Line #145 Main/EarlyAdaptationWeirdness


1	Looking back at the oldest adaptations of franchises with a modern lens, many come off as unusual by the standards of the series. They were likely faithful at the time of release but, with years of CharacterizationMarchesOn and other developments, they've since become wildly out of touch with their source material. Or maybe they were always a bit off, but the stuff they contradicted wasn't considered important at the time.
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3	They often feature {{Early Installment Character Design Difference}}s, {{characterization\|Marches On}} differences, and plot differences compared to the standardized portrayal of the work.
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5	Related to EarlyDraftTieIn and EarlyInstallmentWeirdness.
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7	Contrast with TruerToTheText, where an adaptation is noticeably more faithful to the source material than earlier adaptations.
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9	----
10	!!Examples:
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12	[[foldercontrol]]
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14	[[folder:Sonic the Hedgehog]]
15	The ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series had both an original installment with an excuse plot and a lack of co-ordination between Sega's various international marketing teams leading to an impressive array of alternate interpretations in early adaptations.
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17	* The first ''Manga/SonicTheHedgehog'' manga was made after [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 the second game]] and is thus really weird; Sonic is a ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}''-esque SuperpoweredAlterEgo of a young hedgehog named Nicky and [[SecretIdentity keeps that fact a secret from everyone]], including Nicky himself. Sonic/Nicky is also only ten years old instead of a teenager, there are no humans except Eggman, and Sonic’s parents and sister are around, averting the usual InvisibleParents. Despite these many oddities, the manga is one of the small few ''Sonic'' adaptations [[RetCanon to actually impact the games and have some of its elements made canon]]; most notably, Amy Rose and Charmy Bee both [[CanonImmigrant originated here before becoming canon characters]].
18	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' is known for being the most [[DenserAndWackier cartoonish and comical]] of all the Sonic adaptations, features Mobius as a {{surreal\|ism}} FantasyKitchenSink place and depicts Tails differently. He's four instead of eight, which likely stems from [[EarlyDraftTieIn his original age being four]] according to the book ''Console Wars'', and only displays his GadgeteerGenius traits in a number of very special cases. There are only five Chaos Emeralds, of different shapes, and they only appear in select episodes. Dr. Robotnik is also a LaughablyEvil goofball. Weirdly, of the various [=DiC=] cartoons, it's still the most faithful to the games.
19	* ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'': The series has almost nothing in common with the post-''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' games, to the point where it seems like an [[InNameOnly in name only adaptation]]. The writers decided to exaggerate the core plot of the first two games: Sonic's little animal friends are now [[AscendedExtra equally anthropomorphic co-stars with Sonic]], the nature message is made into a [[GaiasLament major subplot]] with the world being rendered a dystopia, the villain Dr. Robotnik is made [[AdaptationalVillainy substantially more intimidating]], Sonic's TotallyRadical attitude is exaggerated to the point of parody, Tails a more stereotypical and less capable little kid, and Sonic is given a LoveInterest.
20	* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' ran into this issue due to its status as a LongRunner and its indirect relation to ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM''. The comic was one of the earliest adaptations and almost everything about it is contradictory to what became the status quo after ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. To list some:
21	** The series takes place on a WorldOfFunnyAnimals called "Mobius" ruled by a royal family. Sonic's friends are a resistance group called the "Freedom Fighters" fighting against the tyrannical Doctor Robotnik. The games, meanwhile, became increasingly different from that premise, most notably being eventually confirmed to take place on Earth (with animal characters being vastly outnumbered by humans). Later on, Mobius was revealed to be a futuristic Earth.
22	** The comics also ignored the later firmly-established PantslessMalesFullyDressedFemales rule in canon, featuring not only male characters who dressed in full-outfits, but also a handful of female characters who wore just as little as their male counterparts. Characters also have {{Furry Female Mane}}s, unlike in the games.
23	** The lore is completely different, almost all of the CanonForeigner designs look very different from the game designs, and even the {{age\|Lift}}s are different (with Tails being ten instead of eight, Amy being ten instead of eight/twelve, and Charmy being sixteen instead of six[[labelnote:Explanation]]This is due to the English manual for ''VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix'' mentioning that Charmy is sixteen, which was later contradicted when ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' confirmed Charmy as six[[/labelnote]]). A CosmicRetcon made everything closer to the games, before the comic was cancelled and replaced with the [[TruerToTheText more current-games accurate]] comic ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW''.
24	* Being one of the earliest adaptations, ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' runs with this. Sonic lives on a WorldOfFunnyAnimals called Mobius, he's much more of an AdaptationalJerkass than usual, and he reacts negatively to the Chaos Emeralds to the point where Super Sonic is his SuperpoweredEvilSide rather than the more conventional SuperMode it is in other continuities. Sonic is the leader of the "Freedom Fighters", a group of Mobians who want to overthrow the tyrannical TokenHuman Dr. Robotnik (who is much more intimidating than his standard portrayal), which consists of AscendedExtra characters like Johnny Lightfoot and Porker Lewis, amongst others. Knuckles wears a metal necklace rather than having a marking on his chest, Amy has a crossbow rather than a hammer. The comic also adapts game elements rather literally compared to other adaptations: Zones are all very different areas on Mobius, while Star Posts and loops are ancient parts of Mobius' landscape. Some elements of the comic, such as Amy's pre-CharacterizationMarchesOn personality, were later canonized in the games.
25	* ''Literature/StaySonic'' is a European guide based on [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 the first]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 two titles]]. It takes influence from [[Script/SonicTheHedgehogBible early Sega of America documents]] and thus differs greatly from later canon. It influenced ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'''s portrayal with elements such as Sonic and Robotnik having been friends once.
26	* ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' had a ton of oddities, like Sonic being a quick-tempered JerkWithAHeartOfGold, Knuckles being a treasure hunter and wearing a hat, [[LittleBitBeastly demihumans]] instead of normal ones, and the entire series taking place in a WorldInTheSky AfterTheEnd called "Planet Freedom".
