Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, known in Japan as is an animated television series produced by 41 Entertainment, Arad Productions, a partnership between Sprite Animation Studios and OLM, Inc., and Bandai Namco Entertainment for Tokyo MX (stereo version), BS11 (stereo version) and Disney XD (bilingual version). Based on Bandai Namco's Pac-Man video game franchise, it is the second animated series to be based upon the game franchise, following the 1982 TV series. The show aired from June 15, 2013, to May 29, 2015, running for 2 seasons and 52 episodes.
Various games and merchandise were produced based on the series, including two video games and several mobile apps.
Production A pilot trailer produced by Arad Productions was shown at E3 2010, alongside the announcement of Pac-Man Party for the Wii. The pilot explained the basic plot of the series, and visually was mostly identical to the final product. The end of the pilot features a homage to the "Coffee Break" scenes in the original arcade game. Avi Arad explained in an interview that they made Pac-Man a high-schooler in order to tell stories about being a teenager, and that they also wanted to explore Pac-Man and Pac-Land's backstory. The trailer and Pac-Man Party also debuted a new design for Pac-Man that would be used for most Pac-Man media and merchandise during the show's run.
In September 2011, 41 Entertainment was named worldwide distributor of the series except in Japan, where Namco Bandai would handle distribution. The series was titutively titled PAC-MAN 3D at the time. Avi Arad said in the press release that Pac-Man was one of his all-time favorite characters, and that the show's ghosts would come in all shapes and sizes. Following this announcement, 41 Entertainment would announce global distribution deals with various partners. The animation was done by Sprite Animation Studios in partnership with OLM, Inc., who handled the production process, from storyboard to delivery. While Arad came up with the basic plot-line for the show, the final product was directed by Motonori Sakakibara.
In some territories, the second half of season 2 was distributed as season 3.
The show ended on a cliffhanger in 2015, with 52 episodes produced in total.
Overview The series takes place on the fictional planet known as Pac-World, and its Netherworld. The show sees Pacster, (an alternate-universe version of Pac-Man) and his best friends, Spiralton and Cylindria attend Maze High School, a boarding school in Pacopolis. They help to protect citizens from the threat of ghosts, who originate from the Netherworld. The Netherworld was originally sealed off from Pac-World until Pac-Man accidentally broke the seal while avoiding the school bully Skeebo. Ghosts can use their slime-producing abilities to coat objects and terrorize Pac-Worlders. They are additionally able to possess the bodies of Pac-Worlders, which causes them to gain glowing red eyes. However, their possession only lasts a few minutes without the aid of Dr. Buttocks' technology.
Pac-Man also has four friendly ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde) who vowed to help him in exchange for being restored to the living world. Pac-Man vows to stop Betrayus and the ghosts from taking over Pac-World while searching for his long-lost parents. The ghosts continually attack the city to locate the Repository, a storage chamber for the corporeal bodies of the ghosts which would allow them to live again if they possessed them. The ghosts also attack the Tree of Life to prevent Pac-Man from gaining powers to fight them. Without the power-berries, Pac-Man is not able to fly or breathe in the Netherworld.
Cast and characters
Main (voiced by Erin Mathews), Real name as "Pac" is the 13-year-old title character of the series. He is the last of the Yellow Pac-Worlders, having lost his parents to ghost-related circumstances. As a yellow Pac-Worlder, he has the ability to eat ghosts while spitting out their eyes. He is brave, kind, cheerful, loyal and compassionate, but on occasion, he is impulsive, rebellious, and immature, as well as being motivated by his absurd appetite. (voiced by Andrea Libman, commonly referred to as Cyli) is a 14-year-old (15 in season 2) pink Pac-Girl with glasses and one of Pac's classmates and best friends who is the smartest of the main three. She is hot-tempered and sassy, but fundamentally sweet. (voiced by Sam Vincent, commonly referred to as Spiral) is a tall red 15-year-old friendly jock and one of Pac's classmates and best friends. He is the tallest and most athletic of the three. , full name Lord Betrayus Sneakerus Spheros, (voiced by Sam Vincent) is the sadistic, temperamental, and egocentric Lord of the Ghosts and the Netherworld and Spheros' brother. When alive, he tried to conquer the world, but was defeated and stripped of his corporeal form alongside his underlings. Despite his malicious personality and actions, he is also very immature and prone to childish fits when he does not get his way. The Ghost Gang is a group of four ghosts who live in the Netherworld and are ruled by Lord Betrayus. Despite their servitude towards Betrayus, they are secretly allies of Pac-Man and friends due to not liking having to live in the Netherworld. Blinky (voiced by Ian James Corlett) is a red ghost. He is the default leader of the group, as well as the shortest. Blinky appears to be hot-tempered and cunning, but is very insecure and has a softer side. Inky (voiced by Lee Tockar) is a blue ghost, the thinnest and sneakiest in the gang. He has a sibling rivalry with Blinky on account of them being twins. Pinky (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) is a sassy pink ghost and the only sister. She has a crush on Pac-Man and a rivalry with Cylindria. Clyde (voiced by Brian Drummond) is an orange ghost, the largest and friendliest of the siblings.
