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{{Short description|2000s animated series}}
{{Short description|2000s animated series}}
{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| image = Monster Buster Club Logo.PNG
| image = Monsterbusterclublogovector.png
| image_size = 200
| image_size = 200
| writer = [[John Derevlany]] (Eps. 1-26) <br> Al Schwartz (Eps. 27-52)
| writer = [[John Derevlany]] (Eps. 1-26) <br> Al Schwartz (Eps. 27-52)
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*[[Michael Yarmush]]
*[[Michael Yarmush]]
}}
}}
| developer = [[Marathon Media]] <br> [[Jetix Europe]] <br> [[TF1]]
| developer =
| caption =
| caption =
| alt_name = MBC- Chasseurs de monstres
| alt_name = MBC - Chasseurs de monstres
| genre = [[Action fiction|Action]]<br/>[[Adventure]]<br/>[[Comic science fiction]]<br/>[[Police procedural]]<br/>[[Science fantasy]]<br />[[Villain of the week|Monster of the week]]
| genre = [[Action fiction|Action]]<br/>[[Adventure]]<br/>[[Comic science fiction]]<br/>[[Police procedural]]<br/>[[Science fantasy]]<br />[[Villain of the week|Monster of the week]]
| runtime = 22 minutes
| runtime = 22 minutes
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| num_episodes = 52
| num_episodes = 52
| list_episodes = List of Monster Buster Club episodes
| list_episodes = List of Monster Buster Club episodes
| executive_producer = Vincent Chalvon-Demersay<br>Sylain Viau<br>'''Co-Executive Producer''':<br>Charles Henri Moarbes
| executive_producer = Vincent Chalvon-Demersay<br>Sylain Viau
| producer = Sylvain Viau<br>David Michel<br>Vincent Chalvon-Demersay
| producer = Sylvain Viau<br>David Michel<br>Vincent Chalvon-Demersay
| theme_music_composer = David Vadant<br>[[Noam Kaniel]]
| theme_music_composer = David Vadant<br>[[Noam Kaniel]]
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| language = French <br />English
| language = French <br />English
| company = [[Marathon Media]]<br>[[Image Entertainment Corporation]]
| company = [[Marathon Media]]<br>[[Image Entertainment Corporation]]
| network = [[TF1]]<br />[[Jetix]]
| network = [[TF1]] (France)<br>[[YTV (TV channel)|YTV]] (Canada)<br>[[Jetix]] (Europe)
| first_aired = {{Start date|2007|10|29}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jeanmarcmorandini.com/article-8839-trois-nouvelles-series-sur-tfou-a-la-toussaint.html | title= Trois nouvelles séries séries sur TFOU à la Toussaint | website= Jean-Marc Morandini | date=10 October 2007 | access-date=21 February 2024 | language=fr }}</ref>
| first_aired = {{Start date|2008|6|2}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2009|11|14}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2009|11|14}}
}}
}}


'''''Monster Buster Club''''' is a French-Canadian animated [[science fiction]] television series created by David Michel and [[Vincent Chalvon-Demersay]], it was co-produced by [[Zodiak Kids Studios|Marathon Media]], the animation studio [[Image Entertainment Corporation]], [[Jetix Europe]] with [[YTV (Canadian TV channel)|YTV]] and [[TF1]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Telestar.fr |date=2007-10-23 |title="MBC", la relève de "Totally Spies" - Télé Star |url=https://www.telestar.fr/serie-tv/mbc-la-releve-de-totally-spies-220 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.telestar.fr |language=fr}}</ref>
'''''Monster Buster Club''''' is a science fiction [[Computer animation|computer-animation]] television series co-produced by the French-based company [[Marathon Media]], Canadian animation studio [[Image Entertainment Corporation]], [[Jetix Europe]] and [[TF1]]. The pilot first aired on October 29, 2007 on [[TF1]]'s [[TFOU]] block. The show debuted on June 2, 2008 on [[Jetix]] in Europe, on June 9, 2008, in the United States, on May 3, 2008 in Asia and on May 31, 2008 on [[YTV (TV channel)|YTV]] in Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kario-khan.blogspot.com/2008/06/mbc-promos-disney-jetix-pour-le-9-juin.html |title=MBC: Promos Disney-Jetix pour le 9 juin |author=Jean-Louis Vandestoc |date=June 2, 2008 |language=French}}</ref> It was shortly featured on the [[Disney Channel]]. Most of the episodes were produced in India by [[Crest Animation Studios]] with [[Autodesk Maya]]. Fifty-two episodes were produced.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |page=278}}</ref>


