| Pac-Man | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | Pac-Man byToru Iwatani |
| Developed by | Jeffrey Scott |
| Written by | Jeffrey Scott |
| Directed by |
|
| Voices of | |
| Opening theme | "Pac-Man" |
| Ending theme | "Pac-Man" (instrumental) |
| Composer | Hoyt Curtin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 44 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Producers |
|
| Editor | Gil Iverson |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 25, 1982 (1982-09-25) – November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05) |
| Related | |
| Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures | |
Pac-Man is an Americananimated television series produced byHanna-Barbera Productions and based on theNamcovideo game franchise of the same title. It premiered onABC and ran for 44 episodes over two seasons from September 25, 1982, to November 5, 1983.[1] It was the firstcartoon based on a video game.[2]
It was the highest-rated Saturday morning cartoon show in the US during late 1982.[3] Upon its debut, it was watched by an audience of over 20 million children in the US, in addition to adults.[4] The show also inspired the 1984 arcade gamePac-Land.
The show follows the adventures of the title character,Pac-Man, his wifePepper Pac-Man (Ms. Pac-Man), their childPac-Baby, their dog Chomp-Chomp and their cat Sour Puss. The family lives in Pac-Land, a place in which the geography and architecture seem to revolve primarily aroundsphere-like shapes.[5] Most episodes of the series center around the ongoing battle between the Pac family and their only known enemies, theGhost Monsters: Inky, Blinky, Pinky, Clyde, and Sue. They work for Mezmaron, whose sole mission is to locate and control the source of "Power Pellets", which serve as the primary food and power source for the city, and also is thedeus ex machina in virtually every episode. The second (and final) season later introducesSuper-Pac and Pac-Man's teenage cousinP.J.
During his time working as a theatrical agent,Marty Ingels was handling calls on behalf of his clientRobert Culp. After briefly being disconnected, Ingels' attempts to re-establish contact connected him by accident toHanna-Barbera executiveGordon Hunt who exclaimed "We got the rights toPac-Man!" In response, Ingels was left confused as to whatPac-Man was, initially thinking it was a luggage company. After going into his pitch for Culp, Hunt interrupted Ingels to compliment him on hisNew York accented voice, which led to Hunt offering Ingels the voice of Pac-Man after sampling approximately 173,000 other voices.[6]
The show's initial success inspiredABC's rivalCBS to createSaturday Supercade, which featured other video game characters from thegolden age of video arcade games.
Some of the nextNamco games were based on or influenced by the cartoon.Pac-Land andPac-Man 2: The New Adventures are major examples. Also, theTengen release of the originalPac-Man arcade game for theNintendo Entertainment System features box art based on the cartoon.
The show is also seen as setting the stage for other animated series of the 1980s that would adapt not only video games, but other franchises including toys.[7]
As the first season aired, scenes of Pac-Man "chomping" the Ghost Monsters and being "chomped" himself were considered too "violent".[citation needed] These scenes were toned down in subsequent episodes to provide less direct scenes of the characters "chomping" one another.[citation needed]
Aired as part ofThe Pac-Man/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show.
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Presidential Pac-Nappers" | September 25, 1982 (1982-09-25) | |
Mezmaron orders the Ghost Monsters to kidnap the Pac-President in order to get Pac-Man to lead them to the Power Pellet Forest. | |||
| 2 | "Picnic in Pacland" | September 25, 1982 (1982-09-25) | |
Pac-Man and his family go for a picnic. The Ghost Monsters are also on a picnic, and plot to chomp Pac-Man. | |||
| 3 | "The Great Pac-Quake" | October 2, 1982 (1982-10-02) | |
The Ghost Monsters get an earthquake-making machine from Mezmaron. | |||
