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"For the honor of Grayskull!" She-Ra is 25 year old.

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  • 08-10-2010 5:01pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭


    http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/06/she.ra.anniversary/index.html
    Female superhero 'She-Ra' marks 25th anniversary
    By Katie McLaughlin, CNN
    October 6, 2010 9:19 a.m. EDT
    She-Ra was the alter ego of Princess Adora in an animated series that began airing in 1985.
    (CNN) -- For the honor of Grayskull!

    2010 marks the 25th anniversary of "She-Ra: Princess of Power," otherwise known as "Princess Adora," aka "The Most Powerful Woman in the Universe."

    Last week, "She-Ra" was released on DVD, iTunes and Hulu.com. And throughout the year, toy manufacturer Mattel has been releasing collectible action figures based on characters from "She-Ra" and the character's twin brother He-Man, also known as Prince Adam.

    "She-Ra: Princess of Power" began airing in 1985. Ninety-three episodes were produced, along with a Christmas special, books, a magazine, comics and of course, the toys.

    At one point in every episode, Princess Adora would transform into her alter ego, She-Ra, whenever justice on Etheria was threatened.

    She would reach for her sword and utter her famous phrase, "For the honor of Grayskull! I am She-Ra!" Then in a tornado-like swirl of colorful glitter (and a theme song), she would morph into her alter ego.

    Lisa Baron, who runs a She-Ra fan site, told CNN, "She-Ra holds a special place in my heart because every afternoon for 30 minutes, I could escape into a fantasy world of the magic that was She-Ra. Her voice was captivating, she had great messages for children and kids looked up to her as a great female role model."

    CNN spoke to the voice behind She-Ra, actress and voiceover artist Melendy Britt, about the anniversary, her experiences on the series and the character's lasting relevance as one of the first female superheroes.

    CNN: How did you approach the character of She-Ra?

    Melendy Britt: She-Ra was very different from any other character I did. She had more of an impact on my psyche and I had a strange instinct about the character when I auditioned for it and I knew she was a spiritual character who had a basic concern for everyone. I wanted to make sure my voice showed the change from Adora's youth and innocence to She-Ra's wisdom and self-assured power.

    CNN: Did you know the actor who did the voices for He-Man and the other characters?

    Britt: Absolutely! It was an incredible cast with a group of very, very talented people. John Erwin was the voice of He-Man. He has since moved away from California. He also did the voice of Morris the Cat. George DiCenzo, who was Hordak; he was another very talented man. Alan Oppenheimer, who played Skeletor in the series, gave us great laughs. He's still in L.A., and we talk to one another every now and then.

    CNN: Did you have any of the toys? What's it like to have your own action figure?

    Britt: I do have the She-Ra action figure. You see, my kids were in junior high when the series premiered, so they weren't interested. But I got She-Ra, Swift Wind and Catra. Over the years, I've let kids who've been visiting me play with them, so they're not in pristine condition.

    As far as having my own action figure, I think if I'd received a lot of money from it, it would be like winning the lottery, but since I don't get any payment from that, it just feels kind of interesting. I do remember that when I first saw the action figure, I thought, "Gee, I think she kind of looks like me."

    CNN: Did you ever meet kids who grew up with She-Ra? Did they make you say the lines?

    Britt: When I was doing the series, I met lots of kids who watched the show, and they'd ask me to do the lines, particularly "For the honor of Grayskull!" And then many times parents would ask me to call their kids on their birthdays and talk to them.

    CNN: If they made a live action movie version today, who do you think should play She-Ra?

    Britt: That is such a hard one. I'd have to have a big list and kind of narrow it down to one person, if it could even be one person. Right now, my brain goes to Angelina Jolie, Beyonce and even Lady Gaga with a little Meryl Streep thrown in.

    CNN: What other characters have you voiced in your career?

    Britt: Well, on "She-Ra," I did Catra, Castaspella, Hunga the Harpy and some others I can't recall. Before "She-Ra," I was Batgirl and Catwoman in "The New Adventures of Batman," and Aura from "Flash Gordon." I did various characters in "Transformers," "The Wild Thornberrys" and I was the Wicked Queen in "A Snow White Christmas," among many others.

    CNN: Do you have a favorite episode?

    Britt: I have a few, but for different reasons. Some because of the emotional content of She-Ra's voice, and then some were my favorites because of the impact of the show.

    CNN: What was really going on between She-Ra and Sea Hawk?

    Britt: Not a lot. I think honestly that She-Ra had a calling, maybe as Adora. If she was only Adora, maybe there could have been a relationship with Sea Hawk, but she had a much higher calling that really didn't include him.

    CNN: If the show had continued, how do you think it would have wrapped up?

    Britt: Maybe they'd have continued with She-Ra and her challenges with people trying to bring evil into Eternia, but if she exhausted all the challenges, I don't know if there'd be any drama.

    CNN: How does She-Ra compare to the current crop of cartoons? Could She-Ra even be made today? Or would there be too many parental concerns about violence?