Prior to its debut on Jetix in Europe on 2 June, 2008, the series first aired on October 29, 2007 in France on [[TF1]]'s block [[TFOU]]. It premiered on YTV in Canada on May 31, 2008 and June 7, 2008 on YTV's programming block [[Crunch (TV programming block)|CRUNCH]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kario-khan |date=2008-06-04 |title=Golden Owl: MBC: Fausse date sur YTV |url=https://kario-khan.blogspot.com/2008/06/mbc-fausse-date-sur-ytv.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Golden Owl}}</ref>
⚫
==Premise==
⚫
This show is about three human pre-teens and their alien pre-teen friend, who are all charged with saving their town from alien invasions. They reform a secret organization that was founded centuries ago, the "Monster Buster Club," often abbreviated as MBC. The MBC aims to locate alien criminals hiding in Single Town, capture them, and send them to galactic authorities.


Most of the episodes were outsourced to [[Crest Animation Studios]] with [[Autodesk Maya]]. 52 episodes were produced.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |page=278}}</ref>
===Setting===

The show takes place in a small, sleepy town named Single Town. Single Town is two hundred years old and was founded by a man named "Addison Single," who is an evil alien in disguise. Unbeknownst to its human inhabitants, Single Town is a meeting place for aliens from different parts of the galaxy.
⚫
==Premise==
⚫
In a fictional town named Singletown, three human preteens, with the help of their alien friend, reform the "Monster Buster Club" (often abbreviated as MBC), a secret organization that was founded centuries ago. The MBC aims to locate alien criminals, capture them, and send them to intergalactic authorities.


== Development and production ==
== Production of Monster Buster Club (2006-2007) ==


=== Mipcom Jr. 2006 ===
=== Mipcom Jr. 2006 ===
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=== Animation Development ===
=== Animation Development ===


To initiate the production process and establish the show's distinctive artistic style, Max Maléo, the animation supervisor, traveled to India. His primary objectives included defining the visual direction of the series and refining the parameters for animation. Notably, the animators at Crest Animation, the Indian animation studio involved in the project, initially expressed a desire to incorporate "Matrix-like scenes" into the show. However, Marathon successfully persuaded Crest Animation to adopt a stylistic approach inspired by Disney and Japanese anime, aligning with their creative vision for Monster Buster Club. Determining a cohesive style proved challenging due to the differing cultural references between India and France, as exemplified by the contrasting popularity of Dragon Ball in the two countries.
To initiate the production process and establish the show's distinctive artistic style, Max Maléo, the animation supervisor, traveled to India. His primary objectives included defining the visual direction of the series and refining the parameters for animation. Notably, the animators at Crest Animation, the Indian animation studio involved in the project, initially expressed a desire to incorporate "[[The Matrix|Matrix]]-like scenes" into the show. However, Marathon successfully persuaded Crest Animation to adopt a stylistic approach inspired by Disney and Japanese [[anime]], aligning with their creative vision for Monster Buster Club. Determining a cohesive style proved challenging due to the differing cultural references between India and France, as exemplified by the contrasting popularity of Dragon Ball in the two countries.


=== Notable Production Details ===
=== Notable Production Details ===
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===Main===
===Main===


