Monkey (1978-80). Journey to the Best.

[@jayfunk5988]

I was born in 1971 this show was Legendary when i was a kid.

[@0Zolrender0]

I am totally hearing you here.

[@TheWatch2024OO]

Me too…monkey was amazing and brings back sweet childhood memories!

[@pinkmarshmallow2023]

Me too. Friday evening about 6pm 😂

[@mista2621]

Same here

[@andreap9869]

1974 here and i still love this version the best! The only thing i didnt like was later on they edited his cloud so it looked cartoony.

[@nbrado]

I had the pleasure of watching this as a child in the UK :) its fking awesome

[@PrimevalMudd]

The BBC2 not-the-news Monkey & Flash Gordon hour on the tiny telly in the kitchen. Ah, all of the nostalgia.

[@grindelston5968]

I first saw monkey about 15 years ago when it was on channel 4 at about 2am when I was working nights. I like the Japanese sense of humour.

[@tashvadj4914]

Same. Monkey rocked the 70s!

[@bugsy742]

Same 😊✊

[@russellwarren9595]

it was so good!

[@bfragged]

This was a staple of my afternoons as a kid in the 80s. I’m sure all Aussies my age remember the music by heart.

[@daviddowsett1658]

In the UK it was (late) after school TV, so on around 16:30-17:00, just before the news at 18:00. Loved it.

[@MrMojo23100]

On ABC then SBS

[@MrMojo23100]

@bfragged Do remember seeing any of the episodes from the second series, Because I don't?

[@benduhova1643]

In New Zealand it was Saturday or sunday morning show

[@80ssynthfan48]

@@daviddowsett1658I had thought it much more as being a 6.30 BBC2 kind of thing, about 81-83 sometime.

[@steverice2324]

I'm a huge Monkey fan. Being a Melbourne lad pushing 50 now, I grew up in the 80's watching Monkey, The Goodies, Danger Mouse etc on the ABC. I still watch my Monkey dvd set about once a year. Timeless classic!

[@domm6812]

What an amazing time to be growing up. So many great shows.

[@KingFahtah]

And then it was over before you could say Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapiki- maungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

[@indevelopment3453]

don't forget the kenny everett show

[@jamesmaybrick2001]

Did you guys Down Under get The Water Margin? I remember liking it a lot. Now im old and nostalgic im a bit afraid to look, either it was crap or im senile and made the entire show up.

[@KingFahtah]

@@jamesmaybrick2001 I don't think so which is a shame cause from what I've seen it's really good.

[@DoctorDave5]

Monkey was unmissable when I was a kid in the U.K. About twenty years later one of the cable channels reran the series and a bunch of us now grown men went to a mates house to watch it. As soon as it began we were transported back to the playground and every one of us had a huge goofy grin on our faces! Great stuff.👍

[@tkps5079]

I've been keeping up on Netflix Oz but bought the DVDS quite a while.back. I love this show.

[@DoctorDave5]

@ 👍

[@Woke_White_Woman]

Love this

[@hamanu666]

This show, the Water Margin, Battle of the Planets , Danger Mouse and Dr Who were my childhood . Loved this show. None of the later updates of this story have the irreverence or charm .

[@rakido7388]

Check out season 1 of 'Danger 5'.

[@tashvadj4914]

Yep. Fiery Phoenix + Tom Baker for the absolute best childhood!!!

[@ntal5859]

That combo you must be Aussie when ABC had all these on.

[@elih9700]

Terrahawks anyone? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKKrhXupnLxpntE

[@xxx7917]

And that other show where they turn the battleship into a space ship

[@michaelmoran3201]

Me and my best mate used to watch this every Sunday or Saturday evening Either at his or mine Crazy this popping up As my best friend passed away three months ago aged 52 Being three months older than myself But in same class a little and big school Bless my brother See you soon GODBLESS from Cov kids born in 72 🇮🇪☘️🍀

[@jimajams7080]

Still my favourite show from childhood. RIP Masako Natsume

[@vandalcreed]

And Sandy. And Horse. Such is the tide of time and the tradegies of life.

[@NettiesWorld4]

OOOMMMGGG!! That is my childhood right there. I watched both Monkey and The Water Margin in the 70's and they both changed the course of my life. Learned the songs and taught myself the language since I was ten. Went to live there. Got married and had kids in Japan. Gawd over forty years of my life. Thank you for talking about this. X

[@lisetteem3054]

that's commitment! are you male or female?

