The Legend of Zelda (TV Series 1989)





 

Plot

The Legend of Zelda is an American animated series based on the Japanese first and second The Legend of Zelda games for the Nintendo Entertainment System, airing from September 8 to December 1, 1989. The show was produced by DIC Entertainment and distributed by Viacom Enterprises.



 

Each episode of Zelda follows the adventures of the hero Link and Princess Zelda as they defend the kingdom of Hyrule from an evil wizard named Ganon. Most episodes consist of Ganon (or his minions) either attempting to capture the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda, kidnap Zelda herself, or use another method to conquer Hyrule. Link and Zelda are in some episodes assisted and accompanied by a fairy-princess, Spryte.

A common running joke of the series is Link's repeated failure to convince Zelda that he deserved a kiss for his heroic deeds; whenever it seems they are going to kiss, something bad will happen.

 

Zelda also has more of a protagonist role in the show than in the video games up to that point, where she is a character the player must rescue. While Link saves Zelda in a few episodes, she mostly battles beside Link, often using a bow and arrow.

Link usually meets Zelda's obstinate rejection with his sarcastic catchphrase, "Well! Excuuuuuse me, Princess!". The series was to be continued but was canceled along with The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. The series is one of only six productions in which Link talks, the others being the CD-i games, manga series, comic series, Episodes of Captain N: The Game Master, and The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Only the phrase, "Come on!")





 

Characters

Link closely emulates his video game sprite, wearing a green long hat with a lighter green stripe around the brow, and a green tunic with a brown belt. Underneath the tunic he wore a light leathery red long shirt and pants and a pair of tall dark brown boots. He has brown hair as was current with the first two games in the series. He always carried his magic sword with him which was capable of firing bolts of pink colored energy to dispose of enemies. He is an adept swordsman and a quick thinker, but he is somewhat childish in nature and often tries to get out of his own responsibilities and winds up in more trouble than he predicts. Despite his character flaws he has a very noble heart and will go out of his way to protect anyone, especially Zelda.

Zelda has a more detailed view than her previous appearances in the video games. She is about as tall as Link, with shoulder length blond hair. She wears a pair of garnet colored orb earrings and a blue linked tiara on her head. Her clothing consists of a blue vest and a purple overshirt, somewhat escaping the "traditional" role of a princess; she wears a pair of lavender pants and a pair of reddish tan thigh-high boots. Her personality is somewhere between stuck-up and compassionate; she would die to protect her kingdom from harm. At one with the Triforce of Wisdom, she is well-versed in its magics and can wield its power. She is also quite skilled with the bow and the boomerang and uses both on several occasions. She secretly loves Link, though she doesn't tell him, mostly because she doesn't want it going to his head.

Spryte is modeled after the generic fairies in the Legend of Zelda video game. She has a short tunic for an outfit and her short, cropped hair is a sandy blond color (though occasional glitches switch it to a darker brown). She is smart-mouthed, quick, and full of magical energy. Her father is king of the fairies, and she works as an assistant or servant to Zelda. She also has a crush on Link and is more obvious with it, constantly flirting with Link who usually brushes it off due to his attraction to Zelda.

King Harkinian is Zelda's father, King of all Hyrule. Though never seen in the game, he is all-too present in the series. He is a tall, somewhat rotund king with a snow white beard and a gold crown. Although somewhat dimwitted as a father, he has a knack for ingenuity, is loyal to his country, and possesses a profound insight into those around him. He is a wise ruler, though forgetful and fearful of Ganon. He has no affinity with magic and apparently portrays superior diplomatic abilities.

The Triforce of Wisdom is more of a magical object than a member of the cast, a glowing green triangular talisman. Her sage advise is often given in riddles and rhyme.

The Triforce of Power has a dominating male voice, is more casual in its speech than the Triforce of Wisdom, and tends to give Ganon ideas on how to conquer Hyrule or obtain the Triforce of Wisdom.

Ganon is a large anthropomorphic pig who is the main antagonist of the series. He uses an endless supply of magic to aid him in his attempts to overthrow the kingdom of Hyrule. Obtaining the powers of instant teleportation, he also owns the "Evil Jar," with which he can summon and create his deadliest minions. Ganon is short-tempered, and his plans are often flawed by the ineptitude of his servants. He has a high, shrill voice and wears a set of purple robes over his body; a hood he can raise also can act as a disguise for when he must go "incognito". However, his powers are limited outside of his dungeon domain underground, and while on the surface, he must rely fully on his servants to perform tasks for him.





 

Episode Guide

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Season 1, Episode 1  Aired: 9/8/1989
The Ringer
Season 1, Episode 2  Aired: 9/15/1989
Cold Spells
Season 1, Episode 3  Aired: 9/22/1989
The White Knight
Season 1, Episode 4  Aired: 9/29/1989
Kiss'N Tell
Season 1, Episode 5  Aired: 10/6/1989
Sing for the Unicorn
Season 1, Episode 6  Aired: 10/13/1989
That Sinking Feeling
Season 1, Episode 7  Aired: 10/20/1989
Doppelganger
Season 1, Episode 8  Aired: 10/27/1989
Underworld Connections
Season 1, Episode 9  Aired: 11/3/1989
Stinging a Stinger
Season 1, Episode 10  Aired: 11/10/1989
Hitch in the Works
Season 1, Episode 11  Aired: 11/17/1989
Fairies in the Spring
Season 1, Episode 12  Aired: 11/24/1989
The Missing Link
Season 1, Episode 13  Aired: 12/1/1989
The Moblins are Revolting
Season 1, Episode 14
Ganon's Evil Tower