Flipper and Lopaka (1999 - 2005)
Children's series
78 episodes x 30 minutes
Series synopsis:
Flipper & Lopaka is a 2D animation series based on the famous dolphin in the original US film and television live-action series. Set around a beautiful and exotic South Sea island, Flipper’s best friend is Lopaka, a young Polynesian boy who has learned to swim like a fish and can remain underwater with his gang of aquatic friends for long periods of time. They have many adventures in Quetzo, the ancient remains of a long-forgotten civilisation that sank beneath the waves many centuries ago.
In series one (1999), Flipper befriends the young Lopaka when he saves him from drowning. Together with their appealing gang of aquatic friends, Flipper and Lopaka combine their resources to triumph over the evil giant octopus, Dexter, his shark henchmen and Serge, the sneaky spy sea-eel.
In series two (2001) Flipper and Lopaka have a new challenge to face when their idyllic island world is discovered by a scientist and her son searching for the lost city of Quetzo. They threaten its environment, its inhabitants and its very existence.
In series three, (2005) Flipper and Lopaka must prevent modern-day pirates posing as documentary filmmakers from stealing a mystical underwater treasure – 'Neptune’s Statue’ – and unleashing an ancient curse that could destroy the world. Flipper and Lopaka find a way to stop them at great personal cost.
Curator’s Notes:
Continuing Yoram Gross’s move away from the Australian-looking and sounding series Skippy Adventures in Bushtown (1997) and The Adventures of Blinky Bill (1992), this 2D animation is set in a fantasy Polynesian location, with no particular Australian characteristics at all.
Like Skippy Adventures in Bushtown, Blinky Bill and Tabaluga (1997), which are loosely based on an existing well-known characters, Yoram Gross Em.TV use Flipper, the legendary dolphin TV star. The character Flipper starred in the US live-action television series Flipper for 30 years, as well as in three live-action movies. ‘In the old series,’ says producer Yoram Gross, ‘Flipper was like an extra – he couldn’t speak and wasn’t heavily involved in the action. But we noticed he had talent and so we gave him the chance to be the action hero of this new series.’ And he is, along with his new human friend Lopaka.
Titles in this series
Flipper and Lopaka – The Secrets of Quetzo 1999
Flipper the dolphin’s best friend is Lopaka, a young Polynesian boy, and they have many adventures in Quetzo, an ancient sunken city. One day, Lopaka finds an ancient carved stone buried near his village on the idyllic island of Iloka. ...