[@boogieknee3781]

Strange. You didn't mention the award winning KUNG FU😊 I was lucky enough to find these on dvd. Lots of really good actors started off on that show. 😅(jodie foster plays a broken banjo in one)

[@adZHARRISON]

i bet my life HE'S male@@lisetteem3054

[@Amathusukx]

The water Margin lol, when they chopped off those paper mache heads

[@michaelgregory9929]

​@@boogieknee3781Kung Fu not authentic Japanese. USA made....

[@SeasonPlace]

The person playing the monkey was actually a singer. The actress playing the holy person, unfortunately, passed away at a young age after this series.

[@workonesabs]

at 27 years. She had cancer. Poor thing.

[@BubbbaZ]

@@workonesabs yes very sad! but will be remembered for ever!

[@Primaate]

OMG 😳 He was a SHE ... well that explains a lot 😂 (Joking of course but still ...) God bless her, awesome actress.

[@SeasonPlace]

@@workonesabs Leukemia I believe.

[@spartan.falbion2761]

She was ill during the entirety of the filming which adds to the strangeness of the series somehow.

[@foxyshabazz]

The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!

[@thechojiin]

Monkeeeeeeee!

[@itswilbur3747]

I understand that he was born from an egg on a mountain top...

[@ntal5859]

NO MONKEY!!!! I FORBID IT!

[@CastleKnight7]

@@ntal5859Takes me right back! 😅

[@TsakDjit]

*... irripressim.

[@ScoopC-c5m]

Me and my mate born 1970 used to watch this and then wrestle and muck around with broom sticks with the ends painted, running around the place sayin "Monkey". Many of our other friends didnt care so it was a special thing you were into or not. Other memorable shows from that early time were Dr Who, Lost in Space, The Goodies and Hogan's Hero's was a bit later. My Dad used to let me watch some episodes of his shows, Danger UXB and The Minder.

[@RealRoknRollr3108]

God damn this is just what I needed to lift my spirits tonight. 100% pure nostalgic bliss

[@pdloder]

Good job. Monkey - when I watched it in 81, totally blew my mind like nothing before or since. I hadn't watched any reruns but was very happy to see how much I remembered when I watched both seasons this year on Netflix. I thought it worth mentioning that the woman who played Tripitaka died only a few years after recording Monkey, of leukemia... Very sad.

[@yvettemoore1228]

It really was! It’s being re run on Rewind TV

[@THXH-r1r]

One of the greatest kid’s television shows, for one of the greatest times to be a kid, the 1980’s ❤️

[@tashvadj4914]

100000%

[@craiggibbons8228]

10000000000000%

[@richierich4810]

10000000000000000000000%

[@gonnahavemesomefun]

10000000000000000000000000000000000000%

[@offtheclock302]

Awesome. Our gang called it monkey magic in nz. After watching we would play a simple competition to see who would be monkey and just play. Awesome

[@cooganbeggs4942]

There are no words to describe how obsessed I was with this show as a kid. I actually went to the hardware shop and bought a broom handle and painted it black with the gold ends and fake Chinese writing and used to practice my moves in the back yard. I even made a miniature one out of a match stick that I could fit in my ear 😂 As a male I remained confused well into my teens by how beautiful I found Tripitaka not knowing it was played by a female 🤦‍♂️ I’m now 50 and STILL love and watch this show regularly. I’ve even read the original “journey to the west” books. It’s even better as an adult because I now understand the history and meaning behind the messages in the show. It’s a work of genius 👏👏👏

[@Tyrconnell]

