Insektors

Insektors (stylized as InseKtorS) is a 1994 French computer-animated TV series. Made in a small studio, Fantome in France, it was one of the earliest computer-animated series alongside VeggieTales and ReBoot. The series won 30 awards, including a 1994 "Children and Young People" Emmy Award,[1] and was the very first film to ever be given an Academy Award for "Young People’s Honoree."

Insektors
The front cover to an Insektors DVD.
GenreAnimated, Family, Comedy
Created byStudio Fantome
Written byEric Rondeaux
Véronique Herbaut
Directed byGeorges LaCroix
Renato LaCroix
Country of originFrance
Original languageFrench
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time12 minutes
Release
Original networkCanal+ (France), YTV (Canada), Channel 4 (UK), and Nickelodeon UK (2000)
Original releaseJanuary 15, 1994 (1994-01-15) –
December 30, 1995 (1995-12-30)

On 3rd May 2023, Piko Interactive acquired rights to the show. [2]

Production and dubbing

Fantome began work on Insektors in 1991 after their last series, Les Fables Géométriques, was almost finished. Animation director Gilbert Louet said that the team wanted to make something more ambitious, with a more serious story and larger scope. Renato came up with the concept, and the studio released a "making-of" video in 1992 that served as a de facto pilot. In the video, the studio discussed the challenges they would face bringing the series to fruition, as getting licenses for animation technology was expensive at the time.[1]

Fantom hired script writer Eric Rondeaux at the recommendation of animation studio Ellipse Programme, with whom Rondeaux had worked on a 1991 adaptation of The Adventures of Tintin. Marc Perrier and Veronique Herbaut were later hired as additional script writers. The studio used Silicon Graphics hardware for its animations. Crew recalled the animation process as grueling; the studio wanted two to five seconds of animation to be done per person each day. For the second season, the series used motion capture on the direction of Canal+, who had just bought a production company that specialized in the technique[1]

A pilot episode was shot, and there were two 13-episode seasons and a few special episodes including a 1996 Christmas episode.[1]

The series was dubbed into two English language releases; one for North America, and one for the UK.[1] The North American version was recorded in Paris. It was first aired on Canadian television on YTV. For the UK version, the script was re-written; characters had different names, and different dialogue was used. Jokes and references specific to British/English culture were also incorporated.[1]

Characters

The French name is given first followed by the British name in brackets, and if there is an alternate North American name, this is indicated by a slash.

Joyces

Joyces (Verigreens) are colorful, cheerful insects and offshoots of the Yuk/Krud civilization who broke away from their dark cousins upon the arrival of the Great Prism which nourished the site where it landed, resulting in the creation of Flower City. They are peaceful people who devote their lives to merrymaking and protecting the Great Prism from harm. Joyce citizens who are not main characters resemble bees.

Fulgor (Flynn)

Original Voice: David Gasman

Teddy Kempner (UK dub)

A walking stick born a Yuk/Krud, Fulgor/Flynn was adopted from a young age. Armed with the mighty Kolour Guitar/Musical Colour Gun - an electric guitar that fires blasts of colorful pollen - he is the brave, and sometimes reckless, champion in the fight against the Yuks/Kruds.

Aelia (Alex)

Original Voice: Karen Strassman

Caroline Bliss (UK dub)

A butterfly. She is the daughter of the Joyce/Verigreen leader and adopted sister of Fulgor/Flynn. She tends to the Great Prism and assists her father in his scientific explorations. She has romantic feelings for Acylius/Max.

Le Grand Artificier/The Great Pyro (Godfrey)

Original Voice: Christian Erickson

Andy Secombe (UK dub)

A butterfly. The slightly eccentric leader of the Joyces/Verigreens, descendant to his Great Great Grandfather who was mentioned in Planet Karbon/The Black Planet, and is the biological father of Aelia/Alex and adoptive father of Fulgor/Flynn. He is talented as a scientist and mystic.

Daltonio (Bentley)

A greenfly. The Great Pyro's/Godfrey's main assistant.

Gallopus (Peg)

A mechanical horse-like robot. Fleet of foot (and flight), he was originally created by Eurekas/Magus. He is Fulgor's/Flynn's steed and close confidante, but unable to speak outside of honks and squeaks. In the UK dub, Peg is female.

Spotty (Elmo)

Another machine like Gallopus/Peg, he is a small flier. He has a large spotlight in his stomach to illuminate dark areas.

Beurks/Yuks

Beurks/Yuks (Kruds) are monochromatic insects that live in a rotting tree stump in a swamp - they continually try to conquer the Flower City in the name of their Queen, namely for the fuel source the flowers provide. Exposure to brightly colored substances (pollen, juices from mushrooms) causes them to enter states of uninhibited laughter. Yuk soldiers that are not main characters resemble crickets, whereas Yuk citizens that are not main characters are beetles.