27	* ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'' was the last western animated work made before the modern Sonic brand was solidified with ''Sonic Adventure'' and takes a lot of liberties, being more of a reboot of ''[=SatAM=]''. Sonic is now a prince who along with his siblings Sonia and Manic, were [[MosesInTheBullrushes hidden away by their mother]] to protect them from the evils of Robotnik before they grow into the destined heroes and they fight using necklaces that turn into musical instruments. Tails is entirely absent and Knuckles is an incidental character who is oddly small.
28	[[/folder]]
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30	[[folder:Advertising]]
31	* ''Advertising/CoachLasso'': This version of Ted Lasso is very different from the better known version of the character in [[Series/TedLasso the later TV series]], as he's a straight up DrillSergeantNasty and UglyAmericanStereotype instead of AFatherToHisMen who respects British culture. Plus, this version actually ''likes'' tea.
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33
34	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
35	* ''Manga/CmonDigimon'' was released in the early years of the ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' brand and it shows, Digimon are [[Toys/{{Digimon}} virtual pets like in real life]], the artstyle is noticeably different, Perfect[=/=][[DubNameChange Ultimate]] is treated as the last stage, the main Digimon are {{Canon Foreigner}}s (albeit based on preexisting designs) never seen before or since, and the Digital World isn't even mentioned.
36	* The first television adaptation of ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'' came out in 1973. The 1973 series features, among other things, a different art style, a unique character named Gachako, various changes to the existing characters and items, and plots that haven't been done in later adaptations. The later TV series don't have these changes.
37	* Yuu Mishouzaki's ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' was one of the early manga adaptations of the [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda video game series of the same name]]. It plays loose with the already thin plot that [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI the first Zelda game]] has and features a lot of oddities because of its age. For example, the long-eared humans known as Hylians are referred to as "elves" and are [[FantasticRacism hated by]] many humans (most notably the Hyrulian Noble Family, which is actually Hylian in canon). It features a very different Link than most other adaptations: he doesn't wear his signature tunic (instead wearing overalls), he's a HalfHumanHybrid instead of full Hylian, he's a CowardlyLion instead of a courageous hero, and he's [[spoiler:Zelda's {{older\|ThanTheyLook}} [[RelatedInTheAdaptation half-brother]].]] Despite this, the manga features many things that the games would later use (either [[RetCanon intentionally]] or unintentionally), such as a teenage Zelda and a young Impa.
38	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
39	** ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'' is full of a lot of this, [[GrandfatherClause much which has stuck over the years because it's a part of the manga's lore]]. For example, the entirety of the Indigo League Elite Four and several Gym Leaders (namely Koga, Lt. Surge, and Sabrina) were given AdaptationalVillainy due to ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'''s lack of named antagonists. The manga predates the Team Rocket Executives so other characters were used to fill in roles, even though this may go against their personalities in the games.
40	** ''Anime/PokemonOrigins'' is a later adaptation (being released over 10 years into the franchise's life) but has one detail that stands out: Red's personality. He's an energetic StockShonenHero partially because the anime predates ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' canonizing him as stoic and quiet.
41	** Being one of the earliest ''Pokémon'' manga adaptations, ''Manga/PocketMonsters'' contains ''a lot'' of Early Adaptation Weirdnesses. Most notably, the main character's Pokémon starter is a Clefairy, which is a nod to when Clefairy was intended to be Pokémon's SeriesMascot instead of Pikachu (although Pikachu remains as a major character of the series, and is established to be Clefairy's cousin). Among other oddities, most Pokémon can speak human language, Pokémon can "devolve", Giovanni has a brother, an OffModel Mewtwo unceremoniously appears as a wild Pokémon, Bill is a FatSlob while Blue is a big-chinned hunk, there are [[https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pokemon-pocket-monsters-Red-Mystery-Mon.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&h=370&dpr=1.5 made-up]] Pokémon that appear nowhere else, and most infamously, it features a lot of VulgarHumor and NSFW jokes that would be unthinkable to include in modern ''Pokémon'' media.
42	* The first anime series of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' is of a very different tone than the manga, having a slower pace, emphasis on [[{{Beat}} comedic pauses]], and several original quiet slice-of-life scenes. The low ratings on Japanese TV lead it to being {{cancell\|ation}}ed with episodes still unaired, and the studio reshuffled the staff (including changing the director) to continue with a DenserAndWackier series [[TruerToTheText closer in tone to the manga]], which ended up lasting several years.
43	* The 1990s ''Anime/SailorMoon'' anime is the first adaptation of [[Manga/SailorMoon the manga]], and because it was developed in parallel with the manga[[note]]the anime debuted around three months after the manga and, because the manga was published monthly rather than weekly, the anime was always running ahead[[/note]], it deviates in ways that later adaptations don't. For example, Rei is given an AdaptationPersonalityChange into a HotBlooded {{tsundere}} in sharp contrast to the other incarnation's AloofDarkHairedGirl.
44	* Masaomi Kanzaki's [[Manga/StreetFighterIITheManga manga adaptation]] of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' only had the original 12 fighters to work with (since it was drawn before the ''Super'' iterations that added more fighters) and thus the author had to improvise to flesh out the story. Ryu is a much goofier hero than his gaming counterpart and a bit of a glutton, E. Honda has a one-sided infatuation with Chun-Li, Blanka is a thug who wants to join the ranks of Shadaloo, Guile is responsible for his friend Charlie's death (who was under the influence of M. Bison's mind control drug) and has a rivalry with Zangief, Balrog (the boxer) is a sympathetic character who ends up abandoning Shadaloo, Vega (claw) is responsible for the death of Chun-Li's father, and Sagat is a mere lackey who was already working for M. Bison when he was scarred by Ryu instead of a disgraced champion who joined the organization to seek revenge. The manga did end up giving a name and face to Ryu and Ken's sensei Gouken, who prior to the manga was just a nameless character alluded to in character bios, but even then his death at the hands of M. Bison was something that was not incorporated into the games, as Akuma (a character introduced in the later games) was responsible for the deed.
45	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
46	** ''Anime/TheGreatMissionToSavePrincessPeach'' is very similar to how the franchise would later be developed, however it contains some early oddities, such as Luigi having a {{greed}}y personality and most strikingly in that it ends with Peach [[spoiler:marrying an [[CanonForeigner original character]]]] instead of staying with Mario.
