Monster Allergy (TV series)

Monster Allergy is an internationally co-produced animated television series co-created by Katja Centomo, Francesco Artibani, Alessandro Barbucci, and Barbara Canepa, based on the Italian comic book series of the same name.[1] It was jointly produced by Futurikon, Rainbow, M6, Rai Fiction, and ZDF.[2] It was initially broadcast on Rai 2 in Italy, and later aired on M6 in France, on KiKa in Germany, on YTV in Canada, and on Kids' WB in the United States.

Monster Allergy
Genre
Created by
Written by
  • Francesco Artibani
  • Bruno Enna
  • Earl Kress
  • Anne-Marie Perrotta
  • Tean Schultz
  • Kurt Weldon
Directed byIginio Straffi
Creative directors
  • Marco Storani
  • Michel Rodrigues
Voices of(Zick, Elena, Bombo and Timothy-Moth)
(Italian version)
(French version)
(Both Bombo and Timothy-Moth)
(German version)
(unknown)
(English version)
Theme music composer
  • Mike Shields
  • Hal Beckett
  • Scott Bucsis
  • William Anderson
  • Matt Ouimet
Composers
  • Roberto Belelli
  • Francesco Sardella
  • Michele Bettali
  • Stefano Carrara
  • Michele Bettali
  • Stefano Carrara
  • Fabrizio Castania
Country of origin
  • Italy
  • France
  • Germany
Original languages
  • Italian
  • English
  • German
  • French
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes52 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Joanne Lee (Rainbow S.p.A.)
  • Philippe Delarue (Futurikon)
  • Annita Romanelli (Rai)
  • Natalie Altmann (M6)
  • Nicole Keeb (ZDF)
ProducerIginio Straffi
Animators
Editors
  • Beatrice Latini
  • Giorgia Tranquilli
Running timeApproximately 30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
Release23 September 2006 (2006-09-23) –
18 August 2009 (2009-08-18)

Beginning on 13 March 2018, the series has been officially made available for streaming on YouTube.[3][4]

Plot

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Monster Allergy is based on a comic book series of the same name. The series follows a young boy Ezekiel Zick (nicknamed Zick) who suffers from various allergies and has the ability to see the invisible monsters that live among us. Along with help of his best friend, Elena Potato, and his talking cat, Timothy, Zick hopes to hone his powers to one day become a Monster Tamer just like his dad, Zobedja Zick.[5][6]

Episodes

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
PilotJanuary 31, 2009 (2009-01-31)
126September 23, 2006 (2006-09-23)January 20, 2008 (2008-01-20)
226December 27, 2008 (2008-12-27)August 18, 2009 (2009-08-18)

Characters

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Tamer

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In the fiction of the show Tamers are beings with special powers; their main characteristic is The Dom, an energy that is passed from parent to child. With the passing of the generations, powers and knowledge are passed on which lead to real dynasties of Monster Tamers.

The five Dom powers are:

  • Sight Dom - the ability to see monsters and ghosts invisible to ordinary people.[7][8]
  • Voice Dom - the ability of Tamers to force monsters and phantoms to do what they say.[8][9]
  • Gesture Dom - the power to control monsters by gesture, and to capture them in a DomBox.[8][10]
  • Enviro Dom - the ability to create an environment to be able to survive in an unfamiliar environment, and which also functions as a force field.[8][11]
  • Energy Dom - the ability to release an energy ray that affects monsters, dark phantoms, and even ordinary things, but not witches.[8][12]

Dom Items

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The Dom Items are valuable items that are given by the Tutors to experienced Tamers.

  • Universal DomBox - A gun-like container used by Tamers, it can capture any monster and multiple ones. Upon the monster's capture, the DomBox specifies the name, species, danger level, and status of the monster.[13] However, this DomBox can only contain a monster for two hours, then it must be transferred to its specific DomBox or else the monster will escape.[14] While the Universal DomBox can capture Dark Phantoms it will dissolve them rather than trapping them, since they are untrappable.[15] It also have the ability to analyze any liquid substance that is invisible to the naked eye.[16][17][18]
  • Zick's Sunglasses - This item is a gift from Elena to Zick. At first, it was used to help cover Zick's eyes when they turn red, but it helps him intensify his power for the Energy Dom.[13]
  • Dom Glove - This item will improve the power levels of a Tamer by capturing every four monsters by giving the Gems of Power. The Red Gem is the basic first level, while Yellow Gem is at second level. At the third level, earning the Green Gem has the ability disintegrate Dark Phantoms, and while the fourth level is the Blue Gem. It is unknown how to earn the White Gem, the fifth and final level, although, since Zick can earn a new gem by collecting 4 monsters, in theory Zick has to capture 20 monsters to earn the White gem.
  • Regular DomBox - special boxes used to hold a captured monster. There are different types of DomBoxes for each monster.[12]
  • Tele-skates - These items will be earned along with the Green Gem.[16] They have the ability to allow the carrier to teleport anywhere to its destination of their choosing.[19] It can also be upgraded to teleport along with someone else.[20]
  • Dom Staff - This Dom weapon amplifies the Tamer's Energy Dom by firing a strong ray beam through the staff .[21]
  • Hypno-Disk - This device is used to erase and alter peoples memories.[22]
  • Crystallizator - This device is mainly used for freezing monsters when no Dombox is available. It has a dial to adjust the ray's temperature.[23]
  • Radio-Worm - An anti-escape wristband. This tracking device makes a loud screech when the monster tries to remove it.[24]
  • Disco-Monster - A gun-like device that forces a monster to dance. This makes a monster exhausted so it can be captured easily.[25]
  • Densifier - This item can alter the body of a person by adjusting it to allow the body to pass through any attack, walls, and objective. It can also make the user's body too heavy or can be used to weaken a monsters power.[20][26] It also has to ability to make the user look like a Dark Phantom.[27]
  • Scepter Dom (ZetaDom Stick) - A wand with the ability to control monsters at will. It's considered to be the strongest Dom weapon. However, if the scepter is used too much, it becomes uncontrollable and the user becomes a small monster as a side effect.[28]

