The Magician (French TV series)

The Magician (French: Le Magicien) is a French animated television series created by Florian Ferrier, Gilles Adrien, and Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, the last of whom also served as the series' story editor. It was produced by Gaumont Multimedia (however, it is currently owned by Xilam)[1] in 1997. It aired on Fox in 1999, one of the few European shows to air in the US at the time.[2]

This article is about the French animated television series that aired in 1999. For other uses, see The Magician (disambiguation).
The Magician
GenreAnimated series
Created byFlorian Ferrier
Gilles Adrien
Savin Yeatman-Eiffel
Directed byOumar N' Diaye
Xavier Giacometti
Olivier Poirette
Voices ofMichael Donovan
Charles Napier
Rob Paulsen
Kath Soucie
Billy West
ComposerHerve Lavandier
Country of originFrance
Original languagesFrench
English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39
Production
Executive producerMarc du Pontavice
ProducerMarc du Pontavice
Running time20 minutes
Production companyGaumont Multimedia
Release
Original networkFrance 2
Original release1997 (1997) –
1999 (1999)

Synopsis

A series of scientific discoveries and radical advances in technology have re-organized society during the third millennium. Taking advantage of widespread hope and optimism in Electro City, the crime syndicates (chiefly under the mobster "Black Jack" Malone) have discreetly taken control of all important positions. They are repeatedly defeated by protagonist Ace Cooper and his magic assistant Cosmo.

Characters

Main characters
  • Ace Cooper (voiced by Michael Donovan) - The main protagonist of the series. He is a famous stage magician and superhero, who co-operates with the police against criminals. In an earlier life, Ace used to be the former assistant of Jack "Black Jack" Malone until an accident he was involved in caused Ace to leave Jack's services. Since then, he managed to become a magic-based superhero that fights "Black Jack" Malone. Ace invokes his superhero apparel with the incantation "Magical Force, reveal the power within".
  • Cosmo (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - Ace Cooper's magic assistant and sidekick. He was taken in by Ace after his careless father abandoned him.
  • Lt. Derek Vega (voiced by Charles Napier) - A police lieutenant for the Electro City Police Department who helps Ace and Cosmos in their investigations.
  • Angel (voiced by Kath Soucie) - The CPU of Ace Cooper's Magic Express.

Villains
  • Jack "Black Jack" Malone (voiced by Charles Napier) - The primary antagonist of the series, the principal crime boss in Electro City, and the proprietor of the "Croesus Palace" casino. Following an accident involving Ace who used to work for him, "Black Jack" Malone is confined to a hovering chair. Despite the criminal activities he has committed, he has never been convicted of anything due to various loopholes and having high-level connections.
    • Diamond (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - "Black Jack" Malone's intelligent henchman.
    • Spade (voiced by Michael Donovan) - "Black Jack" Malone's strong henchman.
    • Clockwise (voiced by Billy West) - "Black Jack" Malone's strategist, accountant, and lawyer who often assists "Black Jack" Malone in using methods to keep him from getting indicted.
  • "Sonny Boy" Serge (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - A millionaire mobster, owner of the 'Sunset' casino, and the son of engineer Jonathan Serge. He tends to be at odds with "Black Jack" Malone and periodically, with the elder Serge as well.
  • Faceless (voiced by Kath Soucie) - A full-costumed female assassin and sneak-thief hired by "Black Jack" Malone to kill the Magician. Faceless' gloves have retractable claws. Captain Friedrich refuses to believe she even exists despite what Ace, Cosmo, and Vega keep telling him.
  • Yago (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - A magician who is a rival of Ace Cooper.
  • Dr. Blaun (voiced by Michael Donovan) - A mad scientist.
  • Gus Morland (voiced by Billy West) - A former friend of Ace Cooper who is revived from his cryonic state as a cryonic mutant. He planned revenge on "Black Jack" Malone until Ace stopped him and restored him to normal.
  • Aldus Teron (voiced by Billy West) - The head of a company that wanted to place his mind in a specially-bred child.
  • Glam (voiced by Michael Donovan) - A pirate who targeted the Nova celebrity cruise ship.
  • Count Hebron (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - A hunter.

