ANIMATED SHOWS THAT WILL MAKE YOU COOLER THAN THE OTHER KIDS #1

THE ADVENTURES OF BIG GUY AND RUSTY THE BOY ROBOT

Based on the semi-obscure Frank Miller/Geoff Darrow joint, which was basically a one shot, and a few back up stories for Dark Horse comics, this 26 episode animated series, which ran  September 18, 1999 – March 5, 2001, was a stunner. An incredibly detailed 'toon, layered with tons of subtext, it also piled on the heart and the fun. Solid sci-fi action here.
Rusty is a small robotic boy, built by Quark Industries, with human emotions and "nucleoprotonic powers". Big Guy is a semi-outdated metallic hulk, controlled (unbeknownst to Rusty) by a human pilot named Lieutenant Dwayne Hunter. Big Guy becomes Rusty's beloved mentor in a kind of defacto training program, in which is being taught  to defend the Earth from alien predators and terrestrial bound bad guys. A s the cartoon develops over it's 26 episodes, we meet a plethora of well developed and iconic characters. We have Dr. Erika Slate, who gave Rusty his emotional grid, that allows him to feel like a real boy (much to the regular chagrin of the other characters). Quark Ind. president Dr. Axel Donovan, whose sidekick is an ever present smart ass talking monkey on his shoulder, named Jenny. Then there's Jo, Garth, and Mack, who basically serve as Big Guy's mechanics.
The show is so richly rendered that going into all the monsters and tech that pepper the program would be impossible in a blurb article such as this one. But if you like gadgetry, old school 50's style sci-fi, bug eyed monsters and kaiju, conspiracy theories and espionage, robots galore, and heroic adventure? Look no further. DVD sets can be found online through private dealers, but a proper official release has alluded fans like myself since the show's demise in 2001. But it's another feather in the cap of Fox Kids, who did some of the most amazing and intelligent work in children's animation e-ver. I'll let a clip speak for itself. This is one not to pass up. A true gem, and sorely missed.

If you happen to speak German, full episodes can be found streaming on Youtube, for the rest of us, well, here's a taste at least. To find the show on DVD...Google is your friend. trust me, it's 1,000% worth the effort!

THE ADVENTURES OF BIG GUY AND RUSTY THE BOY ROBOT INTRO -


LOOK AT THIS DETAIL! LOOK AT THESE ROBOTS AND MONSTERS! SO GOOD!

Next: Disney Afternoon's GARGOYLES!

~ Sean Smithson