*'''Cathy Smith'''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Me Krog, You Rollins! |series=MBC |minutes=27 |quote=Cathy Smith to the principal's office!}}</ref> (voiced by [[Andrea Libman]]) appears to be a bubbly, 12-year-old girl on Earth, but she is a 250-year-old<ref name=MBC.tv>{{cite web |url=http://www.monsterbusterclub.tv/english/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709112440/http://www.monsterbusterclub.tv/english/index.html |archive-date=9 July 2012 |quote=she is an alien and although she looks like a 10 year-old earthling, she is actually 250 years old, but on the Rhapsodia age scale she is still only a teenager |website=MonsterBusterClub.TV |title=Characters}}</ref> (or 700 Rhapsodian-year-old teenager) alien from the planet Rhapsodia. She came to Earth with her grandfather, Mr. Smith, to start the Monster Buster Club (MBC). She is constantly surprised at how different Earth is from Rhapsodia. She has many alien abilities, like the ability to stretch, slight telekinesis, and others. She is the most Optimus of the MBC. Her suit color is pink. In her human form, she has blond hair and blue eyes. Her Rhapsodian form is shown to be a humanoid, white alien with scattered pink spots, with four tentacles for arms and two tentacles for legs, as well as tentacles on her head (like hair), and a long, furry-looking tail<ref group=nb>In one episode, Cathy mentions that her alien form has tentacles, and later on her full alien form is revealed.</ref> Compared to humans, Rhapsodians are incredibly long-lived.<ref>Monster Buster Club, American episode 29, season 2, New Recruits (28 February 2009).</ref>
*'''Cathy Smith'''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Me Krog, You Rollins! |series=MBC |minutes=27 |quote=Cathy Smith to the principal's office!}}</ref> (voiced by [[Andrea Libman]]) appears to be a bubbly, enthusiastic 12-year-old girl, but is actually a 250-year-old<ref name=MBC.tv>{{cite web |url=http://www.monsterbusterclub.tv/english/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709112440/http://www.monsterbusterclub.tv/english/index.html |archive-date=9 July 2012 |quote=she is an alien and although she looks like a 10 year-old earthling, she is actually 250 years old, but on the Rhapsodia age scale she is still only a teenager |website=MonsterBusterClub.TV |title=Characters}}</ref> (although season 2 episode 1's subplot is about her 700th birthday<ref>{{Citation |title=Monster Buster Club - S2E1 - The New Recruits | date=2 June 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO5afXLNQ74 |access-date=2023-11-11 |language=en}}</ref>) alien from the planet Rhapsodia. She came to Earth with her grandfather, Mr. Smith, to start the Monster Buster Club (MBC). She is constantly surprised at how different Earth is from Rhapsodia, and has many superhuman abilities, such as elasticity and slight telekinesis, among others. In her human form, she has blond hair and blue eyes. Her Rhapsodian form is shown to be a humanoid white alien with scattered pink spots, four tentacles for arms, two tentacles for legs, tentacles on her head (analogous to hair), and a long, furry-looking tail.<ref group=nb>In one episode, Cathy mentions that her alien form has tentacles, and later on her full alien form is revealed.</ref> Her suit color is pink.
*'''Chris'''<ref name=MBC.tv/> (voiced by [[Sam Vincent (voice actor)|Samuel Vincent]]) is the 12-year-old tech guy of the group. He has indigo-blue hair and dark blue eyes. He is brilliant, with a knack for gadgets. He'll often stay back in the clubhouse and supply intelligence reports while the rest of the group is on a mission. His suit color is blue.
*'''Chris'''<ref name=MBC.tv/> (voiced by [[Sam Vincent (voice actor)|Samuel Vincent]]) is an intelligent, resourceful 12-year-old boy and the tech genius of the group. He has indigo-blue hair and dark blue eyes. He possesses a knack for gadgets and will often stay back in the clubhouse to supply intelligence reports while the rest of the group is on a mission. He has a younger brother named John. His suit color is blue.
*'''Danny Jackson'''<ref>{{cite episode |series=MBC |title=A Matter Of Principals |minutes=1 |quote=Your temporary commanding officer is Danny Jackson.}}</ref> (voiced by [[Matt Hill]]) is a 12-year-old boy and a nice guy at heart. He's good at sports and has brown hair, green eyes, and a scar over his left eyebrow. He can get overconfident at times. He has an adamant crush on his schoolmate, Wendy. He has an erratic sense of humor and enjoys cracking jokes even in dangerous situations. He has his own self-proclaimed nickname: "The Danny," and refers to himself as such whenever he's performing a task. His suit color is red.
*'''Danny Jackson'''<ref>{{cite episode |series=MBC |title=A Matter Of Principals |minutes=1 |quote=Your temporary commanding officer is Danny Jackson.}}</ref> (voiced by [[Matt Hill]]) is an athletic, hot-headed but nice 12-year-old boy who gets overconfident at times. He has brown hair, green eyes, and a scar over his left eyebrow. He has an erratic sense of humor and enjoys cracking jokes, even in dangerous situations. He has his own self-proclaimed nickname, "The Danny," and refers to himself as such. He has an unrequited crush on his classmate, Wendy. His suit color is red.
*'''Sam'''<ref name=MBC.tv/> (voiced by [[Anna Cummer]]) – Samantha, known by her friends as Sam, is a 12-year-old girl and is the most level-headed of the group with an often serious disposition. She has dark hair tied in buns and hazel eyes. Officially the MBC has no official leader, she'll often be the member to construct battle strategies and procedures for the group. She, at times, can be bossy. She possesses natural leadership. She'll often put MBC first instead of having fun. She sometimes is the shoot first and asks questions later type. Her suit color is yellow.
*'''Sam'''<ref name=MBC.tv/> (voiced by [[Anna Cummer]]) is a responsible, level-headed 12-year-old girl who is the de facto (albeit unofficial) leader of the MBC. She has dark hair tied in buns and hazel eyes. She is the "shoot first, ask questions later" type, and will often prioritize missions over having fun. Though her friends can sometimes get annoyed at her assertiveness, she is shown to have a soft side and care for their safety. Her suit color is yellow.
*'''John''' (voiced by [[Tabitha St. Germain]]) is Chris' 10-year-old little brother. He sometimes takes over for Chris at the clubhouse when Chris is on a mission or busy. He really wants to be in the MBC but he is too young.
*'''John''' (voiced by [[Tabitha St. Germain]]) is the enthusiastic 10-year-old brother of Chris. He sometimes takes over for Chris at the clubhouse when Chris is on a mission or otherwise occupied. He frequently expresses desire to be considered an "official" member of the MBC, though the group's members consider him too young.
*'''Mr. Hugo Smith''' (voiced by [[Rick Jones (voice actor)|Rick Jones]])<!--Ian James Corlett is NOT the voice of Hugo Smith: https://twitter.com/IanJames007/status/441359255208067072--> – Mr. Smith is Cathy's aloof grandfather and came with her to Earth. Like Cathy, he is a Rhapsodian but rarely displays any supernatural powers, and his alien form resembles a mollusk. He'll sometimes aid the MBC from the clubhouse, but often he won't be involved in their missions at all. Mr. Smith loves working in his garden and playing cards with his plants.
*'''Mr. Hugo Smith''' (voiced by [[Rick Jones (voice actor)|Rick Jones]]) is Cathy's aloof grandfather who came with her to Earth. Like his granddaughter, he is a Rhapsodian but rarely displays any supernatural powers. His alien form resembles a mollusk. He will occasionally aid the MBC from the clubhouse, but is often entirely uninvolved with their missions. He enjoys working in his garden and playing cards with his plants.