Other characters
  • Captain Friedrich (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - The police captain of the Electro City Police Department who distrusts Ace Cooper.
  • Mona Malone (voiced by Kath Soucie) - The daughter of "Black Jack" Malone and Ace Cooper's childhood beloved. She often works with Ace to keep her father's plans from going too far. Mona occasionally sings at her father's club, which Ace attends; "Black Jack" calls a truce doing those times.
  • Duc Paparazzo (voiced by Billy West) - A reporter who covers the various activities in Electro City.
  • DJ Mikkus (voiced by Michael Donovan) - A musical composer that is friends with Ace Cooper.
  • Skip Ramsdale - A Flipball player for the Electro City Strikers who is a friend of Ace Cooper.
  • Senator Dobbs (voiced by Michael Donovan) - The senator of Electro City who screens "Black Jack" Malone from prosecution as "Black Jack" Malone is close friends with him.

Episodes
No.TitleWritten byOriginal air date
1"Race for Your Life"Savin Yeatman-Eiffel1997 (1997)
Ace is framed for a crime by doctored videos made by Black Jack and learns that Diamond and Spade intend to murder Jim Speed, a professional racer. Accordingly, Ace saves Speed while Cosmo exposes the false accusation.
2"Black Cat"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
A circus' black Panther is forced to attack two scientists by a former colleague of theirs, on behalf of the corporation for which all three had worked, and Ace's own panther Zina is blamed by the police. Ace, Cosmo, Lt. Vega, and the circus' trainer 'Yokiko' jointly recover the two panthers, defeat the mad scientist Dr. Pax of the Millix Corporation, and exonerate Zina.
3"Mad Train"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
An attempt is made on the Senator Dobb's life by an ex-employee Bill Peach. Cooper then saves Cosmo and a circus from a train (originally belonging to Ace himself) sent by Peach to destroy both.
4"Cyber"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
When robots are sent to join the police force, Ace, Cosmo, and Lt. Vega terminate plans by Black Jack to use the robots against the city.
5"Masters of Magic"Jean-Luc Ayach1997 (1997)
A rival magician called Yago loses his assistant Zeline to Ace, and thereupon assists a bank-robbery and challenges Ace to a contest of magic. When Ace wins, Yago is required to return the stolen money and surrender to the police.
6"Vega Gate"Silvan Boris Schmid1997 (1997)
Lt. Vega is accused of taking bribes when set up by singer Ritchie Vilanti. Ace and Cosmo clear his name and expose Ritchie Vilanti.
7"A Model Top Model"Jean-Luc Ayach1997 (1997)
Beauty queen 'Zelda' uses Ace and Cosmo to escape her employers at the Universal Beauty Institute where their scientist Dr. Blaun create clones of her to justify their copyright of her likeness. Ace and Cosmo interrupt the scheme, and Zelda exposes it on live broadcast which incriminates the culprits.
8"Croesus Crisis"Régis Vedal (story) & Frederic Lenoir1997 (1997)
Mobster "Sonny Boy" Serge opens a casino to spite his rival "Black Jack" Malone, and Ace and Cosmo intervene, to foreshorten a gang war; but the story is complicated when Sonny Boy hires a Vodun practitioner to poison Black Jack. Ultimately, Ace and Cosmo terrify both mobsters into submission with an illusory god-monster.
9"The Prophecy"Gilles Adrien1997 (1997)
A Gypsy Fortune-teller named Nausica clues in on a dangerous strongbox. Ace recovers the strongbox before it can used by Black Jack to pollute the city's water supply.
10"Behind the Orb-Ball"Jeffrey P. Kearney1997 (1997)
Sports champion 'Skip' Ramsdale is the latest of many to be drugged illegally, and injured; Ace infiltrates the competition to expose the crime.
11"What Were You Doing in Electro City When the Lights Went Off?"Raphael Thomas1997 (1997)
The cold fusion batteries that empower Electro City are all simultaneously de-activated, after an attempt on their inventor Johnathan Serge's life by his estranged son the mobster "Sonny Boy" Serge. Ace and Cosmo foil Sonny's plan, and his father Professor Jonathan Serge re-activates the power.