47	** Early volumes of ''Manga/SuperMarioBrosMangaMania'' features [[AdaptationalJerkass a rougher and more abrasive version]] of Mario which contrasts with his more jovial modern self.
48	** Being one of the earliest adaptations, the characters in ''Manga/SuperMario'' don't resemble their game selves as closely as they do in later adaptations, both in terms of design and personality. It also contains some NSFW {{Parental Bonus}}es, scenes involving smoking, and other things that wouldn't be allowed in later ''Mario'' adaptations.
49	** Downplayed with ''Anime/AmadaAnimeSeriesSuperMarioBros''. Most of the [=OVAs=] are relatively in-line with what the ''Mario'' franchise is known for, except for one thing: ''Super Mario's Momotaro'' features Mario wielding a gun. While the [[https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-10-20-miyamoto-mario-originally-had-a-gun original idea]] for ''Super Mario Bros'' was that Mario would carry a gun, nowadays the franchise does without to the point that during the development of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'', some people at Nintendo complained about Mario using a water pistol (which would later become FLUDD).
50	* Toei's ''Anime/{{Yu Gi Oh\|FirstAnimeSeries}}'' anime has several inconsistencies with the ''Manga/YuGiOh'' manga even at the time as well as later events in the manga, as well as characterization differences, CharacterExaggeration, and episodes with original villains with powers normally reserved for the supernatural. It's also the least card game-centric of the bunch (though still moreso than the manga), due to the fact that the Konami-made card game wasn't out yet.
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53	[[folder:Comic Books]]
54	* Combining this with RecursiveAdaptation, ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'', set in the same continuity as ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', featured a guest appearance of Superman. He's based on ComicBook/{{Superman}} as he was in the early-mid 90s, with a mullet, a Lex Luthor with red hair and a beard, and an established friendly relationship with Batman at the time of ''BTAS''. Then ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' started airing in the same continuity, and it showcased a Superman with short hair fighting a bald Lex Luthor, who only encountered Batman years later, at the time of ''The New Batman Adventures''.
55	* ''ComicBook/TheFurtherAdventuresOfIndianaJones'' was launched immediately following the success of ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. While most of the stories are standard Indy fare, the writers made the understandable assumption that Marion would be a recurring character and she features prominently in much of the run: taking a job with Marcus as head of PR for the museum and often accompanying Indy on his adventures. This makes it almost impossible to reconcile the series with later movie continuity.
56	* ''Le Reina de la Costa Negra'' was a comic book adaptation of Creator/RobertEHoward's ''Literature/QueenOfTheBlackCoast'' and served as the first adaptation of Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian in 1952. In it, Belit was the protagonist, Conan her blond Viking-like sidekick, their ship was called the "Vengeance" rather than the "Tigress", its crew were Vikings rather than black corsairs and Belit actually survived the entire series, including the adventure that killed her in the original Howard canon.
57	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
58	** You can very easily tell when an issue of [[ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977 the 1977 Marvel series]] came out by checking which character Luke is getting ShipTease with. The writers were seemingly convinced that Luke/Leia was the OfficialCouple, and even after ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' put a lot of focus on Han/Leia, they still more or less ignored it and kept on trying to develop Luke/Leia. Needless to say, this abruptly stopped after ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''[='=]s release in 1983.
59	** The ''Comicbook/TalesOfTheJedi'' comics came out many years before the ''Star Wars'' prequels, and boy, it shows:
60	*** Jedi have a very loose hierarchy, often train multiple apprentices at once, have no problem with romance, and some of them begin their training well into adulthood. Future works try to reconcile this portrayal by stating that as a result of numerous wars and conflicts with the Sith, Jedi ended up becoming much more rigid, close-minded and dogmatic.
61	*** Speaking of the Sith, they aren't much better: none of them use the "Darth" title, instead going by their given names, and their lightsabers can be of any color as opposed to just red. It wasn't until ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' where it was codified that all Sith go by a "Darth Something" title and use red lightsabers.
62	*** These examples ''could'' be justified by the fact that this comic takes place a whooping four thousand years before the original movies... if not for the fact that works that are set in the same era, some which are direct sequels (like the ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' videogame, which only takes place a couple decades after ''Tales'') depict Jedi just as rigid and dogmatic as they were shown in the prequel movies, as well as Sith using the "Darth" title and red lightsabers.
63	* The [[ComicBook/SuperMetroid comic book adaptation]] of ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' is mostly close to later ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' canon. In fact, it's notable as being the first ''Metroid''-related story to establish that Samus Aran was orphaned by the Space Pirates and adopted by the Chozo leader Old Bird. The biggest difference, however, is that the human character Armstrong Houston, a fellow BountyHunter, has a Power Suit that looks just like hers but is blue instead of orange. Later canon would establish Samus' Power Suit as highly advanced Chozo technology bordering on {{Magitek}}, and it's so hard to reverse engineer that even her Galactic Federation allies could only start making bulkier and shoddier versions of her weapons years after the events of ''Super Metroid''.
64	[[/folder]]
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66	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
67	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut'' has many notable differences compared to how [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark the show]] is recently due to being created around the same time as the show's third season. If someone who was introduced to the later episodes of the show watched this film, they would notice the much cruder animation, art style and jokes that were standard during those times, [[GeographicFlexibility and how much smaller the town of South Park used to be]]. Cartman himself is the bratty jerk he was known for early on [[CharacterizationMarchesOn instead of]] the cunning and manipulative sociopath of the later seasons. Also, certain characters [[AscendedExtra who would rise to prominence much later on]], such as Craig and Token, are just background characters; in particular, it's odd to see such a big event where Butters is nothing more than a SpearCarrier or for that matter, where [[DemotedToExtra Kenny]] actually ''does'' get focus. Even Randy, who has since gone on become the most prominent adult character of the show, only had one single speaking line in the whole movie (questioning the V-chip).
