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Ulysses 31 - Complete
RRP: £24.99
Our Price: £9.97 (subject to change)
A true classic, worth watching
Review date: 2008-06-12 Rating: 10 out of 10
I vaguely remembred watching this when I was a kid. The images of the Trident ships and the music always stuck in my head. Its really worth catching this series at a bargain price. Every episode for less than a tenner!
Its very dark, unlike many cartoons today, and you constantly wonder if Ulyses will ever get home. Even the final episode has you guessing if the gods will release Ulyses and his crew from the curse they put on them.
Unlike its contemporarys this cartoon is not trying to sell you a toy, and thats refreshing I feel. The focus is on the story, not a product!
The crossing of greek mythology and science-fiction seems odd at first, but believe me it works. The classic story has been brilliantly retold and imagined. The backdrops are eye popping, Ulyses' ship the Odysee is a work of art, as unique in its design as the USS Enterprise.
The title credits have been cut down, but its only noticible if you've seen the full length version. This can be seen in all its glory on various websites. Oh, and finally, the theme music rocks!!!!!!!!
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Reviews
By the Great Galaxy!
Review date: 2008-04-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
One of the most memorable cartoon series of my childhood, Ulysses 31 is that rare specimen - an animated series that is still just as enjoyable now as when you saw it as a kid. Yes, the animation can be a little basic at times, and the 'comic' antics of token robot Nono can be annoying, but the sheer epic feel of the series, and the atmosphere it creates, thanks largley to some very moody backgrounds, intelligent and surprisingly sombre storylines and a stunning soundtrack more than compensate for that. Standout episodes are: The Eternal Punishment, The Seat of Forgetfulness, The Magic Spells of Circe and The Kingdom Of Hades. Yes, it is a kids series, but there's enough substance here to appeal to adults, and it's unusually dark and thought-provoking at times which adds to it's appeal. Excellent stuff!
Outstanding example of a cartoon series
Review date: 2007-09-14 Rating: 10 out of 10
I loved Ulysses 31 back in the 80s, I've also managed to catch repeats on various satellite channels over the years, and every time it manages to suck me back in.
As the other reviewers have said, the story funnily enough follows the trials of Ulysses (should ring a bell with any Greek Mythology fans!)... with Ulysses falling foul of the Gods and being forced to fruitlessly search for an end to his crew's stasis, and to find 'home' (See Quantum Leap etc. - the concept of endlessly searching for a way home has been overdone just a little!)...
The animation is cool, a little dated now, but what really sold it to me was the storylines - they're very strong on morality, and justice, and the seemingly endless ways in which Ulysses gets punished.
And the theme music is awesome - I even had it as a ringtone for a while, it'll get stuck in your head!
The only downside is that the sleeping crew scared the hell out of me as a kid (is that just me?!) - they really freaked me out, especially on the episodes where they get possessed by the Gods... reminds me now of David Cronenburg's Coma... still freaks me out now lol! But then I am a bit of a wuss, I'm sure kids nowadays aren't gonna be scared of that!
Just like I remembered it
Review date: 2006-09-29 Rating: 10 out of 10
I watched Ulysses as a kid back in the 80s. My memory of the series was sketchy, but I remembered being hooked on it. Really speaking it was quite moving and powerful stuff for a half-past-four after school and has stood out in my mind ever since. Having been reminded of it after reminiscing with some mates about Childrens TV I decided I really wanted to see it again!! The stand out episodes for me are 'Calypso' and 'The Kingdom of Hades' which were every bit as powerful, moving and thought-provoking as I remembered them. Yes the presentation of the DVD set is disappointing as others have commented, but don't let this detract from the original quality of the material. Parents: show this to your offspring. They'll be spellbound.
Excellent series - well worth buying if you loved 'Cities of Gold' also
Review date: 2006-09-22 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is made by the same French-Japanese co-production team as the also brilliant Mysterious Cities of Gold (you'll recognise names in the credits - and if you listen to episodes many of the same voices too!).
Luckily this series (maybe due to it's individual story episodic nature) got repeat airing on various TV stations and has appeared on DVD, allbeit without any extras.
What is a slight shame and very puzzling is that they've mucked up the transfer (telecine process) and cropped about an 1/8th of the picture off of the right of the screen.
Now I'm quite sure it's not my TV's 'overscan' as I've adjusted the set to minimise the overscan. It is a bit picky but mucks up the framing of many scenes. You'll notice it most during the end credits and then notice it afterwards in many scenes where a character that obviously is part of the scene is missing or half visible on the right edge. As they are unlikely to re-release the series, and given the low price for this tripple DVD set - we can't complain too much.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Séverine Morisot
Claude Giraud
Jackie Berger
Evelyne Séléna
Jean Topart
Director(s):
Recording label: Contender Entertainment Group
Manufacturer: Contender Entertainment Group
EAN: 5030305620196
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Animated, Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2004-10-11
Number of discs: 3
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Theatrical release date: 1986-09-13
Language: English (Original Language)