The 1981 animated series «Ulysses 31» remains a distinctive cultural artifact of the early 1980s, a time when television animation was beginning to experiment with more sophisticated storytelling. The show, a French-Japanese co-production, took the ancient epic of Homer's «Odyssey» and relocated it to the far reaches of outer space, replacing the hero's wooden ship with a starship and his mythological adversaries with alien beings and cosmic phenomena. The result was a visually striking and narratively ambitious series that has earned a lasting place in the memory of those who grew up watching it.
The series follows the titular hero, Ulysses, a commander from the 31st century who, while searching for his lost son Telemachus in the Bermuda Tetrahedron, a futuristic version of the Bermuda Triangle, inadvertently awakens the wrath of the gods of Olympus. In this retelling, the gods are not supernatural entities but advanced, god-like beings from another dimension who punish Ulysses for destroying the Cyclops, a giant, one-eyed alien. As punishment, Ulysses is cursed to wander the universe until he finds the Kingdom of Hades, a mythical realm located beyond the distant Sirius star system. His crew is turned to stone, and only his son Telemachus, a young girl named Themis, and a robot named Nono remain conscious to aid him.
«Ulysses 31» was notable for its ambitious blend of classical mythology and science fiction. Each episode saw Ulysses and his small crew encounter beings and situations directly inspired by the original epic, but reimagined through a sci-fi lens. The Lotus Eaters became a race of alien beings who trap travelers in a dream-like state. The Sirens were transformed into a beautiful but deadly alien queen whose song could hypnotize and destroy. The episode featuring the giant Polyphemus was reworked as an encounter with a colossal, one-eyed alien creature in space. This creative fusion allowed the series to introduce young audiences to the themes and structure of Homer's work while delivering the action and adventure expected of a space opera.
The visual style of «Ulysses 31» was heavily influenced by the work of French artist Jean Giraud, better known as Moebius, who contributed to the show's design. The series featured a distinctive aesthetic that combined sleek, futuristic spaceship designs with surreal, often dreamlike alien landscapes. The character designs, particularly for Ulysses with his blue skin and white hair, were striking and memorable. The animation, produced by the Japanese studio DIC Audiovisuel (later DIC Entertainment) in collaboration with French companies, was of a higher quality than many contemporaneous cartoons, with a particular emphasis on atmospheric backgrounds and fluid motion during action sequences.
The show's soundtrack, composed by the Greek musician and composer Vangelis, added another layer of distinction. Vangelis, who had recently won an Academy Award for his score for «Chariots of Fire», provided a synthesizer-driven score that was both epic and ethereal, perfectly complementing the series' cosmic themes. The main theme, with its haunting melody and choral elements, remains instantly recognizable to fans and is often cited as one of the best television theme songs of the era.
«Ulysses 31» originally aired in France in 1981 before being broadcast in other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, where it found a dedicated audience. The series ran for 26 episodes, each approximately 25 minutes long, and told a complete story arc that concluded with Ulysses finally reaching the Kingdom of Hades and freeing his crew. Despite its relatively short run, the show has had a lasting impact. It has been released on DVD and is available on various streaming platforms, allowing new generations to discover its unique charm.
The series is often remembered fondly by those who watched it as children, and it has been cited as an influence by various creators in the science fiction and animation fields. Its willingness to treat its young audience with respect, presenting complex mythological concepts within an engaging sci-fi framework, set it apart from many of its contemporaries. «Ulysses 31» stands as a testament to the creative possibilities of cross-cultural collaboration and the enduring power of classical stories, even when they are transported to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