Reine/Queen Bakrakra (Queen Katheter the Third)

Voiced by: Andy Secombe (UK dub)
A praying mantis. Queen Bakrakra/Katheter the Third is the fearsome ruler of the Yuks/Kruds, and a descendant of the tyrannical King Bakrakro/Katheter the First. She is so cold-hearted that she must spend much of her time in a massive warming furnace.

Prince Acylius (Prince Maximillian)

Voiced by: Teddy Kempner (UK dub)
A mantis. The son of Queen Bakrakra/Katheter, and heir to the Yuk/Krud throne. He has romantic feelings for Aelia/Alex. And unlike the others, he likes flowers.

Lord Krabo (Lord Draffsack)

Original Voice: Paul Bandey

Neil McCaul (UK dub)

A cockroach. Grouchy, stressed, power-hungry, egotistical and something of a coward, the Prime Minister of the Yuks/Kruds.

Lord Teknocratus (Lord Synapse)

Voiced by: Neil McCaul (UK dub)
A weevil. The constantly relaxed chief engineer of the Yuks/Kruds who tirelessly creates contraptions to further their cause, or reverses the unfortunate effects of Joyce/Verigreen counter-attacks. Krabo/Draffsack is always blaming him when his inventions fail to deliver the desired results.

Lord Kretinus (Corporal Fugg)

Original Voice: David Gasman

Andy Secombe (UK dub)

A weevil. He is Lord Krabo/Draffsack and General Lukanus's/Wasabi's clumsy and slow-witted assistant, constantly trying to please his superiors.

General Lukanus (General Wasabi)

Original Voice: Edward Marcus

Neil McCaul (UK dub)

A beetle. He is the arrogant commander of the Yuk/Krud army, carrying out the schemes of Krabo/Draffsack and Teknocratus/Synapse, although his greatest loyalty is to Queen Bakrakra/Katheter.

Captain Krabouic and Lieutenant Kaboche (Captain Roderick Drumsturdy and Corporal Stanley Greeb)

The twin heads of security, test pilots, and commandos. Krabouic/Drumsturdy is taller and more headstrong, while Kaboche/Greeb is shorter, more cowardly.

The Guards (The Methane Brothers)

The two rhinoceros beetles who guard the main entrance into the Yuk/Krud castle. They are generally slow-witted, easily distracted, and quite eccentric.

Eric

A rhinoceros beetle who serves as a prison guard for Yuk/Krud City.

Protokol (Kopius)

Original Voice: David Gasman

Teddy Kempner (UK dub)

A cockchafer. He is the aloof Yuk/Krud herald who announces each character's entrance (often unnecessarily). He uses what limited chances to speak he has to throw barbs at his superiors.

Eurekas (Magus)

A walking stick. Introduced in the last episode of the first season, he is the biological father of Fulgor/Flynn and formerly Teknocratus's/Synapse's predecessor/colleague.

Technology

The French name is given first followed by the British name in brackets, and if there is an alternate North American name, this is indicated by a slash.

Joyces

The Great Prism (The Great Prism)

A glowing multicolored cube that resides in a high tower. The Great Prism is the energy source of the Joyces/Verigreens which keeps their flower city alive. The Prism seems to be a living organism that can communicate vocally and through image projections. It is kept functioning by bathing it in the nectar of a water plant that grows in Yuk/Krud territory. It can die if it is not maintained properly.

Kolour Guitar (Musical Colour Gun)

A handheld contraption used by Fulgor/Flynn. Though outwardly it resembles and plays like a guitar, violent plucking of its strings will cause it to fire blasts of colored pollen. The blasts have no effect on Joyces/Verigreens, though they entice Yuks/Kruds into fits of laughter. Strangely, a few Yuks/Kruds - such as Acylius/Maximillian, Krabo/Draffsack and probably Queen Bakrakra/Katheter - are not affected by them.

Dragonfly Squadron

The Joyce's main line of defense, these mechanical dragonflies fire blasts of pollen similar to those of the Kolour Guitar from their abdomens.

Flower Konnons

The Joyce's new weapons that only appeared in 'No Presents for Khristmas' and shoot like the Kolour Guitar.

Kolour Dynamites

Colourful explosions used by Fulgor/Flynn. When the Yuks/Kruds are harvesting flowers for heat, The dynamite explodes with multiple colors that make the Yuks/Kruds laugh.

Yuks

The Hotsy Totsy (Hypertherm)

The Hotsy Totsy is a fireplace that keeps the queen warm when the Yuks/Kruds cut down the flowers and made logs or carry sticks for heat. It also keeps the water from flooding the city and powers up The Dark Box.

