The Ultimate Guide to the Cartoons of the 1980s – Chapter 13: Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light

Chapter 13: Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light

Total Episodes: 13
Total Segments: 13
Episode Length: 22 Minutes

First Air Date: September 20th, 1987
Final Air Date: December 13th, 1987
Day(s) Aired: Saturdays
Channel: Syndication
Reboot/Spin-Off Data: N/A
Based On: N/A

Creator: Flint Dille
Developed By: Sunbow, TMS Entertainment & Hasbro
Producer: Jim Duffy & Tadahito Matsumoto
Casting Director: Zita Campisi
Director(s): Yasumi Mikamoto
Voice Director: Wally Burr
Writer(s):
Flint Dille (7 Episodes) [Average Episode Rating: 3.71]
Buzz Dixon (3 Episodes) [Average Episode Rating: 3.50]
Doug Booth (3 Episodes) [Average Episode Rating: 3.17]

Music:
Thomas Chase & Steve Rucker (Music)
Anne Bryant & Ford Kinder (Title Song)

Production Companies: Hasbro & Sunbow

Component or Standalone: Standalone

What Came First: Toyline (Previewed at a Toy Fair before the series aired) > Animated Serie (September 1987) > Comic (November 1987)

Episode List: (Click HERE for Episode Guide)

Season 1:
Episode 1: The Age of Magic Begins
Episode 2: The Dark Hand of Treachery
Episode 3: Quest for the Dragon’s Eye
Episode 4: The Price of Freedom
Episode 5: Feryl Steps Out
Episode 6: Lion Hunt
Episode 7: The Overthrow of Merklynn
Episode 8: The Power of the Wise
Episode 9: Horn of Unicorn, Claw of Dragon
Episode 10: The Trail of Three Wizards
Episode 11: Sorcery Squared
Episode 12: Honor Among Thieves
Episode 13: Dawn of the Sun Imps

Main Cast:

Spectral Knights:

Leoric: Neil Ross

Ectar: Michael McConnohie

Feryl: Beau Weaver

Cryotek: Bernard Erhard

Witterquick: Jim Cummings

Arzon: Hal Rayle

Galadria: Susan Blu

Darkling Lords:

Darkstorm: Chris Latta

Reekon: Roscoe Lee Browne

Mortdredd: Jonathan Harris

Cindarr: Peter Cullen

Cravex: Chris Latta

Lexor: Michael McConnohie

Virulina: Jennifer Darling

Recurring Roles / Guest Roles:

Merklynn: Roscoe Lee Browne

Falkama:  Chris Latta

Bogavas: Jim Cummings

Wizasquizar: Jonathan Harris

Fletchen: Jennifer Darling

Bearer of Knowledge: Neil Ross (1 episode), Jim Cummings

Owl of Wisdom: Hal Rayle

Beast of Decay: Peter Cullen

Narrator: Malachi Thorne

Guest Characters:

Susan Blu: Wood Nymph (Orange), Robot Slave, Heskedor, Botanical Society Female

Peter Cullen: Northalian, Butcher, Rassius Dubrow, Apocalipse, Pirate Captain, Farmer, Gorge, Orzan, Gleering

Jim Cummings: Belizar, Robot Slave, Dwarf Pick Pocket

Jennifer Darling: Wood Nymph (Purple), Marna, Farmer’s Wife

Bernard Erhard: Magic Eater

Jonathan Harris: Dark Bishop

Chris Latta: Ectar (as Pilot), Terrible Bird

Hal Rayle: Mysto

Neil Ross: Meatius Chompiti, Farmer, Benny the Con, Lawyer, Abraxas

Ellen Gerstell: Mabel, Melody Leader of the Wood Nymphs, Complaining Citizen

Other Characters appearing in this series:

Growl, Shaggy, Knightmare, Inventor, Villager 1, Villager 2, Knight, Guard, Main Guard, Guard 1, Guard 2, Guard 3, Farmer 1, Farmer 2, Farmer 3, Farmer 4, Good Guard, Roan, Pirate 1, Pirate 2, Villager, Anarchy Zone Citizen 1, Anarchy Zone Citizen 2, Barkeep, Bontanical Society Male 1, Bontanical Society Male 2, Bontanical Society Male 3, Guard 1, Guard 2, Tour Guide, Citizen 2