===Other students===
===Other students===
*Wendy (voiced by [[Tabitha St. Germain]]) is Danny's crush, a 13-year-old who is the snobby, popular valley girl at the school that the MBC attend. She is known for gossiping and tries anything to get a good scoop. (This is shown in the episode "Bubbleheads" when she follows Cathy to Mark's house because she thinks Cathy's working on another story.)
*Wendy (voiced by [[Tabitha St. Germain]]) is an attractive, popular 13-year-old valley girl at Singletown Middle School. She has a dog named Matisse. She doesn't reciprocate Danny's romantic feelings toward her, but takes advantage of them to get him to do favors. Though she frequently spreads gossip and makes fun of other students, she is shown to have moments of kindness.
*Jeremy Flablotnick<ref>{{cite episode |series=MBC |title=Frogs in Space |minutes=9 |quote=Hi, I'm cathy's latest, and final, boyfriend, jeremy flobotnik.}}</ref> (voiced by [[Sam Vincent (voice actor)|Samuel Vincent]]) is a 12-year-old kid who is best friends with Chris. In "Flower King", he fell in love with Cathy and wanted to give her a flower, which was actually Petalia. However, Cathy does not appear to return Jeremy's interest.
*Jeremy Flablotnick<ref>{{cite episode |series=MBC |title=Frogs in Space |minutes=9 |quote=Hi, I'm cathy's latest, and final, boyfriend, jeremy flobotnik.}}</ref> (voiced by [[Sam Vincent (voice actor)|Samuel Vincent]]) is a nerdy 12-year-old boy. He is friends with Chris and a member of the computer club with him. He has a crush on Cathy, who hates him.
*Mark (voiced by [[Ian James Corlett]]) is a 13-year-old who is the richest boy in town and Danny's nemesis.
*Mark (voiced by [[Ian James Corlett]]) is a snobby 13-year-old who is the richest boy in Singletown and Danny's nemesis. He uses his wealth to attain popularity.