The Dark Box (Krud'o'Pod)

The Krud'o'Pod is a machine that undoes the effect of the Kolour Guitar/Musical Colour Gun, reverting affected Yuks/Kruds back to their normal selves. It is implied by Lord Krabo that the Dark Box may turn Joyces into Yuks. More info about the Krud'o'Pod was in 'Ruling Classes.'

Hoverbikes (Bikes/Krudmobile)

Hoverbikes that are mostly used by Krabouic/Drumsturdy and Kaboche/Greeb.

Kreatur

It is the robot-mechanic of the engineer Teknocratus, it serves as an elevator, robot welder, electro-mechanics and 'vulture of function' to the scientist. His intellectual quotient is 0.5.

Kat-Kat

Off-road vehicle, able to cross deserts, mountains, and a marsh in the summer. It is intended for the transport of Yuk/Krud troops and the invasion missions of the Joyce territory.

Koa (Frogbuckets)

Giant frog-like war machines, the Koa/Frogbuckets act as both the Yuks'/Kruds' heavy fighting forces and as material collectors. Usually controlled by two pilots, they are fully amphibious and their hulls are completely immune to Joyce/Verigreen pollen blasts. Teknocratus/Synapse insists the proper name for the machines is 'Hydroscopic Amphibious Personal Relocation Units'.

The Koleopter (The Hovermower)

Resembling a giant flying beetle, it is a two-pilot airborne resource gathering machine with a rotating blade for cutting flower stems. It has 'Fightermites' for defense against the 'Dragonflies'. It can load and unload many goods and can also act as a vacuum cleaner when collecting nectar. Teknocratus/Synapse insists its proper name is the 'Anti-Gravity Daffodil Collector'.

Sky Breaker (Cloud Clearer)

A huge laser cannon that is only seen in 'The Weather ForeKast,' and 'No Presents for Khristmas,' which was designed to cause drought, but when tested during rain, it created snow instead of drought. Annoyed, Krabo/Draffsack ended up ripping it apart, even after it created hot snow. A similar Cloud Clearer was seen in 'Katiklysme/Comet' which is a fusion of Yuk/Krud and Joyce/Verigreen technology. This machine almost destroyed The Flower City.

"Tweet-Tweet" (Chicken)

Only used in 'If Chickens Could Fly,' the "Chicken" is bird-shaped, and was sent to steal The Great Prism. The Chicken was an airborne war machine controlled by two pilots. The first design, which flew with small propellers, crashed into a moat during a trial run. The second design had bigger propellers, but that too crashed. The third design had a jet engine on top of the fuselage, which landed it safely, though with a broken engine. It was the fourth design that really took off to steal The Great Prism, but after fighting off the Joyces/Verigreens, it was sliced down the middle when it got a hold of The Great Prism. It made other appearances in two episodes, 'A Spectre Kalls,' and 'No Presents for Khristmas.'

"Kalkulator" (Sparky)

A supercomputer used in the episode of the same name. Built by Synapse the computer mechanized Krud city, all inhabitants received a door operating PIN, Verigreen detectors and automated defenses were placed. Draffsack himself had problems with the design, seeing as he chose the PIN 1,999,999,999. However, the main feature of the computer was its Auto-mated Lumberjacks. To stop the latter Flynn sneaked into the city in a Hold of one of the lumberjacks and evaded capture as only Synapse knew a B12 alert meant a Verigreen was in the city. (Greeb: Good thing you know it, I don't have to look it up in a codebook. Drum-sturdy: There's a codebook?). The system was corrupted by a colored data card which had been hit by Flynn's color gun. After Krud city went mad Draffsack ordered the scrapping of Sparky.

"Auto-mated lumberjacks"

Minions of Sparky, these machines were virtually indestructible to Verigreen technology and able to decimate the flower forest. A unique feature was a color detector which enabled them to home in and attack Verigreen technology. This was exploited by the Verigreens who used color sprays to lure the machines over a cliff. However, during the night they righted themselves and resurfaced out of the water. They were ultimately defeated with the downfall of Sparky despite their incredible success. As of the events in 'No Presents for Khristmas' they were still seen working on a small scale during Krud raids, mainly to stop Verigreens hiding in their holds.

Koal Juice Guns

The Yuk counterpart to the Kolour Guitar. Being hit by koal juice causes depression in Joyces, which may be cured by the energies of the prism. Most Yuk soldiers and most vehicles are armed with the weapons. Yuks appeared immune to Koal juice, but it still becomes stuck to them, as it does with Joyces. Koal juice itself is a dull green substance.

