Around The World With Willy Fog - The Complete Collection [DVD]

I'll be honest and say the theme tune is what got me to watch this cartoon.
I know it used to remind me of Dogtanian, maybe it was all the anthropomorphic animals. As the previous reviewer states, it is the Philias Fog story retold, 'Willy' is an English gentlelion who accepts the wager that he can traverse the globe in 80 days. To do this he uses all sorts of modes of transport, including, hot air balloon, elephant, train, camel etc, etc. All the while being sabotaged by the minion of the guy who bet him he couldn't make it in 80 days.

Along with Ulysses 31, Dogtanian, Raggy Dolls, Mysterious Cities of Gold and later in my childhood - Fantastic Max, the pinnicle of cartoon theme tunes was reached.

This Spanish cartoon series takes me back to my childhood. This is a clever and thoughtful adaptation of Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days". Taking a leaf out of Disney's Robin Hood's book, the story is told with anthropomorphic animals. Willy Fog is an English bachelor famous for his punctuality and keeping his word as a gentleman. He whiles his days away at the exclusive Reform Club, full of equally rich but far more insolent members, the only real company he enjoys being that of aging Lord Guinnes. Fog accepts a wager that he can travel around the world in 80 days, using train and ship schedules. Unfortunate for Rigodon and Tico, two retired circus performers who employed themselves to Fog's care under the impression that they wouldn't have to travel anymore.

Two parties will make matters difficult for our hero. Ensuring that Fog will lose the bet, the insolent bank manager Sullivan employs con artist Transfer to spoil Fog's trip. Additionally, Inspector Dix of Scotland Yard tails Fog along with his bumbling partner Constable Bully, suspecting that the punctual bachelor has robbed the Bank of England. The band of travellers (eventually joined by the lovely Princess Romy) see misfortune upon misfortune, and not always down to Transfer's or the Inspector's plotting.

Never having read the source material, I still think this is an excellent series. The animation has a distinct Japanese flair (not surprising, seeing how much of the animation was produced there). Such things as guns and alcohol are refreshing to see in a cartoon series (even if they may have given it a PG rating). I do feel sorry for the Inspector, a decent dog torn between his devotion to his duty and his obvious liking of Mr Fog and his companions.

The characters are excellent. My favourite is Rigodon, a French cat who is quite verbal about what he feels and whose resourcefulness often saves the day. When they reach America, a bold side of his personality is drawn to light, one that's a joy to witness. Tico, the tiny Italian mouse with the appetite of twenty, keeps Rigodon constantly at bay. The two work together like magic. Equally wonderful are the hapless Inspector Dix and Constable Bully, the most bumbling crimefighting duo you could imagine, and one that most often winds up with the short end of the stick. Transfer is delightfully wicked. The master of disguise, he is often completely unrecognisable to the audience, if not for the characteristic glint in his eye through which we come to identify him. Even small supporting roles like Akita the circus owner and Calm Buffalo the Native American chief are wonderful. Willy Fog is more of a mystery, but his determination to have everything organised also reveals a certain level of detachedness, one that changes when he meets the lovely Princess Romy.

This English dub is mostly a triumph. Rigodon, Tico, Inspector Dix and Constable Bully are all excellent voiceover performances, to such an extent that it's incredible to think it's only a dub, with great and lively improvisations. The yang to that yin is Princess Romy, who can barely emote. Fog also fluctuates but is mostly acceptable. The rest of the bunch is great, though.

The theme song was made by the Mocedades (also famous for the classic "Eres Tú"). Oddly, different voice actors sing for these characters in the intro, and far inferior, it must be said. Two other tunes play a big part in the series itself, though. One of them, "All Around the World", closes each episode. The other, "America, America", plays when they are in said continent. Both are wonderful; "All Around the World" is brisk and adventurous, and oh so infectious. "America, America" is a super-charming easy listen. however, they have in certain instances been pasted over certain song sequences, clearly made to different songs, and this comes across as incredibly tacky. These are fleeting flaws, though. There is a third song that works far better with the sequences and was probably there from the beginning, "I'll Win in the End", sung by both Transfer and the Inspector (albeit with different lyrics and singers), very catchy and fitting for their characters.

All in all, an excellent cartoon series. An exciting story with characters you come to care about.

I loved this show as a child when it was shown on CBBC. When I saw Amazon was selling the whole collection, I ordered it instantly! Under the excuse that my 3-year-old son would love it, hehe. But you know... he does love it! A "hardened" Ben10 and Spiderman fan, but he's now mad about Willy Fog.

Quality of the DVDs is fine; sometimes the audio is a bit weird (a bit quieter for a couple of minutes, or a bit tinny) but quality is good throughout. For some reason though, I remember the title song also being the lead-out song too, but it's not like that on these DVDs.

What's even better than the sheer nostaligic factor is that it's not even dated. Not like He-Man for example, where you cringe at how dated and laughable it has become over the years.

I definitely recommend this collection to anyone with children. As a youngster the show motivated me to read Jules Verne's book. Unlike modern children's shows, Willy Fog will also teach children stuff - like geography, how things were in the 19th Century, a little bit of foreign culture dare I say...