===Faculty===
===Faculty===
*Mr. Fusster (voiced by [[Ian James Corlett]]) is the MBC's science teacher who thinks aliens don't exist. This upsets extraterrestrial Cathy and she often argues with him on the subject, which gets her in trouble.<ref group=nb>shown in the episode "The Trouble with Troublemaking", when Cathy gets angry and pushes all his books off his desk getting her a detention</ref> Later events, though, show that he may know more about aliens than he lets on, and may even be one.
*Mr. Fusster (voiced by [[Ian James Corlett]]) is a science teacher at Singletown Middle School. He adamantly believes that aliens don't exist; this upsets Cathy, and she often argues with him on the subject, which gets her in trouble.<ref group=nb>shown in the episode "The Trouble with Troublemaking", when Cathy gets angry and pushes all his books off his desk getting her a detention</ref> Later in the show, it is implied that he may know more about aliens than he lets on, and might even be one himself.
*Principal Rollins (voiced by Sonja Ball) is the gang's principal who thinks the students are soldiers and often uses terms like "Company halt!" and "About face!". She sometimes gets in the way of the MBC's missions.<ref group=nb>this is shown in the episode "Monster Beaters" when she forces every student to join a school club, leaving the MBC little time to investigate</ref> She has shown in various episodes an affection for Mr. Smith. It is also suggested she used to be a spy and believes Cathy is one too.
*Principal Rollins (voiced by Sonja Ball) is the authoritative principal of Singletown Middle School. She acts as if she is a military commander and the students are soldiers, frequently using [[drill commands]] like "Company halt!" and "About-face!". Sometimes, she gets in the way of the MBC's missions.<ref group=nb>this is shown in the episode "Monster Beaters" when she forces every student to join a school club, leaving the MBC little time to investigate</ref> She shows affection for Mr. Smith, but suspects that Cathy is some sort of [[Espionage|spy]].


===Others===
===Others===
*Matisse is Wendy's dog.
*Matisse is Wendy's dog.
*Mr. Beatty (voiced by [[John Stocker (voice actor)|John Stocker]]) runs the Happy Mart.
*Mr. Beady (voiced by [[John Stocker (voice actor)|John Stocker]]) is a gruff, short-tempered man who runs the Happy Mart, a general store in Singletown.
*Ceaser XY, better known as Speedy, is a speed morpher alien resembling an anthropomorphic cheetah who can run at extreme speeds. Initially apprehended as a thief, he serves as an affiliate to the MBC during the occasional operation.


==Broadcast==
==Broadcast==
Besides [[Jetix]] internationally, the series has also been broadcast on several other networks.
Besides [[Jetix]] internationally, the series has also been broadcast on several other networks.
*In France, the show was first aired on [[TF1]]<nowiki/>and later on [[Disney XD]] and [[Gulli]].
*In France, the show was first aired on [[TF1]] and later on [[Disney XD]] and [[Gulli]].
*In Canada, the show aired on [[YTV (Canadian TV channel)|YTV]].
*In the United Kingdom, as well as Jetix, the series was aired on the [[GMTV]]-owned (Which [[Disney]] held a 25% stake in at the time) [[Toonattik]] strand, which itself aired on [[ITV1]] and the [[CITV|CITV channel]].
*In the United Kingdom, as well as Jetix, the series was aired on the [[GMTV]]-owned (Which [[Disney]] held a 25% stake in at the time) [[Toonattik]] strand, which itself aired on [[ITV1]] and the [[CITV|CITV channel]].
*In the Arab World, the show was aired on [[MBC 3]] and [[Jeem TV|Al Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC)/Jeem TV]], who aired other Jetix programming.
*In the Arab World, the show aired on [[MBC 3]] and [[Jeem TV|Al Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC)/Jeem TV]], who aired other Jetix programming.
*In Israel, the show was aired on [[Arutz HaYeladim]].
*In Israel, the show aired on [[Arutz HaYeladim]].
*In the rest of Asia (including the [[Middle East]], the [[Indian subcontinent]], [[Southeast Asia]] and [[Greater China]]), the show was aired on [[Disney Channel (Asian TV channel)|Disney Channel]], who aired other Jetix programming.
*In the rest of Asia (including the [[Middle East]], the [[Indian subcontinent]], [[Southeast Asia]] and [[Greater China]]), the show was aired on [[Disney Channel (Asian TV channel)|Disney Channel]], who aired other Jetix programming.
*In the Philippines, the show was aired on [[Q (TV network)|Q]] (now known as [[GTV (Philippine TV network)|GTV]]).
*In the Philippines, the show aired on [[Q (TV network)|Q]] (now known as [[GTV (Philippine TV network)|GTV]]).
*In Indonesia, the show was aired on [[Rajawali Televisi|RTV]].
*In Indonesia, the show aired on [[Rajawali Televisi|RTV]].
*In Hong Kong, the show was aired on the country's English speaking television network [[TVB Pearl]].
*In Hong Kong, the show aired on the country's English speaking television network [[TVB Pearl]].
*In Singapore, the show as aired on the subscription video on demand service [[Toggle (website)|Toggle]] (now known as meWATCH).
*In Singapore, the show aired on the subscription video on demand service [[Toggle (website)|Toggle]] (now known as meWATCH).
*In Malaysia, the show was aired on [[TV3 (Malaysia)|TV3]] as part of their Bananana! programming block.
*In Malaysia, the show aired on [[TV3 (Malaysia)|TV3]] as part of their Bananana! programming block.
*In Ireland, the show was aired on [[RTÉ2]] as part of the long running children's strand [[The Den (Ireland)|The Den]].
*In Ireland, the show aired on [[RTÉ2]] as part of the long running children's strand [[The Den (Ireland)|The Den]].


