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Aladdin (animated TV series)

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For other uses, see Aladdin (disambiguation).
Aladdin
Production logo as rendered on episode scripts; the series proper reused the original film's logo
Also known asDisney's Aladdin: The Series
Genre
Based onAladdin by Walt Disney Feature Animation
Developed by
Directed by
  • Alan Zaslove
  • Rob LaDuca
  • Bob Hathcock
  • Toby Shelton
  • Karen Peterson
  • Tad Stones
  • Saburo Hashimoto
  • Jamie Mitchell
Starring
Opening theme"Arabian Nights"
Ending theme"Arabian Nights" (Instrumental)
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes86 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers
  • Tad Stones
  • Alan Zaslove
Running time22 minutes
Production companyWalt Disney Television Animation
Original release
Network
ReleaseFebruary 6, 1994 (1994-02-06) –
November 25, 1995 (1995-11-25)

Aladdin: The Series (also known as Disney's Aladdin: The Series) is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that aired from February 6, 1994, to November 25, 1995, concluding exactly three years to the day from the release of the original Disney's 1992 animated feature film of the same name on which it was based.[1] Despite the animated television series premiering four months before the first sequel, the direct-to-video film The Return of Jafar, it takes place afterward.[2] The second and final animated sequel was the 1996 direct-to-video film, Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

The TV series was produced by Alan Zaslove and Tad Stones, who were already renowned for their work on Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck.[3] Many of the films' stars provided the voices of their TV counterparts, with the notable exceptions of Dan Castellaneta, filling in for Robin Williams, as The Genie (like in The Return of Jafar), until Williams later returned to reprise his role in Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and Val Bettin as the Sultan (who replaced Douglas Seale after the original film).

The TV series originally aired as a preview on The Disney Channel in early 1994,[4] and in September of that year it began airing concurrently on the syndicated The Disney Afternoon block[3] and on Saturday mornings on CBS (prior to Disney's purchase of rival ABC). Disney Channel reran the series from 1997 until 2000. The show was shown on Toon Disney from April 1998 until December 2008.[citation needed]

Plot

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The series is set in the fictional sultanate of Agrabah. It takes place one year after the original film, and is set after the second film. Aladdin, now engaged to Princess Jasmine, embarks on numerous adventures with his companions, both within and outside of Agrabah. These adventures often include solving mysteries, finding treasures, and encountering various enemies, such as Abis Mal (a childish and incompetent thief), Mechanicles (a mad Greek inventor), Mozenrath (a young evil power-hungry sorcerer), and Mirage (an evil cat-like enchantress).

Episodes

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Main article: List of Aladdin episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
19February 6, 1994 (1994-02-06)May 1, 1994 (1994-05-01)The Disney Channel
269September 5, 1994 (1994-09-05)February 28, 1995 (1995-02-28)Syndication (The Disney Afternoon) & CBS
38September 16, 1995 (1995-09-16)November 25, 1995 (1995-11-25)CBS

A total of 86 episodes were produced, making this series one of the few exceptions to Disney's then-limit of 65 episodes. The direct-to-video film Aladdin and the King of Thieves serves as the series finale. It was followed by a guest appearance on November 24, 1998, in "Hercules and the Arabian Night", an episode of Hercules: The Animated Series.

Characters

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Main article: List of Disney's Aladdin characters

Main

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  • Aladdin (voiced by Scott Weinger) was originally a street urchin who stole food to survive, but his life changed when he met and fell in love with Jasmine, the Princess of Agrabah. Aladdin is engaged to marry Jasmine and will eventually become Prince and eventually Sultan. He learns of his future responsibilities while protecting the kingdom from monsters, sorcerers and other dangers.
  • Genie (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is one of Aladdin's best friends. Freed from his lamp and able to use his magic freely, Genie helps Aladdin in his adventures to protect Agrabah. However, Genie's magic does not always work successfully, as his powers had been reduced once he was freed. He describes his powers as "semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic".
  • Princess Jasmine (voiced by Linda Larkin) was forced by her father to marry a prince, but her life changed for the better when she ran away from home and met and fell in love with the man of her dreams, Aladdin. Jasmine is no ordinary princess as she is strong-willed, independent, defiant yet loving and kind-hearted. She is quite flirty and seductive. She wants to live a life where she is free to make her own choices and to not let others control her. Now with more independence, Jasmine starts to experience things that she had never done before.
  • Iago (voiced by Gilbert Gottfried): Though he may have cleaned up his act, Iago is still very greedy and constantly wishes to have riches and power in his life. Iago sometimes causes trouble for the gang as he leads them on treasure hunts that turn out to be dangerous. Though he may be quick-tempered, Iago has a good heart deep down and always does the right thing in the end. Iago also has the talent of being able to imitate other peoples' voices.
  • Abu (voiced by Frank Welker) is the charming, mischievous, yet closest friend of Aladdin. Abu is known to be a master thief and has his eyes set on gold and jewels. Abu and Iago have become good friends and work together on many occasions to gain money and riches beyond their wildest dreams.
  • Magic Carpet is a loyal friend who was once a resident of the Cave of Wonders' treasure room. He is the mode of transportation for Aladdin and his friends, as well as a constant games partner for Genie.
  • The Sultan (voiced by Val Bettin) is Jasmine's kind-hearted father, ruler of Agrabah, who allowed the engagement between her and Aladdin.

