A.T.O.M. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids A.T.O.M. |
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The "Alpha Teens on Machines" team shown from left to right: Shark, Hawk, Axel, King and Lioness
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| Created by | Ariane Desrieux Paul-Patrick Duval |
| Directed by | Olivier Jongerlynck |
| Voices of |
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| Composer(s) |
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| Country of origin |
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| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 52 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Michael Lekes Jacqueline Tordjman Olivier Dumont (season 1) Stephanie Kirchmeyer (season 2) |
| Producer(s) | Bruno Bianchi Greg Klein (season 1) Tom Pugsley (season 1) Sylvie Barro (season 2) Cyone Clark (season 2) Steve Granat (season 2) |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company(s) | SIP Animation |
| Distributor | Buena Vista International Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | Jetix (international) Toon Disney (United States) |
| Picture format | HD: 16:9 |
| Original release | August 27, 2005 – 2007 |
A.T.O.M. – Alpha Teens on Machines (known as Action Man A.T.O.M. in some countries) is a French-American superhero animated television series produced by SIP Animation in association with Jetix Europe. The series focuses on the adventures of five teenagers in the fictional Landmark City. The eponymous Alpha Teens, which consist of Axel Manning (the main character), Catalina Leone, Crey Kingston, Zack Hawkes, and Ollie Sharker, test prototype vehicles and weapons for Lee Industries, and use these prototypes to combat criminals, particularly Alexander Paine.
The series debuted on August 27, 2005 with its first season consisting of 26 episodes. It was renewed for a second season, also consisting of 26 episodes.
In countries such as France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, and Latin America, the series was branded as Action Man: A.T.O.M., with Panini Comics publishing a tie-in comic book series.
Contents
Synopsis
Set in the fictitious Landmark City, Janus Lee is the head of Lee Industries who holds a television contest as a front to recruit a group of talented teenagers. The winners of the contest, Axel, King, Lioness, Hawk and Shark are given prototype weapons, gadgets and vehicles and join forces to battle against the criminal mastermind Alexander Paine, who's also responsible for the death of Axel's father, and his minions Spydah and Flesh. In the end of the first season, they manage to defeat him and his gang.
However, it is revealed that Lee's true purpose was to use the teens' DNA to create clones powered with animal genes. During the second season the Alpha Teens once again have to team up to stop Lee and his army of mutants.
Episodes
List of A.T.O.M. episodes
Cast
- James Arnold Taylor as Axel Manning, Sebastian Manning, Tilian
- Brian Donovan as Ollie "Shark" Sharker, Rayza
- Aldis Hodge as Crey "King" Kingston, Wrecka
- Alli Mauzey as Catalina "Lioness" Leone, Firekat
- Charlie Schlatter as Zack "Hawk" Hawkes, Stingfly, Cannonball Bros.
- Tom Kenny as Janus Lee, Spydah, Ratman
- Clancy Brown as Alexander Paine
- Bill Fagerbakke as Albert "Flesh"
- Keith Szarabajka as Dragon
- Kari Wahlgren as Samantha "Magness" Paine
- Jeff Bennett as Edge
- Susan Egan as Buffy
Production
The series was first announced by Jetix on 6 September 2004 with the working title of The Insiders. It was specifically designed to appeal to young boys ages 6 to 9 with an Autumn 2005 release. Originally, while the series was going to feature a team of rebellious teenagers, it was only going to focus on the main character who "has the task of tracking down and catching 100 of the worst villains and the mastermind who set them free from prison, the notorious Mr. Pain." Hasbro was announced as the master toy licensee for The Insiders later the same month. Interim CEO of Jetix Europe, Paul Taylor said that "The Insiders is a strong urban action-adventure series."
On 15 November 2007, Jetix Europe announced their Year End results and stated in their report that they were not planning a third series of A.T.O.M., effectively cancelling the series.
Release
Broadcast
In France, A.T.O.M. first aired on Jetix in 2005. In Italy, the show premiered on Jetix on October 1, 2005, and later aired on Rai 2 (during Random) from November 28 of the same year.
Home media
In the United States, DVDs of the series have been distributed through Liberation Entertainment. The first two DVD volumes were both released on August 28, 2007, respectively titled "Vol. 1: Touch of Paine" and "Vol. 2: Enter the Dragon".
In the United Kingdom, Volume 1: Feel the Paine was released on DVD on January 23, 2006 (and UMD Video on January 30) by Sanctuary Visual Entertainment, with a second volume titled The Terror Continues planned. However, volume 2 was cancelled for unknown reasons.
In Australia, 7 DVD volumes were released on September 13, 2006 (volumes 1 to 5) and February 5, 2007 (volumes 6 and 7) by MRA Entertainment Group.
Streaming
The first season was previously available to stream on Tubi TV, as well as Amazon Prime via Multicom Entertainment Group. Multicom formerly had the full series listed in its distribution catalogue, which was later changed to only one season before being removed entirely.
Other media
Toyline
Hasbro launched a line of action figures to tie-in with the show, marketed as a reboot of Hasbro's discontinued Action Man toy line. Distinctly different from other Action Man lines, A.T.O.M. figures were the standard size of normal action figures and not of a doll format. Much like Action Man however, these figures are sold individually, usually with figure accessories, from the vehicles distributed to accompany them.
The franchise has vastly similar concepts to the 1980s' M.A.S.K. story line from Kenner (which Hasbro bought in 1991), even down to the code name lettering, as each vehicle for the A.T.O.M. members changes from one ordinary looking terrain vehicle to anything that ranges from a jet car with unfolding door wings, to a bike that soon propels its driver into the air as a helicopter.
In 2007, Hasbro released 12-inch versions of A.T.O.M. action figures, similar to the original Action Man action figures. The toy series was composed mostly of several versions of Axel Manning, the main character, and Paine, Flesh and Tilian as the villains. A plane, a sport car and several minor vehicles were included for this line of A.T.O.M. toys. The line was discontinued shortly thereafter.
Comic book
Panini Comics published a tie-in comic book series in the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2007. This title replaced their long-running Action Man series and featured stories by Simon Furman.
Video game
A video game based on the show was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2007, developed by Brain in a Jar and published by Mastertronic Group under their budget game label Blast! Entertainment. It is a racing and action game akin to the Driver series. Much like the Hasbro toy line and Panini comic book series, the video game was released as Action Man: A.T.O.M., and would be the final video game to be associated with the Action Man franchise.
