Ratz (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ratz |
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| Created by | Richard Zielenkiewicz (as Monsieur Z) |
| Directed by | François Reczulski |
| Starring | French: Éric Judor Ramzy Bédia Emmanuel Garijo Sylvia Bergé Max André English: Terrence Scammell Rick Jones Tony Robinow Sonja Ball Arthur Holden |
| Composer(s) | Hervé Lavandier |
| Country of origin |
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| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Aziza Ghalila |
| Producer(s) | Marc du Pontavice |
| Running time | approx. 22 mins. (11 mins. per episode) |
| Production company(s) | Tooncan Xilam |
| Release | |
| Original network | Teletoon (Canada) France 3 and Canal J (France) |
| First shown in | Canada |
| Original release | September 21 – November 11, 2003 |
Ratz is an animated TV show from France and Canada that first aired in 2003. It was created by Richard Zielenkiewicz. The show is about two rats named Rapido and Razmo. They live on a cheese ship called the S.S. Wanderer. This ship seems to sail without a clear destination!
The main idea of the show is to follow the rats' adventures. They try to protect the cheese, meet other animals hiding on the ship, and sometimes get into trouble with the human crew. Rapido and Razmo live in a fancy two-bedroom apartment in the ship's lower part.
Even though Ratz was made for younger kids in France, it became popular with older viewers in Canada. This was because it first aired late at night there. The French voices for the rats are from the comedy team Éric et Ramzy. In the English version, Terrence Scammell voices Rapido, and Rick Jones voices Razmo. Unlike many cartoons for kids, Ratz usually doesn't end with a clear lesson, except for one episode called "The Genie."
The show first appeared on Teletoon in Canada on March 7, 2003. It then started on France 3 in France on September 21, 2003. Ratz has also been shown in other countries, like the United States, Latin America, and the United Kingdom.
Ratz is special because it shows rats in a good way. In many Western countries, fictional rats are often shown as selfish or evil. The show also mixes different animation styles, using both traditional drawing and 3D computer animation. This made it the most expensive show on Teletoon at the time. The music by Hervé Lavandier is also very unique.
The show was originally called Rapido and had a different animation style. The first episode, "Cheese Connection," aired on September 21, 2003. The last episode, "Tomo the Sumo," aired on November 11, 2003. You can also watch Ratz on Netflix since March 25, 2020.
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What is a Ratboard?
A very important part of Ratz is the ratboard. This is a special way the rats travel around the ship. It looks like a mousetrap but has a jet engine attached to the back! In one episode, "The Rat Exterminator," the rats don't even recognize a real mousetrap.
The ratboard helps Rapido and Razmo travel very fast on the ship. Rapido loves his ratboard and often challenges Razmo to races, usually winning. Ratboards are also used to reach hard-to-get places, make quick rescues, or move things using a tether. Sometimes, they just use them to impress their guests!
Meet the Characters
Main Rat Characters
- Rapido is a rat who wants to be famous and cool. He has a big ego and tries to act like he knows many celebrities. But deep down, he has doubts about himself. To hide this, he often acts like he's better than others and brags a lot. Rapido can also be a bit of a hypocrite. He might tell Razmo not to do something, then secretly do it himself later. He mostly cares about himself and won't help Razmo unless it affects him too. Rapido enjoys ratboard racing, reading celebrity magazines, fashion, house music, feeling important, and trying to impress female rats.
- Razmo is the shorter and rounder rat. He is a super smart inventor and mechanic. He invented the ratboard and fixes all the ship's machines and electrical problems. Razmo also has to do all the chores because Rapido never helps. This makes Razmo sometimes feel sad or worried, and he can be very particular about things. Razmo can also be a bit childish. He sometimes talks to a plush toy and even wets the bed. His hobbies include playing the stringed bass, listening to jazz music, counting the cheese, inventing new things, and making friends.
The Ship's Crew
The S.S. Wanderer has three human crew members: Benny the chef, Svetlana the engineer, and The Captain. They are not really villains in the show. Usually, they go back to their normal jobs after running into Rapido or Razmo. It's funny because the crew mostly eats cheese, which Svetlana doesn't like, and Benny is allergic to!
- The Captain is a Scottish sailor who has been at sea for a long time. He is the only one who knows where the cheese in the ship's cargo is going. Over the years, he has changed from a serious captain to a more silly one. He often daydreams or suggests funny ideas when there's a problem. He gives all his orders to Svetlana and Benny.
- Svetlana is the Russian engineer. Her job is to make sure the S.S. Wanderer stays working. You often see her in situations where her large size and strength are needed. Even though she has a tough job, Svetlana tries to act feminine whenever she can, but it's not very often. She often talks to or plans things with Benny.
- Benny is the Japanese chef. He is the only one who sometimes gives cheese to the rats. Benny has five years of cooking experience, but he usually makes soufflés or sushi for the crew. Rapido and Razmo often interrupt him when he brings a live animal onto the ship to cook.
