2D animation series for children of pre-school age (4-8 years), about monsters from various parts of the world. In each episode of the series (duration: 2 minutes) we meet another character who presents himself to the audience (with the voice of an actor) and tells some fun facts about himself.* Most of presented characters are well-known – they come from mythology of different cultures, from literature, movies etc. The material is rich, colorful and original. 

In twelve episodes of the I’m a Monster series (there are 52 episodes in total) we meet monsters associated with antiquity and Greek and Roman mythology.** These main characters are: Cyclops, Mermaid, Medusa, Basilisk, Echidna, Furies, Kraken, Minotaur, Centaur, Charybdis, Sirens, and Hydra:

Episode 06 (2010): Cyclops Brothers (accessed: April 13, 2018)

The Cyclopes Brothers welcome us at the deepest point of the world of Ancient Greece – the Tartarus. They present themselves as Arges, Brontes and Steropes – giants who have one eye and not the best manners. 

The Cyclopes talk about their family – father Kronos and mother Gaia. They talk about their past. They say that Zeus (Kronos’ son) freed them for good and now they make weapons for the Greek gods and goddesses. They are producing such magical objects as: Hades’ helmet of invisibility, Zeus’ thunderbolt, Poseidon’s trident, Artemis’ bow and arrows of moonlight, Apollo’s bow and arrows of sun rays – Steropes.

Script: Richard Morss

Episode 11 (2010): Mermaid (called Siren in the classical myths, accessed: April 13, 2018)

Mermaid (blond hair, pink fin) is presented as a very popular and self-confident character. At the beginning of the movie, she is surprised at being called a monster because she thinks “she is so beautiful”. The mermaid boasts that she can swim under the water, that she has a wonderful tail and a great voice. The animation shows that sailors lose their way as soon the mermaid starts to sing. The mermaid tells the viewers the story about her past – she says that it began thousands of years ago, and at this moment in the background, we see different ships that sink – the first one is a Greek ship. The mermaid says that in Denmark we can find her statue, and that it was erected there because Andersen wrote a great hit about her, called “The Little Mermaid.” She claims that thanks to him, she became a movie star.

Script: Maria O’Loughlin

Episode 13 (2010): Medusa (accessed: April 13, 2018)

We meet Medusa – the Gorgon, in her cave in the Western Gateway to the Ancient Greek Land of the Dead. She starts her story with presenting her boyfriend – Poseidon, her parents – Phorcys, Cetes and her sisters – the other Gorgons. She says that Gorgons can turn anyone into stone with one look. She confesses that only looking at her reflection in the mirror is safe. Medusa tells the story about how she became a Gorgon and how Perseus used the mirror to cut off her head (and then he used it as a weapon to defeat his enemies). She says that two creatures were born from her severed neck – a winged horse, Pegasus, and a Giant with a golden sword called Chrisador.

Script: Richard Morss

Episode 22 (2010): Basilisk (accessed: April 13, 2018)

The Basilisk presents himself as the mythical King of Serpents. He says that in 79 AD, Pliny the Elder wrote about him describing him as a “small snake” – but he does not feel that way at all. Basilisk talks about his past – how he was born and then found his way onto many different medieval coats of arms in the old Europe. He also talks about his abilities – he can breathe fire, trail venom and “exude odor that wipes out animals.” The monster boasts that Leonardo da Vinci wrote about him and some scientists thought that dead Basilisk can be used to turn copper into gold. He admits to being afraid of a cop called “the Weasel” (who is immune to his power), he hates the sound of a rooster crowing and that he can’t look at himself in the mirror (otherwise he would be dead).

Script: Maria O’Loughlin

Episode 24 (2010): Echidna (accessed: April 13, 2018)

The first scene brings us to the Scythian Desert, then we walk into the Echidna’s Café. Echidna presents herself as a “monster from Greek mythology.” She is very self-confident – she talks about her “big slimy, slithery tail.” Echidna confesses that the only thing which makes her happy is her family, full of famous monsters. Echidna talks about her descendants: Cerberus, Sphinx, Hydra, Chimera, Crommyonian Sow. She says that Hercules always wanted to fight all of them and that there is some gossip about her and Hercules having a baby in the past. She confesses that she was happily married to Typheous. At the end of the animation Echidna starts to read Homer’s Iliad and she says that in this tale, Zeus gave protection to her brood.