Synopsis:

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light is set on the Planet Prysmos where the many suns have recently aligned which had cosmic consequences. Most of which revolved around the end of the age of technology and reverting to an age of magic. Merklynn, a powerful wizard enlists a group of knights to bestow upon them magical powers in the form of staffs and totems which allows the knights to transform into a variety of animals as well as summon magical powers such as, The Beast of Decay, The Bearer of Knowledge, The Owl of Wisdom, A Shield of Protection, A Magical Archer, Fire, Speed, Fear, Disease and Healing among others. The knights immediately split into two factions. The heroes, led by Leoric are known as the Spectral Knight whereas the villains, led by Darkstorm are known as the Darkling Lords. Both factions find themselves beholden to Merklynn, as their staffs have a limited magical charge and must be brought back to Merklynn’s lair to ‘recharge’ whenever the plot deems necessary. We also learn that a few knights who don’t have magical staffs are instead imbued with the power to pilot the few remaining vehicles left in the land. The villains mostly deal with infighting and a lack of unity and loyalty as they attempt their various schemes. Meanwhile the Spectral Knights are mostly bogged down with red tape and complaining citizens while they try to bring law and order to Prysmos. Along the way both groups run into a variety of Wizards and magical beings or beasts as they try to conduct their business.

Overall Breakdown:

Visionaries has a fantastic first episode, the premise is easy to digest and holds an interesting concept that separates it from many of the 80s action toons that came before it. The audience of the day was more then ready to venture into a more magical, mythical realm. The episode also does a fantastic job of introducing us to 7 Spectral Knights and the 7 Darkling Lords.  We even get glimpses into what role these characters had prior to the Age of Magic sprinkled in throughout the series (Construction workers, news reporter, police officer, pilot, etc). You can tell Flint Dille invested some time and energy into fleshing this series out as well as the majority of episodes that he directed. We have a great collection of voice actors that line up, at least from the male side as a who’s who of the 1980s. Perhaps the most notable omissions from the cast are the fact that we don’t see Frank Welker or Michael Bell’s name anywhere. Peter Cullen, Chris Latta, Neil Ross, Hal Rayle and Jim Cummings are easily recognizable to any child of the decade though. They also do a great job of world building and making Prysmos feel like a legitimate planet with actual citizens, farmers, villagers and the criminals that make this world feel authentic and lived in. I feel like they also do an adequate job in spreading out which magical powers are shown episode to episode so it’s not just 30 minutes of one power chant after another. I will say that throughout the 13 episode run, I kept waiting for them to delve into the mythology even more and to give us more of what they set up in that first episode. They give us glimpses here and there but unfortunately with only the thirteen episodes you can’t help but wonder what this series could have been had it been given a full 65 episode slate or multiple seasons of Saturday mornings. It definitely deserves to be mentioned with the best of the 80s boys action series but without the longevity can’t really compare to the Transformers and G.I. Joes of the world.

Overall Show Score: 3.5 / 5
Average Episode Rating on our Episode Guide: 3.54

Behind the Scenes/Fun Trivia:

At the toy fare in which the action figures were previewed and the animated series was teased, it was billed as being part of ‘The Air Raiders / Visionaries Show’, however the Air Raiders portion would never materialize.

The holograms needed to make the figures chest plate and totems, the trademark of the series that helped separate it from the rest of the toys/shows of that day may have ultimately been what brought the series to an end as they proved to be more expensive to manufacture due to the nature of the holograms at that time.

Tonka developed a competing toyline called Super Naturals to compete with the Visionaries.

Neither of the main female characters ever had their action figures produced.

Related Media/Merchandise – Toys – Comics:

Comics:
* Marvel’s Star Comics published 6 issues between November of 1987 and September of 1988

• IDW published a 5 issue miniseries entitled Transformers vs Visionaries from January to May of 2018

Toyline:
* Hasbro produced a toyline in 1987. The Toyline lasted 1 year and had figures for the 12 male characters along with 4 vehicles that came with an exclusive figure. A second wave was planned but never released.

*In 2017 there was a convention figure produced

Merchandise:

Title Screen and/or End Credit Shots: