. The effort leaving him exhausted, he subsequently collapsed. In "A Creep in the Deep" when attempting to fire a "Brain Blast" underwater it was heightened to a crude yet powerful psionic explosion that disrupted Adolpho's mind control over the sea creatures with the help of Danger Duck saving Acmetropolis from being sunk. 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. Another example is in "Stop the World I Want To Get Off" when she asked if Tech could find a way of reverting their weight to normal without making them look bloated. 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 Pierre attempted to flirt with/hit on her by complimenting her looks. Lexi however was predictably repulsed by Pierre's stench and creepy mannerisms. Recently Lexi drank nectar made by Queen Athena, which gave her the ability to control plants.
Abilities:
- Agility
- Sonic hearing: Possesses expert eavesdropping skills and hyper-sensitive hearing.
- Brain blast: The ability to shoot concentrated "psi balls" from the top of her head.
- Plant control: The ability to mentally control the growth of plants by emitting brain blast at a chosen plant, and the ability to swiftly create plants (since this was not one of her original powers and she has not used it since, it may be assumed that this was only temporary).
Danger Duck
Danger Duck (usually referred to as just Duck) is the spotlight hungry, egoistical member of the Loonatics and wears an orange uniform. Duck longs to one day lead the Loonatics, though he does seem to tolerate Ace's leadership. Before gaining his powers, Duck worked as a swimming pool cleaner, and true to form, he dreamed of becoming a lifeguard. Duck is a descendant of Daffy Duck (who is also Duck Dodgers when Daffy is frozen in a block of ice), and possibly Melissa Duck, his voice sounding similar to Daffy Duck, but without the trademark lisp. 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.
In "A Creep in the Deep", Duck developed a new way to use his powers. Dubbing the power "Aqua Dense", Duck used it single handedly to propel a boat out of a whirlpool and reverse the flow of another whirlpool with help from Lexi Bunny. In "Cape Duck" he seemed to be able to mentally guide the direction of his "Aqua Dense" blasts when using it against Stomper in the sewers.
In the episode "In the Pinkster", we find that Duck is revealed as the second person to personally know a villain as his buddy Pinkster turned out to be a villain much to his horror (Pinkster was one person whom Duck could be considered having a "brotherly love" for as he begged Ace to let him join. Scolded the newsreporter for calling Pinkster a helping failure and when it was the night before the Curium when speaking to Ace and the rest he admitted that despite Pinkster's clumsiness maybe there was something he could do that they hadn't thought of). It was revealed in this episode that Duck grew up in an orphanage with his best friend Pinkster and was adopted by a human couple.
Abilities:
- Power Orb Randomizer: Tosses powerful flaming spheres of energy (often referred to as "eggs"). Results of impact appear to randomize, common results being water, explosive concussion and tar. On some occasioins his eggs generate random substances such as orange juce and cake.
- Quantum Quack: The ability to teleport (or "quack" as Duck himself calls it) short distances from one place to another.
- Aqua Dense: When throwing his "eggs" near water, Duck instead fires powerful blast of aquatic energy. Duck has also used this ability to control the flow and direction of water, endowing him with hydrokinesis.
Slam Tasmanian
Slam is the group's muscle-bound heavyweight and wears a purple uniform. Slam is a descendant of Taz, the Tasmanian Devil and most likely Tasmanian She-Devil. 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.
Abilities:
- Superhuman strength
- Tornado Maximizer: The ability to spin into a tornado form, like his ancestor, only more powerful.
- Thunder Mode: The ability to Launch small (electric) tornadoes from his arms (According to the opening credits, he can use these powers at a "spin level" of "8447.8"), as well as spinning into a near-unstoppable electrical hurricane, he has also generated flame through friction.
Tech E. Coyote
Tech serves as the team's technician and has super intelligence. His specialties include constructing equipment and conducting surveillance. Caring deeply for his creations, he 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. Tech E. is a descendant of Wile E. Coyote, and wears a green uniform. 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 does not have an English accent, as his ancestor did. He was the first Loonatic shown to have previously personally known a villain (Mallory "Mastermind" Casey from the Acme Institute).
Tech is good friends with Rev, despite the legendary rivalry between coyotes and roadrunners.
Abilities:
- Superhuman Intelligence: A trait that he inherited from his ancestors.
- Magnetism Activated: The ability to create magnetic pulses that allow him to levitate metallic objects and scramble electronics.
- Molecular Regeneration: In clear reference to his ancestor's accident-prone tendencies, Tech possesses a healing factor (usually from disintegration) that renders him nearly indestructible (because of this, it has been a running gag for Tech to get blown to bits in comical fashion), but not invulnerable or immune to pain (much like the puppet character, Captain Scarlet and the Men in Black character Jeebs).