==Notes==
==Notes==
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== External links ==
== External links ==

* [http://www.monsterbusterclub.tv/ Official Site]
* [http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=5824 Marathon Brings Monster to MIPCOM from animationmagazine.net]
* [http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=5824 Marathon Brings Monster to MIPCOM from animationmagazine.net]
* [http://disney.go.com/disneyxd/#/disneyxd/shows/monsterbusterclub/ Disney XD Official site]
* [http://disney.go.com/disneyxd/#/disneyxd/shows/monsterbusterclub/ Disney XD Official site]
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{{Disney Channel co-productions}}
{{Disney Channel co-productions}}
{{Jetix}}
{{Jetix}}
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Latest revision as of 01:17, 16 September 2024

Monster Buster Club
Also known asMBC - Chasseurs de monstres
GenreAction
Adventure
Comic science fiction
Police procedural
Science fantasy
Monster of the week
Created byVincent Chalvon-Demersay
David Michel
Written byJohn Derevlany (Eps. 1-26)
Al Schwartz (Eps. 27-52)
Directed byJean-Louis Vandestoc
Voices of
Theme music composerDavid Vadant
Noam Kaniel
ComposersJeff Fisher
Paul-Étienne Côté
Country of originFrance
Canada
Original languagesFrench
English
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes52 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersVincent Chalvon-Demersay
Sylain Viau
ProducersSylvain Viau
David Michel
Vincent Chalvon-Demersay
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesMarathon Media
Image Entertainment Corporation
Original release
NetworkTF1 (France)
YTV (Canada)
Jetix (Europe)
ReleaseOctober 29, 2007 (2007-10-29)[1] –
November 14, 2009 (2009-11-14)

Monster Buster Club is a French-Canadian animated science fiction television series created by David Michel and Vincent Chalvon-Demersay, it was co-produced by Marathon Media, the animation studio Image Entertainment Corporation, Jetix Europe with YTV and TF1.[2]

Prior to its debut on Jetix in Europe on 2 June, 2008, the series first aired on October 29, 2007 in France on TF1's block TFOU. It premiered on YTV in Canada on May 31, 2008 and June 7, 2008 on YTV's programming block CRUNCH.[3]

Most of the episodes were outsourced to Crest Animation Studios with Autodesk Maya. 52 episodes were produced.[4]

Premise

[edit]

In a fictional town named Singletown, three human preteens, with the help of their alien friend, reform the "Monster Buster Club" (often abbreviated as MBC), a secret organization that was founded centuries ago. The MBC aims to locate alien criminals, capture them, and send them to intergalactic authorities.

