The Untold History of SPIRAL ZONE: Following up GOBOTS to save TONKA

1. 

   @rubend.4313

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   I remember it somewhat …you were right it aired all over the place….early in the morning was when I first saw it. Like 6am early before the rest of the cartoons started

2. 

   @mythrandor2924

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   SPIRAL ZONE is so underrated. It was dark as he// for an 80s cartoon. The villain has by all accounts won. The majority of humans are basically Zombies. The heroes fight with everything they have and still after victories that could barely be called them and more loses, they keep fighting.

3. 

   @MrXHCx

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   I just want everyone to know how much of an absolute hair metal banger the spiral zone theme song is

4. 

   @Simgor2

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   Spiral Zone is my favorite 80s cartoon, it really needs a remake.

5. 

   @josephmayfield945

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   I had one of the villain figures as a kid.

6. 

   @nintendolunchbox

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   I loved this cartoon on tbs in Chicagoland. I forgot the name and in college looked it up in the tv guide microphish in the library to recall. Man the 1980s were weird.

7. 

   @michealhacker224

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   I buy toys in bulk and bought a storage building full of toys and comics and some of these figures were in it. Never knew what they were till watching this episode. Thanks for the info.

8. 

   @danielcole7200

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   A zone that mutates things sounds like recent sci-fi film anihilathion

9. 

   @JY-fu9gf

   April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

   While studying in Beijing in the 2010s with off-the-charts smog in the air, I would bike with my N95 mask, sunglasses and hat and have the Spiral Zone theme song playing in the back of my head

10. 

    @hoffenwurdig1356

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    The American Spiral Zone cartoon series meant a great deal to me as a child. I grew up with cerebral palsy, unable to walk unsupported; after my parents divorced when I was four, I became the first physically disabled child in a financially-struggling school district that didn’t know what to do with me. Most teachers couldn’t relate or provide support, and I often felt isolated. In that environment, I looked up to the military—naïvely but honestly—as a path to heroism and respect. That is still somewhat true.

    Spiral Zone was unlike any other cartoon I saw. It dealt with subjects I’d never seen discussed on American children’s TV, even if it only hinted at some. For example, I saw an episode with a Soviet scientist willing to destroy the main villain (and himself) with what was basically a small nuclear device, and on another occasion I saw the antagonist conspiring to crash a train into what looked like the San Onofre nuclear power plant — because he knew he would then be able to enslave the resulting refugees. There was also a general from what was clearly the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, who secretly told his subordinate to manufacture chemical weapons. The operation became publicly known. The general cast all the blame for what had happened on his subordinate, who went to prison. But later, the subordinate had the courage to let go of his anger, while the general expressed remorse and vowed to amend his life. In these moments, the show touched on real-world issues like injustice and redemption.

    There was a portion showing U.S., Soviet, and Australian Air Force pilots fighting side-by-side against Overlord’s overwhelming threat, with the Australian pilot sacrificing his life for the mission. That segment was only in a pitch to studio executives, so the airman's death was not televised. I only saw that segment much later. I realized again how remarkable it was to see warfighters from all sides cooperating in a world still otherwise defined by the Cold War. There were also hints at a world where Germany was unified, or at least where East German NVA tankers and West German Bundeswehr tankers fought together, very likely because of the threat posed by Overlord. This was mentioned in the written background accompanying the action figure of the character Schmidt, explicitly referring to “United German” forces years before such a unification actually occurred in real life.

    The show’s realism extended to its heroes, who could suffer, bleed, and even die in service of what was right— which made me feel their heroism as meaningful rather than effortless. I remember a President of the United States who was African-American, years before that was imaginable on the evening news. In a previous conflict, the leader of the heroes once had to kill the brother of one of the villains just to stay alive — but the former had taken no pleasure in doing so, only seeking to survive a situation that resembled the Gulf Wars of our own universe. General McFarland, portrayed as a deeply perceptive and compassionate man, recognized that war is hell and that the great political leaders of the world are often driven primarily by fear. McFarland empathized with his friend, the President of the United States, understanding the immense stress the president faced due to the threat posed by the frightening arch-villain Overlord. Additionally, the leader of the heroes had a romantic interest in his subordinate, who hailed from a fictionalized version of a country akin to the Polish Soviet Socialist Republic (and Katarina spoke Russian not because it was her native language, but because it was imposed by the Soviet authorities). The love was mutual, but the two could not pursue their feelings, because such a relationship would jeopardize military order. The show didn’t shy away from the cost of war or the psychological toll on its characters.

    Unlike many kids in my generation, He-Man didn’t teach me about courage or right and wrong — it so happened I never once saw He-Man. Spiral Zone did teach me. It gave me something to hold onto when my life was filled with conflict, clinical depression (which I didn’t recognize at the time), and a constant sense of being in the middle of other people’s arguments. It showed me that real heroes might be scared or overwhelmed, but they did the right thing anyway—often at personal risk.

