Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors

It is a shame that this classic series only lived long enough for 65 episodes. It's an even bigger shame that it no longer airs on television, and cannot be found anywhere on video except Ebay. This show was a great mix of sci fi and fantasy. It had a very unique premise: Audric, a brillant scientist, accidentially creates a race of mutant plants, known as the Monster Minds, after trying to create a plant that would end all starvation. After the MM attack and take over his laboratory, Audric flees and works to find a way to destroy the Monster Minds, eventually developing two halves on a Magic Root, but before he could figure out a way to join the two halves, which would ultimately put an end to the Monster Minds, the MM strike once again, and Audric gives Oon, his Eternal Squire, one half of the root, and sends him to his son, Jayce. Doing this, it would prevent the Monster Minds from aquiring the two halves, and would give him more time to figure out a way to join the two. So, Oon is sent on his way, and Audric disappears with his half of the root. Once Jayce has the other half, he assembles The Lightning League, and begins his quest for the search of his father, and to put an end to the Monster Minds.

What more could you want in a show? A brilliant story line with great characters and lots of action and adventure. Plus, it has one of the best theme songs ever, and the show's animation was terrific for a mid-80's cartoon!

Wow I can't belivee no one has commented on this cartoon. Dungeon's and Dragons was a great cartoon but you cant overlook this one.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warrior spawned 65 syndicated episodes where as D&D only had 27.

The central character, Jayce (short for Jason), traveled the universe searching for his father, Audric. Audric, an agricultural genius, had developed a magical root capable of feeding the world, but the evil Sawboss had turned his creation against him.

The mutated plant-creatures, known as the Monster Minds, worked under Sawboss' direction to spread evil across the cosmos. Jayce still held half of the magic root, and only by reuniting it with his father's half could peace be restored. In his quest to battle the Monster Minds and find his father, Jayce was aided by a group of friends who re-formed a branch of the ancient Lightning League, dubbing themselves the Wheeled Warriors.

This brave band of heroes included Gillian, the centuries-old wizard; Herc Stormsailer, the good natured, yet gruff pilot of the Space Barge; Oon, the robotic eternal squire; Flora, a literal flower child; and Brock, Flora's pet flying fish. Armed with a magically powerful ring, a transforming vehicle called the Armed Force, and the courageous help of his friends.

Classic, buy it if you can, but be warned its out of print.

Simply the one of the best animated series to ever be produced in the 80's. I still have a hard time deciding which is best Jayce or Galaxy Rangers, but for sake of this commentary Jayce. Its a shame this show is not being rerun on Cartoon Network or even in worldwide syndication like it was in the 80's, many children today could benefit from its tight and mature storytelling, its intriguing characters and beautiful animation. All of this not to be outdone by an equally powerful and rousing soundtrack (Which we need on CD). Like many cartoons of the 80's J&WW provided viewers with a sense of fair play in the storytelling department and why not with now acclaimed television writers like JMS (B5) having formerly written episodes. One could watch and really feel for the character's plight, thrill to the action and adventure and sense the emotion from every change in the overall journey of Jayce and crew and thankfully the departure from typical 80's fare is the fact that J&WW didn't nail you to a cross with preachy morality play dialog and the almost requisite after episode "factoid" or "FYI" spot. No, it was concise, and brilliant entertainment. The way entertainment should be. I have come to the news that DIC is currently planning an entertainment network of their own. I pray to God it becomes a basic staple of American households and if so that there is plenty of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors on the schedule for mine and everyone's sake. Oh and if you are listening DIC and Mr. Heyward a DVD set of all 65 episodes would be so wonderful in lieu of seeing it again on your future network.

I was a kid from the 80's, this show is an underrated and forgotten 80's gem, that is one of my favorite cartoons from that decade if you can actually believe that.