Development and production

[edit]

Mipcom Jr. 2006

[edit]

Monster Buster Club was first introduced to the public during Mipcom Jr. in October 2006. Marathon (now Zodiak Kids), the production company behind the show, presented their latest animated television series. Having experienced success with 2D shows like "Totally Spies!", "Martin Mystery," and "Team Galaxy," Marathon aimed to venture into the realm of 3D animation. The show received significant attention at Mipcom Jr., becoming the most viewed French program and ranking as the sixth most-watched overall.

The (lost) Pilot

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While exploring the director Jean-Louis Vandestoc's blog, intriguing information about the early development of Monster Buster Club came to light. It was revealed that a pilot episode of the show had been created by a different CGI animation studio in 2005, predating Marathon's involvement. Unfortunately, details about the studio responsible for the pilot remain unknown. Despite thorough web research, no concrete information or traces of the pilot could be found. However, Vandestoc mentioned that some images from the pilot were previously accessible on the official Monster Buster Club website before the show's premiere in France. Contacting the show's producers might be the only way to obtain screenshots or further details about the lost pilot.

Co-production and Budget

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Monster Buster Club was a collaborative effort between Marathon Media, Mystery Animation, Jetix Europe, TF1, and YTV. The production of the show required a substantial budget, amounting to approximately 23 million dollars. This significant investment underscores the scale and ambition associated with bringing the series to life.

Animation Development

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To initiate the production process and establish the show's distinctive artistic style, Max Maléo, the animation supervisor, traveled to India. His primary objectives included defining the visual direction of the series and refining the parameters for animation. Notably, the animators at Crest Animation, the Indian animation studio involved in the project, initially expressed a desire to incorporate "Matrix-like scenes" into the show. However, Marathon successfully persuaded Crest Animation to adopt a stylistic approach inspired by Disney and Japanese anime, aligning with their creative vision for Monster Buster Club. Determining a cohesive style proved challenging due to the differing cultural references between India and France, as exemplified by the contrasting popularity of Dragon Ball in the two countries.

Notable Production Details

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Crest Animation showcased their expertise by successfully animating large crowds in two episodes of Monster Buster Club: the first and eighth episodes of the first season. It's worth mentioning that before Jean-Louis Vandestoc assumed the role of director, the previous director had already approved the scripts for the initial 16 episodes. Consequently, Vandestoc was unable to introduce new scripts due to his dissatisfaction with the existing ones.

Episodes

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Main article: List of Monster Buster Club episodes
Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 26 October 29, 2007 (2007-10-29) December 8, 2008 (2008-12-08)
2 26 January 15, 2009 (2009-01-15) November 14, 2009 (2009-11-14)


Characters

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Main

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  • Cathy Smith[5] (voiced by Andrea Libman) appears to be a bubbly, enthusiastic 12-year-old girl, but is actually a 250-year-old[6] (although season 2 episode 1's subplot is about her 700th birthday[7]) alien from the planet Rhapsodia. She came to Earth with her grandfather, Mr. Smith, to start the Monster Buster Club (MBC). She is constantly surprised at how different Earth is from Rhapsodia, and has many superhuman abilities, such as elasticity and slight telekinesis, among others. In her human form, she has blond hair and blue eyes. Her Rhapsodian form is shown to be a humanoid white alien with scattered pink spots, four tentacles for arms, two tentacles for legs, tentacles on her head (analogous to hair), and a long, furry-looking tail.[nb 1] Her suit color is pink.
  • Chris[6] (voiced by Samuel Vincent) is an intelligent, resourceful 12-year-old boy and the tech genius of the group. He has indigo-blue hair and dark blue eyes. He possesses a knack for gadgets and will often stay back in the clubhouse to supply intelligence reports while the rest of the group is on a mission. He has a younger brother named John. His suit color is blue.
  • Danny Jackson[8] (voiced by Matt Hill) is an athletic, hot-headed but nice 12-year-old boy who gets overconfident at times. He has brown hair, green eyes, and a scar over his left eyebrow. He has an erratic sense of humor and enjoys cracking jokes, even in dangerous situations. He has his own self-proclaimed nickname, "The Danny," and refers to himself as such. He has an unrequited crush on his classmate, Wendy. His suit color is red.
  • Sam[6] (voiced by Anna Cummer) is a responsible, level-headed 12-year-old girl who is the de facto (albeit unofficial) leader of the MBC. She has dark hair tied in buns and hazel eyes. She is the "shoot first, ask questions later" type, and will often prioritize missions over having fun. Though her friends can sometimes get annoyed at her assertiveness, she is shown to have a soft side and care for their safety. Her suit color is yellow.
  • John (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain) is the enthusiastic 10-year-old brother of Chris. He sometimes takes over for Chris at the clubhouse when Chris is on a mission or otherwise occupied. He frequently expresses desire to be considered an "official" member of the MBC, though the group's members consider him too young.
  • Mr. Hugo Smith (voiced by Rick Jones) is Cathy's aloof grandfather who came with her to Earth. Like his granddaughter, he is a Rhapsodian but rarely displays any supernatural powers. His alien form resembles a mollusk. He will occasionally aid the MBC from the clubhouse, but is often entirely uninvolved with their missions. He enjoys working in his garden and playing cards with his plants.