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69
70	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
71	* ''Film/AttackOnTitan2015'' was made long before multiple big reveals about the backstory and setting of the manga and anime had been established. The resulting history of the titans, how the titan shifters came about, and the setting of the walled cities are all completely different. The walls are set in a future post-apocalyptic Japan, the titans were a weapon experiment gone wrong, and the titan shifters were a modification on the initial project to make a controllable version. The identity of the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan shifters are also both entirely different. Though in a case of [[HilariousInHindsight hilarity in hindsight]], the movie-exclusive character heavily implied to be Eren's older brother, Shikishima, later wound up sharing his voice actor with Eren's canonical older brother, Zeke, in the English dub.
72	* ''Film/{{The Batman\|Serial}}'' serials of the 1940s and its successor ''Film/{{Batman and Robin\|Serial}}'' depict Batman and ComicBook/{{Robin}} as officially sanctioned government agents going against ordinary mobsters and crooks. Super-villains as we know it didn't exist back then and Batman's famous RoguesGallery was still in its infancy. The 1943 Batcave (which didn't exist prior to this, and was [[RealLifeWritesThePlot created due to budget constraints]]) is a small cave that contains only a desk and a few chairs. Bruce's love interest in the 1943 serial is a now forgotten character named Linda Page rather than one of his better known comic book flames like [[ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} Selina Kyle]] or Vicki Vale. There's no Batmobile, and the dynamic duo instead drive around in an unmodified Cadillac in the first serial and a Ford Mercury in the follow-up (again, largely owing to the low budget). Perhaps most infamously, there are jarring propagandistic overtones in the first serial, with the narrator using anti-Japanese slurs and even attempting to justify the U.S. government's internment of Japanese-American citizens.
73	* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica:''
74	** Due to being an InNameOnly adaptation, the serial from 1944 is quite different from all later adaptations. Rather than a super-soldier named Steve Rogers, the hero's true identity is a district attorney named Grant Gardner, rather than using a shield he uses a gun (which would become one of Bucky's weapons upon taking up the mantle), he did not fight Nazis, Bucky was nowhere to be seen and he was a vigilante rather than a government-created superhero.
75	** As seems to be the standard for live-action adaptations of the character, ''Film/CaptainAmerica1979'' portrays Steve as a contemporary man with his father having been a 1940's government agent nicknamed "Captain America" due to a very patriotic attitude, making him both an example of DecompositeCharacter and LegacyCharacter. He also makes use of a van, from which launches a modified motorcycle with a multitude of functions and its windshield being non-other than Captain America's iconic shield, which is made of "Jet Age plastics", with the "white" portion simply being transparent. And then there is the costume, which has him wearing a motorcycle helmet instead of his famous cowl.
76	* ''Film/CasinoRoyale1954''[[note]]The first screen adaptation of a Franchise/JamesBond novel, released in 1954 as a television movie/episode of the anthology series ''[[Series/{{Climax}} Climax!]]''[[/note]]: Compared to the later Eon film series, this adaptation is noticeably different. James Bond is an American agent and referred to as "Jimmy", Felix Leiter is British and renamed to Clarence, M is completely absent, and the production values are lower due to being a live TV production.
77	* The mid-1960s ''Series/DoctorWho'' film adaptations ''Film/DrWhoAndTheDaleks'' and ''Film/DaleksInvasionEarth2150AD'' were made when the TV show had only been running for two or three years, and has the Doctor's [[IAmNotShazam actual name]] being "Dr Who" and him being a human "mad inventor" with no control over the TARDIS (which is referred to as "Tardis" as if it were a proper noun, and also not an acronym). It hadn't yet been established that the TV version of the character was a Time Lord from Gallifrey and early episodes did strongly imply he was human, but one from another planet in the far future.
78	* ''Film/PeterPan1924'' was made less than thirty years after the play. It's a SettingUpdate set in the contemporary 1920s. This was before adaptations became FrozenInTime in the 1910s. The characters are [[AdaptationalNationality also American instead of British]], which is something later adaptations never change.
79	* ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993'' tried to adapt a series that runs on ExcusePlot at a time when it was still developing its identity. The film contains a lot of old remnants, such as the manual's plot of Toadstool being the daughter of the Mushroom King, Koopa transforming Toads and other creatures with magic, Goombas being traitors to the throne, and Mario being a middle-aged man (which he originally was, but even in Japan this was changed by the late-1980s) and several years older than Luigi because they wouldn't be revealed as twins until ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland''.
80	* ''Film/TheWizardOfOz1925'' is one of the earliest adaptations of the ''Literature/LandOfOz'' series. It has virtually nothing in common with the source, playing very loose with the lore and characters. It departs heavily from the later adaptations within the first ten minutes: Dorothy is [[AgeLift aged up to eighteen]], Uncle Henry is a [[AdaptationalVillainy cruel]] and EvilUncle, and Dorothy is secretly a DoorstopBaby who's [[ReallyRoyaltyReveal really the lost Princess Dorothea of Oz]].
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Literature]]
84	* The first ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' novel, ''Tale of the Toa'' by C. A. Hapka was hastily written in 2003 to adapt the 2001 story, which was never fully told before because the original comics, the ''[[VideoGame/{{Bionicle}} Mata Nui Online Game]]'' and the unreleased ''The Legend of Mata Nui'' PC game all relayed different portions of the story in incompatible ways. At the time, Toys/{{LEGO}} didn't even acknowledge the ''MNOG'' as part of canon, thus the novel completely ignores it. Takua, ''MNOG'''s protagonist who'd be a major character later, is not mentioned once, and so the charge he leads to protect the Kini Nui temple while the Toa battle [[BigBad the Makuta]] underground is not part of the story. None of the important supporting characters from ''MNOG'' make an appearance apart from Jaller and Onepu. The Makoki stones the Toa use to enter the temple and [[FusionDance merge into Toa Kaita]] are absent too. More significantly, Makuta himself never shows up, meaning the story's climax itself doesn't happen. The [[EvilDoppelganger six Shadow Toa]] are the final villains instead, but the [[OpponentSwitch way they're defeated]] was {{retcon}}ned by later books as Hapka's version of the showdown differed from LEGO's plans. Years later, the book itself would be declared only half-canon and ''MNOG'' was accepted into the official story, although certain scenes from the book override those of the game. This means the 2001 ''BIONICLE'' arc has no fully canon, officially sanctioned version in any media.