Pac-Worlders
(voiced by Sam Vincent) is the benevolent president of Pac-World, old friends of Pac's parents, and Betrayus' brother. He serves as a mentor to Pac-Man, Spiral, and Cylindria. "Sir C" (voiced by Ian James Corlett) is a goofy scientist who has met Pac's father and mother. Despite his advanced age, he is very energetic and athletic, and is a brilliant, yet scatterbrained, inventor. (voiced by Matt Hill) is a mean-spirited, vain, and buffoonish blue jock and school bully who torments Pac. He is Cylindria's ex-boyfriend; the two broke up for his cowardice when she was held captive by a giant ghost. Spheria Suprema (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) is a scrappy orange Pac-Person who is Pac-Man's aunt. (voiced by Erin Mathews) is one of Pac-Man's teachers. Mr. Strictler (voiced by Mark Oliver) is a light-blue driver's ed teacher with a stubborn personality. Mr. Dome (voiced by Lee Tockar) is the gym teacher. O'Drool (voiced by Lee Tockar) is the arrogant and abrasive Secretary of Security. Kingpin Obtuse (voiced by Lee Tockar) is a dark-green crime lord of Pac-World's criminal underworld. Rotunda (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain) is an Elder who is the mother of Stratos and Betrayus. Zac (voiced by Ian James Corlett) He is Pac's father. Sunny (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) She is Pac's mother. The Pacinator (voiced by Ian James Corlett) is a villainous Pac-Person. It is implied that he is responsible for the disappearance of Pac's parents. Do-Ug (voiced by Gabe Khouth) is a Neander-Pac kid who first appeared in "Cave Pac-Man". Danny Vaincori (voiced by Kyle Rideout) is a movie director who first appears in "Pac-Mania". Elliptika "Elli" (voiced by Kazumi Evans) is a light pink Pac-Worlder who visits Pacopolis from PacTokyo and is Spheros' and Betrayus' niece. Moondog is a black-haired lavender Pac-Worlder who is Cylindria's father. Starchild is a blonde Pac-Worlder who is Cylindria's mother. Santa Pac (voiced by Richard Newman) is Pac-World's version of Santa Claus. Floofers is Elliptika's green pet dog.
Ghosts Butt-ler (voiced by Brian Drummond) is Betrayus' long-suffering servant and butler whose forehead resembles a pair of buttocks. Dr. A.H. Buttocks (voiced by Brian Drummond) is the Netherworld's greatest mad scientist and Butt-ler's older twin brother who takes every opportunity to bully Butt-ler. Glooky (real name as Funky in the game series) is a green Ghost with a squint in his left eye. He is a friend of Blinky. Mavis is an orange female Ghost. Specter (voiced by Brendon Ryan Barrett) is a ghost spy who works for Betrayus. Fred is a white ghost who was used as a flag due to the lack of white clothes. Master Goo (voiced by Vincent Tong) is a Ninja Ghost. Captain Banshee is a ghost pirate who first appears in "Cap'n Banshee and his Interstellar Buccaneers". Cyclops Ghosts (voiced by Lee Tockar) are heavyset Ghosts with one eye and three horns. Ogle (voiced by Brian Drummond) is a Cyclops Ghost who works as a chef. Fire Ghosts are orange Ghosts who can emit fire from their body. Ice Ghosts are blue Ghosts who can emit ice from their body. Tentacle Ghosts (voiced by Lee Tockar) are four-eyed purple Ghosts who look similar to an octopus. Guardian Ghosts are large Ghosts who guard the Netherworld. Aqua Ghosts are light blue Ghosts with fins on their head. Drill-Bit Ghosts are Ghosts who have drill bits on their heads. Alien Ghosts are Ghosts who live on the Ghosteroid. Ghosteroid is an asteroid ghost who Dr. Buttocks once brought near Pac-World. Ghost Sharks are ghostly sharks who reside in the waters of PacLantis and guard the Berry of Youth. Virus Ghosts are normal ghosts who have been digitised by a Dr. Buttocks invention.
Pointy Heads Apex (voiced by Colin Murdock) is an evil strange mysterious overlord. Professor Pointybrains (voiced by Brian Drummond) is a scientist who assists Apex. Tip (voiced by Gabe Khouth) is a strong minion who first appears in "Cosmic Contest".
Robots Grinder is a lab assistant Sir Cumference made for himself. Grindette is Grinder's wife who first appeared in "The Bride of Grinder". Grinder-Tron is a giant robot made by Dr. Buttocks who resembles an evil version of Grinder. Mega-Grinder is a giant robot build by Pac-Man. Computer Bug is a small antivirus bug who helps Pac-Man rid the computer systems of the evil virus ghosts. Pac-Topus is a giant mechanical octopus.
Others Madame Ghoulasha (voiced by Kathleen Barr) is a warty Nether-witch from the Netherworld. Count Pacula (voiced by Sam Vincent) is a villainous vam-pac from the Netherworld. Jean (voiced by Nicole Oliver) is a vile genie who first appeared in "Meanie Genie". Overlords of the Outer Regions are a group of strange and unknown celestial beings who take the form of a burst of light. Mooby is an ancient giant flying Pac-Cow who lives up in the sky in Pac-World. The Easter Pac-Peep (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) is a humanoid marshmallow chicken made of marshmallow and the owner of Easter Egg Island. Dentures of Doom (voiced by Paul Dobson) are a set of living dentures originally owned by an ancient mummy wizard. Mummy Wizard (voiced by Paul Dobson) is a strange humanoid wizard with a mummy-like appearance. Round Deer are flying reindeer who pull Santa Pac's sled and have special fighting abilities. Dr. Pacenstein is a talking brain housed in glass who lives in Transylpacia Castle.
Monsters Fluffy is a giant poodle. Fuzbitz (voiced by Lee Tockar) is Sir Cumference's pet monster. Gargoyles are large, heavy-set blue monsters with three eyes and small wings. Slug-cams are used by Betrayus to spy on Pac-World. Pac-Dragons are one-eyed red dragons who live in the Netherworld. Stalkers is a black medium-sized monster with two legs, a long eel-like body, and a multi-eyed face full of sharp teeth. Venus Dragon Flytraps are large carnivorous plants indigenous to the Netherworld. Monobats are a race of one-eyed bats. Stone Temple Guardians are giant statues who guard a slime-filled temple.