Other characters and villains

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Animation

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The animated television series was animated by Walt Disney Television Animation (Australia) Pty. Limited, Walt Disney Animation Japan, Inc., Toon City Animation, Inc., in Manila, Philippines, Kennedy Cartoons in Manila, Philippines and Kennedy Cartoons in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Guimarares Productions in São Paulo, Brasil, Moving Images International (working with Toon City on the show's episodes) in Manila, Philippines, Animal-ya (also known as Animal House), Tama Productions, Wang Film Productions Co., Ltd., Sunwoo Animation Co., Ltd., Jaime Diaz Producciones S.A., and Pacific Rim Productions, Inc. The additional production facilities for Walt Disney Animation (Japan) Inc.-animated episodes are Tama Production, Jade Animation, Light Foot, Nakumara Productions, Studios CATS, Studios Fuga, Studios Robin, Takahashi Productions, and Unlimited Energee.[citation needed]

Home media

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VHS and LaserDisc releases

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Nine VHS cassettes and two double-feature LaserDiscs containing eighteen episodes of the series were released in the United States and Canada (including four VHS cassettes of the Princess Collection: Jasmine's Enchanted Tales set, which contain eight episodes).

VHS Name Episode Titles Release Date Stock Number
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Creatures of Invention "Getting the Bugs Out" & "The Sands of Fate" July 21, 1995 5361
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Magic Makers "Never Say Nefir" & "The Citadel" July 21, 1995 5363
Aladdin & Jasmine's Moonlight Magic "Moonlight Madness" & "Some Enchanted Genie" January 10, 1996 6704
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Fearless Friends "Much Abu About Something" & "The Day the Bird Stood Still" February 28, 1996 6716
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Team Genie "Sneeze the Day" & "Genie Hunt" February 28, 1996 6715

Princess Collection - Jasmine's Enchanted Tales

VHS Name Episode Titles Release Date Stock Number
Princess Collection - Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: The Greatest Treasure "Garden of Evil" & "Elemental, My Dear Jasmine" April 7, 1995 4081
Princess Collection - Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: Jasmine's Wish "Do the Rat Thing" & "Bad Mood Rising" April 7, 1995 4083
Princess Collection - Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: True Hearts "Eye of the Beholder" & "SandSwitch" February 28, 1996 6718
Princess Collection - Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: Magic and Mystery "The Secret of Dagger Rock" & "Forget Me Lots" February 28, 1996 6719

Australia and New Zealand releases

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Twelve VHS cassettes containing 24 episodes of the series were released in Australia and New Zealand. The series' home video releases from North American and Europe were also available on VHS, LaserDisc and Video CD in Asia, the Middle East, South Africa, and South America.

VHS Name Episode Titles Release Date
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 1): Aladdin to the Rescue "The Spice is Right" & "Fowl Weather" February 2, 1996
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 2): Genie in a Jar "The Prophet Motive" & "Mudder's Day" February 2, 1996
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 3): Treasures of Doom "To Cure a Thief" & "My Fair Aladdin" February 2, 1996
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 4): Creatures of Invention "Getting the Bugs Out" & "The Sands of Fate" October 18, 1996
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 5): Magic Makers "Never Say Nefir" & "The Citadel" October 18, 1996
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 6): Fearless Friends "Much Abu About Something" & "The Day the Bird Stood Still" March 21, 1997
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 7): Team Genie "Sneeze the Day" & "Genie Hunt" March 21, 1997
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 8): Aladdin & Jasmine's Moonlight Magic "Moonlight Madness" & "Some Enchanted Genie" August 15, 1997
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 9): The Magic Mask "The Secret of Dagger Rock" and "The Ethereal" August 15, 1997
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 10): Winner Takes Aladdin "Strike Up the Sand" and "SandSwitch" August 15, 1997
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 11): The Magic Trap "Lost and Founded" & "Web of Fear" August 15, 1997
Aladdin's Arabian Adventures (Volume 12): Sea No Evil "Sea No Evil" & "When Chaos Comes Calling" August 15, 1997

