Dogtanian and the Three Muskethounds

PreS-Gr 3—Originally a product of Spain in the 1980s, this classic cartoon embodies all of the characteristics of a hand-drawn animated series from that decade. Dogtanian, based on D'Artagnan from Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers, is a kid-friendly, dog version of Dumas's character. When Dogtanian's father and mother realize that his skills at sword play are monumental, they send him off to Paris to train with the captain of the Musketeers, Monsieur de Treville. On his way, Dogtanian faces many hardships and obstacles, often the result of his own hot-headed behavior. Once he finally reaches Paris, Dogtanian gets into a heap of trouble, and actually schedules duels with the three most well-known Musketeers: Porthos, Athos, and Aramis. Luckily, the four fighters end up as friends, and Dogtanian starts his training to become a Musketeer. Although he encounters many challenges along the way, he eventually becomes a Musketeer and even wins the heart of the girl he loves. This cartoon is hand-drawn and painted in basic colors, with very little depth or shading. The plot of each episode is somewhat complicated and the story moves slowly. Young viewers accustomed to computerized animation and more modern stories and special effects may find this boring. However, older fans of this classic cartoon may enjoy reliving Dogtanian's adventures.—Jenny Ventling, Greene County Public Library, OH