    Britt: The only one [current cartoon] that I have watched that I think is funny is "Spongebob Squarepants," and it seems there's a lot of white-collar violence going on there.

    CNN: Why do you think She-Ra's 25th anniversary is so special?

    Britt: For me, it's a chance to, again, have these memories of a series character which made me realize that I had a real part in people's lives and that they love and remember her. For others, it's a chance to relive and share the days of their childhood. I think each person has their own memories.

    CNN: Why do you think She-Ra still holds a special place in the hearts of women who grew up watching She-Ra as little girls?

    Britt: She was one of the first role models who combined femininity with feminism making her truly, really the most powerful woman in the world. I've been told by some of the female fans -- particularly this one woman who set up a fan site for She-Ra, and for me -- that they were really able to identify with her. That they felt great that not only boys had someone to look up to and meant something special to girls who were able to watch it.

    Personally I identified more with Madam Razz then I did the long legged blonde, funny that.
    m_razz200X.jpg
    Who was your cartoon role model growing up?


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,252 ✭✭✭✭Madame Razz


    I thoroughly endorse this product and/or service:p

    Seriously tho, I (obviously:p) loved/love SheRa, was totally obsessed with it as a kid. Happy Birthday SheRa!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,129 ✭✭✭LenaClaire


    I loved She-ra but my favorite cartoon when I was little was Thundercats. Cheetara was strong and she did not need to get rescued and she could fight and do amazing tumbling. I really wanted to be her when I grew up :)

    cheetara.gif


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    I preferred He-Man and had Greyskull and all the figurines, but I LOVED She-Ra as well, she had a SWORD and a HORSE that could FLY, dammit!

    That was the epitome of awesome to 9 year old me.


    She-Ra herself would be what age now, I wonder.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    Smurfette. That lass could make fellas do ANYTHING for her - even the gay lad.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    April O'Neill ftw!

    Sexy redhead with a career and she sure could fill out a jumpsuit. I always thought her and Raphael should have got some inter-species snorgling going on. :D


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,085 ✭✭✭Xiney


    I wasn't allowed to watch any of these shows. My mother considered care bears violent. :rolleyes:

    I did have a game which consisted entirely of me running up and down the hallway with my winnie the pooh blanket tied around my neck like a cape shouting "wonder woman". For hours. Several times a week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,129 ✭✭✭LenaClaire


    Oh man, I loved Wonder Woman. My friends and I used to take turns being her and one friend had a shiny jump rope that we used as her lasso of truth. We would tie up our younger siblings and make them "confess" to their crimes.


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,915 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    I adored She-ra when I was a little girl and I have them all on DVD now, my husband got them for me for xmas 8 years ago. Interestingly while the He-man cartoon was written around a range of dolls She-ra was actually created as a story first, partially shaped by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski. So quite a bit of She-ra was actually good.

    When I was a kid the best thing about She-ra as opposed to the other cartoons of the era was that there were a multitude of strong female characters so all of the girls could have a character to play when we were acting out stories. With Thundercats/Defenders of the Earth/Ghostbusters/etc there was only 1 or 2 female characters so half the girls had to be boys and fights would always break out over who got to be Cheetara/Jedda.

    My greatest (super) hero when I was growing up though was the X-men's Jean Grey/Marvel Girl/Phoenix.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭Truley


    Was never really a 'pink' person but loved kimberly the pink ranger. She did gymnastics, just like me :P

    Power-Rangers-Pink-Ranger-Deluxe-Child-Costume.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    She-Ra, with her miniscule waist, impossibly large breasts, Rita Hayworth-esque main and miles-long legs was clearly created for the boys though - she was a precursor to Jessica Rabbit.

    Was there a woman called Tee-La or something?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    Dudess wrote: »
    She-Ra, with her miniscule waist, impossibly large breasts, Rita Hayworth-esque main and miles-long legs was clearly created for the boys though - she was a precursor to Jessica Rabbit.

    Was there a woman called Tee-La or something
    ?

    There was, she was Man At Arms daughter:

    teela.jpg&t=1

    I always liked the Hordak stuff from She-Ra, he was in He Man later on but started in her cartoon iirc.

    She was no Evil Lyn though :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    Truley wrote: »
    Was never really a 'pink' person but loved kimberly the pink ranger. She did gymnastics, just like me :P

    Power-Rangers-Pink-Ranger-Deluxe-Child-Costume.jpg

    pointless Power Ranger fact, the yellow ranger was a guy in the Japanese version, hence the reason in what we saw the yellow ranger, who was a girl in the American one, had no boobs during the fight scenes, as the scenes of the Power Rangers themselves was just reused footage from the Japanese tv show, what we got was that cut into the refilmed stuff with the American kids.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,941 ✭✭✭caseyann


    Dudess wrote: »
    Smurfette. That lass could make fellas do ANYTHING for her - even the gay lad.
    Bring back the smurfs :mad::D

    Never like she-ra so much barbie going on in her :p


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,915 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Dudess wrote: »
    She-Ra, with her miniscule waist, impossibly large breasts, Rita Hayworth-esque main and miles-long legs was clearly created for the boys though - she was a precursor to Jessica Rabbit.

    Was there a woman called Tee-La or something?

    Cartoon characters are nearly always idealised versions of humans. Not too many men have the huge torso and bulging limbs that Adam/He-Man sported either. The main reason for that it that it's speedier to draw (both He-Man and She-Ra cartoons were turned out amazing speed) and the dolls use the same molds for cheap manufacturing. They were financed largely by Mattel.

    Teela was from He-Man. She was Prince Adam's bodyguard (and love interest) and Man-At-Arms daughter. She didn't know that Adam and He-Man were the same person.

    There were loads and loads of women in She-Ra. Other than She-Ra/Adora and Madame Razz there was Queen Angella of Brightmoon, leader of the great rebellion. Her daughter Glimmer. Frosta, Castaspella, Double Trouble, Flutterina, Mermista, Peekablue. They all had their own power which was related usually to their name. The best example of this is Netossa who's special skill was tossing nets.:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    Out of all of them, I want a Battlecat

    battlecat.jpg


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    WindSock wrote: »
    Out of all of them, I want a Battlecat

    battlecat.jpg

    It'd be awesome if he was never Cringer and always Battlecat.

    Because my god Cringer was annoying.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    This thread keeps reminding me of this:

    hilarious-3.jpg


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    .....childhood ruined.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭Truley


    krudler wrote: »
    pointless Power Ranger fact, the yellow ranger was a guy in the Japanese version, hence the reason in what we saw the yellow ranger, who was a girl in the American one, had no boobs during the fight scenes, as the scenes of the Power Rangers themselves was just reused footage from the Japanese tv show, what we got was that cut into the refilmed stuff with the American kids.

    A couple of more facts, after a random wikipedia browse.

    The term "morphin' " as in 'mighty morphin' power rangers' was censored out of all Malaysian episodes and merchandise because of fears that sounded too much like morphine :confused:

    Also the actress who played yellow ranger died in a car accident a few years ago :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭Logical Fallacy


    iguana wrote: »
    Cartoon characters are nearly always idealised versions of humans. Not too many men have the huge torso and bulging limbs that Adam/He-Man sported either. The main reason for that it that it's speedier to draw (both He-Man and She-Ra cartoons were turned out amazing speed) and the dolls use the same molds for cheap manufacturing. They were financed largely by Mattel.

    This is pretty much spot on. Fine lines and detail are a bad thing with regards to speed of production, also mild variations in limb size over a wide area are far less noticeable than the same over a narrow limb area. Kind of a speed adding quality control mechanism.

    Personally i was nearly always rooting for the badies, and the cartoons of my youth sadly had a bit of lacking of top quality female badies in them. Harley Quinn from Batman was awesome though.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,922 ✭✭✭fergalr


    WindSock wrote: »
    Out of all of them, I want a Battlecat

    battlecat.jpg


    I know its not the same, but I can't help but be reminded of this, which struck a cord with me:
    http://missionmission.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/photo1.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,451 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    My oldest daughter loved Shera the female badie was called Evillynn and she relay liked her for some reason.

    I like kids cartoons because they are so whacky! they appeal to me sence of humor.

    Did anyone else watch Duckula ( another of her favorites )..it was about a vampire duck.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    *obligatory Skeletor insult vid*



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭SheRa


    That brings back memories:). I always wanted SheRa and HeMan to get together, I didnt realise until years later that they were related:o. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKLDZR1JFJs

    While I was a big SheRa fan the carebears were my favourite. I loved the message at the end of each cartoon about the bold kid turned good.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    Oblig He-Man singin vid :pac:



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    Personally i was nearly always rooting for the badies, and the cartoons of my youth sadly had a bit of lacking of top quality female badies in them. Harley Quinn from Batman was awesome though.

    I find her to be one of the most tragic. She put herself through colleges as a gymnist and then went on to qualify as a Psychologists but meets The Joker during her internship.

    She is a strong, smart, savy women in a very toxic and abusive realtionship
    with her 'Puddin'.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley_Quinn


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,137 ✭✭✭mrsdewinter


    Silverfish wrote: »
    I preferred He-Man and had Greyskull and all the figurines, but I LOVED She-Ra as well, she had a SWORD and a HORSE that could FLY, dammit!

    Is it wrong that I fancied Skeletor all those years ago? He was so very, very bad...


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    Is it wrong that I fancied Skeletor all those years ago? He was so very, very bad...

    I don't think so, I had a thing for Dr Claw, I think it was the voice!

    dr-claw.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    Silverfish wrote: »
    I don't think so, I had a thing for Dr Claw, I think it was the voice!

    dr-claw.jpg

    I've forgotten what cartoon that's from! :eek: :pac:


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    Inspector Gadget.


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