Street Sharks was an American-Canadian animated TV show that aired from 1994 to 1997. The show featured crime fighting half shark half human hybrids thanks to Dr. Robert Bolton and his partner Dr. Luther Paradigm and their “gene-slammer.” The Gene-Slmmer is able to change aquatic animals into anthropomorphic hybrids by combining their DNA. When Bolton tries to stop Paradigm from using the machine for personal power he gets turned into an unseen moster, but does manage to escape. Later, Paradigm transforms Bolton’s sons into the Street Sharks. During the course of the show Paradigm creates many different mosters for the Street Sharks to beat.
Joe Galliani didn’t need to finish his presentation before the Mattel Executives were already sold on the toy line. Mattel was hopeful that the toy line was going to be as big as the TMNT toy line. And it did quite well it’s first year, grossing $40 Million, besting the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in some markets. Galliani was able to convince Mattel excutives to make a wider range of toys than just the same mold and painting the figures, he was able to inlcude hammer heads and other oceans creatures.
Galliani proceeded to sell Mattel and animation company Bohbot Entertainment on the show which produced 40 episodes of the show over the course of the few years it was running.
Even with Mattel’s backing, the line was just simply not doing as well as they’d hoped. Sp in the fall of 1996 they did a crossover with Dino Vengers, but event this didn’t save the wonder that was Street Sharks, and in 1997 the line was ended.
The toy line only consisted of about 50 pieces, including the amazing hand puppets. Even with such a short run, they make it into the Toy Hall of Fame.
Which Street Shark was your favourite.
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