'Monkey' was one of the formative TV programmes of my youth. On my first visit to Japan in 2015 I went to see a film called 'Farewell to Jinu' (in Japanese, which I did not speak a word of). After the screening I asked the person i was with, 'The old guy living in the forst, did he used to play Pigsy in a show called Monkey 40 years ago?' She wasn't sure, but after moving to japan in 2017 i now know that Toshiyuki Nishida is one of the most famous actors in Japan! Sadly he any Masaaki Sakai (Monkey) are the only regular cast members still with us. Since I moved here we have lost three, Shiro Kishibe (Sandy) died in 2020. There is a beautiful but heartwrenching video of him singing 'Yesterday' with his old band, 'The Tigers', while in a wheelchair in 2013. Tonpei Hidari (the 2nd Pigsy) died in 2018, and Shunji Fujimura (Horse) in 2017. Both has long careers, and some may remember Fujimura as Watari in the live-action 'Death Note' movies. Sadly Masako Natsume (Tripitaka) died of leukemia at only 27 in 1985. She was one of Japan's most popular pin-ups at the time, and even now her photo books sell well. In 2019 I went to see a live stage show of 'Saiyuki'. I was very pleased that a) they used the Monkey theme on the character's first entrance, and b) Tripitaka was played by an actress (Moemi Katayama). Despite my pathetic Japanese my knowledge of the TV show (plus a lot of fights) made it a very enjoyable experience. This is far too long already, but suffice to say that the ocassional sight of something in Japan that reminds me of 'Monkey' still gives me a warm nostalgic feel.

[@SarthorS]

I used to get NHK in the UK back when I was trying to learn Japanese. I was watching a drama, and was like 'Hey, that's Pigsy'. I even saw a clip of Monkey hosting some sort of quiz show.

[@tenmillionvolts]

Thank you for that wonderful information. Loved the show

[@anthonymoloney3671]

@Tyrconnell, Thanks so much for sharing that information. Very tragic that Masako Natsume passed away so young.

[@simonolsen9995]

So Masako Natsume joined the 27 Club. Sorry to hear that, but she's in good company.

[@theroosterdiaries9922]

Ty dude, you magic monkey 😊

[@madmarduk1936]

I’ve been singing/humming “monkey magic” while playing Black Myth: Wukong

[@ozgreatsage5266]

I hope they make a Masaaki Sakai Mod for the game, they already have a Goku one.

[@Biancardi]

@@ozgreatsage5266 I thought that as soon as I saw the Goku mod! haha

[@victorhernandez8723]

The theme song is quite catchy!

[@never4ever386]

😂

[@cameronalexander359]

The dialogue was hilarious & the minature effects epic

[@rw9207]

When I was a kid I loved Monkey and would watch it religiously every week... I will always hold a special place in my heart!

[@MrMojo23100]

I absolutely loved watching Monkey after school as a kid. I am turning 40 in September and I still imitate Monkey any time I am holding a broom handle unsupervised for too long.

[@kroon275]

Im 51 and glad yous younger generation even know of Monkey 👍👍

[@dom0]

I'm 41 and I still do the cloud calling whistle thing.

[@nickmonk7945]

41 just turned, love that theme song Memories

[@jimbojones101]

😅 same here 😂

[@adZHARRISON]

I thought you'd have to be 50+ to remember this - good to see the young un's know about it

[@SheyD78]

This was probably my first exposure to eastern cinema/tv, all the way back in the day. Admittedly it was the dubbed western version but I'd never seen anything like it. The number of times I picked up a stick and waved it around like his staff, or did the cloud summoning thing was something in and of itself. This was a central part of my childhood entertainment and it holds a special place in my heart even now. Special shoutout to Frank Duncan, the narration really helped.

[@herbcraven7146]

Being American, I was previously unaware of this show, but you've convinced me to seek it out. Thanks, Stam!

[@Axaul]

The Disney+ adaptation of American Born Chinese has a flashback episode which is an homage to this series, right down to the opening titles

[@kroon275]

Do itttttttttttttttt 👍

[@craiggibbons8228]

The modern version is absolute trash

[@Axaul]

@@craiggibbons8228 if you’re talking about the Australian Netflix series, yeah that show was trash.

[@mojobag01]

Lucky you. Enjoy.

[@SamStormbornOrmandy]

The nature of Monkey IS STILL irrepressible!!! 🐵🐟🐷🙏🐉 Magical childhood memories! Thank you for this video! 🙏

[@alexanderguesthistorical7842]

I absolutely LOVED Monkey when I was a kid. I loved everything about it, even the cheesiness was endearing. The fact that it was based on a historical story was also right up my street. Even BOTH the theme songs were excellent. Fabulous show! I mentioned it to someone at work the other day. I waved my fingers and blew on them to summon the magic cloud. The look of utter blankness on their face was priceless. Their loss, ha ha.

