TigerSharks

TigerSharks is an American animated children's television series developed by Rankin/Bass and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures in 1987. The series involved a team of heroes that could transform into amalgams of human and marine animals and resembled the series ThunderCats and SilverHawks, also developed by Rankin/Bass.

Production and development

Rankin/Bass followed up their successful ThunderCats and SilverHawks series with this series about a team of powered up man/marine form hybrids called the "TigerSharks". This third series also featured many of the same voice actors who had worked on ThunderCats and SilverHawks including Larry Kenney, Peter Newman, Earl Hammond, Doug Preis and Bob McFadden.

The series lasted one season with 26 episodes and was part of the show The Comic Strip, which consisted of four animated shorts: TigerSharks, Street Frogs, The Mini-Monsters, and Karate Kat.

The animation was provided by Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation. Warner Bros. Animation currently owns the series, as they own the 1974–89 Rankin/Bass library, which was incorporated into the merger of Lorimar-Telepictures and Warner Bros.

Plot

In a futuristic time, the TigerShark team are humans and unidentified aliens who use a device called the Fish Tank to transform into hybrids of marine animals. The TigerSharks' base is SARK, a spaceship that can function underwater. The ship contains the Fish Tank, its own A.I., and other research facilities.

The TigerSharks operate in Water-O (pronounced Wah-tare-oh), a planet that is almost completely covered by water and inhabited by a fish-like species called the Waterians. The TigerSharks arrived there on a research mission and ended up serving as the protectors of the planet against the evil Mantannas, led by T-Ray. To make matters worse, T-Ray ends up freeing Captain Bizzarly and his pirate crew from their icy imprisonment.

Characters

TigerSharks

Protectors of Water-O, the team members are:

• Mako (voiced by Peter Newman) - A gifted scuba diver, he is considered the field commander of the TigerSharks. He transforms into a human/mako shark hybrid, which grants him incredible speed underwater. Mako also uses his forearm fins and head fin to slice through metal.
• Walro (voiced by Earl Hammond) - The scientific and mechanical genius who created the Fish Tank. He acts as the advisor of the team and is very respected by his comrades. Walro turns into a human/walrus hybrid. He wields a cane that has a wide variety of weapons.
• Rodolfo "Dolph" (voiced by Larry Kenney) - Octavia's lieutenant aboard the SARK, he is also an natural scuba diver. Dolph loves a good joke, even on himself; yet he's all business when such is called for, and his work gets results that speak for themselves. Dolph turns into a human/dolphin hybrid, which makes him very maneuverable underwater and can shoot a strong jet of water from his blowhole. Dolph is unable to breathe underwater in his aquatic form and must surface often to replenish his air supply.
• Octavia (voiced by Camille Bonora) - Captain of the SARK, communications technician and main strategist. Octavia turns into a human/octopus hybrid with tentacles in place of hair.
• Lorca - The team's mechanic and often helps Walro to repair or build new machines. He is also the team's strongest member. Lorca turns into a human/orca hybrid. Like Dolph, he cannot breathe underwater in his aquatic form, and therefore must surface frequently for oxygen. He speaks with an Australian accent.
• Bronc - A teenager who, along with his sister Angel, works as an assistant aboard the SARK. Bronc is very adventurous and sometimes reckless. He turns into a human/seahorse hybrid, hence his name, which is derived from "Bronco".
• Angel - Another teenage member of the SARK's crew. Angel is more serious and responsible than her brother. She turns into a human/angelfish hybrid.
• Gupp - The TigerSharks' pet Cocker Spaniel. His features, including flipper-shaped legs and pin teeth, resemble a pinniped.
• SARK A.I. - The artificial intelligence of the SARK.

Villains

The show featured two major antagonists, both with teams of followers. Both are in alliance to conquer Water-O and destroy the TigerSharks, but plan to betray each other once these goals are met. They are:

• The Mantannas - A race of alien sea creatures who arrived on Water-O after their home planet dried up. The Mantannas cannot breathe water and use a water-breathing apparatus to survive on land. T-Ray (voiced by Larry Kenney) - T-Ray is a manta ray hybrid-type creature and the leader of the Mantannas. He wields a whip. Wall-Eye (voiced by Peter Newman) - A frog hybrid who is T-Ray's aide-de-camp. He can hypnotize people by spinning his eyes. Shad (voiced by Earl Hammond) - A bad-tempered grouper hybrid. He wears a belt that can shoot electrical blasts. Dredge - An eel-like mutant who carries a pet electric eel on his back. Carper and Weakfish - Two mermen with frog-like faces. Identical twin brothers who (as befitting their names) whine and complain about everything. Carper has green skin while Weakfish has purple skin. They are also shown to have a fear of dogs as seen in the first episode when they are frightened away by Gupp.
• Captain Bizzarly (voiced by Earl Hammond) - The captain of a crew of pirate with aquaphobia who controlled all crime-related activities on the vast oceans of Water-O until the Waterians froze him and his crew in ice many years ago. T-Ray freed Bizzarly and his crew expecting them to join forces, though they secretly plan to betray the other once their goals are accomplished. Dragonstein - A winged sea dragon-like creature with bolts in its neck who is Bizzarly's pet and bodyguard. Spike Marlin - A wrinkly-faced humanoid who is Bizzarly's first mate. Presumably named after a marlinspike, he wields a customized polearm. Long John Silverfish - A humanoid with fish-like features. He wields an electrified whip. Soulmate - A humanoid and only female member of Bizzarly's crew who dresses like a samurai. She wields a sword, among other weapons. Lump - A slimy shapeshifting blob-like creature. Grunt - An towering ape-faced humanoid who grunts like an ape and is the largest of the pirates.

Other characters

• Pappagallo - A Waterian who is a member of Water-O's ruling council.
• Hydra - A female Waterian who is a member of Water-O's ruling council.
• Goby - A Waterian who is a member of Water-O's ruling council.
• Bowfin - A young Waterian.

Episodes

In other media

The TigerSharks made a cameo in an episode of the 2011 ThunderCats remake called "Legacy". They are among the animals that were forced to work under Mumm-Ra.

Merchandise

A TigerSharks action figure line was made by LJN, which also made toys for ThunderCats.

In 2026, a new line of TigerSharks action figures were announced.

Notes

External links

• at IMDb