Other students

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  • Wendy (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain) is an attractive, popular 13-year-old valley girl at Singletown Middle School. She has a dog named Matisse. She doesn't reciprocate Danny's romantic feelings toward her, but takes advantage of them to get him to do favors. Though she frequently spreads gossip and makes fun of other students, she is shown to have moments of kindness.
  • Jeremy Flablotnick[9] (voiced by Samuel Vincent) is a nerdy 12-year-old boy. He is friends with Chris and a member of the computer club with him. He has a crush on Cathy, who hates him.
  • Mark (voiced by Ian James Corlett) is a snobby 13-year-old who is the richest boy in Singletown and Danny's nemesis. He uses his wealth to attain popularity.

Faculty

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  • Mr. Fusster (voiced by Ian James Corlett) is a science teacher at Singletown Middle School. He adamantly believes that aliens don't exist; this upsets Cathy, and she often argues with him on the subject, which gets her in trouble.[nb 2] Later in the show, it is implied that he may know more about aliens than he lets on, and might even be one himself.
  • Principal Rollins (voiced by Sonja Ball) is the authoritative principal of Singletown Middle School. She acts as if she is a military commander and the students are soldiers, frequently using drill commands like "Company halt!" and "About-face!". Sometimes, she gets in the way of the MBC's missions.[nb 3] She shows affection for Mr. Smith, but suspects that Cathy is some sort of spy.

Others

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  • Matisse is Wendy's dog.
  • Mr. Beady (voiced by John Stocker) is a gruff, short-tempered man who runs the Happy Mart, a general store in Singletown.
  • Ceaser XY, better known as Speedy, is a speed morpher alien resembling an anthropomorphic cheetah who can run at extreme speeds. Initially apprehended as a thief, he serves as an affiliate to the MBC during the occasional operation.

Broadcast

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Besides Jetix internationally, the series has also been broadcast on several other networks.

Notes

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  1. ^ In one episode, Cathy mentions that her alien form has tentacles, and later on her full alien form is revealed.
  2. ^ shown in the episode "The Trouble with Troublemaking", when Cathy gets angry and pushes all his books off his desk getting her a detention
  3. ^ this is shown in the episode "Monster Beaters" when she forces every student to join a school club, leaving the MBC little time to investigate

References

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  1. ^ "Trois nouvelles séries séries sur TFOU à la Toussaint". Jean-Marc Morandini (in French). 10 October 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  2. ^ Telestar.fr (2007-10-23). ""MBC", la relève de "Totally Spies" - Télé Star". www.telestar.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  3. ^ Kario-khan (2008-06-04). "Golden Owl: MBC: Fausse date sur YTV". Golden Owl. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  4. ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 278. ISBN 9781476672939.
  5. ^ "Me Krog, You Rollins!". MBC. 27 minutes in. Cathy Smith to the principal's office!
  6. ^ a b c "Characters". MonsterBusterClub.TV. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. she is an alien and although she looks like a 10 year-old earthling, she is actually 250 years old, but on the Rhapsodia age scale she is still only a teenager
  7. ^ Monster Buster Club - S2E1 - The New Recruits, 2 June 2018, retrieved 2023-11-11
  8. ^ "A Matter Of Principals". MBC. 1 minutes in. Your temporary commanding officer is Danny Jackson.
  9. ^ "Frogs in Space". MBC. 9 minutes in. Hi, I'm cathy's latest, and final, boyfriend, jeremy flobotnik.
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