The Neverending Story (TV series)

The Neverending Story
Genre	Animation, Fantasy
Written by	Erika Strobel Michael Ende Rolf Giesen Bruce Robb
Directed by	Marc Boreal Mike Fallows
Voices of	Janet-Laine Green Dominic Zamprogna Chris Wiggins Christopher Bell Neil Crone Marilyn Lightstone Benedict Campbell John McGrath Lisa Yamanaka Richard Binsley James Rankin John Stocker Colin Fox Dan Hennessey Gary Krawford Howard Jerome Don Francks Wayne Robson Len Carlson Ellen Ray Hennessey Geoffrey Bowes Harvey Atkin Jayne Eastwood
Theme music composer	Milan Kymlicka
Country of origin	United Kingdom Canada France
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	26
Production
Production companies	CineVox Entertainment Ellipse Programmé Nelvana HIT Entertainment
Original release
Network	HBO (United States) Family Channel (Canada)
Release	December 2, 1995 – April 6, 1996

The Neverending Story: The Animated Adventures of Bastian Balthazar Bux is an animated television series, produced by CineVox Entertainment and HIT Entertainment and animated by Ellipse and Nelvana. It aired for one season (1995–1996) on HBO, and ran for 26 episodes. The series is loosely based on Michael Ende's book, The Neverending Story (1979).

Plot

A young boy named Bastian Balthazar Bux helps yet again the Childlike Empress and her people of Fantasia, an imagination land that can be accessed and influenced through a magic neverending book called The Neverending Story, because the horrifying Nothing and other villains like the evil sorceress Xayide still threaten it. In the process, Bastian learns valuable lessons and gains many magical friends like the wooden Bark Troll, the luckdragon Falkor and many others.

Differences between the TV series and the film

In the animated series, the Nothing is a recurring villain. The Nothing is portrayed as a hole with evil red eyes, which belongs to that of a white wolf, and is the television version of Gmork. The evil sorceress Xayide, unlike in the first sequel film, wears green robes with an eye mask with yellow slits. In the original film, her face is created by a special magical cream. The Rockbiter, in the latter two sequel films (including the third film), actually has a wife and a son, Junior. His wife and son appear in the series as well.

Episode list

1. "The Tears of Sadness" - When Bastian arrives in Fantasia he discovers that some of the citizens have turned into frozen statues. Realizing it's coming from the water, Bastian collects a strange potion from Urgl and travels with Barktroll and Falkor to the Fountain of Life. (December 2, 1995)

2. "The Meek and the Mighty" - Bastian arrives in the Tinies Village to see that it has once again been demolished by Junior. (December 9, 1995)

3. "The Purple Buffalo" - When Bastian arrives on the Grassy Plains of the Greenskin tribe, he finds out that the Purple Buffalo have disappeared along with his great warrior friend, Atreyu. (December 16, 1995)

4. "Morla's Wish" -Bastian is on his way to see Morla, the giant turtle that lives in the Swamp of Sadness. The Nothing finds out about this and sets a trap. (December 23, 1995)

5. "Spook City" - In the Forbidden Forest, Bastian meets a scared little spook named Gaya, who tells Bastian about her brother Meeka's capture into Spook City. (December 30, 1995)

6. "To Save Falkor" - When Bastian has the flu, he takes little notice of doctor's orders to stay in bed, choosing to visit his friends in Fantasia instead. (January 6, 1996)

7. "Missing Memories" - When huge pieces of Fantasia are beginning to disappear, including the Childlike Empress memories, its up to Bastian to find out what's going on. (January 13, 1996)

8. "Perilin" - When Grograman, the Fire Lion, gets captured and Perilin, the Night Forest, starts spreading to the rest of Fantasia, only Bastian can help. (January 20, 1996)

9. "The Sea of Mist" - When Engywook returns from an exploration in the Sea of Mist, he shows Bastian his rare find: the Ancient Sea Scrolls, which legends say holds the answers to all of Fantasia's mysteries. (January 27, 1996)

10. "Promises" - When giant fissures crack through the Grassy Plains, Bastian follows the great warrior Atreyu, and his sister Saiya back to the Greenskins camp to discover its source. (February 3, 1996)

11. "Through the Misty Mountains" - Bastian investigates the rumors of a monster inhabiting the Misty Mountains. (February 10, 1996)

12. "A Friendship That Flames" - When Barktroll is jealous of Bastian's newly formed friendship with an interesting character named Axin, he goes to all limits to prove he is the better friend. (February 17, 1996)

