Street Sharks

Street Sharks is an American animated television series about crime-fighting half-man/half-sharks. It was produced by DIC Entertainment and aired from 1994 to 1995, originally as a part of the Amazin' Adventures lineup. Later, in 1996, the Street Sharks teamed up with the Dino Vengers and the show became "Dino Vengers Featuring Street Sharks. Like a number of children's cartoons, it was created to promote an existing Mattel toy line of the same name. The creators were David Siegel and Joe Galliani of Mr. Joe's Really Big Productions.

In the first episode, a university professor named Dr. Paradigm tested his gene-manipulation techniques on a marlin and a lobster. Dr. Bolton, a fellow professor, attempted to destroy Paradigm's research, and was transformed into an inhuman monstrosity by the evil scientist before escaping. Paradigm later kidnapped Bolton's four sons — John, Bobby, Coop, and Clint — to transform them into sharks. As soon as they transformed, the four brothers ate a hotdog stand and fled from the police by diving into a lake and burrowing their way into the city by eating the dirt. The brothers planned to capture Paradigm so that they could force him to return them to their human selves and expose Paradigm's genetic experiments.

In subsequent episodes, Paradigm began to convince the residents of Fission City that the Street Sharks (as they became known) were vicious, deadly killers who were mutated by their father, Dr. Bolton. The brothers teamed up every episode to stop Paradigm and his deadly Seaviates from transforming the citizens of Fission City into mutants with no free will. One of the characters' favorite catchphrases was "Jawesome", and their favorite food consists of Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and French fries (although they're capable of eating just about anything - even if it's not food). The brothers have also expressed an obvious and very vocal dislike for pizza, a nod toward the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who are well known to love pizza. An example of the Shark's disdain for pizza can be seen in episode 2, "Sharkbite", when Lena's offer to go get pizza was met with groans of disgust.

Characters

The Bolton Family

• Ripster (John Bolton): John is the smartest and oldest of the four brothers and enjoys creating inventions; taking up most of his knowledge and skills from his father. He's also an avid pool player. In the first episode of the show, he rides a motorbike. When he transforms into Ripster, he becomes a Great white shark, with teeth that can chew through steel. John/Ripster was voiced by Lee Tockar.

• Jab (Clint Bolton): Clint's defining characteristic is that he is the lazy brother, but one of his hobbies is boxing. He appears to have some talent with mechanics, as he uses a jetpack in the first episode. When he transforms into Jab, he becomes a Hammerhead shark, in which he uses his head as a battering ram. Jab also appears to be more in tune with his animal side than his siblings, roaring and snarling when angry or excited over something. Clint/Jab was voiced by Matt Hill.

• Streex (Robert "Bobby" Bolton, Jr.): Bobby is the token 'cool' brother, self proclaimed ladies' man. He's seen everywhere wearing his rollerblades, and appears to enjoy extreme sports like parachuting and snowboarding. Later on, he demonstrates the ability to play drums professionally. When he transforms into Streex, he becomes a Tiger shark. He gets his name from the purple streaks on his body. In the pilot movie (eventually to be episodes 1-3), he was originally called "Blades", due to his skills as a rollerblader. Bobby/Streex was voiced by Andrew Rannells.

• Big Slammu (Coop Bolton): Coop is the sport-oriented brother, and the strongest (as well as youngest) of the four. He is also a football player in high school. In the first episode, he uses a skateboard to get around. When he transforms into Slammu, he becomes a Whale Shark. His most prominently featured attack is called "Seismic Slam", where Slammu sets off an earthquake by hitting the ground with his fists. Coop/Slammu was voiced by D. Kevin Williams.

