Invader Zim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Invader Zim |
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| Created by | Jhonen Vasquez |
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| Theme music composer | Kevin Manthei Mark Tortorici |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 27 (46 segments) (+1 pilot) (list of episodes) |
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| Animator(s) | Sunwoo Entertainment |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
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| Picture format | NTSC |
| Original release | March 30, 2001 – August 19, 2006 |
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| Related shows | Invader Zim (comics) Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus |
Invader Zim is an American animated science fiction comedy television series created by comic book writer and cartoonist Jhonen Vasquez for Nickelodeon. The series centers on an extraterrestrial named Zim (voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz), from the planet Irk, and his mission to conquer Earth and enslave the human race along with his malfunctioning robot servant GIR (Rosearik Rikki Simons). He is antagonized by Dib (Andy Berman), a young paranormal investigator who is determined to stop Zim from succeeding.
Invader Zim received positive reviews from critics and audiences, with praise primarily directed at its humor, writing, animation and art-style. In the years following its cancellation, Invader Zim has often been listed as one of Nickelodeon's best shows. The series won an Annie Award, an Emmy Award and a World Animation Celebration Award, and received nominations for seven additional Annie Awards and two Golden Reel Awards. Invader Zim has spawned its own fan convention called InvaderCON and a plethora of official merchandise, including video games, toys, clothing and accessories, among many other products. Despite its early cancellation, due to increasing popularity and above-average merchandise sales it has been widely regarded as a cult classic.
A monthly comic book series of the same name was released on July 8, 2015, as a continuation of the television series and published by Oni Press until August 4, 2021. A film based on the television and comic series, titled Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus, premiered on Netflix on August 16, 2019.
Plot
The series centers on Zim (voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz), a member of the extraterrestrial Irken species and the Irken Empire from the planet Irk. The empire's goal is universal conquest and has a social hierarchy based solely on physical height. The empire's leader is called The Almighty Tallest; at the beginning of the series the position is jointly held by two equally tall individuals (Wally Wingert and Kevin McDonald.) Zim is an outcast; he is delusional, very short, overzealous, narcissistic, and megalomaniacal.
An absentminded Zim nearly destroyed Irk and the Irkens during the empire's first invasion, Operation Impending Doom I. He was punished by exile to the Irken food court planet Foodcourtia, although he failed to recognize the reason for his banishment. After learning that Operation Impending Doom II was being planned, Zim unilaterally "quits being banished" to attend the Great Assigning on the convention center planet Conventia. At the Great Assigning, The Tallest appoints Irkens as Invaders, advance scouts tasked with infiltrating and preparing target planets for conquest by the Irken Armada. Zim successfully pleads to be made an Invader, and receives a "secret mission" intended to prevent interference with the invasion; the target "mystery planet" is on the outskirts of the known universe and is not confirmed to exist. He is issued GIR (Rosearik Rikki Simons), an ineffective and erratic Standard Issue Information Retrieval (SIR) unit hastily made from spare parts found in a trash can.
After a six month journey across the universe, Zim arrives at the "mystery planet" which turns out to be dark, dystopian, and satirical version of Earth. A delighted Zim quickly goes to work and sets up his base in a random suburb; The Tallest are dismayed by his success. A short-statured Zim disguises himself as a human child with a green complexion (which he claims is caused by a "skin condition".) The show follows his attempts to conduct espionage by attending a local school (spelled "Skool"), and planning to conquer and enslave the world at his base. Opposing Zim is his classmate Dib (Andy Berman), a paranoid young boy who is obsessed with the paranormal and supernatural and the only human (besides his sister) who sees through Zim's disguise. Dib is determined to expose and thwart Zim, despite the hostility and mockery he receives from his oblivious peers for doing so.
Supporting characters include Dib's cynical and apathetic sister Gaz (Melissa Fahn); Zim and Dib's demonic teacher Ms. Bitters (Lucille Bliss); and Dib and Gaz's famous, but neglectful father Professor Membrane (Rodger Bumpass). Later in the series, other alien characters begin to appear, including Tak (Olivia d'Abo), a fellow Irken seeking revenge against Zim; Lard Nar (Fred Tatasciore), the leader of a resistance group called The Resisty who wants to overthrow the Irken Empire; and Sizz-Lorr (Jim Wise), Zim's former employer from Foodcourtia who attempts to recapture him.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
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| 2001 | 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation | Kyle Menke (Storyboard Artist) | Won |
| 29th Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement in a Primetime or Late Night Animated Television Production | Nickelodeon Animation Studio for Invader Zim | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production | Steve Ressel for "The Nightmare Begins" | Won | ||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music Score in an Animated Television Production | Kevin Manthei | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television Production | Jhonen Vasquez | |||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television Production | Steve Ressel for "Dark Harvest" | |||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production | Richard Horvitz as Zim | |||
| World Animation Celebration Awards | Best Title Sequence | Jhonen Vasquez, Steve Ressel, Mary Harrington | Won | |
| 2002 | 30th Annie Awards | Best Animated Television Production | Invader Zim | Nominated |
| 49th Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing in Television Animation | |||
| 2020 | 47th Annie Awards | Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production | Richard Horvitz as Zim in Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus | |
| 67th Golden Reel Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Animation Long Form | Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus |
Images for kids
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Invader Zim creator Jhonen Vasquez
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Richard Steven Horvitz was the third and final casting choice for Zim.
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Series two of the Invader Zim figures produced by Palisades Toys
See also
In Spanish: Invasor Zim para niños