DVD releases

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The series has not been fully released on DVD, but on March 14, 2005, three episodes of the series were released on the Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: Journey of a Princess DVD release.[5] Also, four episodes were released as part of the Disney Princess DVD releases.

DVD Name Episode Titles Release Date Note
Disney Princess Stories: Volume 1 "Bad Mood Rising" September 7, 2004 Also available on VHS
Disney Princess Party: Volume 2 "SandSwitch" February 15, 2005 Also available on VHS
Disney Princess Stories: Volume 2 "Love at First Sprite" February 15, 2005 Also available on VHS
Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: Journey of a Princess "Elemental, My Dear Jasmine", "Garden of Evil" & "Do the Rat Thing" March 14, 2005
Disney Princess Stories: Volume 3 "Eye of the Beholder" September 6, 2005 Also available on VHS

Video on demand

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Following the launch of the Disney+ video on demand streaming service in November 2019, Aladdin along with The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show are the only two Disney Afternoon series not available on the platform as of December 2024.

International releases

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The entire series is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video in Germany.[6]

Accolades

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Year Ceremony Category Nominee(s) Result
1995 22nd Daytime Emmy Awards[7][unreliable source?] Outstanding Animated Program Alan Zaslove and Tad Stones Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound Editing Ray Leonard, Charles Rychwalski, Tom Jaeger, Phyllis Ginter, Kenneth Young, Michael Geisler, Greg LaPlante, Timothy J. Borquez, Michael Gollom, Jim Hodson, Marc S. Perlman, Robert Duran, Bill Koepnick, Melissa Ellis, Jennifer Mertens, John O. Robinson III, William Griggs, and Alex Wilkinson Won
Outstanding Film Sound Mixing Deb Adair, Melissa Ellis, Jim Hodson, Timothy J. Garrity, Timothy J. Borquez, and Bill Koepnick Won
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition Mark Watters, John Given, Harvey Cohen, Carl Johnson, and Thomas Richard Sharp Won
23rd Annie Awards[8] Best Individual Achievement for Writing in the Field of Animation Doug Langdale (for the episode "Do the Rat Thing") Nominated
Best Individual Achievement in Storyboarding in the Field of Animation Warwick Gilbert (for the episode "The Lost One") Nominated
Denise Koyama (for the episode "The Secret of Dagger Rock") Nominated
1996 23rd Daytime Emmy Awards[9][unreliable source?] Outstanding Achievement in Animation Mircea Mantta, Gerard Baldwin, Barbara Dourmaskin-Case, Alan Zaslove, Jamie Thomason, Rob LaDuca, Dale Case, Bob Roth, Bill Motz, Mark Seidenberg, Mirith J. Colao, Denise Koyama, and Lonnie Lloyd Nominated
Outstanding Sound Editing - Special Class Ernesto Mas, Jennifer Mertens, William Griggs, Kenneth Young, Charles Rychwalski, and Cecil Broughton Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing - Special Class Allen L. Stone, Michael Jiron, and Deb Adair Won

References

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  1. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 18–20. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  2. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 258. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. ^ a b "Disney to Crank Up Animation Output". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 56. EGM Media, LLC. March 1994. p. 171.
  4. ^ The Disney Channel Magazine, Vol. 12, no. 2, February/March 1994: pp. 24–26, 32.
  5. ^ "Jasmine's Enchanted Tale – Journey Of A Princess DVD: Amazon.co.uk: Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: Film & TV". Amazon.co.uk. 14 March 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  6. ^ "Amazon.de: Disneys Aladdin - Staffel 1 Teil 1 ansehen | Prime Video". www.amazon.de.
  7. ^ "Daytime Emmy Awards (1995)". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  8. ^ "23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)". Annie Awards. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  9. ^ "Daytime Emmy Awards (1996)". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
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