85	* The ''Franchise/MegaMan'' UniverseCompendium "[[http://themechanicalmaniacs.com/articles/officialGuide.php The Official Guide to Mega Man]]" was released back when only the [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 first]] [[VideoGame/MegaMan2 three]] [[VideoGame/MegaMan3 games]] were released, and ''[[VideoGame/MegaManDrWilysRevenge Dr. Wily's Revenge]]'' was about to debut. Most of the lore featured in the book was made up without the original developers' input, featuring original characters and concepts that push the setting's tone in a more space opera-esque direction (for example, the heavy emphasis on off-world colonies that was mostly limited to the third game at the time). At the end of the book, Mega Man was interviewed, and it was noted that he can't talk under normal circumstances, while he has no problem communicating with other characters in later games of the series.
86	* The "Worlds of Power" novelization of ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear\|1}}'' written by Alexander Frost was a far cry from the serious war drama that the series would become from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' and onward. For one thing, it's based on the NES version of the first game, which had an inconsistent localization between the in-game translation (which was a relatively direct translation of the Japanese script for the most part) and the box & manual (which extensively changed the game's backstory). Because of this, instead of following the in-game narrative and have Solid Snake's commanding officer and the secret leader of the enemy forces be the same character (Big Boss), they're instead two separate characters named Commander South and Colonel Vermon [=CaTaffy=]. Likewise, Solid Snake is given a full name (Justin Halley) and never uses his weapons to kill anyone (only using his handgun once to destroy a lock), with the idea of pacifist runs not being implemented until much later in the series.
87	* ''Literature/MetroidZebesShinnyuuShirei'', due to being based on the original ''VideoGame/{{Metroid\|1}}'', features many oddities compared to the rest of the series. Much of this is carried over from the original game, although this gamebook expands upon or adds additional weirdness:
88	** Zebes is an asteroid, rather than a planet.
89	** Ridley is the original inhabitant of Zebes, living on the inhospitable asteroid long before the arrival of the Space Pirates. He was originally docile and peaceful, and has only become aggressive and cruel while [[BrainwashedAndCrazy under Mother Brain's mind control]]. Instead of actually breathing fire, Ridley possesses PsychicPowers that simulate the intense experience of being hit with fire breath.
90	** If a Metroid latches onto Samus, she can escape by firing missiles instead of planting bombs.
91	** Samus is repeatedly referred to as a {{cyborg}}. This continues even after it is revealed that [[SamusIsAGirl she is a human woman]], suggesting that it was not merely a red herring like in the original game.
92	** The leader of the Space Pirates is the Pirate Boss, while the series usually refers to Mother Brain or Ridley as the leader. Additionally, the Pirate Boss is a human, while all later ''Metroid'' games would only show aliens among the Space Pirate ranks.
93	** Samus and the Space Pirates may [[EnemyMine team up]] to take down the Metroid=Mutant. Later ''Metroid'' lore would establish that Samus and the Space Pirates hate each other so much that they would never consider teaming up, even against bigger threats like the Ing or Dark Samus.
94	* S.D. Perry's first ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' novelisation was written based only on the very first game. As a result, Wesker's internal monologue gives no indication that his death was all part of his plan to [[CameBackStrong Come Back Strong]] since this was a later introduced element, though he does come back in the Code Veronica novelisation. Wesker is also generally depicted as slimier and less capable rather than the iconic criminal mastermind he would later become, as there was little evidence in the first game that he was much more than just a typical example of TheMole, and is portrayed as extremely sexist (to the point of completely refusing to refer to a female scientist with her correct title of "Dr", and being sexually predatory and making unwanted advances on women). The games would later establish Wesker as not discriminating much based on gender, having a considerable amount of respect for Ada Wong's abilities and having a (non-biological) sister, Alex, who he was apparently on good terms with. He's also never really shown to make sexual advances towards women in the games (or indeed to behave very sexually at all, unless you count his outfit in RE5 and all that attacking Chris with tentacles that he does), though he did have a relationship with a woman in his backstory. S.D. Perry's depiction of Wesker is also often quite crude in his language--in the games, Wesker speaks far more formally and eloquently, but of course the dubious translation of the first game didn't convey that.
95	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
96	** ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'', as one of the first spinoffs, was working with the best information available and couldn't know that things would change over a decade later with the release of the Prequel Trilogy in 1999, starting with ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''. One of the biggest parts is that its depiction of cloning using "Spaarti cylinders" is completely at odds with that seen on Kamino in ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'', though that's easily handwaved by saying that Spaarti and Kaminoan cloning use different methods with different side effects. Another major plot point is that it's been about 40-odd years since the Clone Wars (based on backstory given by Lucas at the time), while the prequels later established it as 20-something instead.
97	** The very first novel, ''Literature/SplinterOfTheMindsEye'', had this in spades:
98	*** Like most early ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' works, several references are made to pieces of technology that were current at the time but are now obsolete, mostly tapes as a data storage medium. Luke's "if I twist these two knobs, I can use my lightsaber to cut a locked door open without making it obvious" trick has never been seen since this book. And Chewbacca has a pair of {{Suspiciously Similar Substitute}}s in Hin and Kee the Yuzzem. Those are just the most obvious ones.
99	*** Both Luke and Leia suffer from extreme {{UST}}, which makes itself clear in practically every interaction between them. Later films got rid of this element, both because Harrison Ford's return to the franchise created the possibility of a Leia/Han relationship, and because of other [[SurpriseIncest reasons that are obvious in hindsight.]]
100	[[/folder]]
101
102	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
103	* The ''Series/Batman1966'' show is full of this because it was created during a transitional stage in comics. Along with being a full-blown comedy series, it features forgotten Silver Age stuff, such as Dick Grayson having an aunt, Batman and Robin operating in broad daylight, and many of the villains (such as ComicBook/MrFreeze) display characterizations that have long since changed. The show originated [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} Barbara Gordon]], but it features her as a brunette who wears a redheaded wig for disguise (something associated with [[ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} Kate Kane]] instead of the naturally redheaded Barbara) and also depicts her as several years Dick's senior[[note]]Since the 1990s, they've been depicted as the same age and have been PromotedToLoveInterest)[[/note]].
