Rayman (TV Series)

Rayman (known as Rayman et ses ami: en suite! in French, which translates to Rayman & Friends: On the Run!) is a CGI-animated television series, produced by Ubisoft and Technicolor Animation Productions (later Mikros Animation following it's closure). It is based on the Rayman series and follows Rayman and his friends, who are circus attractions in Razorbeard’s own circus, escaping and going on the run in order to save their world, the Glade of Dreams. It is the second Rayman television series after Rayman: The Animated Series, and is heavily based on that series, serving as a reboot to both it and the franchise, introducing more Rayman elements to the series.

The series’ first 26 episodes were released in September 1st, 2022 for the 27th anniversary of the original Rayman game on Netflix, with the other 26 episodes of Season 1 set to air in Early 2023 with a second season also being renewed. The show received generally favourable reviews from critics and fans, praising it’s animation, voice-acting, action sequences and humor.

Additionally, Rayman & les Moldies, a series of stop motion shorts aimed at 6-10 year-olds revolving around Rayman taking care of many Incrediballs, also airing at the end of each episode and are uploaded on Ubisoft's YouTube channel.

Premise
Rayman, ever since he was a kid, was captured by Admiral Razorbeard he was found as a baby in the ocean by a fisherman, who then sold him to Razorbeard and made him as the star attraction of his "Creature Feature Collection" (an intergalactic circus that has captured many creatures across the multiverse, selling their planets and then capturing the inhabitants). One day, Rayman is told in his dreams from the creator of the Glade of Dreams, Polokus (also known as The Bubble Dreamer), that he and a bunch of unlikely allies will have to escape and save and restore the Glade by collecting Lums, The Masks and liberating the inhabitants of the Glade. Meanwhile, a frog, Globox is captured by Razorbeard due to his long tongue and inflation powers, but before that, Ly the Fairy, one of the last remaining fairies, gives him a Silver Lum to give to the “chosen one”.

After they meet, Rayman has grown new powers (such as hovering with his hair, fully detachable limbs, absorbing combat fatigues and super strength) and escapes, along with Globox, proud father of 650 and counting children, Barbara, a brash viking princess, who abandoned her sheltered and posh life in Olympus Maximus for a more exciting adventure-filled one full of danger, The Grand Minimus, the supposed arrogant "ruler" of all the Teensies and is a wizard, and Murfy, a rude but knowledgeable flying "grassbottle" (green frog/ogre-like hybrid). They are all quickly tasked with saving the Glade of Dreams by freeing all the captured Lums, Masks, Nymphs and Teensies while also being hunted by two of Razorbeard's Henchbots; Henchman 1000, a no-nonsense robot who will not stop any cost to eradicate Rayman and his friends, who despises his boss and wants to take over the "Creature Feature Collection" to use for an army to take over the galaxy, though despite being so obsessed with Rayman and his goals, he never realizes that he lives in his attic, while Spyglass Pirate is a meek, cowardly somewhat well-intentioned robot who prefers to use machinery and brains to complete his missions.

While Rayman and his friends must go around the Glade of Dreams with mystical and imaginative worlds, to eradicate all the Nightmares while being hunted down. They soon realise that they may have to uncover a dark and dangerous conspiracy that will endanger the Glade of Dreams forever.

Protagonists

 * Rayman (Voiced by James Arnold Taylor) - The protagonist and a limbless man who is childish, laid-back, joyful, careless and impulsive, yet a heroic and noble spirit. However, he can be short-sighted of others' feelings and rather impatient.
 * Globox (Voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) - A warm and friendly frog and a proud father of more than 650 children, who will do anything for them. Though simple, dimwitted and very shy, he also has an irrational fear of the Robo-Pirates and initially butts heads with Rayman due to their differing goals, but learn to respect and then like each other as the series goes on.
 * Barbara (Voiced by Kari Wahlgren) - Young and beautiful barbarian princess, who is a fierce and strong warrior with a short temper and long for adventure, due to being a Princess of Olympus Maximus. When faced with the opportunity of adventure, she was instantly taken which leads to her subsequent capture.
 * The Grand Minimus (Voiced by Rob Paulsen) - A somewhat wise but selfish, cooky and slightly deranged wizard and self proclaimed "King" of all the Teensies, who claims to hate everyone that isn't a Teensie (mostly Rayman and the gang), but is shown to like them.
 * Murfy (Voiced by Billy West) - A small flying creature with a green head, named a "Greenbottle" who has a lot of knowledge, but also a cocky and self-referential personality.
 * Ly the Fairy (Voiced by Tara Strong) - A young fairy in training who possess a lot of power and gave a Silver Lum to Globox for the "chosen hero", some time before he first met Rayman in Razorbeard's circus. After she is saved by the gang, she permanently joins the main cast and becomes Rayman's girlfriend.

Antagonists

 * Admiral Razorbeard (Voiced by Robin Atkin Downes) - The short-tempered, yet cruel leader of the Robo-Pirate army, which invaded the Glade of Dreams and captures most of the world's inhabitants to use as slaves or circus attractions. He is a short robot with a peg-leg, wearing a huge Admiral's hat and striped red-and-white trousers, and his face sports the large, crooked metal beard from which his name is derived. Admiral Razorbeard is infamous throughout the universe for invading and conquering over one hundred peaceful planets and reducing their inhabitants to slavery; these planets were left as nothing more than interstellar dust, and it is unknown what fate the slaves suffered. Though despite his infamous nature, it seems he's a small part in a bigger conspiracy.
 * Henchman 1000 (Voiced by Steve Blum) - A no-nonsense robot who’s robot line went out of commission. Because of this, he resents Razorbeard and wants to take over the Space Pirates, so they can enslave the world rather than having a "useless circus". Despite this, he is still programmed to listen to Razorbeard’s every command, which links to finding Rayman and the Gang, making it his life goal (though never realizes they're living in his attic).
 * Spyglass Pirate (Voiced by Scott Menville) - A meek, cowardly robot who is later revealed to be Razorbeard's son. Normally, while not agreeing with Razorbeard's evil ways, pretends to get adoration from him. Because of this, he regularly tags along with Henchman 1000 (to the dismay of the latter) to catch Rayman and the gang.
 * Mr. Dark (Voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) - A dark and thieving sorcerer and the main antagonist of the series, who plans to plunge the entirety of the Glade of Dreams into darkness. Prior to the series' events, Mr. Dark stole the Great Protoon and wiped out most of the fairies, but was imprisoned by Polokus in the Nightmare Veil so he can never cause havoc in the Glade of Dreams.

Trivia

 * Thus far, Murfy and Spyglass Pirate are currently the only characters to have a voice actor reprising their roles from the games; in this case, Billy West from Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc onwards and Scott Menville since Rayman 2: The Greater Escape respectively.