Pac-Man - The 1982 animated series
Pac-Man is a 30-minute American Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, based on the namco video game franchise of the same name. It premiered on ABC and aired for 44 episodes over two seasons from September 25, 1982 to November 5, 1983. It was the first cartoon based on a video game.
It was the highest-rated Saturday morning cartoon show in the United States during the end of 1982. In its debut, it was seen by audiences of over 20 million children in the United States, as well as adults.
History
The animated series follows the adventures of the title character, Pac-Man, his wife Pepper Pac-Man (Ms. Pac-Man), their baby Pac-Baby, their dog Chomp-Chomp and their cat Sour Puss. The family lives in Pac-Land, a place where geography and architecture seem to revolve mainly around spherical shapes. Most of the episodes in the series focus on the ongoing battle between the Pac family and their only known enemies, the Ghost Monsters: Blinky, Inky, Pinky, Clyde, and Sue. They work for Mezmaron, whose only mission is to locate and control the source of the "Power Pellets", which serve as the primary food and energy source for the city, and is also the deus ex machina in virtually every episode. The second (and final) season later introduces Super-Pac and Pac-Man's teenage cousin, PJ
The show's early success inspired ABC rival CBS to create Saturday Supercade, which featured other video game characters from the golden age of arcade video games.
Some of Namco's later games were based on or influenced by the cartoon. Pac-Land and Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures are prime examples. Additionally, the Tengen version of the original Pac-Man arcade game for the Nintendo Entertainment System features box art based on the cartoon.
Episodes
Season 1 (1982)
1 "Presidential Pac-Nappers"September 25, 1982
Mezmaron orders the ghost monsters to kidnap the Pac-President to convince Pac-Man to lead them to the Power Pellet Forest.
2 "Picnic in Pacland"September 25, 1982
Pac-Man and his family go on a picnic. The Ghost Monsters are also having a picnic and plotting to chew Pac-Man.
3 "The great Pac earthquake"October 2, 1982
Ghost monsters obtain an earthquake making machine from Mezmaron.
4 "Hocus-Pocus Pac-Man"October 2, 1982
Pac-Man puts Pac-Baby in a magical hat and makes him disappear.
5 "Southpaw Packy"October 9, 1982
When the Ghost Monsters ruin the Pac-Land World Series, Pac-Man challenges them to a baseball game to decide who leaves town.
6 "Pac Baby Panic"October 9, 1982
The ghost monsters steal a lot of Power Pellets, accidentally kidnapping Pac-Baby.
7 "Pacula"October 16, 1982
Mezmaron turns a bat into the vampire Count Pacula in a plot to get the citizens of Pac-Land to turn over the map to Power Pellet Forest.
8 "Trick or Chomp"October 16, 1982
The Pac family does trick or treating on Halloween night until the ghost monsters come and complicate things.
9 "Super ghosts"October 23, 1982
Ghost monsters gain superpowers and try to conquer the world.
10 "Pac-Man in the moon"October 23, 1982
After the ghost monsters steal the Space Shuttle, Pac-Man and Pepper must retrieve it.
11 "Journey to the Pacland Center"October 30, 1982
Mezmaron and the ghost monsters try to dig a tunnel in the Power Pellet forest.
12 "The invasion of the Pac-Pups"October 30, 1982
A litter of Pac-Pups arrives at the Pac-Family's home and Pac-Man tries to get rid of them.
13 "Sir Chomp-A-Lot"November 6, 1982
Mezmaron sends the ghost monsters 50 years back into the past, but Inky's clumsiness causes them to meet Pac-Man's ancestor, Sir Chomp-A-Lot.
14 "The day the forest disappeared"November 6, 1982
When Mezmaron successfully steals the Power Pellet forest, it is up to Pac-Man to recover it.
15 "Neander Pac Man"November 13, 1982
Pac-Man reads Pac-Baby a story about their prehistoric ancestor and his discovery of Power Pellets.
16 "Backpack on your shoulder"November 13, 1982
Pac-Man is allowed to lead the Pac-Baby Scouts after their original leader severed their big toe.
17 "The abominable Pac-Man"November 20, 1982
Pac-Man and Pepper are racing to beat Mezmaron and the ghost monsters in an area where Power Pellets are located, while a legendary monster lurks in the hills.
18 "The Bionic Pac Woman"November 20, 1982
Mezmaron creates a robotic clone of Pepper to fool Pac-Man.
19 “Chomp-Out at OK Runl "November 27, 1982
The ghost monsters (and their sassy cousin, Dinky) stumble upon the Pac family while both are on vacation in the West.
20 "There was a chewing"November 27, 1982
The ghost monster fairy ghost monster arrives and gives them a magical storybook to trap Pac-Man and Pepper.
