The Mighty Thor There was some amazing, classic animation for superhero cartoons done as far back as Max and Dave Fleisher's Superman series of the early 1940s (echoes of which can be found in Batman: The Animated Series). Those were done for the big screen; by the mid-1960s, superhero cartoons were being brought to television, and some of Marvel Comics' biggest heroes-Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, and the Incredible Hulk-were the stars. Unfortunately, television didn't have much in terms of cachet-or production values-at the time, and all four heroes suffer for it. Between Odin's ever-changing looks (Thor's father rarely manages to keep the same face-let alone the same outfit-from shot to shot) and the over-the-top dialogue, it's hard to follow whatever semblance of plot was scripted. On the two episodes here-"Enter Hercules," in which the Norse God of Thunder battles his equally brawny Greek cousin, and "Battle of the Gods," in which Loki enlists the Enchantress and the Executioner to defeat Thor-the animation is minimal. It looks as if only a couple dozen pictures of the main characters were drawn; for the most part, this is a series of stationary illustrations with voice-overs and plenty of narration. -Randy Silver Sub-Mariner This vintage 1966 cartoon features Marvel Comics' king of the deep, the Sub-Mariner. In the first story, "Atlantis Under Attack," the sacred trident of Neptune is stolen and all signs point to Namor's trusted grand vizier, Lord Vashti. In disbelief, Namor follows Vashti's trail to the carnivorous sea forest while the real thief, his archenemy, Attuma, lies ready to attack the city. The second story, "To Conquer a Crown," opens with a military demonstration by Atlantis's munitions expert, Namor's cousin Biera. [+]

A Halloween treat. Elmo visits fellow Sesame Street Muppet the Count in the latter's castle-and gets scared for a moment. But only a moment, as more friends from the television program show up, and jokes, songs, and surprises abound. Among the clever tunes: "Transylvania 1-2-3-4-5," "We Are All Monsters," and "Frazzle. " -Tom Keogh.

Leiji Matsumoto helped to create the modern boom in anime with his series Space Battleship Yamato, released in the U. S. as Star Blazers. A long, episodic fable about an interstellar journey on an updated version of an old railway train, Galaxy Express boasts an enthusiastic cult following. Tetsuro is a boy living in the slums of a future Earth; his mother was killed by the evil cyborg, Count Mecha, who hunts humans for sport. To achieve his revenge, he must get to a distant planet where he can trade his mortal body for a deathless mechanical one. A mysterious woman named Maetel rescues him from the robo-police and travels with him among the planets via the Galaxy Express railway. Tetsuro's search for vengeance builds into a war between humans and cyborgs. As the battle reaches its climax, Matsumoto's popular creations, the space pirates Captain Harlock and Queen Emeraldas, arrive with unexpected assistance. Tetsuro ultimately learns that true beauty is always ephemeral, a concept that runs through Japanese art and culture. [+]

Based on the best-selling anthology edited by former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, this heartwarming animated family series draws its themes from classic American stories, European fairy tales, African fables, Bible adventures and other folk tales. In each episode, young Zach and Annie and their four animal friends from the mythical town of Spring Valley meet heroes and larger-than-life characters from far-away places. Each of these timeless stories teaches a moral lesson involving a lasting human virtue. Six 30-minute episodes include "Work," "Honesty," "Responsibility," "Compassion," "Courage," and "Self-Discipline. " Top Hollywood stars such as Mark Hamill, John Forsythe, Paula Poundstone and others lend their voices to this charming series.

Leiji Matsumoto helped to create the modern boom in anime with his series Space Battleship Yamato, released in the U. S. as Star Blazers. A long, episodic fable about an interstellar journey on an updated version of an old railway train, Galaxy Express boasts an enthusiastic cult following. Tetsuro is a boy living in the slums of a future Earth; his mother was killed by the evil cyborg, Count Mecha, who hunts humans for sport. To achieve his revenge, he must get to a distant planet where he can trade his mortal body for a deathless mechanical one. A mysterious woman named Maetel rescues him from the robo-police and travels with him among the planets via the Galaxy Express railway. Tetsuro's search for vengeance builds into a war between humans and cyborgs. As the battle reaches its climax, Matsumoto's popular creations, the space pirates Captain Harlock and Queen Emeraldas, arrive with unexpected assistance. Tetsuro ultimately learns that true beauty is always ephemeral, a concept that runs through Japanese art and culture. [+]

A full-length animated musical inspired by Bobby "Boris" Pickett's song, "Monster Mash. " As the story unfolds, we meet the three main monsters: Frank, the monster from Frankenstein; Drac, the vampire, and Wolf, the werewolf. They were once the scariest of monsters, but now they have become associated with "fun. " That's why they have been called before the Court of Horrors. They must prove that they can still be scary, and if they fail they will be sentenced to an eternity of entertaining at children's parties. They are given 24 hours to terrify the Tinklemeister family, but what should be a no-brainer turns out to be a nightmare. Mom and Dad Tinklemeister are easy to scare, but Stella and Spike, the Tinklemeister children, are another story altogether. The monster trio becomes frustrated and finally lets the family in on their dilemma. The Tinklemeisters understand and help them try to gain back their scary status. Just when it looks like the threesome will win their case, three new modern monsters show up to foil their plan. [+]

MORE tells the story of an old, tired inventor as he struggles through joyless life in a drab and passionless society, leading the same cold and colorless existence accepted by the identical drones around him. At once tortured and inspired by his dreaming of and yearning for his younger carefree days, he struggles to finish the invention he hopes will give his life meaning and worth. His world, and the world of those around him, is transformed when his secret invention is completed. However, his subsequent success does not come without sacrifice. The inventor realizes that the true essence of his inspiration cannot be manufactured. This Academy Award nominated animation short film that has won over 20 festival awards including Best Short Film at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999.

Created by manga artist Monkey Punch in 1967, Lupin III is a master thief, the direct descendant of Arsène Lupin. His off-the-wall escapades spoof the adventures of James Bond and similar rakish heroes. The typically baroque plot of "Mamo" requires Lupin and his sidekicks, the super-samurai Goemon and the beatnik Jigan, to steal the ingredients needed for a compound that produces eternal youth. The mastermind behind this scheme is the mad billionaire-industrialist Hayward Lockwood, a. k. a. Mamo. Lupin's clumsy attempts to seduce Mamo's voluptuous red-haired agent, Fujiko, and his successful evasions of the obsessed Inspector Zenigata provide additional comedy. The features and TV programs in the Lupin III series are much cartoonier and slower paced than more recent anime comedy-adventures, although their influence on Ranma 1/2 and other Japanese tongue-in-cheek heroes is clear. The animation is sloppy, Lupin's features change from scene to scene, and his hands frequently look like scribbles. [+]