• Dr. Robert Bolton: Dr. Bolton is the father of the Bolton Brothers. He is only seen on-screen in the first episode, where he tries to stop Paradigm's experiments, only to become his next subject. He transforms into an unseen inhuman creature, only to escape. Afterward, during the series, he is only ever represented by a shadow cast on the wall. It is suggested through the series that Dr. Bolton is helping the Street Sharks from the sidelines and keeps close contact with his sons. He now lives in hiding because the mutation process done to him by Paradigm is unchangeable. Now he lives to stop Piranoid and at the same time give other mutations refuge from the humans who fear them. One episode shows him defeating Piranoid and his Seaviants to rescue a kidnapped mutate. He goes on to defeat Piranoid, knocking off all his armor revealing his Piranha-like form, commenting that Paradigm has become something less than human (even something lesser than Bolton himself). Dr. Bolton was voiced by David Kaye.

Dr. Piranoid and his Seaviates

• Dr. Luther Paradigm: Dr. Paradigm is a university professor, and the main antagonist of the show, plotting to taking over Fisson City while maintaining a public image. He is easily identified by his metal eyepatch, a villain's cliché. By the second episode, he's seen wearing a giant yellow robotic exo-suit to deal with the Street Sharks, using offensive capabilities like the ability to fire harpoons. Due to an accident in the second episode, Paradigm is injected with piranha DNA meant for the Street Sharks, gaining the moniker "Dr. Piranoid". The piranha DNA was unstable, however, and as a result, Paradigm's face morphs into a piranha-like one with a heightened voice whenver he gets highly agitated, a reference to The Incredible Hulk. He later injected himself with iguana DNA, believing it was Velociraptor DNA, renamed "Dr. Iguanoid" as a result. Paradigm was voiced by J. Michael Lee.

• Slobster: Slobster, along with Slash, is one of Paradigm's earlier experiments. He was created by injecting a lobster with the DNA of villainous figures like Genghis Khan and Captain Blood, becoming an anthropomorphic lobster that salivates constantly. Slobster was voiced by D. Kevin Williams.

• Slash: Slash is another of Paradigm's first experiments with gene manipulation. A marlin that was also injected with the DNA of villains like Genghis Khan and Captain Blood, it transforms into an anthropomorphic fish with a drill bit on its face and a purple leotard. Slash speaks in a hissing lisp. There is a running gag in the series that revolves around Slash somehow getting his nose jammed in a wall and being unable to remove it. Slash was voiced by Terry Berner.

• Killamari: Killamari is the third of Dr. Paradigm's evil mutants ("Seaviates" in the show's lingo), created from a squid captured off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Slash and Killamari despise each other, mostly because Slash made a snide remark about Killamari's initial inability to talk and that Killamari is much more intelligent than Slash. Killamari has the ability to project natural 'spears' or 'harpoons' from his mouth and the many suckers covering his body- these projectiles drip with an extremely potent venom. In his first appearance, he almost killed Jab, but Lena and Bends concocted an anti-venom which has since reduced his threat. Killamari was voiced by D. Kevin Williams.

• Repteel (Mr. Cunneyworth): Repteel is the only one of Paradigm's Seaviates to have originally been human. The aged owner of a run-down hotel accidentally demolished by the Street Sharks during a fight with Paradigm's Seaviates, he willingly allowed Paradigm to merge his genetic codes with those of a moray eel and an electric eel. As Repteel, he feeds on electricity and shoots miniature eels from his hands, also charged with electricity. Repteel was voiced by Tony Wike.

• Shrimp Louie: Louie is a mutated shrimp and one of Paradigm's later Seaviates. He's not very strong, quite the coward, and his primary weapons are big blaster guns.

• SharkBot: SharkBot was a result of Dr. Paradigm's experimentation with robotics. Sharkbot was used to bust Repteel out of prison, as well as frame the Street Sharks for the crime. The Sharks ultimately reprogrammed it to destroy Paradigm's lab, resulting in the robot's destruction. Its shell was salvaged, and remade into SharkBot 2.0. It continued to be a threat for the sharks on many occasions until its final destruction at the end of season 2. Sharkbot was voiced by Steve Gibbs
• Tentakill : A biped creature of unknown origins and species (if even applicable), it was first seen in the episode Sir Sharkalot as Paradigm's newest tactile weapon, harnessed with mounted laser cannons and buzz saw cutters and despite that, it was shown defeat. It is incapable of speech, shows limited intelligence, and was not utilized often in episodes to follow.