[@kimyenchu]

You should look up Journey To The West 1986. It is on CCTV channel with all the episodes.

[@never4ever386]

😂

[@jeffknott1975]

Grew up on this show! Was a massive part of my childhood! This , "bmx beat" and "you and me" are all shows I remember 40+ years later!

[@KristovMars]

The ABC did a bang up job on my cultural education - and of all those formative shows this one has held up best. Over 30 years on I bought the DVDs for my brother, and it's still bloody good TV! Our parents were far less enamoured with it however, as my brother and I broke every rake, broom, or other stick recreating battles in the yard. On a recent rewatch I was genuinely impressed by the performances and the quality of the fight scenes, just great. Edit/P.S. Great fun video mate, have a sub for your efforts!

[@Michael-dl2cf]

fantastic show. was a massive hit in Australia.

[@shenysys]

Was not a fan of that Australian/New Zealand production.

[@daverage4729]

So glad you did 'Monkey'. This show was one of the highlights of my childhood with Monkey, Sandy. Pigsy and Trippers like old pals. Used to loved 'summoning up a cloud', inevitably spraying some other poor kid with spluttering spittle . And damn, that theme tune was great!!!

[@Patrick-bu5vy]

This show was absolutely profound. So much depth and incredible imagination. Not sure it would stand up to scrutiny through my now-adult eyes, but as a 10 year-old kid it was, quite simply, magic. Thanks for the review.

[@wigglewiggle3789]

My childhood. Oh how i loved this show. Still do. Take care man.

[@annag8613]

Yay! As an Aussie kid this was an absolute must. We loved this show. So much fun and so creative. Of course there were injuries lol, but so lucky to have it. Remember it like it was yesterday. The music, the stories and that party in the belly of the catfish. Brilliant 😊😊🙏🙏

[@raybearoz]

Great work as always mate... I too was a child of the 80's watching it along Doctor Who or the Goodies... I was holding a scotch ready to scull if you were going to show the clip with Monkey cursing someone as a p**fter (still makes me laugh it's so dumb)... So do we have the Goodies ready to go soon?

[@StamFine]

Thanks again! We did look at the Goodies in the early days of the channel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIvGiIR_ltSaiJY

[@RustyKeys72]

I'll just leave this here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3-uZn6NbLB5rsU

[@craigwilson4439]

Holy crap, did that really happen?. I thought it was just something my drunken mate imagined. Haven't seen him for 35 years but seems he was right. Wish I had have seen that.

[@nikbear]

This and The Water Margin were brilliant in the UK when I was young 👌🐒 on a sad note, the young girl who played Tripytaka passed away from cancer at an early age, and fans of the series still to this day place tins of peaches on her grave to make her immortal like monkey in the series 🐵😢

[@tigerblue42]

That's so sad...but very sweet of her fans to leave the peaches. R.I.P. Masako Natsume 🍑🍑🍑

[@mikicoal]

Leukaemia I believe. The other actors still tear up when it gets brought up (except Sandy-he disappeared to avoid going to prison for tax fraud, if memory serves…)

[@piccalillipit9211]

OH, God tears sprang instantly to my eyes when i read that

[@iandaniel2153]

Yes Masako Natsume was well known in Japan pre / post Monkey ... she died at 27yoa from leukemia.

[@13strange67]

I was always confused whether is was a He or She : thanks for clearing that up

[@Christos78]

Mate well done with this review of a show that takes me back to my childhood from the early 80’s. This was and still is a great show! Best wishes 🤙🏻👊🏻

[@AnthonyP73]

A greatly beloved show from my childhood. And yes I'll accept the full series Aussie dub thanks Stam

[@aaronleverton4221]

Ray Meagher to voice Pigsy.

[@tonyjonesbassoonwhippet2271]

We loved it here in the U.K.! Absolute classic!

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

So true! _"The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!"_ *WOARRGH!! MON-KEH!!* _(fft! fft! fft! fft!)_ _"Ooh! A Hero!"_ {:o:O:}

[@vudusid8717]

It really was so loved.

[@blaxwax]

100% True...UK kids of the 70's/ Early 80's love this. Televised on one of our only three TV channels (at the time).

