Donkey Kong Country (television series): Difference between revisions

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'''''Donkey Kong Country''''' was a short-lived French computer-generated television show starring [[Donkey Kong]], [[Diddy Kong]], [[Candy Kong]], and [[King K. Rool]]. It first aired in France on September 4, 1996, and was originally titled ''La Planète Donkey Kong'' ("Planet Donkey Kong"). It premiered late in North America on August 15, 1998, and the original run finished on July 7, 2000; the show is currently airing in Australia as of December 2009. Strangely, many of the episodes were aired out of order, confusing many fans. Regardless of this, ''Donkey Kong Country'' won a publicly-voted award at 7 d'Or in 1999, for "Best Animation and Youth Program" ("Meilleure émission d'animation et de jeunesse").  
'''''Donkey Kong Country''''' was a short-lived French computer-generated television show starring [[Donkey Kong]], [[Diddy Kong]], [[Candy Kong]], and [[King K. Rool]]. It first aired in France on September 4, 1996, and was originally titled ''La Planète Donkey Kong'' ("Planet Donkey Kong"). It premiered late in North America on August 15, 1998, and the original run finished on July 7, 2000; the show is currently airing in Australia as of December 2009. Regardless of this, ''Donkey Kong Country'' won a publicly-voted award at 7 d'Or in 1999, for "Best Animation and Youth Program" ("Meilleure émission d'animation et de jeunesse"). In the USA the series originally debuted on Fox Kids. However, due to the airing of the impeachment trials of then-President Bill Clinton, the show was moved to Fox Family.<ref>[[wikipedia:Donkey Kong Country (TV series)|Wikipedia]] (Accessed November 3, 2011)</ref>


The show featured almost all of the [[Kong]]s from ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'', the exceptions being [[Swanky Kong]], [[Tiny Kong]], [[Chunky Kong]], and [[Wrinkly Kong]]. There were also featured characters exclusive to the show, such as [[Eddie the Mean Old Yeti]], [[Kaptain Skurvy]], [[Baby Kong]] and [[Bluster Kong]].
''Donkey Kong Country'' ran for two seasons with forty episodes total before ending. The show followed an episodic format; it was rare that any episode connected in any way to an earlier one. During the run, however, there were some episodes aired out of order from the original airing, such as "Bad Hair Day" being aired as the third episode in the US run, even though it was the first episode in France. The second season showed many changes, such as using new, sleeker styles of computer animation and dropping the use of title screens. Each episode, excluding "[[Message in a Bottle Show]]," features one or two songs performed by cast members.


In the USA the series originally debuted on Fox Kids. However, due to the airing of the impeachment trials of then-President Bill Clinton, the show was moved to Fox Family.<ref>[[wikipedia:Donkey Kong Country (TV series)|Wikipedia]] (Accessed November 3, 2011)</ref>
''Donkey Kong Country'' was one of the earliest television series to be computer-animated, matching the artistic style of the ''Rare'' video game series. The CG animation style of the series was met with critical acclaim in France and Japan, but with mixed reception elsewhere. Several elements of the series appeared in later ''Donkey Kong'' video games such as ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', which was released a year after the show had started airing on ABC Family (Fox Family).


==Plot==
==Plot==
The show portrays Donkey Kong, an anthropomorphic ape in the jungle who happens to stumble upon a magic orb called the [[Crystal Coconut]] in the temple of [[Inka Dinka Doo]] that names him the future ruler of the island [[Donkey Kong Island|Kongo Bongo]]. As he and his friends wait for the day when the Crystal Coconut will proclaim him the ruler of Kongo Bongo, they have to keep the mystical and powerful relic safe from the clutches of enemies such as King K. Rool and Kaptain Skurvy, who wish to possess the Crystal Coconut for themselves.  It is kept in [[Cranky's Cabin]], where Donkey Kong guards it.
The show portrays Donkey Kong, an anthropomorphic ape in the jungle who happens to stumble upon a magic orb called the [[Crystal Coconut]] in the temple of [[Inka Dinka Doo]], resulting in him being named the future ruler of [[Donkey Kong Island|Kongo Bongo Island]]. As he and his friends wait for the day when the Crystal Coconut will proclaim him the ruler of the island, they have to keep the mystical and powerful relic safe from the clutches of King K. Rool and his minions, who desire the coconut so that their leader may rule the island using its power.
 