Allies

• Lena Mack: Lena is a student of Dr. Paradigm's who suspects that he's not as good-natured as he makes himself out to be. Her suspicions prove right when she rescues the Street Sharks and discovers what he has done to the Bolton brothers. She helps the brothers whenever she can. She also has a younger brother in high school who featured in an episode. Lena seemed to have been written out of Street Sharks later on in the series. Around the time that the Dino Vengers were being introduced, Lena rarely ever appeared, and when she did, her role was reduced to that of a non-speaking background character in brief scenes. Lena was voiced by Pam Carter.

• Bends: Bends is Fission University's technical genius, despite being as much of a goof as Streex and Jab. He is the sharks' best pal even before they became sharks and supplies the Sharks with their motorbikes and other gear. He also provides them with a hidden base underneath the University's ice rink. Bends was voiced by Jim Hogget.

• Moby Lick (Jets Taylor): Moby Lick was an attempt by Dr. Paradigm to create a fourth Seaviant. After first dosing him with an experimental mind control serum, Dr. Paradigm then gene-slammed him with a killer whale. However, he eventually broke free of Paradigm's mind control and became an ally of the Sharks. Moby Lick has a long, prehensile tongue (the source of his name), great strength, the ability to suck up water and then expel it through his blowhole, and later demonstrated the ability to communicate with other orcas. He also retains an acquaintanceship/friendship with Jab and Bends, who he knew prior to the Boltons' gene-slamming. Moby eventually trades in the vigilante life to become an eco-conservationist in Florida's Everglades national park.

• Rox (Melvin Kresnik): Rox was an up-and-coming musician before he stumbled upon a makeshift laboratory—supposedly Dr. Bolton's—and ate some of Paradigm's mutating popcorn that Bolton had stolen from Paradigm's warehouse earlier in the episode. Melvin goes to bed and the mutation occurs as he sleeps, turning him into a mako shark. Bolton had, however, previously developed an antidote for the mind control serum, and put it in a salt shaker. As a result of ingesting the two together, Melvin still retained his free will along with his hair. Dr. Piranoid had wanted to gene-slam all the people at a concert (which was to originally feature Melvin Kresnik) into mutants by combining popcorn with animal genes. Ultimately, the Street Sharks stopped Dr. Piranoid, and Rox continued to live his life as a rock star, remaining close friends with fellow musician Streex.

• El Swordo (?): A circus performer who worked with a large swordfish named Spike. Spike was abducted and used by Paradigm, and his trainer sought them out in the desert. The two were eventually 'fused' together, resulting in a combination of memories, but is dominantly the human in action and personality. El Swordo remains active in entertainment, having been on a Naval ship in one episode, exercising his skills with double swords by slicing fruit in half while they're in mid-air.

• Mantaman (Dr. Terrence "Terry" Morton): Dr. Paradigm ventured into space to examine an alien specimen found encased in stone by Dr. Terry Morton. The alien wasn't dead, however, but merely in suspended animation, and was reactivated by Paradigm's meddling. Morton then deliberately gene-slammed himself with a combination of the alien's DNA and manta ray (similar to Ray Fillet) DNA to help the Street Sharks fight the original alien. Dr. Morton, or now Mantaman, was then seen leaping towards the Earth's atmosphere at the very end of the episode. He has a younger brother named Ryan who appears in a later episode. Around the tenured Dino Venger episodes, Mantaman returns under the control of the Raptors, using his alien DNA to sway his allegiance away from the Sharks. This lasts for an episode before he's freed of their control.