The main reason it caught my eye was the fact that unlike most cartoons back them this actually had a really good plot (at least I thought so) personally I thought it was an awesome idea because it was creative and different. It's kinda strangely similar to the sci-fi story "Day of the Trifids" which was about plant invasion only here it's in space which makes it cool. What makes the story compelling (for me anyway)and the space opera universe it in it's dark atmosphere. The show really creates almost at times a sense of dread because we see much damage and how far the monster minds evil influence extends. You really feel like the odds are truly against the good guys, but this just all the more makes us bet on the good guys to win.

It's true that there's not much in plot development, like most 80's cartoon most of the episodes were random. But there was nothing wrong with that as long as the episodes had good stories. And certain aspects do rip a bit from "Star Wars" but this is a minor flaw I can get past.

The animation I think is very good and holds up today. I like the worlds it was able to create, how the human characters are animated, but most importantly I really love the designs of the vehicles, the monster mind vehicles are both organic and inorganic at the same time; their menacing and strange. Each of them have unique features and at times characteristics. However the vehicles I like the best are the Lighting League vehicles, just their features, how they work, and how much butt they can kick I wanted to drive one of them. My favorite was always armed force; with armed force you can grab vehicles and do whatever you want.

I really like the characters Jayce is solid despite an archetypal young hero. But to me I really like the supporting characters whom to me stand out the most. Herc is my favorite, yeah he's a Han Solo rip off, but still he's a fun character all the same. He's brash, reluctant sometimes but for good reason, and borderline selfish and selfless.

Flora is a sweet but mysterious character, she's a kid but she's not an annoying stereotypical kid; because her character is actually useful from her ability to communicate with plants (kinda like Kira from "The Dark Crystal"), let alone able to drive the vehicle and kick butt (how the heck she can legally drive at her age is anyone's guess). Gillian, a bit of a rip and mix of both Obi Wan and Gandolf, he's a mentor, has a sense of humor, but also despite his age is more than capable of kicking some butt.

And the two other best things about the show are the action and the music. The action I think is very good, I really like the vehicular assault battles their well coordinated and violent, almost reminds me of the battles in the "Twisted Metal" video game series. I like how the good guys are able to dispatch the monster mind vehicle with non cliché methods instead of the usual direct hit equals explosion method (the non inclusion of it I'll admit is kinda strange) and all the same the monster mind vehicle do get destroyed and die so they don't pull punches there. Though I'll admit there are times when some battles seem a little redundant due to lack of variety in vehicles for the monster minds side and well as format in situations. But this is another small minor flaw I can easily get past.

The music is awesome, this cartoon has one of the best soundtracks but most importantly it has one of my favorite cartoon theme songs of all time it's just so exciting, inspirational and adventurous.

It would be awesome if this show got some sort of revival, out of a lot of cartoons being revived for a new generation this I feel should be one to consider, but yeah I know it's wishful thinking once again but who says it can't happen. Overall, "Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors" is worth a test drive, check it out.

Rating: 3 stars

In a distant galaxy, Jayce's father Audric had created a plant to solve the hunger problem. His plants get mutated by space radiation which turns them into the evil Monster Minds. Audric fled and the only salvation is a magic root. The root is split in two with the other half going to Jayce. Jayce goes in search for his father with the help of the wizard Gillian, Flora with her fish mount Brock, robot squire Oon, and brigand Herc Stormsailor with his spaceship looking for riches. The Monster Minds are led by Sawboss and they can transform into fighting machines.

I do remember the opening and the plant-machines. I don't really remember watching the show back in the day. I do recall Oon although it's the ill-fitting nature that makes him memorable. Watching it now as an adult, one can see the convoluted, frail seams in the story construction. There is a lot of Star Wars in the writing. Mattel had the Wheeled Warriors toys and decided to create a cartoon to support the line. It's the Master Minds versus the Lightning League. Obviously, somebody jerry-rigged the Star Wars characters into the toys. It doesn't make it bad by definition. Transformers and G.I. Joe are examples of making a series based on toys and those worked. The pilot tries to jam a lot of info to set up all the characters. I'm not going to denigrate anybody's childhood memories but the writing doesn't hold up to an adult's examination. Mattel did produce 65 episodes although it only ran for one season.