Rubik, the Amazing Cube

There was Rubik's Cube. I am willing to bet this was the first U.S. English cartoon featuring a primarily Hispanic/Latino cast of characters. I don't remember much about the individual episodes but I knew that the people were Hispanic. The accents were sometimes annoying as heck, but the cartoon filled the time well, especially if the Smurfs were running a repeat story. Like any Toy gimmick cartoon it was three years past its freshness date and doomed to being cancelled after 13 episodes. Dora the Explorer seems to borrow a lot from Rubiks Cube, particularly because it relies on inanimate objects that will on occasion talk to people.

Rubik, the Amazing Cube was yet another well-remembered 80s cartoon based on 80s pop culture namely the best-selling game puzzle cube of the same name. Rubik was an alien with an amazing array of powers, but was rendered powerless (in every sense) when his colored sides were mis-aligned. Usually the slightest tumble caused this to occur. I remember how animals would nudge Rubik causing him to misalign. Some animals actually RE-aligned Rubik as well.

It was refreshing to see some ethnic diversity within the show as well as the family who cared for Rubik were of latin decent. The opening theme was performed by latin sensation group Menudo who were also featured as a part of ABC's Saturday morning programming schedule the season that Rubik ran.

I recently came across a VHS video of this released sometime ago in the U.S. It brought back GREAT memories of sitting in front of the 25 inch wooden floor console TV, munching on SMURF cereal, and thinking of how cool it would be if MY Rubik's cube could do magic too. I've shown the video to my three year old and she sat mesmerized for the entire 40 minute runtime. (two episodes, no commercials). I wish this would be released on DVD along with some other 70's /80's cartoons in a box set or something. Rubik sticks out in my head, along with Saturday Morning Supercade and Thundarr the Barbarian as some of the best 80's cartoons that will probably NEVER make it to DVD.