• Dino Vengers: An intergalactic military unit selected to hunt down the Raptors, they come from a far away planet inhabited by anthropomorphic dinosaurs self-described as 'soft skin' (different origins than their ED counterparts). They were genetically augmented to be tougher, to complete their mission, and wound up stranded on Earth, as were the Raptors. The team is composed of T-Bone, Stegz, Bullzeye, and Spike.

Other antagonists

• Maximillian Grecko: An aged mafioso who, before his genetic enhancement, was frequently caught saying, "I am NOT dead!" During the course of his debut episode, Grecko discovered Paradigm's secret as a fake savior of the city and blackmailed Paradigm into gene-slamming him with rhinoceros hair 'collected' earlier by Killimari. The geneslam deaged Grecko to half his age, on top of buffing up him and his two chihuahua (Zeus and Apollo). He was seen again owning a casino.

• Malcolm Medusa: A rich, business-owning, big-game hunter who frequently targets endangered animals for his trophies. He trapped Moby and the brothers in a twisted hunt, as the ultimate form of sportsmanship. He was defeated in the end.

• Clamando: A mutant clam who was originally human: as Medusa's employee, he slipped into the toxic waters of a clam bed and mutated underwater. He is currently Medusa's right-hand man and his arsenal includes gas grenades and a bazooka that shoots pearl-based shots.

• The Raptors: a trio of rogue criminals, consisting of Bad Rap, Haxx, and Spittor.

Recurring characters

• Guy in the Sky: Guy was Fission City's top air radio reporter and paparazzo. He was never fully seen, but people recognize him for his yellow helicopter that shows up everywhere. He was a constant nuisance to most people in Fission City, especially the Sharks. Guy was voiced by Tony Wike.

• President David Horne: The President of the United States. After the Sharks proved their innocence by stopping Paradigm from taking over the country, Horne proclaimed the Sharks as heroes, and appointed them as special agents. President Horne was voiced by Tony Wike.

• Detective Michael Brock: The police officer generally seen in charge of shark-related incidents and investigating them out of duty (not obsession).

List of Street Sharks episodes

This list of episodes may be incomplete or out-of-order.

Season 1

1. Sharkbait
2. Sharkbite
3. Sharkstorm

Season 2

1. Shark Quest
2. Lone Shark
3. Shark 'n' Roll
4. Fresh Water Shark
5. Shark Treatment
6. Road Sharks
7. Sharkfight
8. Skysharks
9. Shark of Steel
10. Shark Source

Season 3

1. Jurassic Shark (1996)
2. Sir Sharkalot
3. Shark to the Future
4. First Shark
5. Rebel Sharks
6. Space Sharks
7. A Shark Among Us
8. To Shark or Not to Shark
9. Eco Sharks
10. Close Encounters of the Shark Kind
11. Satellite Sharks
12. Cave Sharks
13. Shark Wars
14. Shark Father
15. Shark Hunt
16. Card Sharks
17. Shark Jacked
18. Turbo Sharks
19. 20,000 Sharks Under the Sea
20. Ancient Sharkonauts
21. Sharkotic Reaction
22. Sand Sharks
23. Shark Quake
24. Super Shark
25. Jungle Sharks
26. Trojan Sharks
27. Shark-apolypse Now!

Street Sharks movie

There was a feature film of the Street Sharks that was built by combining all of Season 1's episodes 1-3 which were Sharkbait, Sharkbite, and Sharkstorm, and was titled, The Gene Slamming Begins. And, it was followed by two episode films, Shark Quest and Shark 'n' Roll.

Street Sharks comics

In 1996, Archie Comics released a short-lived comic book series based on Street Sharks. They published a three-issue mini-series, and a regular comic series, which only lasted three issues.

Mattel Street Sharks Action Figures

From 1994 to 1996, Mattel released a line of Street Sharks action figures.

External links

• FigureRealm
• Street Sharks at Cookie Jar Entertainment
• Street Sharks at the Big Cartoon Database