13. "The Three Feeling Stones" - The story begins with Xayide successfully unearthing two of the three ancient Feeling Stones of Fantasia; purposely removing all the good feelings across the land. (February 24, 1996)

14. "The Belt of Invisibility" - Shadow Goblin and Vermin find a Belt of Invisibility and they use it to commit various thefts. To combat this, Bastian ends up having to turn to Xayide for help. (March 2, 1996)

15. "Good Deeds" - Bastian arrives to see that Barktroll has been pleasantly rewarded (with faerie dust) for his efforts when he inadvertently helps a town of Faeries. (March 9, 1996)

16. "Barktroll's Blame" - When a fire erupts in the Howling Forest, all eyes cast suspicious blame on Barktroll. (March 16, 1996)

17. "The Searcher" - When Engywook takes the egg of a Llorp, mistaking it for the crystal key to the Vault of Wisdom, he travels on an expedition to the Land of Cold Fire to obtain all the knowledge he can. (March 23, 1996)

18. "End of Time" - Bastian arrives in Fantasia to see the world and all his friends slowly winding down into a world of suspended animation. (March 30, 1996)

19. "Thunder and Lightning" - When the Gnomic Forest is experiencing a devastating drought, Engywook doubles his efforts to build a Rain-Making Machine. (April 6, 1996)

20. "The Everlasting Night" - When Xayide misuses a stolen recipe book of Urgls to concoct a spell, it only backfires and sends her into a deep sleeping trance. (April 13, 1996)

21. "After the Falls" - When Barktrolls crushes on a beautiful tree named Willow is challenged by a brute named Ash, its Bastian who convinces Barktroll to accept Ash's challenge to log roll on Splinter Falls. (April 20, 1996)

22. "Mirror, Mirror" - Xayide uses a special mirror that creates an evil version of Bastian and a good version of herself. (April 27, 1996)

23. "The Dreaming Fields" - Xayide has placed Nightmare Weeds into the Dreaming Fields which causes everyone's dreams to come true until it goes horribly awry. (May 4, 1996)

24. "The Atonal Trolls" - When the shrieking Atonal Trolls abandon their homeland, the Mountains of Harmony, and head towards the Ivory Tower, they threaten its very existence with the decibel level of their shrieking voices. (May 11, 1996)

25. "The Race for the Ivory Tower" - Everyone in Fantasia is participating in The Race including Gluckuck on his racing Snail, Mr. Rockchewer on his stone bicycle, Engywook on his Kitzblitz Flying Machine, and Night Hob aboard his sleepy bat Thessle. (May 18, 1996)

26. "The Perfect Gift" - Bastian arrives in Fantasia hoping to find the perfect gift idea for Fathers Day. (May 25, 1996)

Cast

• Janet-Laine Green – Xayide
• Dominic Zamprogna – Atreyu
• Chris Wiggins – Carl Conrad Coreander
• Christopher Bell – Bastian Balthazar Bux
• Neil Crone – Nimbly
• Marilyn Lightstone – Ygramul
• Benedict Campbell – Shadow Goblin
• John McGrath – Blubb
• Lisa Yamanaka – The Childlike Empress, Junior Rockbiter
• Richard Binsley – Barktroll
• James Rankin – Three Head
• John Stocker – Gluckuk, Gluckuk's racing snail
• Colin Fox – Large Head
• Pam Hyatt – Morla
• Ellen Ray Hennessy – Southern Oracle
• Dan Hennessey – South Wind Giant
• Gary Krawford – Graograman the fire lion
• Howard Jerome – Falkor the luckdragon
• Don Francks – Gmork
• Wayne Robson – Engywook
• Len Carlson – Vermin
• Geoffrey Bowes – Barney Bux
• Harvey Atkin – Mr. Rockbiter
• Jayne Eastwood – Mrs. Rockbiter

Release

• In 1996, a single episode of "The Neverending Story: The Animated Adventures of Bastian Balthazar Bux" was released by HBO Home Entertainment (under HBO Kids Video).
• In 2005, the first three episodes of The Neverending Story: The Animated Adventures were released on DVD by FUNimation Entertainment, LTD. (under its Our Time Family Entertainment children’s/pre-school entertainment label) in a compilation entitled "Bastian to the Rescue".
• All episodes are currently available on Amazon Video format on Amazon.com.

External links

• The Neverending Story at IMDb