Broadcast

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In Italy, Monster Allergy premiered on 6 February 2006 on Rai 2.[29]

In France, the series premiered on M6[30] (a co-producer of the series) on 18 October 2006 as part of its M6 Kid strand.

In Germany, the series premiered on 23 October 2006 on KiKa.

In the United States, the series premiered on 23 September 2006 on Kids' WB television block broadcast on the affiliates of The CW network.[31] It was shown with scenes edited or cut for time constraints and due to censorship,[32][33] and the airing order did not follow production order. The series was later made available in its unaltered English dub to watch on Netflix.

in the United Kingdom the series aired on BBC One and CBBC from 2006, and later on Cartoon Network and Cartoon Network Too from 2008.

In Canada, it was broadcast on YTV during Crunch and The Zone.

In Latin America it was aired on Jetix in 2007, only season one was broadcast.

Reception

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For Common Sense Media, Emily Ashby gave Monster Allergy a mixed review. She wrote that "cartoon violence (explosions, laser blasts from eyes) is commonplace throughout the show" and that it "exists mostly as TV fluff."[34]

References

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  1. ^ "Monster Allergy: 26-teilige italienisch-deutsche 2-D-Zeichentrickserie 2006" (in German). KiKa.
  2. ^ Monster Allergy at fantasymagazine.it
  3. ^ Monster Allergy. "Monster Allergy Season 1 [FULL EPISODES]". YouTube. YouTube, LLC. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. ^ Monster Allergy. "Monster Allergy Season 2 [FULL EPISODES]". YouTube. YouTube, LLC. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  5. ^ Monster Allergy on Toonarific.com
  6. ^ Monster Allergy summary in motionpic.com Archived 31 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ See Season 1, Episode 1: "House of Monster"
  8. ^ a b c d e See Season 1, Episode 9: "Canned Monsters"
  9. ^ See Season 1, Episode 2: "Monster Pod Under Oldmill"
  10. ^ See Season 1, Episode 4: "The Monster Next Door"
  11. ^ See Season 1, Episode 8: "Terror in the Deep"
  12. ^ a b See Season 1, Episode 3: "Cat in the Pot"
  13. ^ a b See Season 1, Episode 5: "The Pyramid of Invulnerable"
  14. ^ See Season 1, Episode 13: "Mugalak!"
  15. ^ See Season 1, Episode 7: "Pirates Hideout"
  16. ^ a b See Season 1, Episode 17: "The Return of Magnacat"
  17. ^ See Season 2, Episode 32: "The Fall of Barrymore House"
  18. ^ See Season 2, Episode 33: "Moog's Revenge"
  19. ^ See Season 2, Episode 18: "The General Inspector"
  20. ^ a b See Season 2, Episode 40: "The Invisible Enemy"
  21. ^ See Season 1, Episode 22: "The Secret Door"
  22. ^ See Season 2, Episode 29: "The Dragon's Awakening"
  23. ^ See Season 2, Episode 35: "The Snowman"
  24. ^ See Season 2, Episode 36: "The Island Rebels"
  25. ^ See Season 2, Episode 38: "Sinistro's Circus"
  26. ^ See Season 2, Episode 39: "The Tamers' Tournament"
  27. ^ See Season 2, Episode 51: "The House in the Swamp"
  28. ^ See Season 2, Episode 52: "The Hundred and First Door"
  29. ^ "È ON AIR MONSTER ALLERGY". E-duesse. February 7, 2006.
  30. ^ "M6kid - Monster Allergy". M6. 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-12-11.
  31. ^ "Homepage - Global".
  32. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Kids wb monster allergy promo". YouTube.
  33. ^ "Kids' WB! On the CW Talkback: "Monster Allergy" - September & October (SPOILERS)".
  34. ^ "Monster Allergy TV review by Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media". Common Sense Media. 28 March 2007.
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