Ulysses 31 - THEMIS!

Ulysses 31 - 1:18 Scale Action Figures - No. 88516 Themis/Yumi - Popy 1981

Ulysses 31 is a classic French/Japanese animated series from 1981. I have been hearing about this show my entire life. It's often listed among the greatest "forgotten" 80s cartoons. And the theme song also tends to top similar lists. But in the United States, this show never had the same impact that it did in the rest of the world. It only aired in 1986 in the DiC KideoTV lineup alongside shows like Popples, Rainbow Brite, and Lovely Ladylocks. As a mythological/futuristic adventure series, it didn't really fit in with the other shows and never captured a strong audience here. The show features Greek Mythological characters in a futuristic space-faring setting. Ulysses pilots the spaceship Odyssey with his son Telemachus and the young blue-skinned Zotran, Themis (named Yumi in the English dub of the cartoon). Zeus has banished them on a voyage through space to get to Hades to revive his crew and return to Earth, encountering legendary mythical figures along the way. It's really fun and inventive.

Once Upon a Time... In Space - PSI!

Il Était Une Fois… l'Espace - 1:18 Plastic Action Figure Line - Psi - Popy 1982

From 1982-1983 there was a 26-episode French animated series titled Il Était Une Fois… l'Espace (Once Upon a Time... Space) that featured the educational adventures of Pierrot, Psi, and their robot, Metro. They traveled to different planets and explored the native inhabitants, flora, fauna, etc. The simple animation and preschool-esque educational format can be a bit misleading. Because this show is funny, smart, and the sexual tension between Pierrot and Psi is palpable - the are a lot of hands on thighs and fireside naps. I'm a big fan. The show was dubbed in lots of languages and aired on lots of networks over the years. I've personally only ever seen episodes on YouTube, but I know it was aired in the US on the History Channel (which only launched in 1995). Psi (who also goes by Mercedes and Psyche) is a young Brazilian woman with psychic powers (usually sensing danger as they approach a new planet). This 1982 figure from Popy has been a grail of mine for years. Let's check her out below!