104	* ''Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977'':
105	** While not the first adaptation of the character to the screen, having come eleven years after ''WesternAnimation/TheMarvelSuperHeroes'', as the first live-action adaptation, the show takes surprising liberties, such as Hulk being rendered mute for the most part, instead communicating in growls and grunts, Banner being referred to by his given name rather than his middle name of "Bruce", his given name itself having been changed from "Robert" to "David", General Thaddeus Ross having been replaced with journalist [[CanoneForeigner Jack McGee]] and every other character having been AdaptedOut.
106	** ''The Incredible Hulk Returns'' also features this in the form of Thor. Also having first appeared in television in ''WesternAnimation/TheMarvelSuperHeroes'', this was the first live-action portrayal of the Marvel portrayal of the [[Myth/NorseMythology mythological character]] and rather than Blake and Thor being the same individual, they are two different characters (The Kenneth Branagh film would do something similar, but with Blake being TheGhost and becoming a brief alias of Thor), with Thor not being a god, but a Norse warrior whom Blake summons by holding a magic hammer and calling the name of "Odin".
107	** ''The Trial of the Incredible Hulk'' features similar examples. While the Kingpin had been appearing on the screen since ''WesternAnimation/SpiderMan1967'', this was his first portrayal in live-action and differs from what came after by never being referred to as "the Kingpin", only by "Wilson Fisk", having facial hair as well as averting BaldOfEvil. Likewise, this was the first portrayal of Daredevil, as ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'' had only portrayed him as Matt Murdock, and rather than the red suit everyone is familiar with, he wears a black ninja-like outfit and was inspired by a police man to be a hero, rather than seeking to avenge his father's death.
108	* The ''Shirley Temple's Storybook'' adaptation of ''Literature/TheLittleMermaid'' featured one thing that makes it weird compared to all other adaptations that follow the original story: the titular mermaid kept her voice. The only other adaptation to do this was a Russian film from 1976, which changed the plot completely, keeping only a few small things.
109	* The show ''Series/MortalKombatConquest'' has a bit of this, with the most notable probably being Noob Saibot. In the [[Franchise/MortalKombat games]], Noob is eventually revealed to be Bi-Han, aka Sub-Zero from the first game, brought back from the dead by Quan Chi. In ''Conquest'', he's some sort of Outworld assassin who seems to be unconnected to Sub-Zero or Quan Chi. He also seems to be made of oil, as opposed to the shadow powers that would be established later.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Radio]]
113	* ''Radio/TheAdventuresOfArchieAndrews'' is a 1940s radio show based off of ''ComicBook/ArchieComics''. It contains a lot of early weirdness, such as Betty using her original girlier personality, the BettyAndVeronica dynamic being downplayed (with Archie being interested in Veronica), and Veronica having a UnexplainedAccent that was fixed in later adaptations starting in the 1980s.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Theatre]]
117	* The 1826 opera adaptation of ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'' featured the only case of Isaac of York and his daughter Rebecca being not only renamed (Ishmael and Leila), but explicitly changed from Jewish to Muslim as well, with the latter at least turning out to be Edith, the long-lost daughter of the "last descendant of Saxon kings", making her a combination of Rebecca and Rowena, Ivanhoe's proper love interest who is a descendent of UsefulNotes/AlfredTheGreat. This in turn makes Brian de Bois-Guilbert a combination of himself and Maurice de Bracy, Rowena's AbhorrentAdmirer, and Reginald Front-de-Boeuf, the owner of the castle where Rowena and Rebecca were held captive.
118	* TheMusical adaptation of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', ''Theatre/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown'', was first produced in 1967 and only uses six characters: Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Schroder, and Patty, the last of whom was already being DemotedToExtra in the strip by that point (and tellingly doesn't even get a solo song). Notably, both the 1985 animated TV special based on the musical and the 1999 Broadway revival completely revamped the libretto to replace Patty with Charlie Brown's sister Sally, a far more popular character.
119	* ExecutiveMeddling led to ''Theatre/TheWizardOfOz1902'' being a very loose adaptation. It removed major characters such as Toto, Glinda, and the Wicked Witch of the West. Since the MGM film ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' [[AudienceColoringAdaptation codified the franchise]], newer adaptations couldn't get away with removing so much of what makes the ''Literature/LandOfOz'' series iconic.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
123	* It's very easy to tell that ''WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD'' at Ride/UniversalStudios was made when the ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' franchise consisted only of [[WesternAnimation/Shrek1 the first movie]]. Not only is Farquaad still the villain, with the short taking place in Duloc (which was completely forgotten after the first film), but many of the jokes are repeated from the first movie, and plenty of series hallmarks like [[IconicSequelCharacter Puss in Boots]] or the kingdom of Far Far Away aren't part of the attraction[[note]]Puss is featured in some of the attraction's merchandise, however[[/note]]. The character meet-and-greet outside of the attraction even features Fiona as a human face character as opposed to her more iconic ogre form (even though the ride itself does).
