Legend of Zelda: Complete Animated Series
Inspired by the popular 1980s Nintendo game,The Legend of Zelda: The Complete Animated Seriescontains 13 enjoyable, self-deprecating adventures featuring haughty Princess Zelda and her frustrated, would-be suitor and courageous ally, Link. Guardians of the Triforce of Wisdom, a powerful object that sits, curiously unguarded, in Zelda's castle, the stuck-up princess and grousing Link are forever fending off assaults by the evil Ganon, a sort of underworld demon. Ganon wants the Triforce of Wisdom because he possesses a similar Triforce--together, the magical items would make him all-powerful. While there's a lot of sword-and-sorcery action, the tone ofLegend of Zelda's short pieces is unmistakably comic, driven by a constant and unrelieved romantic tension between the two leads. Link is constantly saving Zelda's hide, ever-hopeful of a kiss, while Zelda keeps him on tenterhooks, leading him right to the brink of satisfaction and then…well, maybe next time. Among the best episodes is "The White Knight," in which Zelda's infatuation with a vain, preening demon-slayer sends an irritated Link packing—until the interloper refuses to rescue Zelda because he might get his clothes dirty. Each episode features the original Mario Brothers introduction from theSuper Mario Bros. Super Show.--Tom Keogh