[@J5X7]

Iirc it was on a Sunday before Bruce Forsyths Price is right

[@TheNightBadger]

The pure nostalgia of it all... younglings will never understand how much of an impact this made on kids back in the day... an unforgettable show that was then is now and shall always be known as... _Monkey Magic..._ believe nobody who says otherwise...

[@mephistoxarses8585]

Monkey!

[@tigerblue42]

@@mephistoxarses8585 Monkey! that's what it was called and that's what I've always called it (for the past 45ish years) but if you prefer to call it "Monkey Magic" then that's fine too.

[@IvyMay-qn2ys]

For sure! This, Hong Kong Phooey, Danger Mouse, They were good times.

[@TheNightBadger]

@@IvyMay-qn2ys 'Hong Kong Phooey' takes me right back!

[@Sean-vh8pm]

NO, Not the younglings! 😱

[@AnthonyGibbsRTA]

I absolutely loved this show as a kid

[@TinHatCat]

Absolutely loved this as a kid. Thanks Stam

[@dawnk6910]

Loved this. Watched this Friday evening 6pm with my dad... Wish it was on again

[@PilotFlight2Mars]

YEAH BABY! I remember requesting this a few months ago when I realised you were an Aussie. I’m totally psyched to watch this.

[@thuaners]

i absolutely love your video! you are spot on!! i grew up as a kid in the 80s and will never forget coming home from school and watching Monkey!! i will always love this show ❤️

[@ApolinarPerdomo1]

I'm from the Dominican Republic, and I remember watching this show dubbed into spanish in the early 80's. I loved the comedy, the special effects and the chinese fantasy setting. I used to swing a broomstick around like Monkey's staff. I also loved the sci-fi futuristic anime adaptation, "Starzinger" (in spanish dub "El Galactico") they were broadcast simultaneously, but luckily at different times. Golden memories!!

[@KingFahtah]

Ah I've seen it in the original Japanese and the English dub I didn't know there was a Spanish dub too! Now I gotta go find that. Thanks for sharing.

[@BlowinFree]

That’s fantastic! I too watched it in Scotland @1981 💋

[@julianandrews6025]

Im from Jamaica and they did a Patois version too!!

[@julianandrews6025]

​@@BlowinFreedid they dub in Glaswegian?

[@BlowinFree]

@@julianandrews6025 no! But that would have been hilarious 😹

[@Wilz77-nv9un]

Thank you for that clip, it was on at that right time in the afternoon, I remember just a good old fantasy film. Cheers ✌🏽

[@adampoll4977]

My after school trifecta at its peak was Monkey, Goodies, then Dr Who. What a time to be a child :)

[@glennoc8585]

70s and 80s the pinnacle of tv

[@BecomeConsciousNow]

I absolutely love watching "Monkey" as a 4 and 5 year old in the early 80s. Even as a very young boy I understood the meaningful moral message they gave at the end of each episode lol. Great action, comedy and storytelling!

[@craigbeale8540]

OMG bro forgot i used to watch this every week. Pure Joy. When times where great. Find me the back catalogue on dvd and im there.

[@brand_holt]

There's a box set of the complete series available. If you google it, I'm sure you'll find it.

[@brucenenke-vk5nk]

It's on Netflixs, tears,excitement and wisdom wrapped up in every episode of this travelogue and all you need is a red t-shirt, a yellow dish towel and a broom handle and you too can be Monkey.

[@julianandrews6025]

Oh great!! I was gonna cancel Shitflicks

[@marylloyd2342]

@@julianandrews6025oh no, I did cancel Netflix!

[@1stacbats]

Was great to find this, thanks for the memories and ill definitely look out for the dvd with the newly updated episodes

[@KingFahtah]

I was of the generation of kids who saw it on the ABC when it first ran in the 80s. It makes me feel less bad about not being around when "The Samurai" was in it's hayday in oz. Between Monkey, Doctor Who, The Goodies, Kenny Everett etc in various rotation and cartoons like Danger Mouse and Bananaman the early evenings before the ABC news were god tier.

[@boydcurrey6958]

And Ulysses 31! The ABC after-school shows were awesome.

[@chookinathunderstorm3446]

Ah! Shintaro! Yes I was fascinated with the Samurai show and the ninjas as a little girl in Oz. I am 66 years now. I was also later in love with Kimba The White Lion and found out later from many adults that they were too. I also liked the french show about Thierry La Fronde, can't remember what it was called though.