Episodes List
| No. | Title | Original air date | |
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| 1 | "Cheese Connection" | September 21, 2003 | |
| 2 | "Rolling!" | September 22, 2003 | |
| 3 | "Screws Loose" | September 23, 2003 | |
| 4 | "Hi Chick!" | September 24, 2003 | |
| 5 | "Out Of Gas" | September 25, 2003 | |
| 6 | "Cheese Overboard" | September 26, 2003 | |
| 7 | "Loop Da Loop" | September 27, 2003 | |
| 8 | "The Night Of The Toxic Goudas" | September 28, 2003 | |
| 9 | "The Thief Who Came In From The Cold" | September 29, 2003 | |
| 10 | "Eat As You Can" | September 30, 2003 | |
| 11 | "So-Called Christmas Spirit" | October 1, 2003 | |
| 12 | "The Little Orphan" | October 2, 2003 | |
| 13 | "The Curse Of Rachamac" | October 3, 2003 | |
| 14 | "Ragamuffin" | October 4, 2003 | |
| 15 | "Pearls Before Ratz" | October 5, 2003 | |
| 16 | "Three To Tango" | October 6, 2003 | |
| 17 | "Cheese Dreams" | October 7, 2003 | |
| 18 | "Stop" | October 8, 2003 | |
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After a terrible Rat-board accident, Razmo decides to set up signs to limit risky driving. Rapido won't have any of it, however…
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| 19 | "The Genie" | October 9, 2003 | |
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Rapido discovers a genie who offers them to fulfill three wishes. Razmo wants to be a magnet for cheese and Rapido wants everything he touches is turned into cheese. Alas their powers will transform this day into a nightmare.
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| 20 | "Treasure Hunt" | October 10, 2003 | |
| 21 | "The Godfathers" | October 11, 2003 | |
| 22 | "The Year Of The Rat" | October 12, 2003 | |
| 23 | "The Hitchhiker" | October 13, 2003 | |
| 24 | "Love Thy Neighbors" | October 14, 2003 | |
| 25 | "Bio Hazard" | October 15, 2003 | |
| 26 | "Queen For A Day" | October 16, 2003 | |
| 27 | "The Rat Exterminator" | October 17, 2003 | |
| 28 | "The Mermaids' Siren" | October 18, 2003 | |
| 29 | "Rabbits Rampage" | October 19, 2003 | |
| 30 | "Panic Mouse" | October 20, 2003 | |
| 31 | "Canned Tuna" | October 21, 2003 | |
| 32 | "Monkey Business" | October 22, 2003 | |
| 33 | "Benny's Special" | October 23, 2003 | |
| 34 | "2001, A Cheese Odyssey" | October 24, 2003 | |
| 35 | "Raz, Prince Of Darkness" | October 25, 2003 | |
| 36 | "The Ugly Wormling" | October 26, 2003 | |
| 37 | "Kung Fu Muenster" | October 27, 2003 | |
| 38 | "The Legend Of Ratman" | October 28, 2003 | |
| 39 | "Stuck On You" | October 29, 2003 | |
| 40 | "The Motivational Lobster" | October 30, 2003 | |
| 41 | "The Rat Who Would Be King" | October 31, 2003 | |
| 42 | "Mackerel Brothers Blues" | November 1, 2003 | |
| 43 | "Sweet Freedom" | November 2, 2003 | |
| 44 | "Best Laid Plans Of Ratz And Men" | November 3, 2003 | |
| 45 | "Friends For Life" | November 4, 2003 | |
| 46 | "The Cheesball Champ" | November 5, 2003 | |
| 47 | "The Duel" | November 6, 2003 | |
| 48 | "Techno Armadillos" | November 7, 2003 | |
| 49 | "Catch A Falling Star" | November 8, 2003 | |
| 50 | "Razmo's Ark" | November 9, 2003 | |
| 51 | "For Ernest" | November 10, 2003 | |
| 52 | "Tomo The Sumo" | November 11, 2003 | |
Ratz Merchandise
You can find different items related to the Ratz TV show:
- There are DVDs of Ratz available in France. Each DVD has eight episodes.
- An album called A fond les bananes ! was released in France. It features the voices of Éric et Ramzy. The show's theme song, "Pas de panique à bord," was a small hit in France.
- In Fall 2004, Smoby Toys made a toy line based on the show. This included soft dolls, play sets that really worked, and plush toys. Smoby stopped making these toys in 2006.
- There are also computer-animated music videos for Ratz. These videos were released on the Sparx Animation Studios website and Teletoon. They feature eight songs from the show's album.
- On the same date, Private Marketing Service and PMS Kids released other Ratz merchandise. This included Smoby dolls, snacks, games, and various other items.