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Toys]]
127	* The original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' came out at a time when the RealRobotGenre was in its infancy (with ''Gundam'' being something of a TropeMaker), and that's reflected in its original toyline, which bears very little resemblance to future ''Gundam'' toylines. The toys resemble contemporary SuperRobotGenre toys, with the Gundam being a big, chunky, clunky robot with lots of chrome, die-cast, and toyetic features like spring-loaded RocketPunch fists, while [[ShowAccuracyToyAccuracy looking decidedly off compared to the show design]]. Additionally, the only robots to get toys are the Gundam itself, the Guncannon, and the Guntank, with all the Zeon mechs, including the iconic [[MookMobile Zaku]], being completely absent--for those not familiar with ''Gundam'', this would be like if ''Franchise/StarWars'' never made toys of Darth Vader or the stormtroopers. The toyline largely flopped for these reasons, as while the show was most popular with older teens and women, [[MisaimedMerchandising the toys were clearly aimed at young boys]]. After Bandai got the license, they started producing toys that actually fitted the show's demographic, particularly the iconic "Gunpla" model kits.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:Video Games]]
131	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}: Shattered Blade'' was being developed and came out right when the Arrancar arc was starting up, but includes a number of characters on its roster who, at the time of that arc, had very little to work with in terms of moveset material for a fighting game character. Consequently, several characters end up with powers that they never canonically had, and powers they would have had at the time the game takes place being completely absent--for instance, Hisagi never uses his Shikai, and Ukitake and Kyoraku have their Shikai working completely differently from how they'd be revealed to work in canon. Ulquiorra stands out because at the time the game came out, he hadn't fought ''at all'', barring deflecting one attack with an OffhandBackhand, so the only thing the game makers had to work with were said backhand and two powers that he never used in combat (opening portals, and crushing his eye to convey information).
132	* The FMV game ''VideoGame/Gundam0079TheWarForEarth'' was one of the first piece of ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' media officially released in English, before the franchise had much of a Western presence, and as such employs many romanizations that differ greatly from the standardized ones used in later releases. These include Char Aznable being "Shar Aznabull", "Zakus" being "Zaks" (as in the English translation of [[Literature/MobileSuitGundam the novels]]) and the Principality of Zeon being the Duchy of Jion (infamously pronounced "John" by the actors).
133	* The video game adaptations of ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'' were made while [[Film/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone the film]] was in production, and Creator/WarnerBros gave the game developers little access to the film production because its details were considered top secret at the time. As a result, the game lacks elements that were introduced in the films and which would subsequently become iconic to the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' brand, such as [[BootstrappedTheme "Hedwig's Theme"]] and the movie Hogwarts uniforms. At the same time, the game ''does'' include elements from the first book that were cut or altered for the first movie, such as the character of Peeves. Overall, the ''Philosopher's Stone'' video game almost comes off like TheGameOfTheBook, despite it ostensibly being a movie tie-in product. This continued into the game adaptations of ''[[VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets Chamber of Secrets]]'' before the aesthetics and story were made to match the films more closely from ''[[VideoGame/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' onwards.
134	* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2'' (2000) came out in the waning days of the era where ''Franchise/XMen'' was Marvel's biggest CashCowFranchise, and it really shows in the roster: [[SpotlightStealingCrossover 18 of the 28 Marvel representatives]] hail from that series in some sense, including two versions of ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}. The really telling part is the presence of Marrow, though; an absolute E-lister who wouldn't warrant an appearance even in a purely ''X-Men'' fighting game nowadays, but she was actually getting something resembling a push in the mid-late 90s ([[ShooOutTheNewGuy one that did not last]]). Other oddities of the era include Cable wearing a Creator/JimLee X-Men uniform instead of his more famous Creator/RobLiefeld look (which he did wear in the comics - for less than six months), and Sabertooth having Birdie as his GirlFriday (the character was very short-lived, and in fact had already been killed off in the comics by the time ''Marvel 2'' came out).
135	* ''VideoGame/PocketMortys'' was made back when only two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' were completed. One of the chairmen in the Council of Ricks was named Rick Prime as a result. When the Season 3 premiere introduced the canonical Rick Prime, the game called him "Weird Rick" when he was added as a player skin in the tie-in update because [[NoNameGiven the show had not given him a proper name at the time]].
136	* ''VideoGame/TheSimpsons'' arcade game was developed during the show's first two seasons. Signs of this include the cast sporting their first-seasons designs, most of the enemies being made-up or based on bit characters and gags from early episodes rather than any of the more recognizable antagonist characters the show would introduce in later years, Sideshow Bob showing up as a minor ally (due to his first appearance on the show being as a silent background extra) and a few animations showing Marge hides rabbit ears under her haido ([[EarlyDraftTieIn something that was planned in pre-production but scrapped for the show proper]]). Another notable bit of weirdness is that one stage takes place at the Channel 6 studio, except in place of the recurring reporter {{Kent Brockman\|News}} (who is recognizable even to the most casual fan of the show), the news is anchored by [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S01E07/1008205.jpg a one-off reporter from the Season 1 episode "The Call of the Simpsons"]].
137	* ''VideoGame/SpongeBobSquarePantsLegendOfTheLostSpatula'' was made when [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants the TV show]] was in its first season, and it shows. Characters use their less refined designs from the first season, the Flying Dutchman is the BigBad and rules over a FireAndBrimstoneHell that's never seen or referenced in any other media, Plankton is a background NPC with two lines of dialogue, and the game features characters, locations, and places that have almost never been referenced since: [=SpongeBob=] can wear his hall monitor uniform and equip the moon rock gun from "Sandy's Rocket", "the carnival" (an assortment of fishing bait) appears as a platforming area, and the boss of Jellyfish Fields is the giant jellyfish from "Jellyfishing" instead of the King Jellyfish from "I'm Your Biggest Fanantic". Additionally, Bubble Bass appears as an enemy, and he didn't really become a major character until after ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater''.
138	* The earliest ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' video games, with the most famous being ''VideoGame/YuGiOhForbiddenMemories'', were made when the rules of the card game weren't fully conceptualized ''and'' predate the manga's Battle City arc. Major differences include no tributes being necessary to summon level five and higher monsters, all monster cards being normal monster cards, only one card being placed on the field each turn, fusion being done without the card Polymerization, and the majority of the possible fusions not being actual fusions in the TCG. Additionally, plot-wise, the story is of ''Forbidden Memories'' is based on what's pretty clearly a ''very'' [[EarlyDraftTieIn early version of what would become the Millennium World arc]]: Priest Seto is a strictly villainous figure as opposed to the ultimately-redeemed WellIntentionedExtremist he'd become, the other characters all have past-life equivalents running around Egypt, there's a pair of CanonForeigner characters named Heishin and Nitemare/Darknite that serve as the BigBad and FinalBoss rather than Akhenaden and Zorc, Siamun Muran (named Simon here) plays a far more major role, and Bakura is pretty irrelevant rather than being TheHeavy. Aside from the Millennium World aspects, Ishizu/Isis is depicted as a malevolent figure, predating her appearance in the manga when she was nothing of the sort.