12"Best Wishes and Happiness"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Black Jack's daughter Mona agrees to marry a scientist named Max Malden in exchange for his restoration of her father's long-crippled legs. Ace exposes the cure as a fraud.
13"The Challenge"Frederic Lenoir1997 (1997)
Patrick Schumacher, the host of a defunct game-show, attempts revenge on Ace for the latter's greater popularity. Ace and Cosmo survive his obstacle-course and expose the network's Director of Programming as the mastermind behind the crime.
14"Golden Voice"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
Contenders for the episode's eponymous Award are threatened, and in some cases injured, by unknown assailants working for Crenone and Demonia. Ace and Cosmo rescue the last two, and one of these (Mona Malone) wins the Award.
15"Planet Electric"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Ace is framed for food poisoning at the restaurant 'Planet Electric', and Cosmo, in the attempt to clear his name, is captured by Black Jack's thugs. Ace, D.J. Mikkas, and Skip Ramsdale rescue him, but fail to expose Black Jack's connection to the crime and incriminate only its immediate culprit: the restaurateur Mr. Banks.
16"Stop Clowning Around"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
A circus act is sabotaged on behalf of Black Jack Malone, until Ace and Cosmo expose his agent among the performers.
17"Stars of the Silver Screen"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
A film based on a presumed-deceased journalist's career is plagued by sabotage to prevent its exposure of Black Jack's past crimes. Ace discovers that the leading actress is the journalist herself and protects her from Diamond, Spades, and Sonny Boy's henchmen.
18"Cold Sweat, Part 1"Olivier Montegut1997 (1997)
A former friend of Ace's named Gus Morland is revived from a cryonic state in the form of a cryogenic mutant, and pursues Ace.
19"Cold Sweat, Part 2"Olivier Montegut1997 (1997)
Gus attacks Black Jack, whom he blames for his mutation. Both of them are saved by Ace and Gus is restored to his human state.
20"And They Lived Happily Ever After"Taro Ochiai1997 (1997)
Black Jack's strategist Clockwise sends thieves to discover all the city's important secrets, in the guise of a matchmaking agency; Ace infiltrates the agency to spoil the plan, and discovers that all the spies are androids. When Black Jack abandons the plan, the androids' creator Dr. Cabaliye sends his remaining creations to kill Black Jack's daughter; but they are defeated by Ace and Cosmo.
21"Twin Brothers"Silvan Boris Schmid1997 (1997)
An impostor impersonates Ace and persuades both Cosmo and Ace's supercomputer 'Angel' into thinking he's Ace. The imposter is vanquished by Ace in a contest of magic.
22"Faceless"Silvan Boris Schmid1997 (1997)
Introduces a Catwoman-like sneak-thief named Faceless whom Ace pursues but fails to capture.
23"Truth or Consequences"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Ace's friend Skip Ramsdale is accused of injuring rival Flipball player Barsky. Ace exposes the accusation as false at Skip's trial and incriminates Skip's manager Bob Redd.
24"Bad Program"Gilles Adrien1997 (1997)
Rex-1, the leading character of a video game, is accidentally converted into a real being and holds a civic administrator hostage until defeated by Ace and Cosmo.
25"X-Oshi"Frederic Lenoir, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel1997 (1997)
X-Oshi (a species of robotic pet), having become ubiquitous in the city, unexpectedly turn criminal; whereupon Ace and Cosmo vanquish their prototype, who commands the others.
26"Stealth Robber"Silvan Boris Schmid1997 (1997)
Ace discovers Faceless smuggling money in an invisible helicopter, and is ordered by the Police Department to recover the money and cripple her operation.
27"The Paparazzo Affair"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Newscaster Duc Paparazzo is attacked by gunmen after he threatens to expose a pharmaceutical businessman John Wosh's criminal past in his real name of Paul Kelly. He is rescued by Ace, and the Paul Kelly is later imprisoned for the attempt to kill both.
28"Multi-Flames"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
