Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light was an animated series produced by Sunbow Productions based on the Hasbro toyline of the same name. Sunbow contracted TMS Entertainment in Japan for the overseas animation work. The animated series lasted one season of 13 episodes, and was not picked up for a second. Each of the episodes was written by Flint Dille, Buzz Dixon or Douglas Booth. The series introduced the characters of Galadria and Virulina, female knights who were not present in the original toyline.
Episodes[]
| Title | Writer | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| The Age of Magic Begins | Flint Dille | September 21, 1987 |
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When technology fails on the planet Prysmos, an Age of Magic begins. As the world descends into chaos, the knights of Prysmos embark on a quest to conquer Iron Mountain, lured by the wizard Merklynn's promise of magical powers. But only fourteen succeed and it soon becomes clear that several of them joined the quest for personal gain. | |
| The Dark Hand of Treachery | Flint Dille | September 28, 1987 |
| Darkstorm and his fellow Darkling Lords, aided by magical vehicles, trap Leoric and his followers one by one. Imprisoned in the dungeon at Darkstorm's castle and stripped of their weapons, Leoric and his followers seem to be in a hopeless situation. Soon, however, Leoric realises they must unite and names them the Spectral Knights. | ||
| Quest for the Dragon's Eye | Flint Dille | October 5, 1987 |
| After escaping from Darkstorm's castle and acquiring magical vehicles of their own, the Spectral Knights capture the Darkling Lords and put them to work in a factory. Shortly afterwards, however, the Darkling Lords escape and ambush the Spectral Knights, who are heading to Merklynn's shrine to have their power staff recharged. But, in exchange for more magic, they must bring Merklynn the Dragon's Eye. | ||
| The Price of Freedom | Doug Booth | November 9, 1987 |
| The Darkling Lords encounter a city whose inhabitants are reluctant to give up their Age of Technology lifestyle. Lured by Darkstorm's promise to give them human slaves to replace the robots which used to do all the work in the city, the people infiltrate New Valarak and enslave the Spectral Knights. But the Spectral Knights find an ally in a woman who feels that freedom at the expense of others is wrong. | ||
| Feryl Steps Out | Buzz Dixon | October 12, 1987 |
| Dejected after getting into difficulties during a battle with pirates, Feryl leaves the Spectral Knights. Darkstorm tries to turn the situation to his advantage and, after an initial attempt to enlist Feryl in the Darkling Lords fails, lures Leoric into a trap by making him think Feryl's life is in danger. But Feryl soon learns what has happened and trails the Darkling Lords to Darkstorm's castle. | ||
| Lion Hunt | Buzz Dixon | October 19, 1987 |
| The Darkling Lords seek the aid of an old witch, who gives them a potion which will trap Leoric in his animal form. Unable to revert to human form, Leoric soon finds himself under attack from the Darkling Lords, a group of superstitious villagers and even his fellow Spectral Knights, who believe he has been killed. When the Spectral Knights discover the truth, they face a race against time to restore their leader to normal. | ||
| The Overthrow of Merklynn | Flint Dille | October 26, 1987 |
| Tired of constantly having to answer to Merklynn, Darkstorm deposes the wizard and seizes control of Iron Mountain. But he quickly becomes overconfident and unleashes a spell which triggers a series of violent cataclysms. Believing that Prysmos will be destroyed unless the spell can be broken, the Darkling Lords are forced to seek out Merklynn and free him from The Wizards Gaol to which Darkstorm banished him. | ||
| The Power of the Wise | Doug Booth | November 2, 1987 |
| The Spectral Knights are afraid of being rapidly aged by the power of Darkstorm's staff and, when Merklynn refuses to help them, set off on a quest to find a magic spring whose waters have rejuvenating properties. During the quest, Leoric falls victim to Darkstorm's staff and, to ensure he cannot be restored to his true age, the Darkling Lords destroy the spring. But the experience teaches Leoric that there is more to old age than being weak and feeble. | ||
| Horn of Unicorn, Claw of Dragon | Buzz Dixon | November 16, 1987 |
| A magical plague strikes Prysmos, leaving Visionaries from both sides close to death. Their only hope of survival is a spell, the key ingredients of which are a unicorn's horn and a dragon's claw. Witterquick and Arzon must team up with Lexor and Cindarr and set off on a quest for these ingredients, but can they fulfil their mission without taking any lives? | ||
| The Trail of Three Wizards | Flint Dille | November 23, 1987 |
| Merklynn sends the Spectral Knights to the Anarchy Zone to round up three rogue wizards, but, just as they have completed their mission, the Darkling Lords ambush them. Releasing one of the wizards as a diversion, the Spectral Knights return to Iron Mountain, where Merklynn sends one of the wizards to The Wizards Gaol and proves the second wizard is innocent. The Spectral Knights then return to the Anarchy Zone to recapture the remaining wizard, who is heading to the Lost Shrine with the Darkling Lords. | ||
| Honor Among Thieves | Flint Dille | November 30, 1987 |
| Merklynn gives the Spectral Knights a magic crystal which will warn them of impending danger. But Darkstorm soon learns that the crystal can be neutralized by an enemy who is wearing a "Cloak of Concealment". After Reekon infiltrates New Valarak and steals the crystal, Ectar and Arzon are forced into a dangerous game of subterfuge in order to get it back. | ||
| Sorcery Squared | Doug Booth | December 7, 1987 |
| Cryotek is captured by the Darkling Lords, who try to remove his Totem power. Instead, he ends up with Cravex's Totem in addition to his own and starts behaving strangely as the two Totems fight for control. Learning what has happened, the Spectral Knights and Darkling Lords decide to put their differences aside until he is found and Cravex's Totem can be removed from him. | ||
| Dawn of the Sun Imps | Flint Dille | December 14, 1987 |
| Learning that the tomb imprisoning six mischievous imps has been exposed, Merklynn sends the Visionaries to rebury it. But Lexor tricks Cindarr into freeing the imps, who then start playing tricks on both factions. As a result, the Spectral Knights and Darkling Lords are forced to work together in order to recapture the imps and return them to their tomb. | ||
DVD release[]
In the United Kingdom, the entire 13 episode series was released on DVD in 2004 in Region 2 format by Metrodome Distribution. The only special feature included is a set of PDF files of the complete scripts to each episode. So far, there has not been a Region 1 or Region 4 release.