MetaJets

Did You Know?

• Sunwoo Entertainment designed the series as a Multi Source, Multi Use property.
• Mattel was attached to distribute a toyline internationally, but none reached market.
• Cookie Jar released a free downloadable game for Mac and Windows called MetaJets: Extreme Turbulence.

Production

The series began as a concept by Peter M. Lenkov, with Cookie Jar Entertainment landing a development deal from Teletoon in 2006 under the working title Jet Force. It was also known as Mach Force before its final name, MetaJets, was announced at MIPCOM 2008. Production took two years, split between Cookie Jar in Canada and Sunwoo Entertainment in South Korea. A Japanese partner was involved early on but pulled out due to creative differences.

The 40-episode run cost ₩6.4 billion, partly funded by the city of Seoul. Cookie Jar handled the scripts and audio, while Sunwoo did all the animation. Lenkov shaped the initial concept and structure, with a team of about ten writers crafting the episodes. The show blended traditional and computer animation.

Sunwoo originally planned for 300 shots per episode, with 80 to 100 needing CG. However, after the storyboarded first episode required over 200 CG shots, the studio switched lesser-seen mecha to 2D to stay on budget and schedule. The Korean version opens with "Fly Away" by Kim Kyung-ho and closes with "In Search of Freedom" by Hyoyeon Kim. The English version uses music by Voodoo Highway.

Broadcast

MetaJets launched in South Korea on KBS1 from late January to early November 2009, later appearing on Daekyo Kids TV and Tooniverse. In English-speaking Canada, Teletoon carried the show from October 2010 through July 2011, with additional airings on sibling channel Cartoon Network. French-speaking Canada saw it on Télétoon from November 2010 to August 2011. The United States premiere came on Cartoon Network with a ten-episode marathon on July 4, 2010, followed by daily 6AM broadcasts until mid-August 2010; this marked the first time a mostly Korean animated series aired on that network.

Reruns later appeared on This TV's Cookie Jar Toons block. Kix! broadcast it in the UK and Ireland, while eToonz+ handled South Africa. Disney Channel Asia began airing it in June 2009. TF1 in France started in October 2009, Studio 23 in the Philippines in July 2010, and Clan in Spain in 2011.

Netflix offered the full series in the US and select regions from December 2010, and in Canada it was available through Bell Satellite TV's Kids Suite from 2017 to 2018.

Characters

Johnny Miller (code name Ace, age 15, voiced by Jamie Haydon-Devlin) joined the ARC tournament after George Strong invited him. During an unsanctioned race between Trey and Johnny, a Metajets summon interrupted the match. Johnny followed Trey into ARC-1 and discovered the Metajets connection. During an attack on ARC-1 by General Raven, Johnny used his jet to take a hit for Burner, and George subsequently recruited him as a Metajets agent.

Trey Jordan (code name Burner, age 16, voiced by Mpho Koaho) is a Metajets agent and champion ARC racer. Maggie Strong (code name Foxtrot, age 15, voiced by Katie Griffin) is an ARC racer and George Strong's daughter. Zachary Kim (code name Vector, age 14, voiced by Scott McCord) is a top-10 ARC racer. Captain Strong (George Strong, age 41, voiced by Ivan Sherry) is the ARC commissioner and Metajets leader.

Other ARC-1 officers include the Major/First Officer and a Technician. Jack Miller (code name Ice Storm) is Johnny's father, who went missing after the previous Black Clouds war nine years earlier. General Raven (voiced by Steve Cumyn) was a top ARC racer banned for sabotaging a competitor. As Black Cloud leader, he sought revenge against Captain Strong.

After failing to detonate bombs at Soaring Heights, Raven was persuaded by Viper to fight at the front line. In a duel against Ace, an explosion froze Raven; he was later seen in a jar maintained by Dr. Lucas. Black Cloud pilots include Fly Girl (voiced by Athena Karkanis), Crusher (voiced by David Berni), and Viper (voiced by Jonathan Koensgen). Other characters include BC Tech, the Race Announcer (voiced by Ron Pardo), the World Council President, Tory, Saul, Kai, Deb, and Doug Fontaine.

Vehicles

The ARC-1 is a flagship that secretly serves as the Metajets' home base while housing race pilots and their jets. Ace's Metajet, once owned by Johnny's father, has a liquid nitrogen weapon. Burner's jet features laser cannons and afterburners. Foxtrot's jet uses solar rockets, and Vector's is fitted with a sonic weapon. Crusher's jet has wing-mounted buzzsaws, while Flygirl's fires rapid-fire timed explosive darts. Viper's jet carries powerful homing missiles. Raven's jet is only used twice in the series. The Black Cloud fleet relies on a massive swarm of drone jets, and their flagship is the Black Cloud Airship or Raven's Nest.