Blackstar 1-Disc Box Set DVD

Blackstar is the early-1980s Filmation animated fantasy series about a stranded astronaut named John Blackstar who finds himself on the alien planet Sagar, where he wields a piece of the legendary Powerstar and fights to free the inhabitants from the rule of the tyrannical Overlord. The show aired across Sky One and BBC Two and originally in syndication, with a tightly written 13-episode run that has long been considered a precursor to Filmation's later sword-and-planet fantasy work.

The format is the appeal: each episode pairs a fresh threat to Sagar (a rival power, a sea menace, a sky kingdom, a zombie incursion) with Blackstar's growing connection to the planet's heroes and dragon ally Warlock. Episode titles like "City Of The Ancient Ones," "Search For The Starsword," "The Mermaid Of Serpent Sea," "Tree Of Evil," and "The Zombie Masters" telegraph the operatic register the show keeps coming back to. The animation has the unmistakable look of early-1980s Filmation, with bold poses, rich color, and re-used cycles deployed with purpose.

For early-1980s sword-and-planet animation, this was a notable piece of the wider lineage of Filmation fantasy programming. Suited for fans of the studio's later work, viewers with affection for the era's particular brand of sci-fi-meets-fantasy storytelling, and anyone curious about the cartoons that paved the road for the bigger fantasy hits later in the decade.

Standouts worth revisiting include "City Of The Ancient Ones" (the opener), "Search For The Starsword" (a quest-shaped early peak), "The Lord Of Time" (a moodier swing), "Crown Of The Sorceress" (a thematic high), and "The Zombie Masters" (the closer). This single-disc collection brings all 13 episodes into one place.