| 4 | "Hocus-Pocus Pac-Man" | October 2, 1982 (1982-10-02) | |
Pac-Man puts Pac-Baby in a magic hat and makes him disappear. | |||
| 5 | "Southpaw Packy" | October 9, 1982 (1982-10-09) | |
When the Ghost Monsters ruin the Pac-Land World Series, Pac-Man challenges them to a baseball game to decide who leaves town. | |||
| 6 | "Pac-Baby Panic" | October 9, 1982 (1982-10-09) | |
The Ghost Monsters steal a sack of Power Pellets, accidentally kidnapping Pac-Baby. | |||
| 7 | "Pacula" | October 16, 1982 (1982-10-16) | |
Mezmaron transforms a bat into the vampire Count Pacula in a plot to get the citizens of Pac-Land to hand over the map to the Power Pellet Forest. | |||
| 8 | "Trick or Chomp" | October 16, 1982 (1982-10-16) | |
The Pac-Family goes trick or treating onHalloween night until the Ghost Monsters come along and complicate matters. | |||
| 9 | "Super Ghosts" | October 23, 1982 (1982-10-23) | |
The Ghost Monsters get superpowers and try to take over the world. | |||
| 10 | "The Pac-Man in the Moon" | October 23, 1982 (1982-10-23) | |
After the Ghost Monsters steal theSpace Shuttle, Pac-Man and Pepper must retrieve it. | |||
| 11 | "Journey to the Center of Pacland" | October 30, 1982 (1982-10-30) | |
Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters try to tunnel into the Power Pellet Forest. | |||
| 12 | "Invasion of the Pac-Pups" | October 30, 1982 (1982-10-30) | |
A litter of Pac-Pups come to the Pac-Family's house, and Pac-Man tries to get rid of them. | |||
| 13 | "Sir Chomp-A-Lot" | November 6, 1982 (1982-11-06) | |
Mezmaron sends the Ghost Monsters 50 years back into the past, but Inky's goofiness causes them to meet Pac-Man's ancestor, Sir Chomp-A-Lot. | |||
| 14 | "The Day the Forest Disappeared" | November 6, 1982 (1982-11-06) | |
When Mezmaron successfully steals the Power Pellet Forest, it is up to Pac-Man to get it back. | |||
| 15 | "Neander-Pac-Man" | November 13, 1982 (1982-11-13) | |
Pac-Man reads Pac-Baby a story about their prehistoric ancestor and his discovery of Power Pellets. | |||
| 16 | "Backpackin' Packy" | November 13, 1982 (1982-11-13) | |
Pac-Man is permitted to lead the Pac-Baby Scouts after their original leader stubs his toe. | |||
| 17 | "The Abominable Pac-Man" | November 20, 1982 (1982-11-20) | |
Pac-Man and Pepper are racing to beat Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters to an area where Power Pellets are located, while a legendary monster lurks in the hills. | |||
| 18 | "The Bionic Pac-Woman" | November 20, 1982 (1982-11-20) | |
Mezmaron makes a robotic clone of Pepper to fool Pac-Man. | |||
| 19 | "Chomp-Out at the O.K. Corral" | November 27, 1982 (1982-11-27) | |
The Ghost Monsters (and their bratty cousin, Dinky) run into the Pac-Family while both are vacationing out West. | |||
| 20 | "Once Upon a Chomp" | November 27, 1982 (1982-11-27) | |
The Ghost Monsters' Fairy Ghost Monster comes and gives them a magic book of fairy tales to trap Pac-Man and Pepper. | |||
| 21 | "The Pac-Love-Boat" | December 4, 1982 (1982-12-04) | |
Pac-Man and Pepper take an anniversary cruise on the Love Boat while the Ghost Monsters try to ruin their trip. | |||
| 22 | "The Great Power-Pellet Robbery" | December 4, 1982 (1982-12-04) | |
Mezmaron gives the Ghost Monsters a truck in order to retrieve the Power Pellets from the Power Pellet Forest. | |||
| 23 | "A Bad Case of the Chomps" | December 11, 1982 (1982-12-11) | |
Pac-Man is rushed to the hospital, believing he has chompitis after chomping the Ghost Monsters. | |||
| 24 | "Goo-Goo at the Zoo" | December 11, 1982 (1982-12-11) | |
The Pac-Family goes to the zoo, but Pac-Baby frees all the animals. | |||
| 25 | "Nighty Nightmares" | December 18, 1982 (1982-12-18) | |
A failed attempt by the Ghost Monsters to zap Pac-Man with anightmare-inducing ray causes them to have nightmares about getting chomped by him and the other residents of Pac-Land. | |||
| 26 | "The Pac-Mummy" | December 18, 1982 (1982-12-18) | |
Mezmaron discovers amummy and uses it to kidnap Pepper and Pac-Baby. | |||
Aired as part ofThe Pac-Man/Rubik, the Amazing Cube Hour.
