The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz is a 1992 animated film based on L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. An extremely condensed version of the 26-episode anime Space Oz no Bouken (Adventures of Space Oz), the film
is 80 minutes.
In the year 2060, an 8 year old girl named Dorothy Gale and her genetically enhanced dog Talk-Talk are mysteriously swept off their planet of New Kansas. The duo end up in the mysterious galaxy of Oz, where they meet Plantman, Chopper and Lionman, as well as the mysterious scientist Dr. Oz. To save the galaxy from the wicked witch Gloomhilda, they must find the three Crystals of Love, Wisdom and Courage.
The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz is the Land of Oz series literally Recycled In Space, and as a result, it's looser than most adaptations.
The Wonderful Galaxy of Tropes:
- Adaptation Dye-Job: Toto is brown instead of black, and Dorothy is blonde as opposed to the common brown.
- Adaptation Name Change:
- The Wicked Witch of the West is named "Gloomhilda". Her mother, the real witch, is unnamed.
- The Wizard of Oz is a professor named "Dr. Oz".
- Toto is named "Talk-Talk".
- Big Bad: Gloomhilda is the evil witch attempting to take over the galaxy. Ultimately subverted, as her mother was pulling the strings and is the real evil to the galaxy.
- Compressed Adaptation: The film version squeezes 26 half-hour episodes (approx. 780 minutes) into only 80 minutes.
- Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Gloomhilda is a wicked witch and smokes from a pipe.
- Heel–Face Turn: Gloomhilda becomes inspired by Dorothy and her friends' courage and refuses to harm them.
- MacGuffin: The three Crystals of Love, Courage and Wisdom are needed to defeat the witch. At the end, they combine into the Rainbow Crystal.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Gloomhilda's mother is initially sealed in her necklace, and is sealed away again in the ending.
- Setting Update: The series is set in the mid-21st century instead of in the early 20th century, and in outer space instead of a fantastical land.
- Taken for Granite: The Wicked Witch of the West turns Gloomhilda and her minions into stone for disobeying her.
- Take Over the World: Gloomhilda plans to take over the galaxy and regain her lost empire.
- Youthful Freckles: Dorothy is depicted as a youthful girl with freckles.