Vokalizers

A walkie-talkie-like microphone that the Yuks/Kruds used after their voices were affected. It only appeared in a two-parter "It's Katching/Epidemik" and "The Kure". A similar Vokalizer was seen in "Fulgor's Kwest/Krud Konfession", possibly as a prototype.

Story

The series takes place on the planet Karbon/Krud, though the UK dub does include references to locations on Earth. Episode 6; Planet Karbon/The Black Planet reveals that Karbon/Krud was originally a dark, colorless rock inhabited by a single race of insects; the Yuks/Kruds. The Yuks/Kruds survived the planet's hostile environment by burrowing deep into it for coal. At one point, a Prism shaped meteor hit the planet and nourished the site on which it landed with color and energy, resulting in a flower-filled paradise. A few of the Yuks/Kruds colonized the area and evolved colors of their own, renaming themselves Joyces/Verigreens. They venerated the Prism and built a high altar upon it. The Yuks/Kruds who chose to stick to their original lives continued mining for coal till they gradually exhausted their supplies. The animosity between the two insect civilizations began when a violent Yuk/Krud known as King Bakrako/Katheter the First came up with the solution of using the Joyce's/Verigreen's flower stalks as substitute fuel sources. Gradually, all memory of the two civilizations once being the same people was lost, and ever since they have been enemies.

Episode list
Main article: List of Insektors episodes

VHS/DVDs
Title Description Region
Insektors: The Musical Colour Gun and Other Adventures Featuring episodes: The Musical Colour Gun, Flowers for Katheter, Frogbucket, The Rescue, The Escape, The Black Planet and The Daffodil Collector. Inside cover features information about The Verigreens and some of their technology.

Note: This Tape is made in the UK.

 2
Insektors: The Mechanical Digger and Other Adventures Featuring episodes: The Mechanical Digger, The Prince of Rock, The Weather forecast, Close Encounters, The Diplomatic Bridge and Godfrey's Secret. Inside cover features information about The Kruds and some of their technology.

Note: This Tape is made in the UK.

 2
Insektors: Krud Confession and Other Adventures Featuring episodes: Krud Confession, Sick at Heart, If Chickens Could Fly, The Cage, Athletics, The Comet and Ruling Classes. Inside cover features information about The Kruds and some of their technology.

Note: This Tape is made in the UK.

 2
Insektors: Accused and Other Adventures Featuring episodes: Accused, Epidemic, The Cure, Sparkie and Co, A Spectre Calls, The Cave

Inside cover features information about The Verigreens and some of their technology. Note: This Tape is made in the UK.

 2
Insektors: Bumper Special Featuring episodes from The Musical Colour Gun and Other Adventures and The Mechanical Digger and Other Adventures. Inside cover features information about some of the Characters such as Flynn, Draffsack, Alex and Many More. 2
Insektors: Krud Kaper Featuring Episodes: The Musical Colour Gun, The Daffodil Collector, The Weather Forecast, The Diplomatic Bridge, If Chickens Could Fly.

Note: This Tape is made in the UK.

 2
Insektors: The Kolour Guitar Featuring Episodes: The Kolour Guitar, Flowers for Bakrakra, Koa the Frog and Daffodil Kraze.

Note: This Tape is made in Australia.

 2
Insektors: The Eskape Featuring Episodes: The Eskape, Planet Karbon, Kolecopter and Katerpillar.

Note: This Tape is made in Australia.

 2
Insektors Vol 1 French only VHS, featuring episodes: La guitare à kouleurs, Des fleurs pour Bakrakra, Koa la grenouille, and Au feu les jonKilles. 2
Insektors Vol 2 French Only VHS, featuring episodes: Eskapade, Planète Karbone, Koléoptère, Katerpillar, Troglodyte Rock, Les Detrakeurs du Ciel. 2
Insektors Vol 3 French Only VHS, featuring episodes: La Nuit Elektrik, Le Pont de la Konkorde, Les Sekrets du Grand Artificier, Grosse Kolere, Koup de Kafard, and Kui-Kui. 2
Insektors DVD Vol 3 This is a French only DVD, featuring episodes: Le Kadeau, La Kourse, Kataklysme, Suksession, Koupable, Kontagion, Rekolte, Kalkulator, Spektre, and Katakombs. Also includes a behind the scenes video and a Christmas Special. Special Features including Characters and Inventions. 2

Known cast

French version
  • Christian Alers
  • Daniel Lafourcade
  • Pierre Baton
  • Jacques Brunnet
  • Alexandre Gillet
  • Raphaelle Moutier
  • Jean-Claude Sachot
  • Lucienne Troka

CA/AU version

UK version

References
  1. Summers, Nick (7 October 2019). "The forgotten pioneers of computer animation". Engadget. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  2. https://twitter.com/Pikointeractive/status/1653882855339032576
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