Rev Runner
Rev is a head-spinningly quick character, in more ways than one. He is a descendant of Road Runner, and wears a red 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 inventor who was always late, even while using rocket skates he created.
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 the 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").
A lesser noted fact is that Rev is actually quite intelligent. He often serves as Tech's technical assistant, and frequently translates Tech's highly scientific vocabulary when the other Loonatics fail to understand him. Rev can usually solve (or at least understand) problems and situations that would otherwise be considered Tech's exclusive field of expertise. In the second season, the bright/inventor aspect of his character was featured, to the point of creating some rivalry between him and Tech. However, the episode "Family Business" proved that Tech is the better inventor.
Rev is the only Loonatic that cannot physically harm the enemy via projected energy attacks, though he has often used his enhanced speed to augment his kicks as shown against Massive. It is possible that Rev's family and all other roadrunners gained their humanoid limbs and speech ability through evolution.
Rev's name may have been inspired by rapper Rev Run.
Abilities:
- Flight
- Sonic Speed (according to the credits, he can run at a speed level of 9887.9, much faster than his ancestor.)
- Global Positioning: Rev possesses a sixth sense that functions as a psychic GPS-tracking system that allows him to locate the position of other organisms.
Equipment
Weapons and gear used by the Loonatics and usually made by Tech E. Coyote. They are referred to as "the toys" by Ace, despite Tech's insistence that they are "hand-crafted precision alloy instruments."
- Retrofire Master Blaster (First Used: "Loonatics on Ice") The Retrofire Master Blasters were used to melt the giant iceberg that appeared in Acmetropolis. They were specially equipped with a 'Thaw' mode to melt it, but it seemed to have no effect whatsoever.
- Zoomatrixes (First Used: "Loonatics on Ice") The Zoomatrixes are a series of motorcycles developed by Tech for urban transport. They are capable of changing into an alternate mode which give the vehicles flight capabilities. They are also able to join together to form a flying platform capable of launching missiles and disruptor discs.
- Exo-Vac 2400X (First Used: "Attack of the Fuzz Balls") The Exo-Vac 2400X was constructed by Tech to suck up all the Fuz-Zs in Acmetropolis when the Loonatics learn that the Fuz-Zs transform into monsters whenever they eat chocolate. When Lexi and Danger are caught by Professor Zane, the rest of the Loonatics drop off the Fuz-Zs at HQ and initiate the "Turbo Vac-Jet Mode" of the vehicle to speed to Zane's lair to rescue their captured comrades. Tech has also called the Exo-Vac the "Ultimate Urban Vacuum."
- Ninjizer 500 (First Used: "Cloak of Black Velvet") When the Loonatics head into the zeppelin to rescue Tech, who is now brainwashed by Black Velvet, Ace brings along the Ninjizer 500, which is powerful enough to cut through steel walls with its "Beam Mode." It also shoots nunchakus and shurikens, which somehow reflects the martial-arts expertise of Ace Bunny.
- Supersonic Transport (First Used: "Cloak of Black Velvet") The Loonatics use this ship to get into Black Velvet's zeppelin. It can travel at a remarkably high speed and has amazing maneuverability. This high-altitude aircraft is also used in "Apocalypso".
- Grapple Gun (First Used: "Weathering Heights") All that is know about the Grapple Gun is that it was used by Ace and Tech to pull themselves and their comrades out of Weathervane's tornadoes.
- Port-a-lab (First Used: "Weathering Heights") A ship Tech just built which he flew to the biggest and hottest volcano on the planet to defeat the Storm Dragon. However, he had to leave it as it was destroyed by lava.
- Mobile Magma Mover ( First Used: "Going Underground") A big drilling machine Tech built to drill through solid rock. It was used by the Loonatics to search for Dr. Dare. However, a sudden stop short circuited the engines. Luckily, Tech was able to divert reserve power to the front thrusters but since he didn't have a long extension cord, he used himself as a conductor, which jump started the engines. The vehicle is cylindrical shaped with three drills at the front and protected by titanium double shielding.
- The Tech E. Coyote Space Stream 8000 (First Used: "The Comet Cometh") The Space Stream was built by Tech to get to Optimatus' second meteor. On the way to the big chunk of rock, a wave of cosmic energy strikes the ship and sends it tumbling back down to Acmetropolis. Rev quickly downloads a copy of the piloting software from HQ and gets the ship moving again. The ship has a built-in Laser Amplifier that increases Ace's laser vision power to a 'googol' times.(A googol is a one followed by a hundred zeros). However, when it was used, it only peeled off a layer of atmospheric dust. Duck has often called the Space Stream a "flying dinner plate" because it is based on a flying saucer.