139	* The ''Manga/YuGiOh'' game ''Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelist'' had its big selling point be that it would be the first game to feature the Egyptian Gods in playable form, but came out before Ra, the third and strongest God, had been played in the manga. Consequently, its version of Ra has a completely different effect from the effects Ra ultimately received. Additionally, the game associates Ra with Joey as much as its two fellow Gods are associated with Yugi and Kaiba, seemingly under the impression that he'd go on to be the wielder of it. This not only canonically never happened, but is outright ''impossible'' [[OnlyTheChosenMayWield by the rules the series presents regarding Ra]]. If anything, Joey's defining moments in the arc to follow ended up being facing off against Ra's wielders, nearly getting killed by the God twice in the process.
140	[[/folder]]
141
142	[[folder:Western Animation]]
143	* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster'' has many bizarre and [[YouDontLookLikeYou barely-recognizable]] versions of NES video games characters, a perfect demonstration of folks trying to interpret those games with minimal, non-existent, or even ''contradictory'' input from their makers combined with the game franchises later developing in very different ways.
144	** Pit being called "VideoGame/KidIcarus" was {{enforced\|Trope}}; Creator/{{Nintendo}} insisted on it so the characters would be saying the name of [[VideoGame/KidIcarus1986 the game]] as much as possible.
145	** The BigBad Mother Brain from the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series is portrayed as a comedic and talkative LargeHam, whereas the canon character from ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' onward would be increasingly characterized as a very sinister SilentAntagonist bordering on a MechanicalAbomination.
146	** The elements from ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' are taken specifically from ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', the then-most recent game -- for instance, all enemies, bosses and locations are from there. This makes it stand out rather significantly among ''Zelda'' adaptations, as ''Zelda II'' would later become seen as the stylistic odd duck of the series and largely ignored by the main series, spinoffs and non-game works alike.
147	* The animated ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989'' series was made when only the first two games were out (with the first game being the primary inspiration), and it shows. The Triforces of Wisdom and Power are green and red tetrahedrons instead of golden flat triangles; meanwhile, the Triforce of Courage is nowhere to be seen. Link fights by shooting [[SwordBeam beams from his sword]], just like he does in the 2D games when at full health, but this mechanic has been mostly dropped in the most popular 3D installments. The show also re-uses sound effects from the original game. Many now-iconic staples of the games, like the Master Sword, the Gorons, the friendly Zoras and Zelda's Lullaby, hadn't yet been created and so are absent in the cartoon. To say nothing of Link's characterization as a talkative and flirtatious JerkWithAHeartOfGold...
148	* Keeping in with the theme of 80s video game adaptations, Creator/HannaBarbera's ''WesternAnimation/PacMan'' cartoon has some blatant differences from newer takes on [[VideoGame/PacMan the game]]. The villains are referred to as "Ghost Monsters" instead of either "ghosts" or "monsters", and their personalities are entirely switched around. Clyde is the leader, Blinky is cowardly, Pinky is a slow-witted [[GenderFlip male]] shapeshifter, Inky is cross-eyed and goofy, and the [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome barely acknowledged]] Sue (her color changed from orange to dark purple) is second-in-command of the ghost gang and [[TheSmurfettePrinciple the sole female]], and the ghosts turn purple when Pac-Man eats a power pellet. The producers also created a CanonForeigner human BigBad, Mezmeron, out of whole cloth.
149	* The early ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' TV specials like ''WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas'' and ''WesternAnimation/ItsTheGreatPumpkinCharlieBrown'' were made before fan favorite characters like Woodstock, Peppermint Patty and Marcie were introduced. In their place are characters like Frieda[[note]]she of the "naturally curly hair"[[/note]], Shermy[[note]]the kid with spiky hair[[/note]] and Violet[[note]]the black-haired girl with the ponytail[[/note]], who were later DemotedToExtra or written out altogether. The Apple TV+ specials have been bringing back the early characters, however.
150	* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderMan1967'' is the only time the title character has been portrayed using a different voice as Spider-Man, something that no other adaptations have followed suit with.
151	* The 1940s ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons'' serials are the second earliest adaptation of ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' (coming just a year after ''Radio/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'') and contain a lot of weirdness. Clark was raised in an orphanage without his adopted parents around and he doesn't fight any supervillains barring the occasional mad scientist who has no connection to Lex Luthor. Kryptonite is completely absent (it hadn't even been created yet!), as are pretty much all notable characters except Lois Lane and Perry White. Also, Superman's power is a lot lower--his enhanced senses, EyeBeams, and freeze breath are absent, and in one OutOfOrder short, Superman gets around by jumping, not flying. Superman gained his flight specifically because it was easier to draw and it was later [[RetCanon added onto the comics]].
152	* ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' was a loose adaptation even at the time, but much of it appears even more loose when compared to later ''Mario'' canon. For example, not only are there no [[ImpliedLoveInterest implications of romance]] between Peach (who is [[AdaptationDyeJob redheaded]] instead of blonde because her design is based on her [[SuddenlyBlonde palette limited sprite]]) and Mario, but Peach is implied to be a teen while Mario is middle aged. This contrasts with the two being twenty-something year old ChildhoodFriends and love interests in most post-1980s media. Among other weirdnesses, Mario and Luigi have thick New York accents instead of their signature Italian accents, Bowser uses his Japanese name, King Koopa, and is presented as a CompositeCharacter between Wart, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2''. The show also prominently features enemies from that game that are largely ignored in ''Mario''[='=]s current canon such as Tweeters, Albatosses, Trouters, Flurries, Mouser, Tryclyde, etc.
153	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' is the only screen adaptation on record to RaceLift Baxter Stockman from black to white. That every screen adaptation to feature the character keeps his original skin colour, highlights this case of weirdness. It's also the only cartoon not to feature a version of Karai, as she was created after it began airing, and Casey Jones only appears in a few episodes as opposed to being a main character.
154	[[/folder]]

Context Main / EarlyAdaptationWeirdness