    There’s much more to Spiral Zone than most people realize. It was sophisticated, morally serious, and brave in ways that set it apart from so many ‘80s cartoons. It dared to show a world where fighting for good was very dangerous and uncertain, and where even adversaries could become allies in the face of true danger.

11. 

    @Desslar

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Because shows like GI Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, etc. refused to retire and give up their prime timeslots, newcomers like Spirit Zone were forced into awkward times when probably few kids were watching. In my area Spiral Zone was either on at 6:30 AM weekday mornings when kids were stil sleeping, or 2:30 PM in the afternoons before kids got out of school. Small surprise that it couldn't break out.

    Great show though. I had the chance to speak with producer Pierre DeCelles when the DVD set was released. Sounds like it was a crazy time trying to manage the animation production across multiple overseas studios.

12. 

    @Ali-ii8il

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    So should Hasbro do anything with Spiral Zone? And would it be a perfect fit for the energon universe?

13. 

    @Powherkrangunch

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Oh man this is a real memory trip for me! I remember Spiral Zone! People don’t talk about this cartoon enough. It was action packed and very dramatic. Even though I was born a couple years after it started, I got to see it on cable when I was traveling with my parents and I liked it a lot. This show absolutely deserves more recognition and respect! It had a darker edge and a dramatic flair to it! I highly recommend it for people who want to seek out intense action cartoons!

14. 

    @aaron527

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I had so many of the figures and vehicles. They were the best toys

15. 

    @SarcasmSmith

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Didn’t they do a video on this show before? I’m pretty sure that’s how I found this channel.

16. 

    @Robotrik1

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Considering how much trash got DVD & BR releases — this show getting totally ignored is just a crime .

17. 

    @sadierobotics

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Wild that the Soviet movie Stalker lead to something like this.

18. 

    @PeterCowan-jg3to

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Thanks!

19. 

    @KaneshaAndrews

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I remember this show, mostly because I liked the theme song and still sing it to this day (when I am alone, LOL!).

20. 

    @sdfghrdnhjt

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Raw Meat was a scary hombre; even more so after he is turned.

21. 

    @JLReid

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Thanks for this episode. I was a fan of The Spiral Zone when it first aired but, as you alluded to, consistently finding the show on TV was difficult. It was always a treat when I happened upon an episode.

22. 

    @Dial_Up_Modem

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I remember playing with the figures because my older brothers had them, but I honestly had no idea this was a cartoon. Aside from GI Joes and Transformers, these are among my first toy memories. Thanks for bringing up this good memory!

23. 

    @daxbashir6232

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    😵‍💫

24. 

    @TheRealCobraBurnout

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Fight the zone! This cartoon was a trip.

25. 

    @joeoneill240

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I made it a focus to collect this line during the pandemic, and it was exhausting trying to complete those figures. Tons of accessories! Overall it’s a really cool line, and the cartoon is awesome!

26. 

    @mematron

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I loved this show and that kicking intro song

27. 

    @drupiROM

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    In the post-comunist '90s in Romania, i as a kid, stumbled upon a botlegged VHS that had a movie and a few episodes of The Spiral Zone. Never knew they had toys, but that intro and the art style will stick with me for as long as i live.

28. 

    @ZombieEater73

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Honestly, this is the first toy and/or series you've aired in the several years of watching this channel, to, much like Dan, have never even heard of. Along a long enough timeline, this would eventually happen.

29. 

    @Beer_Baron_

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I’m an 80s kid. I watched most or all of the toons the 80s had to offer. Or at least I thought I did. I hadn’t heard of Spiral Zone until seeing someone’s tweet about it during the pandemic. I was completely shocked and immediately intrigued. Just goes to show that there was so much toon content in the 80s that some fell through the cracks.

30. 

    @jordel2010

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    I am pretty sure I never saw the toys, but I did see some episodes of the animated series. I found the premise of the series quite intriguing and the series itself entertaining enough, but now, finding out that JMS more or less disowned it, I can't help but feeling more intrigued about what was his original vision for the series.

31. 

    @shmookins

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    This cartooned scared me. It was also uncomfortable to watch (though I still watched it). I had no concept of 'zombie' but this was it for me.
    Kickass opening.

32. 

    @zenquantum1246

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Spiral Zone was a great Sci-Fi concept, and I was one of the minority who actually caught it during its broadcast run. Only one figure ever made it into my collection, but they were solid. The canon of the stories would never mesh, but I’d love to see updates of these side by side with the 6-inch GI Joe Classifieds

33. 

    @elonmusksellssnakeoil1744

    April 2, 2026 at 11:22 pm

    Never even heard of this one, but I would have been all about it if I had as a child.

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