21 "The Pac-Love-Boat"December 4, 1982
Pac-Man and Pepper take an anniversary cruise on the Love Boat as the Ghost Monsters try to ruin their trip.
22 “The Great Power-Pellet Robbery"December 4, 1982
Mezmaron gives the Ghost Monsters a truck to retrieve Power Pellets from the Power Pellet Forest.
23 "A bad case of Chomps"December 11, 1982
Pac-Man is rushed to the hospital, believing he has chompite after chewing on the ghost monsters.
24 "Goo-Goo at the zoo"December 11, 1982
The Pac family goes to the zoo, but Pac-Baby frees all the animals.
25 "Nighty Nightmares"December 18, 1982
Ghost monsters are having nightmares about Pac-Man.
26 "The Pac Mummy"December 18, 1982
Mezmaron discovers a mummy and uses it to kidnap Pepper and Pac-Baby.
Season 2 (1983)
Aired as part of The Pac-Man / Rubik, The Amazing Cube Hour.
27 "Here is Super-Pac "September 17, 1983
Mezmaron creates a giant robotic ghost monster to fight Super-Pac.
28 "Hey, hey, hey… it's PJ"September 17, 1983
Pac-Man must convince his cousin PJ to stay in school.
29 "The Super-Pac-Bowl"September 24, 1983
After the ghost monsters devour the football team, Pac-Man, Super-Pac and their team must face them.
30 "Journey into the Pac-Past"September 24, 1983
PJ fixes Ms. Pac's washing machine, accidentally turning it into a time machine.
31 "The old Pac-Man and the sea"October 1, 1983
The Ghost Monsters sink a ship full of Power Pellets with Pac-Man aboard, trapping them all in Paclantis at the mercy of the tyrannical Pac-Queen.
32 "Public Pac Enemy No. 1"October 1, 1983
Pac-Man is mistaken for the criminal Pretty Boy Pac and sent to prison.
33 "Pacdad's [sic] genes"October 8, 1983
Pac-Man and Super-Pac clash with the Ghost Monsters for possession of a genius bottle.
34 “Packy computers"October 8, 1983
PJ fumbles with Pac-Man's computer, forcing him to drag Pac-Baby inside similar to the Tron movie.
35 "The greatest show in Pacland"October 15, 1983
The Ghost Monsters celebrate Dinky's birthday in the same circus where the Pac family celebrates Pac-Baby's birthday.
36 "Pac-A-Thon"
"Pac-A-Lympics" October 15, 1983
Legal technicalities allow the Ghost Monsters to participate in the Olympics and it is up to the Pac-Family to try to defeat them in various athletic events.
37 "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Pac-Man"October 22, 1983
Pac-Man transforms into a werewolf after ghost monsters trick him into eating Power Pellets specially created by Mezmaron.
38 "Around the world in 80 chews"October 22, 1983
Pac-Man must stop Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters from finding their Energy Pellet Forest overseas.
39 "Super-Pac versus Pac-Ape"October 29, 1983
A barrel organ player's Pac-Monkey eats super-powered Power Pellets and grows into a giant. Now Pac-Man and Super-Pac must stop the giant Pac-Monkey before he destroys Pac-Land.
40 "PJ Goes Pac-Hollywood"October 29, 1983
PJ stars in an action movie and Pac-Man is pushed to become his stunt double.
41 "Pac Van Winkle"November 5, 1983
Pac-Man drinks a potion that puts him to sleep for 20 years. When he wakes up, he finds a nightmarish future where the Power Pellet forest has been captured by Mezmaron and the ghost monsters have infested Pac-Land.
42 "Happy Pacs-Giving"November 5, 1983
The Pac family hear a story about the first Pacs-Giving.
Pac-Man Halloween Special
The Halloween special consisted of two segments of the show, "Pacula" and "Trick or Chomp". The special aired in prime time on ABC on October 30, 1982. In recent years, it has been played on channels such as Cartoon Network and Boomerang during Halloween.
Christmas comes to Pac-Land
In this Christmas special, Pac-Man and his family help Santa (voiced by Peter Cullen) after he crashes in Pac-Land (after the reindeer are frightened by the floating eyes of the ghost monsters after Pac-Man , Mrs. Pac-Man and Pac-Baby chewed them). Mezmeron was the only character from the cartoon who is not in the special (although his lair appears, which is covered in snow). It is shown every December during the Boomerang Christmas Party
Technical data and credits
Language orig. English
Country United States
Studio Hanna-Barbera
Network American Broadcasting Company
1st TV September 25, 1982 - November 5, 1983
Episodes 42 (complete) 2 seasons
It network. Channel 5, Cartoon Network, Boomerang
1st Italian TV 2 January 1986
Episodes it. 42 (complete)
Gender adventure, comedy