- Gluco-Gel 9000 (First Used: "The World is My Circus") The Gluco-Gel 9000 was designed by Tech to encase targets in a cube of gel. He first used it when he was being transformed into a Galactic Oddity by shooting the DNA Scrambler, thus destroying it. He next used it after the battle with an Oddity version of the Ringmaster by encasing the Ringmaster and Otto in gel cubes.This invention was used again in "The Music Villain".
- DNA De-Scrambler (First Used: "The World is My Circus") The DNA De-Scrambler counteracts the effect of Otto's DNA Scrambler, returning anything that was affected by the latter to normal form. Normally it would take at least two weeks before one could be made, but Tech said he could make one in five minutes with Rev's super-speed. Tech first used it on the transformed children, then himself and the other Loonatics, and finally Zadavia. In the battle with the Ringmaster Oddity, it was destroyed when one of its tentacles smashed it.
- Gravity Stabilizer Gyro (First Used: "Stop the World I Want to Get Off") Built to nullify the effects of Massive's powers, the Gravity Stabilizer Gyro restores anything that it is pointed at to normal gravity. Tech was able to make a handcuff version to prevent Massive from using his powers. Tech also used it on a robot Massive in "The Hunter".
- Nano Bionic Armor (First Used: "Sypher" Redesigned: "Acmegeddon - Part II" Redesigned: "The Fall of Blank" and "Searching for Tweetums") When all the Loonatics' powers have been stolen by Sypher, Tech constructs six unique exosuits that are designed to replicate and deflect their individual powers. Ace's Exosuit has Laser Goggles, copying his laser vision. Lexi's Exosuit has a Supersonic Scream to turn Sypher's ultra-sensitive hearing against him, and Tech's suit has Electromagnetic Palms. Rev's suit has Speed Accelerator Technology, and Slam's suit has Circular Jets so he can spin into his Tasmanian Tornado form. Danger's Exosuit has "jellybeans" that randomly change constantly (when one hit Sypher's face, it turned into tar). Danger was rather put off by this, and Tech explained that he had come up with all of it in five minutes. All the Exosuits are colored blue. Later, the Exosuit design is recolored red and enhanced to serve as the space suits that the Loonatics get from Zadavia. In "The Fall of Blank" and "Searching for Tweetums", the suits' color is changed once more to black, with some parts color-coded according to which Loonatic it belongs to. The suits are also bulkier (enhancing their protective abilities as body armour) in the Season 2 finale.
- Guardian Strike Sword: (First used: "Loonatics on Ice") This is Ace Bunny's collapsible weapon of choice. It was given to him by Zadavia when he first joined the Loonatics. Its name was revealed in the second season, along with the fact that it has hidden powers of its own.
- Atomic Phase Departiculator (First Used: "Cape Duck") Tech made this to take down Stomper, it can phase-shift solid to liquid and liquid to gas, a random beam from this device released Dr. Dare from his petrified state allowing him to terrorize the city once more.
- X3000 Weapons System (First Used: "It Came From Outer Space") Tech designed this system so it looks like a video game. Rev and Lexi inadvertently use it to destroy Melvin's space station. This system also makes a cameo in "Apocalypso".
- Molecular Reconstructor (First Used: "It Came From Outer Space" Seen again: "The Family Business") Tech used this device to grow shrunken parts of Acmetropolis back to normal size. It was later stolen by Rev's brother, Rip, after the latter was dominated by a Biotech Brain Parasite. Rip used it to enlarge toys of Rev's design, turning them into dangerous rampaging machines.
- Trojan Horse (First Used: "It Came From Outer Space") The only information shown about this spaceship so far was that it transported Ace, Duck, Rev and Slam to Melvin's battleship and it distracted Melvin long enough for Ace and Duck to rescue Lexi.
- Tech-Nabber 6000 (First Used: "In The Pinkster") Tech designed this platform to catch Stoney and Bugsy. It can capture any solid object via a net or a robot arm. Pinkster "accidentally" caught Ace and Duck with it.
- Tech-Nabber 7000 (First Used: "In The Pinkster")An upgraded version of the previous. It backfired when Stoney and Bugsy caught Tech and Rev with it, causing Rev to wonder aloud if it really was upgraded (until silenced, much to Techs relief).
- Acme Alert 8000 (First Used: "In The Pinkster") This advanced security system was created by Tech to guard the Curium 247 that Stoney and Bugsy were trying to steal. (Actually, the Curium was fake. It was used to lure Stoney and Bugsy.) When Pinkster chased his can into the system's detecting range, it fired weapons, therefore the Acme Alert 8000 must have been based on the X3000 Weapons System.
DVD Release
| DVD Name | Release Date | Ep # | Additional Information |
|---|
| The Complete First Season | March 13 2007],] | 13 | Featurette: Loonatics Unleashed: Villain Invasion.kj | | The Complete Second Season | [[August 14]] [[2007]] | 13 | No Additional Features. |
External links
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