[@KingFahtah]

​@@chookinathunderstorm3446 Ah damn now I gotta go watch "Thierry la Fronde" if I can find it...cheers. I have the Samurai on DVD I love it! Apparently he got a bigger reception than the beatles when he visited here. I also have a couple of eps of Phantom Agents but it doesn't seem to have a DVD release for the english dub and the Japan box set is several hundred dollars. Yeah I loved kimba when I was a kid. Also Astro Boy, the King Kong anime and Gigantor.

[@nickmonk7945]

Yes! And do you remember that Mayan/Inca show that came on at around that same time in those days? I loved that show! Edit: the mysterious cities of gold

[@KingFahtah]

@@nickmonk7945 Nah I never watched that but it looks alright.

[@guineapigsue7785]

Aah Tripitaka ❤. I loved this from my childhood ❤

[@trespire]

Loved that sceen where Monkey, after a very long flight to the edge of the universe, relieved himself on the 5 pillars of creation thinking "who's going to know". Only for the Buddha to show it was the 5 fingers of his hand.

[@Jimmy_Jaymes]

Pure gold.

[@IvyMay-qn2ys]

I learnt how to speak in subtitles watching this as a kid. All the cool kids whipped their fingers over their lips like Monkey. It was awesome & was super influential on a lot of us in the 80's. Im tripitaaking out over this!!

[@paulgodden8712]

I remember watching this in the UK. The Water Margins was another show of this genre which was a great watch.

[@bsways]

I never missed this when I was a teen. Loved it. Especially pigsy

[@itswilbur3747]

So many good memories about this show. Also one of the rare instances where the dubbing actually adds to the fun, rather than distracts from it. I usually prefer subtitles for foreign language stuff, but the dub always wins out for me with Monkey☺

[@LeeSurferRosa]

This was my favourite TV show and to this day I still sing that tune ! "'Monkey magic" is THE go to term if i need to swap out a swear word or just any eureka moments or it just pops out now and again. Loved the vid !

[@LeeSurferRosa]

I forgot Pink Panther, Top Cat and other cartoons. But its equal top !

[@rubberneckinc.8937]

Being an American I've no idea where or when I actually saw Monkey but am greatly relieved to now know it wasn't a fever dream. Great video as usual Stam Fine!

[@alexgaras1573]

I forgot seeing this as a young boy and how much I absolutely fucking loved every moment of it. Thank you so much from the most awesome blast from the past. Fucking love it! Peace out

[@ampinstein]

I had forgotten how funny this show was. I had remembered mostly for the action, special effects and engaging storylines but it had a level of wit about it that my kid brain didn't store or understand properly. Thanks for bringing this one back, as usual with these reunions between my past brain and my current one, I remembered Monkey magic (sorry, I know that's wrong but damnit that's what we called it) being waaaay longer that it actually was. Same with Fawlty Towers; twelve episodes? Your having a giraffe! Btw, would love an episode on the Battle of The Planets cartoon. Adored it as a kid but as an adult I thought it somewhat undeserving of such love.

[@JuliaHarrisx]

Omg! I loved this as a kid! It’s one of those shows that I will never forget. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@Hossak]

My goodness watching this makes me so happy. I loved this show so much, the cast was just perfect, the action scenes were awesome, stories endearing, magic spells fun and dialogue was fantastic. Thank you for the review :)

[@BENOBIWAN]

Really enjoyed this video. I'm a 70's English kid and have very fond memories of watching "Monkey Magic" when I was little. That intro dialogue an theme tune are absolutely embedded in my head! Also very pleased to learn you guys got The Goodies down under! I'd never really imagined that stuff catching on overseas. It always seemed like a very particluar type of British sillyness! But then again, I've always thought Ozzy/Brit humour was pretty similar, so 'totes' make sense :) The Goodies bigfoot episode is another thing that lives in my head rent free! Anyway, you got a new sub. Keep up the good work, mate. :)

[@runtsgal]

I loved watching this show in the 80’s. We were very limited on TV channels in the UK back then and this was a treat. And yes the Monkey magic theme tune was incredibly catchy. 😃

[@adZHARRISON]

3 channels was all we needed

[@kingcynic5669]

Try growing up in country town Australia! For a big chunk we only had ABC so Monkey, Battle of the Planets, Starblazers, Astroboy, Dr Who (Pertwee and Baker), The Goodies, and the Kenny Everett show were it for us.