Script: Maria O’Loughlin

Episode 25 (2010): Furies (accessed: April 13, 2018)

Furies present themselves as the characters who always have “bad hair days” – they are furious and mad. They say they deal with all the injustices, for example when someone has done something wrong and has not been punished – they are going to “take care” of him. The characters admit that they can change their form (sometimes they are worms, sometimes clouds, etc.) and that they are immortal deities. Furies say that they come from ancient Greece where they were called “Erinyes.” In addition to the administration of justice, they take care of “beggars, travelers and the elderly.”

Script: Maria O’Loughlin

Episode 28 (2011): Kraken (accessed: April 13, 2018)

Kraken (a female) presents herself as a big, pink, water monster resembling a giant octopus. She says that according to Greek legends gods sent her to devour Andromeda. But then, all of a sudden Perseus showed up wanting to save the girl – he decided to turn the Kraken into stone using the head of Medusa. The monster considers all those ancient stories nonsense. She confesses that her favorite part of the world are the Norwegian Seas. She says that a long time ago, because of her size, she was mistaken for an island (which people tried to settle). Kraken talks a lot about her “scale.” She also applauds the famous Lord Tennyson’s poem about her and quotes the renowned naturalist Erik Pontoppidan who wrote that she was the greatest creature of all times.

Script: Suzanne Arnold

Episode 29 (2011): Minotaur (accessed: April 13, 2018)

At the beginning of the animation we enter the Labyrinth of the Minotaur. The monster calls himself Asterion. He tells us the story about his past – about Minos who was supposed to sacrifice a white bull but didn’t, about Aphrodite who punished his future mother Pasiphae. The half-Bull says that Minos liked him so much he did not want to give him to anyone. So when the Minotaur grew up, Minos ordered Daedalus (the inventor) to build a huge labyrinth under his palace, in which he later imprisoned the Minotaur. Minotaur claims that the story of his sister Ariadne and Theseus is untrue and he swears that he is not dangerous.

Script: Gerald Murphy/ RW R Morss

Episode 35 (2011): Centaur (accessed: April 13, 2018)

In the animation we meet a Centauride – a worker of Centaur Services (which provides the Centaurs with movies etc.). Like a classical Centaur, she is half human (the top part) and half horse. She also has wings and wears a purple jacket. The Centauride tells us the story of the Centaurs. She mentions that they lived in Thessaly and they were children of Ares and "the clouds." She says the Centaurs do not always well behave and that they serve Dionysus. She mentions all the famous movies, books etc. in which the “Centaur stars” appeared, for example Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief with Chiron, or The Chronicles of Narnia. She adds that we can also see the Centaurs in the sky – in the constellation called Sagittarius.

Script: Richard Morss

Episode 38 (2011): Charybdis (accessed: April 13, 2018)

Charybdis is a female sea monster who lives near Sicily and speaks with an Italian accent. She believes that she makes the best Whirlpools in the world. Charybdis talks about her past and her family. She says that her parents were Gaia and Poseidon. She confesses that for a long time she was a beautiful Naiad but then Zeus turned her into a monster. Still, she admits loving her life because she has her best friend Scylla always close to her and every day she can watch many ships sinking in the sea (which for her is beautiful). At the end she says she regrets that the Argonauts’ ship and Odysseus escaped – she would have enjoyed watching them drown in the sea.

Script: Richard Morss

Episode 44 (2011): The Sirens (accessed: April 13, 2018)

We meet Sirens during their vocal rehearsal. They appear as hybrid monsters – half women, half birds. They have problems remembering and their own names. They say that their songs can lure the sailors. The Sirens know many legends related to them. They say that at first they were normal women – the handmaids of Persephone. Then, they were turned into birds to look for Persephone, who (as it turned out later) has been kidnapped by Hades. After that, the Sirens started to attract sailors by their voice. They admit that they were also trying to lure the Argonauts and Odysseus' ship, but they didn’t succeed. In the movie the Sirens confess that once they have lost the duel for singing with the Muses, and the victorious Muses pulled out all their feathers.