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | "Here's Super-Pac" | September 17, 1983 (1983-09-17) | |
Mezmaron creates a giant robotic Ghost Monster to battle Super-Pac. | |||
| 28 | "Hey, Hey, Hey... It's P.J." | September 17, 1983 (1983-09-17) | |
Pac-Man must convince his cousin P.J. to stay in school. | |||
| 29 | "The Super-Pac-Bowl" | September 24, 1983 (1983-09-24) | |
After the Ghost Monsters chomp the football team, Pac-Man, Super-Pac, and their team must face off against them. | |||
| 30 | "Journey Into the Pac-Past" | September 24, 1983 (1983-09-24) | |
P.J. fixes Ms. Pac's washing machine, accidentally turning it into a time machine. | |||
| 31 | "The Old Pac-Man and the Sea" | October 1, 1983 (1983-10-01) | |
The Ghost Monsters sink a ship full of Power Pellets with Pac-Man on board, trapping them all in Paclantis at the mercy of the tyrannical Pac-Queen. | |||
| 32 | "Public Pac-Enemy No. 1" | October 1, 1983 (1983-10-01) | |
Pac-Man is mistaken for the criminal Pretty Boy Pac and sent to prison. | |||
| 33 | "The Genii [sic] of Pacdad" | October 8, 1983 (1983-10-08) | |
Pac-Man and Super-Pac square off against the Ghost Monsters for ownership of a genie's bottle. | |||
| 34 | "Computer Packy" | October 8, 1983 (1983-10-08) | |
P.J. tinkers with Pac-Man's computer, causing it to pull Pac-Baby inside similar to the filmTron. | |||
| 35 | "The Greatest Show in Pacland" | October 15, 1983 (1983-10-15) | |
The Ghost Monsters celebrate Dinky's birthday at the same circus where the Pac-Family is celebrating Pac-Baby's birthday. | |||
| 36 | "Pac-A-Thon" "Pac-A-Lympics" | October 15, 1983 (1983-10-15) | |
Legal technicalities permit the Ghost Monsters to participate in the Olympics, and it is up to the Pac-Family to try to defeat them in various athletic events. | |||
| 37 | "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Pac-Man" | October 22, 1983 (1983-10-22) | |
Pac-Man turns into awerewolf after the Ghost Monsters trick him into eating Power Pellets specially created by Mezmaron. | |||
| 38 | "Around the World in 80 Chomps" | October 22, 1983 (1983-10-22) | |
Pac-Man must stop Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters from finding their own Power Pellet Forest abroad. | |||
| 39 | "Super-Pac vs. Pac-Ape" | October 29, 1983 (1983-10-29) | |
An organ grinder's Pac-Monkey eats super-powered Power Pellets and grows to giant size. Now Pac-Man and Super-Pac must stop the giant Pac-Monkey before it wrecks Pac-Land. | |||
| 40 | "P.J. Goes Pac-Hollywood" | October 29, 1983 (1983-10-29) | |
P.J. is starring in an action movie, and Pac-Man is goaded into becoming his stunt double. | |||
| 41 | "Pac Van Winkle" | November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05) | |
Pac-Man drinks a potion that causes him to fall asleep for 20 years. When he awakes, he finds a nightmarish future in which the Power Pellet Forest has been captured by Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters have infested Pac-Land. | |||
| 42 | "Happy Pacs-Giving" | November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05) | |
The Pac-Family hear a story about the first Pacs-Giving. | |||
The Halloween special consisted of two segments from the show, "Pacula" and "Trick or Chomp". The special aired during Saturday morning programming onABC on October 30, 1982.[9] It has been replayed on channels likeCartoon Network andBoomerang during Halloween in later years until 2014.[10]
In this Christmas special, Pac-Man and his family helpSanta Claus (voiced byPeter Cullen) after he crash lands in Pac-Land (after thereindeer were startled by the floating eyes of the Ghost Monsters after Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Baby chomped them). Mezmeron was the only character from the cartoon that is not in the special (although his lair, which is covered in snow, appears). It was shown every December on theBoomerang Christmas Party until 2014.[11][12]
Pac-Man aired onABCSaturday Morning in the following formats:[13]
Since the original run, reruns have turned up on theUSA Cartoon Express onUSA in the 1980s,Cartoon Network from 1995 to 1999, andBoomerang from 2000 to 2014. The Christmas-themed episode aired each year as part ofThe Boomerang Christmas Party, an annual marathon of classic Christmas cartoons, but is no longer seen on the channel's rotation. As of February 23, 2025, the series currently airs in reruns onMeTV Toons. In the United Kingdom it was first broadcast onTVAM as a part of theRoland Rat show.
In 2012,Warner Archive released both seasons ofPac-Man on DVD in region 1 as part of theirHanna–Barbera Classics Collection. The first season was released on January 31, followed by the release of the second season on September 11. The Christmas-themed episode is included on the Season 2 DVD despite airing during the show's first season.[14][15]