The show lasted two seasons with forty episodes before ending. The episodes were all very episodic and it was rare that any episode connected to an earlier one. The second season showed many changes, like using new, sleeker styles of computer animation and dropping the use of title screens. Each episode, excluding [[Message in a Bottle Show]], features one or two songs performed by cast members.


==Cast==
==Cast==
[[File:Dkctv.jpg|thumb|230px|The cast of the main Kongs.]]
[[File:Dkctv.jpg|thumb|230px|The cast of the main Kongs.]]
The series features almost all of the [[Kong]]s from ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'', the exceptions being [[Swanky Kong]] and [[Wrinkly Kong]]. However, the show also features several characters exclusive to the TV series, such as [[Eddie the Mean Old Yeti]], [[Kaptain Skurvy]] and his crew, and [[Bluster Kong]].
*[[Richard Yearwood]] &mdash; [[Donkey Kong]]
*[[Richard Yearwood]] &mdash; [[Donkey Kong]]
*[[Andrew Sabiston]] &mdash; [[Diddy Kong]]; [[Junior the Giant Klaptrap]]
*[[Andrew Sabiston]] &mdash; [[Diddy Kong]]; [[Junior the Giant Klaptrap]]
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In the DVDs ''Donkey Kong Country Vol.1'' (Released in Australia) and ''Donkey Kong Country - Bad Hair Day'' (Released in the United Kingdom) they also put a few episodes. The other two DVDs, ''Donkey Kong Country: Hooray for Holly Kongo Bongo'' and ''Donkey Kong Country: The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights'' (Both were released in Australia) only held one episode. After over three years of there being no new ''DKC'' products in English, the UK realeased a new DVD called ''I Spy With My Hairy Eye''. There have been over 30 ''DKC'' DVD's but with only five being in English.  
In the DVDs ''Donkey Kong Country Vol.1'' (Released in Australia) and ''Donkey Kong Country - Bad Hair Day'' (Released in the United Kingdom) they also put a few episodes. The other two DVDs, ''Donkey Kong Country: Hooray for Holly Kongo Bongo'' and ''Donkey Kong Country: The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights'' (Both were released in Australia) only held one episode. After over three years of there being no new ''DKC'' products in English, the UK realeased a new DVD called ''I Spy With My Hairy Eye''. There have been over 30 ''DKC'' DVD's but with only five being in English.  
''Donkey Kong Country'' was one of the earlier television series to be computer-animated to match the artistic style of the ''Rare'' video game series, and garnered critical acclaim in France and Japan but only marginal success in the West. Several elements of the series appeared in later ''Donkey Kong Country'' video games such as ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', which was released a year after the show had started airing on ABC Family (Fox Family).


The show had a large line of merchandise in Japan including a collectible card game, featuring drawings of characters some that never appeared in the series. The card game was later adapted to be based on ''Donkey Kong 64''. The television series took over the TV Tokyo 6:30 P.M. timeslot from ''[[Wikipedia:Gokudo|Gokudo]]'', and was later replaced with ''[[Wikipedia:Hamtaro|Hamtaro]]''.
The show had a large line of merchandise in Japan including a collectible card game, featuring drawings of characters some that never appeared in the series. The card game was later adapted to be based on ''Donkey Kong 64''. The television series took over the TV Tokyo 6:30 P.M. timeslot from ''[[Wikipedia:Gokudo|Gokudo]]'', and was later replaced with ''[[Wikipedia:Hamtaro|Hamtaro]]''.