The Legend of Zelda (television series)

The Legend of Zelda is an animated television series chronicling the adventures of Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganon in Hyrule, based on the games The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. It lasted for only 13 episodes and was part of the same syndication package as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! As with the Super Mario cartoons, it was produced by DiC Entertainment.

While The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was broadcast five days a week, Super Mario cartoons aired only from Monday to Thursday, with The Legend of Zelda airing instead on Friday, though it was still accompanied by live-action segments featuring Mario and Luigi. Some of these segments were included as part of The Legend of Zelda's later DVD release because Mario, Luigi, and/or the guest star would speak out to the audience to promote that week's episode of The Legend of Zelda, showing a preview consisting of scenes from the upcoming episode.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and The Legend of Zelda would sometimes reference each other. The episode "Stars in Their Eyes" of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! has aliens known as the Quirks playing the theme song of The Legend of Zelda on their trumpet-like noses near the episode's end; similarly, the episode "Doppelganger" of The Legend of Zelda depicts Link whistling the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme while practicing with his sword. Additionally, Mario states in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! that The Legend of Zelda is Mama Mario's favorite show. Both shows also use the ending song "Do the Mario" for the credits.

The Legend of Zelda was one of four Nintendo-based cartoons included in the compilation television series Captain N & The Video Game Masters; however, when episodes of The Legend of Zelda were aired, they were sped up and cut significantly to around ten minutes. As of 2014, the series has been made available for streaming on 's Cartoon Super Heroes, Vault, and Super Mario Bros. Super Show! channels, though the live-action segments are not included by the channel.