Tales to tell we having the swinging good time,
Singing HOUBA! (HOUBA?) HOOOOOUUUUUBBAAAA! (HOUBA!) Oooh Marsupilami!
Marsupilami coming climbing through the trees,
He's so co-co nutty, We go bananas,
Singing HOUBA! (HOUBA?) HOOOOOUUUUUBBAAAA! (HOUBA!) Oooh Marsupilami!
HOUBA! Co-co nutty! HOOOOOUUUUBBAAAA!
Marsupilami coming always dropping by,
Just to hang around and have a swinging good time,
Singing HOUBA! (HOUBA?) HOOOOOUUUUUBBAAA! (HOUBA!) Oooh Marsupilami!
This article is about the Marsupilami cartoon by Disney. For the series it originated from, see Spirou & Fantasio. For the French Comic Books and Animated Adaptations, see Marsupilami. For the character himself and his franchise, see Marsupilami.
In 1992, a first Animated Adaptation of André Franquin's Marsupilami was launched. Produced by Disney and aired originally as a segment on Raw Toonage before becoming its own show the following year, it only lasted a season and had little in common with the original, beside the name and the general appearance of the hero. The title Marsupilami could talk and was a laid-back smartass rather than a volatile and cunning Papa Wolf. All of the supporting cast was original. He was accompanied by his buddy, a big ape named Maurice, and met a lot of African animals. Another change on Marsupilami that he now has the ability to speak and does not just say "HOUBA!" The show followed a Three Shorts format; in between a new short starring Marsupilami at the beginning and a Raw Toonage repeat, there was either a short starring Sebastian from The Little Mermaid (one such segment was repurposed from Raw Toonage interstitials) or Bill Kopp's Schnookums and Meat, the latter of which was later spun off into its own half-hour series in 1995 as part of The Disney Afternoon.
It was first aired on CBS saturday mornings in the US. It was later reran on the Disney Channel and later, on Toon Disney. 15 out of the 29 shorts were released on VHS by Walt Disney Home Video.
Another, more comic-book accurate version was later made by a French studio, and yet another one, titled "Marsupilami — Houba Houba Hop !", which is less close to the books but in which the Marsupilami still retains his comic book characterization.
Tropes specific to the Disney cartoon:
- Badly Battered Babysitter: Marsupilami and Maurice babysat the Three Baby Monkeys in the episode: "Hey, Hey, They're the Monkeys!"
- Big Guy, Little Guy: Maurice and Marsupilami respectively.
- Bragging Theme Tune: The opening theme, as seen above.
- The Cameo: Disney had the character show up in commercial bumpers on The Disney Afternoon in the 1991-92 season, a year prior to the premiere of Raw Toonage.
- Canon Foreigner: All the characters besides Marsupilami.
- Cartoony Tail: Marsupilami has a long, skinny tail far longer than his own body. Then again, he is a fictional species.
- Catchphrase: There are many like!
- Corrections! My name is Marsupilami!
- Yoo, Houba! Mr. harmless poacher!
- Deadpan Snarker: Marsupilami, sometimes leads to Snark-to-Snark Combat between him and Norman.
- Fat Flex: In one episode, Maurice attempts to impress a female gorilla by puffing up his chest and doing a Primal Chest-Pound. When the female looks completely unimpressed, Maurice's fat drops back in disappointment.
- Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Maurice wears a pink shirt.
- Heartbeat Soundtrack: Does so in the Raw Toonage short, Jungle Fever. When Marsupilami uses his tail as stethoscope to listen the poor sick Maurice's heartbeat.
- In Name Only: Aside from the characters design and catchphrase, this show has absolutely nothing in common with André Franquin's original Marsupilami comics.
- Instant Wristwatch: Marsupilami does wear a watch while checking the blood-pressure on Maurice in the Raw Toonage short "Jungle Fever".
- Logo Joke: In the episode "Toucan Always Get What You want", Maurice grabs the rainbow-tail of a peacock (closely resembling the logo of NBC (rival of CBS) to hide himself from Eduardo as Marsupilami hides in a tree. note Eduardo: I don't feel like no stinking bird today, My stomach craves the little spotted guy with the tail.
- Misplaced Wildlife: The Disney series has this a lot.
- Parody Episode: "The Wizard of Mars" is a spoof of The Wizard of Oz.
- Piranha Problem: They attacked Marsupilami in "Bathtime for Maurice".Marsupilami: Aw, What do you know! Playful Piranhas! Hello, Fellas!
- Shout-Out: In the Disney series, four jungle men who sound like The Beatles are based on the four cavemen from the classic Disney short "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom".
- Sick Episode: "Jungle Fever", where Marsupilami tries to cure Maurice from his cold.
- Suddenly Speaking: Marsupilami can talk in this series.
- The Speechless: Maurice, who grunts.
- Talking Animal: Marsupilami can talk and not just say "Houba!"
- Voice Over Translation: It's voice over translated rather than dubbed in Russia and Poland.