Script: Richard Morss

Episode 48 (2011): Hydra (accessed: April 13, 2018)

Hydra is a monster with 9 heads. We meet her when she is on her way to the tunnel. She claims to guard the gate to the underworld. Hydra invites us inside her tunnel. There, she begins telling a story about her family and her past. She talks about her fight with Heracles and claims that he won unfairly because he cheated by collaborating with Iolaus. She believes that the title of the winner should belong to her. In the movie Hydra tells the children that now they can admire her in the sky in the form of a star constellation.

Script: Richard Morss

*  See more on Monster Entertainment Website (accessed: November 16, 2017). 

**  Based on the scripts of the episodes (accessed: November 16, 2017).

Each episode of I’m a Monster series is a stand-alone – every time we get to know a new character and his or her story. The 12 “classical” episodes of the series are very rich in the information about the world of Greek and Roman myths; the myths are modernized and not always in line with their classical sources, e. g. Poseidon brings Medusa chocolate and flowers – there is no such development in the classical myth.

The animations familiarize children with the basic creatures of the Ancient world – in each episode another mythological monster talks to the viewers about his/her past, family roots, and how (s)he became famous around the world. Talking about their origins, monsters often quote other characters from the world of myths, such as gods and goddesses, providing children with the most important mythological contexts in which they function. The animated interviews with the creatures often show how their characters were perceived over the ages and in which stories, books, movies (etc.) they appeared. 

The animations are very original and contemporary – not only visually, but also in terms of their content. Many mythical threads from the stories are shown in a modernized way, as if they were still living in our world. For example: the story of Medusa, where Poseidon is presented as her boyfriend who brings her a box of chocolates and flowers, or the character of a Centauride who is presented as a current worker of “Centaur Services.” The episodes are short but often very rich in content – the colorful drawing style of the animations emphasizes that they target especially the youngest viewers.

Support Material: www.monsterentertainment.tv (accessed: August 17, 2018).

Classical, Mythological, Traditional Motifs, Characters, and Concepts in each episode:

Episode 06: Apollo, Apollo’s bow, Arges, Brontes, Artemis, Artemis’ arrows of Moonlight, Artemis’ bow, Cronos, Cyclops, Gaia, Giants, Hades, Hecatonchires, Helmet of Invisibility, Olympians, Poseidon, Poseidon’s Trident, Steropes, Tartarus, the Dark Pit of Tartarus, Thunderbolt, Titans, Uranos, Zeus.

Episode 11: Greek columns, Greek sailor, Siren, Sea, Vessel.

Episode 13: Athena, Athena’s Temple, Cetes, Chrisador, Giant, Gorgon, Gorgon hair, Medusa, Medusa’s cave, Medusa’s head, Mermaid, Merman, Pegasus, Perseus, Phorcys, Poseidon, Priestess, Temple, Thunder, Trident, Western Gateway to the Ancient Greek Land, Winged Horse. 

Episode 22: Basilisk, Pliny the Elder, Rome.

Episode 24: Cerberus, Chimera, Crommyonian sow, Echidna, Greek Gods, Hercules, Heroes, Homer, Homer’s Illiad, Hydra, the Sphinx, Typheous.

Episode 25: Acropolis, Ancient Romans, Ancient Greeks, Erinyes, Furies, Goddesses, Roman Coliseum.

Episode 28: Andromeda, Gorgon, Gorgon’s head, Greek legend, Kraken, Medusa, Medusa’s head, Perseus, Zeus.

Episode 29: Aphrodite, Ariadne, Asterion, Crete, Cretan Empire, Daedalus, God, Hero, King Minos, Labyrinth, Minos, Minos’ Palace, Minotaur, Mintotaur’s Labyrinth, Parsiphae, Poseidon, The Palace at Knossos, Theseus.

Episode 35: Ancient Greek, Ares, Centaur, Cheiron, Cronos, Dionysius, Ixion, Philyra, Titan, Thessaly.

Episode 38: Argonauts, Argos, Charybdis, Gaia, Goddess of Earth, Naiad, Odysseus, Poseidon, Scylla, Sea Nymph, Sicily, Thetis, Zeus.

Episode 44: Ancient Greek Goddess, Argonauts, Argos, Hades, Lyre, Muses, Odysseus, Orpheus, Persephone, Sea Nymphs, Sirens, Vases. 

Episode 48: Ancient Greece, Echidna, Heracles, Hydra, Iolaus, the Springs of Amymone, Typhon, Vases.