[@intheshadows..2107]

Thanks for the memories. Watched this in Scotland in the early 1980's. It was on early Friday evenings. All my mates watched it as well and personally speaking I think Monkey was the only reason we went to School on Mondays, so we could talk about Friday's Monkey episode.

[@RedCatHabitat]

Been trying to get the wife to see the charm of this show but she can't get past the cheese. Wonderful series. So much wisdom fun and heart.

[@idachau1080]

I loved this series of Monkey.. I watched this particular series ( same actors) in the UK.. how lovely to see it again. Many thanks for this... 👍

[@conniebenny]

Brilliant video! I used to watch this in the 70's on BBC2 here in the UK, and this transported me back to that time. I loved it then, and I love it now, and still have the Godiego Soundtrack LP today.

[@OzzyTragic]

Love it mate. Born in the eighties, watched it in the nineties 👍 still rock out to monkey magic every know and again

[@reverance_pavane]

Monkey was a substantial influence on my dealing with pain. I still go "yah ta ta ya ta ta tah" when I hurt myself. I do recommend Stephen Chow's movie version of Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons Within for an excellent take on this classic Chinese tale of Sun Wukong the Monkey King that will be appreciated by audiences of this show. On the other hand the modern (2018) Australian/NZ coproduction (The New Legends of Monkey) should probably be avoided by anyone who liked the original Monkey (and definitely by anyone who is a fan of the original tale written by Wu Cheng'en.

[@chele277]

I loved this as a kid and i introduced my son. Its still on London Live tv channel here in the UK. I caught a few episodes a few weeks back. It still stands up

[@MattMcIrvin]

I never heard of this show until Australian friends started talking about it. I'd read some of a translation of Journey to the West and was astounded to see that it was really a pretty faithful rendition of this classical Chinese story.

[@Jimmy_Jaymes]

One of the greatest shows of all time and I WILL fight you on this.

[@Loneman_OG]

This was absolutely brilliant! Thanks for the trip down memory lane (Fridays at 18:00 on BBC 2); you had me laughing so much with your excellent commentary that the missus went into full-on "tut & roll-eyes" mode! 😂👍

[@TimLongson]

A cult classic, one of my favourite series ever. I own the DVD complete boxset, but I believe they have it on the streaming channel BritBox.

[@konthaijaidee3035]

Hey, I am from Thailand. I watched that when I was a kid back in 70's.. Remember a bit, especially part of the song ... monkey magic.... yeahhhh

[@Herne0011]

Watching this was like stepping into a time machine. Thank you very much.

[@FlashpointFilms.Est.1999]

At least I wasn't alone here. I used to call this show monkey magic. When I was a child. Because of the theme song. Loved this series

[@dohvahkiin1177]

Born in 76, watched this growing up. Refer to it at least once a week! Love it. 🙌🏼🇦🇺👊🏻

[@doobydootoo]

Same here

[@Woke_White_Woman]

I loved this Show from back in the day

[@1Alpha1AlhaBeta]

Cheers Stam, this brought back some brilliant memories 👌(Oh by the way, you are criminally under-subbed!)

[@HarryFlashmanVC]

I absolutely loved Monkey when i was a kid

[@tashvadj4914]

So good to revisit this classic, was a huge part of my childhood in the 70s UK. My Mum banned me replaying the fighting IRL 24/7 LOL!

[@snipedude4953]

This was one of my favourite shows as a child in the UK. I bought the complete series on VHS in around 2000, I've just bought the complete collection on blue ray. I still called the show Monkey Magic.

[@citylife2050]

A blast from my childhood. Found completely by chance, after coming home from the chip shop with my Mum. Just turned TV on expecting the usual stuff and there was this guy smacking the hell out of these colourful demons with a funky looking stick. We were hooked. BBC 2 Friday evenings were Monkey night.

