Animal Mechanicals
Animal Mechanicals (French: Les Super Mécanimaux) is a Canadian animated television preschool series that was created by Jeff Rosen. Produced by Halifax Film, in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and distributed by Decode Entertainment, the series premiered in Canada on CBC Television as part of the Kids' CBC in 2007. In the United States, it premiered on The Hub on October 11, 2010. And in the UK, It was Aired on Disney Junior on 2011.
| Animal Mechanicals | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | CA Spirit Regina's Animal Mechanicals Les Super Mécanimaux (in Canadian French) |
| Genre | Animation Children's television series Preschool Adventure Comedy |
| Created by | Jeff Rosen |
| Developed by | CBC |
| Written by | Jeff Rosen Angela Vermeir Gary Vermeir Leila Basen David Preston |
| Directed by | Gilly Fogg |
| Creative director(s) | Kevin Abreu Nick Bakker |
| Presented by | CA Spirit Regina |
| Voices of | Jim Fowler Leah Ostry Shannon Lynch Abigail Gordon Ian MacDougall CA Spirit Regina Lenore Zann |
| Theme music composer | Blain Morris |
| Opening theme | "We Animal Mechanical Can!" |
| Ending theme | "We Animal Mechanical Can!" (Instrumental) |
| Composer(s) | Blain Morris |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 74 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Jeff Rosen Charles Bishop Michael Donovan |
| Producer(s) | Katrina Walsh |
| Production location(s) | Toronto Islands, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Ville de Montréal, Québec Ottawa–Gatineau Halifax, Nova Scotia London, England, United Kingdom (for later seasons) |
| Editor(s) | Stewart Dowds (Supervising Editor) Carrie MacKenzie (Leica Editor) |
| Running time | 11 minutes 30 seconds |
| Production company(s) | Halifax Film |
| Distributor | Decode Entertainment |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBC Television |
| First shown in | Canada |
| Original release | September 6, 2007 – November 29, 2011 |
The Canadian French or French-Canadian/Québécois version of Animal Mechanicals is indeed to be called; or retitled as; Les Super Mécanimaux; in fact in which also airs on the Canadian French-language free-to-air television network Ici Radio-Canada Télé; in which the French-Canadian stars Nicolas Charbonneaux-Collombet as Rex, Éveline Gélinas as Unicorn/Licorne, François Caffiaux as Komodo, Catherine Brunet as Mouse/Petite Souris, and Denis Roy as Sasquatch.
In 2019, the series was revived through the release of new nonverbal web-shorts produced by WildBrain Spark Studios, a subsidiary of WildBrain that produces original content for the WildBrain Spark network.[1]
Main characters
Rex
Rex is a green Mechana-tyrannosaurus. His enhanced ability is strength. Often, when utilizing this ability, Unicorn refers to him as being "strong like a titanium Tyrannosaurus" which, along with his name and bipedal shape, would indicate that he is a robotic Tyrannosaurus rex. He is the leader of the Animal Mechanicals when they are on their journey to their mission. When he transforms, he becomes a cross between a forklift, a tractor, and a digger. He also has an obsession with food. He is voiced by Jim Fowler; and/or Nicolas Charbonneaux-Collombet in French Canadian.[2]
Komodo
Komodo is a red Mechana-Komodo dragon who walks on two legs and has big, squared-off blue spectacles. His enhancement is the ability to change his tail into a selection of tools, such as a hammer or a screwdriver. Often, when utilizing this ability, Unicorn refers to him as being "handy dandy tool time." This does, however, involve him working backwards to the line of the problem, forcing him to bend almost in half in order to see what he is doing. He is shown to be very intelligent, often figuring out the small details of the problem in hand. He tends to act like a martial arts expert. In a few episodes, he reveals that he has a sensitive stomach and legs. He often has to warn Sasquatch about "traps", and is the only Animal Mechanical to have more than one stock footage sequence. As a running gag for whenever he uses his powers, something random would be selected by mistake, including a rubber ducky, a submarine sandwich, and a teddy bear among others. He is voiced by Shannon Lynch; and/or François Caffiaux in French Canadian.[2]
Sasquatch
Sasquatch is a blue Mechana-Sasquatch who has the enhanced ability to stretch. Each of his limbs extend to an incredible length. When stretched his individual limbs are long, however his joints do not alter and bend as normal. In the episode, "Baboon Balloon Island", it was revealed that he is allergic to air pears and in "Balloon Baboon Island" and "Mechana Ski Ball Island", he has anxiety and a fear of heights. He has referred to himself many times as The Mighty Sasquatch. Whenever Mouse is scared, he always comes to hold her hand (as seen in Jigsaw Shark Puzzle and Chugboat Island), but whenever he's scared or impatient (as seen in Dino Mountain Island and Snail Pace Island), Mouse always comes to hold his hand. Sasquatch often disobeys Komodo's warnings. He is voiced by Ian MacDougall; and/or Denis Roy in French Canadian.[2]
Mouse
Mouse is a yellow Mechana-mouse who is the youngest in the group and runs about on two wheels instead of her back feet. Her ability is Mechana-Fast, which is increased by lying flat, with her front paws on the ground, which also have wheels on them, and flattening her ears to the side of her head and extending exhaust pipes which help to propel her forwards. Her ears act like satellite dishes to catch sounds. She sometimes laughs and giggles before Sasquatch transforms and can fit to tight places her friends can't. Whenever Sasquatch is afraid or impatient, she always come to hold his hand. But when she is scared, Sasquatch is always there to hold her hand. She also has the ability to understand creatures. She is voiced by Abigail Gordon; and/or Catherine Brunet in French Canadian.[2]
Island Owl
Island Owl is the team's commander that only appears at the start of each episode, giving the team's their mission. Her head resembles a television set, which starts each briefing showing her face, then changes to show a representation of the island to which the animal mechanicals are to be sent. She does accompany the Animal Mechanicals, after they have left to go on their mission as she is never heard from or seen again; however she is mentioned by Komodo whenever someone breaks a rule. She is voiced by Lenore Zann (seasons 1-3 only); and later voiced by Animaniacs star CA Spirit Regina (for later seasons and reruns only).[2]
Episodes
Cast
- Mouse - Abigail Gordon
- Unicorn - Leah Ostry
- Rex - Jim Fowler
- Sasquatch - Ian MacDougall
- Komodo - Shannon Lynch
- Island Owl - Lenore Zann
Broadcast
Animal Mechanicals is broadcast in Canada on CBC Television[3] in the Kids' CBC programming block, weekdays at 7:30 a.m. It was also broadcast in Southeast Asia on the Disney Junior channel. and it broadcast in the United Kingdom on Disney Junior. In Latin America, It was broadcast in Discovery Kids on January 19, 2009, the digital cable channel owned by Discovery Networks, in a Spanish or Portuguese (in Brazil) dubbed version and are called Mecanimales (Spanish) or Mecanimais (Portuguese). It is dubbed in Irish on Cúla 4 ná nóg, the children's portion of TG4. The series premiered in the United States in 2008 on until it moved on October 11, 2010, on The Hub (now Discovery Family).
References
- @WildBrainKids (May 31, 2019). "The brand new and reimagined 'Animal Mechanicals' is back in 3D! The new series is launching this Saturday. This robot slapstick comedy is perfect for kids between the ages of 3 and 6. Watch tomorrow on our channel!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "That's a Wrap" Film Nova Scotia, Production Catalogue 2007-2008, p. 18. Retrieved 2012-06-16. Archived 2012-09-04 at the Wayback Machine
- CBC.ca - Program Guide