Robotboy

Robotboy

Company type	Animated television series
Industry	Television
Founded	November 1, 2005 (2005-11-01)
Founder	Jan Van Rijsselberge
Headquarters	Vincennes , France
Products	Animated television series
Parent	Alphanim

Robotboy is an animated television series that originally aired on the UK’s Cartoon Network from 1 November 2005 until 27 September 2008. In the United States, it debuted on Cartoon Network on 14 January 2006, following an early preview on 28 December 2005. The show was also broadcast in France on France 3 and enjoyed reruns throughout Europe and Latin America, with sporadic airings in parts of Asia.

The series was developed by Jan Van Rijsselberge and produced by Alphanim at their Vincennes facility. The initial season, created in collaboration with LuxAnimation and Cofinova 1, was directed by American animator Charlie Bean, known for his work on Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, and Samurai Jack. Direction for the second season was handled by Bob Camp alongside Heath Kenny. Across both seasons, the show comprises 52 episodes, totaling 104 segments.

Plot

Robotboy represents the newest invention of the esteemed scientist Professor Moshimo. Concerned that his nemesis Dr. Kamikazi and the villainous Constantine might seize Robotboy to dominate the world, Moshimo entrusts him to Tommy Turnbull, a devoted 10-year-old fan residing in San Francisco. Shielded by Tommy and his companions Augustus ("Gus") and Lola, Robotboy embarks on a journey to understand human behavior while fending off continuous attempts by Kamikazi and Constantine to capture him.

Cast

• Laurence Bouvard voices Robotboy, Lola Mbola, Robotgirl, Miu-Miu, Hester Turner, among other characters
• Lorraine Pilkington provides the voices for Tommy Turnbull, Debbie Turnbull, and the Computer Teacher
• Rupert Degas portrays Augustus "Gus" Bachman Turner, Constantine, Klaus von Affenkugel, Donnie Turnbull, Kurt, Ambassador Mbola, Brian the Consultant, Stu, Mookie, Walter the Tapeworm, Jebidiah Turner, Mr. Fournier, and various other roles
• Lewis MacLeod lends his voice to Dwight Turnbull, Felonius Hexx, Special Agent, Bjorn Bjornson, Bjornbot, Protoboy, General Yakitori, Principal Dr. Friedman-Culpepper, plus several additional characters
• Eiji Kusuhara voices Dr. Kamikazi
• Togo Igawa acts as Professor Moshimo

Main Characters

• Robotboy – Created by Professor Moshimo as a guardian after the failure of Protoboy (who was reprogrammed by Kamikazi), Robotboy was designed for a robot competition TV show but sent to Tommy to learn human traits and avoid capture. His operational modes include:
  • Deactivated – Functions as a lifeless toy; compact and motionless but occasionally illuminates his eyes and displays a smile.
  • Activated – Capable of speech and emotional expression through a chip; able to fly, fight, and utilize special abilities introduced throughout the series.
  • Superactivated – Activated by clapping his hands together; this mode significantly increases his size and strength while arming him with weapons such as "Gatling Lasers." When corrupted during "Crying Time," his voice becomes a growl.
• Tommy Turnbull – The 10-year-old owner and mentor of Robotboy. Intelligent and responsible, Tommy deeply cares for Robotboy and acts as a positive influence. He is often teased by Dwight for being nerdy and inactive.
• Augustus "Gus" Bachman Turner – Tommy’s naive and comical best friend from an Amish background. Self-absorbed and obsessed with food, Gus frequently causes mishaps that attract Kamikazi’s attention.
• Lola Mbola – A confident 10-year-old who is the daughter of Kingsley Mbola, an affluent African ambassador. Lola is skilled at piloting jets and operating speed boats; she secretly harbors feelings for Tommy.

Supporting Characters

• – Inventor of Robotboy, Robotgirl, Protoboy, and Robotman. Upon receiving correspondence from Tommy Turnbull, he entrusted Robotboy to his care. Moshimo is engaged to his laboratory assistant, Miu-Miu.
  • – Moshimo’s fiancée and assistant who rarely speaks but occasionally breaks her silence. She frequently shows irritation toward Moshimo’s interests. Voiced by Laurence Bouvard.
• – The female counterpart and younger sister of Robotboy, introduced as a highly capable combat robot in her own episode. Her appearances are limited, with significant roles in "Robotgirl" and "The Return of Robotgirl," where she experiences memory loss but eventually aids the children’s team.

Villains

• – The primary villain, a self-styled evil mastermind whose goal is to capture Robotboy to assemble an army of super robots for world conquest. His followers wear uniforms featuring a prominent K. He owns various pets that often end up causing him trouble.
  • – Kazi’s sensitive henchman and sumo expert who serves as both muscle and assistant. Despite being mistreated by Kazi, he remains devoted and occasionally displays kindness toward Tommy and his friends. He is also proficient in cooking and several languages.
• – Tommy’s elder brother and secondary antagonist, a local bully manipulated by figures such as Dr. Kamikazi. His bullying frequently backfires, especially when Robotboy intervenes to prevent humiliation.
• – A cruel school bully connected to government agencies through his father, intent on capturing Robotboy for official purposes. Kurt commands henchmen Stu and Mookie.
  • • – An unnamed low-level secret agent working from the Transamerica Pyramid who aims to duplicate Robotboy for government use.
  • – Kurt’s subordinates; Stu is large but less intelligent, while Mookie assumes leadership when Kurt is absent.
• – A popular girl at school and Tommy’s love interest despite dating Kurt. Though often dismissive, she occasionally shows affection toward Tommy for her own benefit.
• – A Nordic prodigy rivaling Professor Moshimo who engineered Björnbot, a robotic doppelgänger designed specifically to destroy Robotboy.
  • – Björn’s robotic double equipped with combat capabilities comparable to Robotboy but lacking emotional capacity; he produced multiple copies with enhanced activation abilities.
• – Robotboy’s long-lost brother created earlier by Moshimo who was corrupted under Kazi’s control until rescued by Robotboy. Features an integrated cannon on his left arm.
• – A wealthy German man with poor eyesight who desires to replace his body parts using Robotboy’s technology. He is assisted by his devoted orangutan companion Ludwig.
  • – Klaus’s loyal orangutan aide who assists him closely.
• – A magician whose career was destroyed by Gus; he has become a recurring antagonist seeking vengeance.
• – Tommy’s principal and adversary obsessed with toys, abusing her authority to confiscate them for personal use. She returns with a vendetta against Robotboy.
  • – The school janitor who acts as Friedman-Culpepper’s henchman.
• – An intelligent yak enhanced by Professor Moshimo but shunned because of it; after years of mistreatment by both its herd and creator, it seeks retribution.

Reception

Emily Ashby from Common Sense Media awarded the series a 2 out of 5-star rating, characterizing Robotboy as an average selection due to its repetitive storylines and an antagonist who lacks basic intelligence.

Home video and digital releases

In 2007, StudioCanal issued three DVD sets of Robotboy exclusively for the French market. As of October 2019, Series 2 is accessible on the Starz streaming platform in the United States, whereas Series 1 has not been made available there. The entire series can be viewed in both English and French on YouTube.

External links

• Robotboy at Cartoon Network