[@Mr.MFuckingYTchangedmyname]

Saturday mornings were then Twat Your Mates With Sticks mornings. (Followed by Get Bollocked By Parents for Bullying Adrian down the road afternoon)

[@JuliaHarrisx]

@@Mr.MFuckingYTchangedmyname😂😂😂

[@BlackLung911]

Used watch this show at 5.30 every Tuesday evening. The dubbing into English was very amusing. 😅😅😅

[@zippymctarget2770]

As an Aussie, Monkey is right up there with Starblazers as a classic from the early eighties on Auntie for us kids of the time.

[@mickyr171]

As a fellow Aussie, I always remembered it being Monkey Magic?

[@mr356247]

@@mickyr171 New Zealand too. Monkey Magic #1.

[@MyCaptainPugwash]

Starblzers, Monkey, Kenny Everette, Doctor Who and Flash Gordon.

[@julianandrews6025]

It did take me some yrs to master the flying cloud summons ....

[@MdIuKbEz]

My absolute favourite show as a kid along with the 70s Hulk series and Terrahawks

[@stevewright588]

Nice blast from the past. We used to play monkey at break time in school. I was the poor kid who was Trippitaka, good times though. Great video.

[@rohanmarkjay]

The British dubbing in London in 1979 was the key to its worldwide success. They did a good job dubbing the original japanese dialogue and making it humorous fun and accessible. I think Miriam Margoyles did Tripitaka and other characters and other British actors of the time did the other characters. I think it was done to show a Japanese series which was popular on its original run in Japan in 1978 wether it would be successful with British and worldwide audience. Because in the late 1970s everything Japanese was cool in the west especially in England. Where the new wave music movement borrowed heavily from things and fashions going on in Japan at the time. Anything Japanese was cool in the late 1970s in the west. The dubbed version is a co Japanese-British production and its brilliant and it works and still one of my favourite tv shows of all time. It was fun humourous, intelligent, mystical a tv show full of wisom from the Buddhist way of life. Even now when I watch it I get inspired to be a better person and live a better life. Great show. It is timeless. Japanese did a good job with the original with its late 1970s special effects and electronic synthesiser and disco soundtrack and the British in London did a good job polishing up the soundtrack and dubbing it really really well. The result is a absolute brilliant tv show. I had many happy moments in the country I was living in in the 1980s in front of the tv show watching this Japanese tv series from the late 1970s.

[@thedon-e6514]

Godiego played a gig at the Royal Melbourne Show! I vividly remember seeing them and going off as they played Monkey Magic! Must have been in the first half of the 80s - 83 or 84. Just added Monkey Magic to my iTunes playlist 😄

[@tantona9315]

I watched this regularly at the age of 4 or 5 - simply brilliant! Kids these days don't know they're born I tells yer!

[@Augustus087]

Monkey Magic! Monkey Magic! I used to play the theme song after class, and sing along. My 6th grade students thought I was nuts. Good times. =)

[@tqbatman3482]

That right there is exactly what my childhood smelt like.... Couldn't wait for the next episode. Monkey and The Water Margin.... thanks for the memories. Now to go find them on DVD....

[@D_Rogers]

The advantage of 80's TV being full of repeats and rubbish, is that the gems really stand out and stick in your memory! ABC weeknights - Doctor Who, Starblazers, Goodies, Monkey etc Thank goodness for the ABC, the commercial stations seemed to think kids wanted to see Chopper Squad after school! :( So many great shows made in the 80's... It would have been great if they were also on TV a bunch in the 80's! :D It's nice to be able to watch these as collections whenever I like now... The magic competition where Sandy blows that fart bubble in the land of demons, is one of my favourites....

[@ramnexus]

Thanks for the reminder. These are some very welcome memories you're triggered. That evening timeslot in the 80's with Dr Who, The Goodies and/or Monkey (plus Peter Russel-Clark's "Come and Get it") was a cornerstone of my childhood. Very good memories, all.

[@fazole]

When I was in Hong Kong, I watched "Journey to the West", HK version because there was hardly any English language programming in the 90s. The dubbing was hilarious!

[@sdqsdq6274]

Journey to the West is the real OG

[@rachaelhogan7850]

Omg this takes me back I used to watch this decades ago when I was a kid pigsy sandy Tripitaka and monkey oh my god I can’t believe it I loved it as a kid I live in England but it used to be on in my country

[@jefftucker201]

Loved Monkey when I was young, used to watch it with my Grandad. I always got annoyed with the others though as Monkey could always tell when it was a Demon but they never listened to him!