A weird canceled cartoon that could have become a classic

Who remembers all of these? An animated series for children based on films intended for adults Was that a thing in the 80s and 90s? the The controversial trend started with the movie “Rambo: Freedom Force.” But RoboCop, The Toxic Avenger, and other heroes associated with violent justice have also starred in their own shows aimed at young adults. Furthermore, the horror genre has spawned some entertaining cartoons for kids, such as “Little Shop,” “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes,” and “Swamp Thing,” which will likely give viewers their first nightmares.

However, none of these properties can be compared to The grim horror that defines the “Alien” franchise.Which makes one wonder: what would a Xenomorph-laden anime look like? It’s a confusing concept to imagine, but Kenner Products supposedly acquired the rights to a series called “Operation: Aliens” in the early 1990s to coincide with the emergence of the “Alien” game series. A quick Google search reveals some footage from the pilot episode of “Operation: Aliens,” so there may actually be some substance to the rumor.

Sadly, although the poor reception of “Alien 3” led to the cancellation of Kenner’s animated series, the toy line still came to fruition, lasting from 1992 until 1995. (Better late than never, as the company also planned to make “Alien” toys in 1979.) The characters were primarily inspired by the creatures in James’ “Aliens” movie Cameron, so their scary behavior hasn’t been completely toned down to encourage parents to buy them. For their children. However, the animation itself was perhaps less terrifying than the “Alien” films, as it was reportedly influenced by another sci-fi series… set in a galaxy far, far away.

Before launching the “Alien” product line, Kenner Products had great success with its “Star Wars” toys, which the company released from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. When that well dried up, the company sought out another successful sci-fi franchise to turn it into a successful game series and media property for children – and so the idea for “Operation: Aliens” was born.

Needless to say, the plan didn’t work. As previously mentioned, the “Alien” toy series was short-lived, and the cartoon did not continue, suggesting that the higher-ups at Kenner did not have faith in these toys matching the success of the “Star Wars” props. However, who’s to say that Operation: Aliens wouldn’t have been its own separate entity? After all, history has shown that cartoons based on hot franchises can be great, even if some of them are a tad… let’s say morally misguided?

Furthermore, exposing viewers to horror at an early age is an effective way to prepare them for the frightening realities of life. “Operation: Aliens” could have been a strong show in that regard as well, but unfortunately, we’ll have to spend the rest of our lives wondering what could have been.