This is one of several R-rated film franchises that were marketed to children with toylines and/or animated adaptations. Some franchises leaned into the expanded audience, with later movie installments rated a more accessible PG-13. Sylvester Stallone was reportedly embarrassed by the animated series, and later Rambo films went for harder R-rated content.
The series featured an extensive array of modern weaponry and aircraft including the AC-130 Spectre gunship, the OV-10 bronco, the Avro HS-748, a slightly modified MiG-21 as well as the Space Shuttle
The series was distributed in its original run by Worldvision, then a sister company to Ruby-Spears. After rights-holder Carolco purchased television distributor Orbis Communications, they assumed distribution rights to the program, making it one of the few Orbis-distributed shows to be owned by Carolco successor StudioCanal. Worldvision would later gain the U.S. TV rights to Carolco's film library, rights which are now held by Trifecta Entertainment and Media on behalf of Paramount Pictures.
Rambo: A Força da Liberdade (1986) is the only animated series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions owned by StudioCanal.