Runaways

Runaways

October 8, 1986 TV Episode ThunderCats

Studio
Rankin-Bass Productions, Pacific Animation Corporation
Distributor
Lorimar-Telepictures

Synopsis

Bored and feeling that they are no longer needed, the Thunderkittens run away from home, but soon run into problems when they become ill from berries they had picked. A creature known as Cudi saves their lives. When the other ThunderCats find them, the Thunderkittens invite Cudi to Cats Lair. But Mumm-Ra has been observing the situation and disguises himself as Cudi to gain entrance to the Lair. Many disasters occur and the blame is put on the false Cudi, who traps the ThunderCats in the council chamber. The ThunderCats realize it's Mumm-Ra and they manage to escape and defeat him.

Characters

Lion-O, JackalMan, Cheetara, Wilykit, Luna, Queen Luna, Tygra, Wilykat, Ben-Gali, Monkian, Panthro, Red-Eye, Hammer-Hand, Captain Cracker, Grune The Destroyer, Mongor, Mumm-Ra, Tug-mug, Amok, Snarf, Slythe, Lynx-O, Pumyra

Credits

Producing

Producer
Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr (Executive Producers)
Supervising Producers
Peter Bakalian, Lee Dannacher

Writing

Writer
Bill Ratter
Head Writer
Leonard Starr
Script Supervisor
Peter Lawrence

Animation

Animator
Tsugu Kubo, Minoru Nishida, Katsuhito Akiyama, Akihiko Takahashi, Yukimatsu Ito, Yuji Yatabe, Kazafumi Nomura (Pacific Animation Corporation)

Voices

Voice
Larry Kenney (Lion-O, JackalMan), Lynne Lipton (Cheetara, Wilykit, Luna, Queen Luna), Peter Newman (Tygra, Wilykat, Ben-Gali, Monkian), Earl Hyman (Panthro, Red-Eye, Hammer-Hand, Captain Cracker, Grune The Destroyer, Mongor), Bob McFadden (Snarf, Slythe), Doug Preis (Lynx-O), Gerrianne Raphael (Pumyra), Earl Hammond (Mumm-Ra, Tug-mug, Amok)

Music

Music
Bernard Hoffer

Crew

In Charge of Production
Masaki Iizuka
Based on Characters Created By
Ted Wolf
Project Development
Leisure Concepts
Psychological Consultant
Robert Kuisis
Recording Staff
John Curcio (Dialogue), Michael Farrow (Music), Tom Perkins (Editorial), Larry Franke (Editorial)
Effects
Peter Cannarozzi
Secondary Character Design
Jim Meskimen
Production Staff
Tony Giovanniello, Matthew Malach, Connie Long, Heather Winters

Companies and other credits

  • Project Development: Inc

Production notes

ThunderCats was first marketed in 1983, but the series was not released until two years later.

The services of psychologist Robert Kuisis, Ph.D. were retained to ensure that ThunderCats offered children moral guidance. Dr. Kuisis reviewed each episode throughout production; as well, he offered comments on each show in a "Synopses and Morals" booklet given to TV stations.

"The anime style was introduced into the design to allow our Japanese animators to inject some of their creativity," recalled executive producer Arthur Rankin, Jr.