Les mondes engloutis

I remember whenever I was visiting relatives in Japan, I would always turn on this show "&Acirckadia Monogatari" (Les Mondes Engloutis' Japanese title) on every morning on NHK and I instantly fell in love with it and started my fascination with European animation as well as Asian!

It follows the adventures of two surface children (Bab and Rebekka), mysterious wanderer Spartakus, magical being Akana and two twin ardvark type creatures called Bik and Bak. The end of the world happened long ago, making the floating mystical continent of Arkadia fall beneath the oceans of planet earth. The Arkadian civilization mutate into legless people whom look part human, part jelly-bean and wear strange headdresses and lost memories of the surface world after the creation of their sun, the Shaguma. However, this sun, after many years, is fading away and something must be done, so the children of the Arkadian clan and their organic living spaceship go into the forbidden grottos of this civilization, research their ancestors and create a magical woman from the life force of the ancient Arkadians and named her "Akana".

That is the basic plot, but it gets deeper and deeper with every episode you watch of it, combining original storytelling, with time travel, paradoxes, some comedy, mythological elements and of course, a big cast of colourful characters.

I reccomend this animated series to you. It was a long time since it aired in Japan (have not seen the French version yet, want to though), but it maybe airing in other places, since LME seems to have a cult following in Europe.

I give this show full house in my voting, because I was very little when I saw it, and I loved it then, and so I have to think that I still might.

I would very much like to see this show again, or even better: buy it. But how?

It is available on French DVD, but there are no English subtitles - or in any other language, for that matter. Ergo, I can't buy the French DVD-version.

I therefore ask you, guys:

Is there a DVD version out there, with English subtitles???

Geez, I love this show. It was actually a family show that was not afraid to tell a story many people these days would find "odd" or "out there".

It is about a civization called Arkadia, a lost world that is alot like Atlantis, Mu, Lemoria or Reh. Long ago, Arkadia got hit with a wave with disasters, sending them into the sub-terranean ocean, thus, their world and our world has came to an end. However, the people of Arkadia, despite their being a museum in their world, have lost memory of where they came from and the Earth around them. But two children talk an ancient machine and two prehistoric beings named "Bik" and "Bak" into going into the museum. The children find out the Planet Earth still has civilization flouishing. It was not destroyed, but however, the su-terranean sun, "Shagma" (core of earth) is failing and the Earth is having problems too. So the Arkadian children create a cloned replica of their ancestors, naming her Arkana.

That is the basic plot, but there is alot more too. Arkana joins two children and a mysterious warrior named Spartakus, whom is looking for his self-identity. There are also neo-pirates who have strange hair styles and wear leotards. Lizardmen who ride giant dinosaur-like creatures, mouse people and ever creatures of ancient mythology and folklore make their appearance too.

Too bad they took this show off. Probably people whined about it having "dark plot moments" or some crap like that; thus, resorting to the dreaded era of "political correctness".

At least in Europe and French speaking have it out on DVD. Mabye I can get my hands on it someday ^_~

I used to watch this show when I was a little girl. When I think about it, I only remember it vaguely. If you ask me, it was a good show. The opening sequence and theme song are two things I only remember vaguely, too. In addition to that, everyone was ideally cast. Also, the writing was very strong. The performances were top-grade, too. I hope some network brings it back so I can see every episode. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that I'll always remember this show in my memory forever, even though I don't think I've seen every episode. Now, in conclusion, if some network ever brings it back, I hope that you catch it one day before it goes off the air for good.

Les mondes engloutis or Arkadia as it`s also known by is one of the classic series that I would love to see again someday.

The series was broadcasted on television over here in the late 80`s and the re-runs used to be broadcasted in the early 90`s, but now the series seems to have disappeared.

The music is exceptionally memorable and the atmosphere and style is absolutely of the highest class. This is a series with nostalgic value so catch it on tv whenever you can!