Reptar
Reptar is a fictional character from the American animated television series Rugrats. He is a green T. rex (and sometimes appears in red-violet and lilac) with rounded, blue spike-like appendages on his back, which intentionally causes him to resemble and spoof Godzilla.[1]
| Reptar | |
|---|---|
| Rugrats / All Grown Up! character | |
 | |
| First appearance | "At the Movies" (1991; Rugrats) |
| Last appearance | Nickelodeon Kart Racers (2018) |
| Created by | Craig Bartlett Paul Germain Arlene Klasky Gábor Csupó |
| Voiced by | John Schuck (as Leo) |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | King of the Ozone |
| Species | Cartoon Tyrannosaurus |
| Gender | Male |
Depiction
Reptar is portrayed as being a fictional character in the Rugrats universe idolized by a majority of the children featured in the series, particularly Tommy Pickles and his friends. A gigantic green, irradiated Tyrannosaurus rex, Reptar's popularity as a character is noticeably akin to that possessed by Mickey Mouse, although his role is similar to Godzilla. Most notably seen in the merchandise spawned from his character as seen in the program owned by the babies and in the numerous forms of entertainment which he has inspired, such as an amusement park and an ice show (as featured in the episode "Reptar on Ice"). He was first discovered by Tommy who convinced his friends to sneak out of a movie featuring the Dummi Bears to see the Reptar movie playing in another part of the theatre. After reuniting with their parents the adults figured out that the babies loved the film dinosaur and made a point of exposing them to it, including taking them to the Reptar on Ice show. In episodes where he is not featured as a film character, he most commonly appears in merchandising owned by the characters such as breakfast cereals and stuffed dolls, and or may often make minor appearances in movies showcased on the Pickles family's television screen. He has inspired products constructed by Stu Pickles himself most notably the Reptar Wagon, and has even made a name for himself as an icon throughout popular culture in the real world as well.
The Rugrats films
Reptar appeared in The Rugrats Movie film as a wagon built by Tommy's father Stu Pickles. The Reptar Wagon was no ordinary wagon. It was made like a high-tech car that can do various things such as talk and turn into a boat (Aqua Reptar) when in water, and has fire breath. The Rugrats took it along with them on a journey to the "hopsical" to return Tommy's newborn brother Dil, but they wind up getting lost in the forest. In this appearance, the Reptar wagon is voiced by Levi Curl and rapper Busta Rhymes of Flipmode Squad.
He had a more important role as a giant robot in Rugrats in Paris, when Stu once again built a robotic likeness of the character. The robot's head fell off twice in the film, although Stu fixed it the first time for the play. The Rugrats also took it to the church to stop the wedding.
The Reptar Wagon is seen in the background in Rugrats Go Wild near the beginning of the film in the Pickles' backyard. Unlike in the previous films, neither Reptar nor the wagon have any relevance to the plot.
The Reptar Wagon appeared in several episodes of Rugrats following the release of The Rugrats Movie once again voiced by Busta Rhymes. However, the wagon's voice was actually re-used recordings from the film. The Reptar Wagon is rarely seen in the later episodes.
As an amusement park attraction
Rugrats Runaway Reptar were a collection of several different Suspended Family Coasters designed by Vekoma, which debuted in 2001 at Kings Island. It was the first inverted coaster designed specifically for children. The years 2002 and 2003 saw the coaster open at Dreamworld and Carowinds, respectively. The rides have since been renamed and rethemed.
| Name | Amusement Park | Location | Opening Date | Track Color | RCDB page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rugrats Runaway Reptar | Kings Island | Mason, Ohio, United States of America | 2001 | Yellow/Green | [2] |
| Rugrats Runaway Reptar | Dreamworld | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia | December 26, 2002 | Orange/Green | [3] |
| Rugrats Runaway Reptar | Carowinds | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America | March 22, 2003 | Orange/Green | [4] |
Runaway Reptar was once the name of Woodstock's Express at California's Great America. This ride is a traditional steel roller coaster for families.
References
- Susina, Jan (2009). "Reptar: The Rugrats Meet Godzilla". In West, Mark I. (ed.). The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture: From Godzilla to Miyazaki. Scarecrow Press. pp. 7–16. ISBN 9780810862494.
- Flying ACE Aerial Chase (Kings Island)
- Rugrats Runaway Reptar (Dreamworld)
- Flying Ace Aerial Chase (Carowinds)