Insektors was a 1994 Frenchcomputer-animatedTV series, and was one of the earliest computeranimated series, predating VeggieTales and ReBoot. Made in a small studio, Fantome in France, it was the 1994 recipient of a "Children and Young People" Emmy Award, and was directed by Georges LaCroix and Renato LaCroix, and written by Eric Rondeaux, Véronique Herbaut and Marc Perrier.
Production and dubbing
Created in 1993 and aired in early 1994 in France, it was the first completely computer-animated TV series. It was then dubbed into two English language releases; one for North America, and one for the UK. The North American version was recorded in Paris. It was first aired on Canadian television on YTV. For the UK version, the script was re-written; characters had different names, and different dialogue was used. Jokes and references specific to British/English culture were also used.
Characters
The French name is given first followed by the British name in brackets, and if there is an alternate North American name this is indicated by a slash.
Joyces
Joyces are colorful, cheerful insects and offshoots of the Yuk/Krud civilization who broke away from their dark cousins upon the arrival of the Great Prism which nourished the site where it landed, resulting in the creation of Flower City. They are peaceful people who devote their lives to merrymaking and protecting the Great Prism from harm. Joyce citizens who are not main characters resemble bees. Fulgor Teddy Kempner Aelia Caroline Bliss Le Grand Artificier/The Great Pyro Andy Secombe Daltonio Gallopus Spotty
Beurks/Yuks
Beurks/Yuks are monochromatic insects that live in a rotting tree stump in a swamp - they continually try to conquer the Flower City in the name of their Queen, namely for the fuel source the flowers provide. Exposure to brightly colored substances causes them to enter states of uninhibited laughter. Yuk soldiers that are not main characters resemble crickets, whereas Yuk citizens that are not main characters are beetles. Reine/Queen Bakrakra Prince Acylius Lord Krabo Neil McCaul Lord Teknocratus Lord Kretinus Andy Secombe General Lukanus Neil McCaul Captain Krabouic and Lieutenant Kaboche The Guards Protokol Teddy Kempner Eurekas
Technology
The French name is given first followed by the British name in brackets, and if there is an alternate North American name this is indicated by a slash.
Joyces
The Great Prism Kolour Guitar Dragonfly Squadron Flower Konnons Kolour Dynamites
Yuks
The Hotsy Totsy The Dark Box Hoverbikes Kreatur Kat-Kat Koa The Koleopter Sky Breaker "Tweet-Tweet" "Kalkulator" "Auto-mated lumberjacks" Koal Juice Guns Vokalizers
Story
The series takes place on the planet Karbon/Krud, though the UK dub does include references to locations on Earth. Episode 6; Planet Karbon/The Black Planet reveals that Karbon/Krud was originally a dark, colorless rock inhabited by a single race of insects; the Yuks/Kruds. The Yuks/Kruds survived the planet's hostile environment by burrowing deep into it for coal. At one point, a Prism shaped meteor hit the planet and nourished the site on which it landed with color and energy, resulting in a flower-filled paradise. A few of the Yuks/Kruds colonized the area and evolved colors of their own, renaming themselves Joyces/Verigreens. They venerated the Prism and built a high altar upon it. The Yuks/Kruds who chose to stick to their original lives continued mining for coal till they gradually exhausted their supplies. The animosity between the two insect civilizations began when a violent Yuk/Krud known as King Bakrako/Katheter the First came up with the solution of using the Joyce's/Verigreen's flower stalks as substitute fuel sources. Gradually, all memory of the two civilizations once being the same people was lost, and ever since they have been enemies.