Then, in 1989, an animated series was released by Happy Harry Cartoons. Running one season of 13 episodes, it was considerably Lighter and Softer so as to appeal to the target demographic. It was mostly forgotten until the Theme Tune Roll Call was uploaded to Youtube
and Newgrounds in 2009; the song became a viral video, and the series became a Cult Classic, primarily due to the series being by and large So Bad, It's Good with the occasional surprisingly well-written moment.
Oddly enough, Alan Moore loves this series despite the Adaptation Decay and declared it the best adaptation of any of his works.
There isn’t actually a whole Watchmen Cartoon, just a parody opening and theme song. Though, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons have seen it and enjoyed it.
This series provides examples of:
- Actor Allusion: When Moloch gets scared, he starts stuttering like Max Headroom.
- Adaptational Name Change: The Minutemen are instead called "The Watchmen" to better fit the title.
- For some reason, the top-knots are repeatedly referred to as "The Samurai Gang" or "The Samurais".
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Rorschach began doing this occasionally starting around episode 8.
- Catchphrase: "I'm nutty!" for Rorschach.
- Creator Cameo:
- Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons often appear as background characters during scenes at the Gunga Diner.
- On one occasion, Happy Harry Cartoons founder Harry Partridge can be seen reading an issue of the New Frontiersman.
- Cowardly Lion: Bubastis is shown to have some hidden superpowers, but is nevertheless a coward.
- Disneyfication: Of many family-unfriendly aspects of the original story. How does one adapt Laurie's sex scene with Doc Manhattan into a Saturday Morning cartoon? Make a scene of Laurie reading a bedtime story to Manhattan clones!
- Heroes Love Dogs: Rorschach, with his beloved German shepherds, Fred and Barney.
- Historical In-Joke: When the Comedian discovers that Hooded Justice was working for J. Edgar Hoover; he is aghast and asks Hoover how he even knew Hooded Justice. "We met at the Y."
- Knight of Cerebus:
- Hooded Justice is no doubt the most serious thing on the show.
- To a lesser extent, Shinji, who could fight the whole gang without breaking a sweat turning the series more action and plot focused.
- Lighter and Softer: If you've read and seen the original Watchmen, then you know this is kid-friendly.
- Local Hangout: The Watchmen regularly hang out at the Gunga Diner. As does Overlord Squid in disguise.
- Mythology Gag:
- In Episode 5, Rorschach figures out that the Comedian was kidnapped by the Gator Gang by finding his smiley face badge, which has a ketchup-stain on it, near a storm drain.
- Returning from a vacation, Doc Manhattan mentions his good friends Wally and Janey.
- Non-Human Sidekick: Bubastis to Ozy. The writers have stated that Nite Owl was originally planned to have a talking owl, as well, but this was scrapped.
- Plucky Comic Relief: Rorschach. After all, he's nutty!
- The Prankster: Rorschach. Sometimes he uses his “clowning around” for good, weaponizing it in his fights against bad guys, and sometimes he accidentally annoys his friends with it, especially in episode 6 where he learns The Golden Rule.
- Smoking Is Not Cool: "Smoke on the Water" is a particularly bizarre variant on this, with Smokestack using water laced with nicotine to brainwash kids into smoking.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Nite Owl I is merely roughed up by the top-knots, not killed.
- Thememobile: Jonmobile - the car form of Doctor Manhattan.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Pizza for the Watchmen, Buby Snacks for Bubastis.
- Unrelated in the Adaptation: Silk Spectre and the Comedian aren't father and daughter in this version of the Watchmen.
- We Can Rule Together: Overlord Squid has on multiple occasions declared that he wanted Ozymandias to be his apprentice.
- Whole-Plot Reference: "Tuesdays With Moloch" is Apt Pupil with a super-villain instead of a Nazi.