Ace investigates mysterious fires caused by a pyromaniac Multi-Flames. Ace discovers that Multi-Flames is a firefighter named Lt. Atika where she has a vendetta against Sonny Boy for the faulty equipment that he had a hand in.
29"Hardbeat"Frederic Lenoir1997 (1997)
Cosmo, and other youths of the city, are driven to violence by a strain of music concealed in their favorite records, to justify martial law in Electro City. Ace, and composer 'D.J.' Mikkas, expose the deception in public, and humiliate its masterminds.
30"Bad Weather for the Magician"Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Ace and Cosmo trace a series of meteorological disruptions to weather reporter Zoran Spring and eventually destroy his weather-control apparatus.
31"Junior"Herve Renoh1997 (1997)
The scientist Nataschia, to prevent her employer Aldus Teron's transference of his own mind into the brain of an specially-bred child, leaves the child in the care of Ace, Cosmo, and Mona. Her employer contends with these for possession of the child until his defeat.
32"The Cruise"Jeffrey P. Kearney, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel1997 (1997)
The Nova celebrity cruise liner is sunk. Ace and Cosmo find a pirate captain called Glam scheming to plunder the ancient artifacts it carried, and lead the police to destroy his base and recover the artifacts.
33"A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing"Frederic Lenoir, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel1997 (1997)
Some of Cosmo's friends are tricked by Sonny Boy into kidnapping his father, and thus into a gun-fight with the Police and Sonny's followers; but Ace rescues the elder Surge, and Cosmo conceals the evidence of his friends' participation in the crime.
34"No Dice!"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Gambler Joe Tucker plants explosives in two famous gambling-casinos, and threatens a third. Ace defeats him in single combat and causes the third explosive to explode harmlessly in the air.
35"Virtual Fatality"Laurent Turner1997 (1997)
Jimmy Hagen, a descendant of the city's founders, kidnaps Ace to copy his magic through a telepathic virtual reality apparatus. Ace is rescued by Cosmo and humiliates Hagen in public.
36"The Flight of Prosperity"Frederic Lenoir1997 (1997)
Two escaped convicts, Sally Blade and her sister Bodycount, force the singer Mona Malone to assist the hijacking of a luxury dirigible and its passengers upon being hired by Black Jack. Ace and Lt. Vega defeat the convicts in mid-flight and Ace returns the passengers safely to the ground.
37"The Chase"Jeffrey P. Kearney, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel1997 (1997)
Derailed in the desert, Ace and Cosmo are captured by the eccentric hunter Count Hebron and forced through an obstacle-course with him in pursuit. They later outwit him, and Lt. Vega takes Hebron prisoner.
38"Professor Cosmo"Frederic Lenoir1997 (1997)
At a science-fair, and later through the city, Cosmo and Black Jack compete for control of a nearly-indestructible robot, until Jack attaches his own motorized chair to the robot, and thus establishes an impenetrable neural interface; whereupon Ace, having originally come to rescue Cosmo, defeats Jack in single combat. Thereafter, Jack claims to have subdued the robot himself, and thus escapes punishment.
39"All Against One"Savin Yeatman-Eiffel1997 (1997)
After Faceless, Spade, and Diamond cause a prison break at the Electro City Police Department, Ace's enemies Yago, Dr. Blaun, Glam, and Count Hebron unite with Black Jack's group and Sonny Boy's group. Ace even learns of this upon subduing Aldus Teron who had obtained freedom on his own. Following an ambush by Yago, Dr. Blaun, Count Hebron, and Faceless, Ace is presumed dead following the attack on him. He is recovered by Cosmo, Vega, Mona, and Zina. Mona assists Ace and Cosmo to arouse the criminal masterminds against each other. Ultimately, most of the criminals are imprisoned with the exceptions of Faceless and Sonny Boy. Clockwise reminds Captain Friedrich that Black Jack is a close friend of Senator Dobbs and claims that the villains held him and Mona hostage.

Crew
  • Jim Gomez - Voice Director

References
  1. "Xilam". Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 522. ISBN 978-1476665993.
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