Gadget Hoax

The Gadget Hoax is the title given to an incident in which a fan of the popular 1980s animated franchise Inspector Gadget perpetuated the myth that an obscure and rare Gadget spin-off had aired in the United Kingdom.

Background

The myth began in earnest a few years after the airing of Gadget and the Gadgetinis, the first regular animated series for the character since the prequel series Gadget Boy. In "Gadget and the Gadgetinis", which was a direct sequel to the classic series, Gadget acquired a pair of robot sidekicks akin to himself, which were created by his niece (Penny) shortly after Brain's retirement.

The series proved a cult hit with some fans, to the extent that years after it seized airing, rumours that another series animated in the same style had followed called "Go Go Gadgetinis"

Despite strong claims by fans either in on the joke or convinced it was real, as well as fan artwork, awkward "screencaps," and an information page on IMDB, animated evidence to the existence of "Go Go Gadgetinis" was tremendously scarce. No footage could be provided when asked, nor an episode uploaded for audiences outside of the UK or Europe.

The series itself was seemingly much darker than previous incarnations, and focused on the established characters as well as adding new ones.

Characters

Inspector Prince: an unusual woman rumored to be Gadget's girlfriend, sporting a shockingly vibrant head of purple hair, as well as a starch-white overcoat and hat, or at other times, a red coat and beanie. Articles depicting her all run within a similar note of one another, comparing her to the main character featured within the hit series "Ghost in the Shell" (Motoko Kusanagi). Her voice actor is labeled as Deborah Taylor, whose voice acting career consists of roles such as Lambi from 'Noodle Shop,' and Axel Olivia Alloy from 'The Doonys.' Not only are these series so obscure that no official information can be found, but the voice actor herself possesses qualities akin to what might be considered a 'mary-sue' character. Her qualities include knowledge in various forms of dance (self-taught), a record of illustrating various works for companies such as RDS (no resources available when searched), a devout interest in Egyptology, as well as supposed visions related to various Egyptian sites.

Data and Scooter: Inspector Prince's own Gadgetini companions who appear much like herself. Screen-captures have been found, displaying photo-manipulation, in which these two are featured.

Mrs. Molly: A character associated with the main villain Doctor Claw, she is said to be voice-acted by none other than Julia Anne Taylor who provides the voice for Motoko in the series Ghost in the Shell.

Viral Campaign

It is rumored that whoever holds control over this long running hoax maintains several dozen accounts throughout the web, including information sites and art galleries, all under different or similar names. All information draws back to the member "Axel Alloy", a member fairly well known on DeviantArt, and the acclaimed voice actor herself. She holds several accounts online, specifically art galleries where her style is easily decipherable.

Whilst the existence of the series has been proven a myth (as far as present development goes), the concepts of the series show an encouraging attention to detail, as well as respect and expansion on the series mythology. These attributes have further caused speculation as to the truth behind the hoax. Whenever or not it was an aborted pitch for what became "Gadget and the Gadgetinis" or if it was just a simple fanfiction meme remains unknown.

"Go Go Gadgetinis" shares many characteristics with the Japanese fan-supported hoax Dragonball AF, as it has gained a cult following and remains heavily disputed amongst new or casual fans who become aware of it.

In April 2008, an all-new "Inspector Gadget" animated series was announced by DIC, to air in 2009. It will bear no outright similarities to the Gadgetinies universe.

External links

* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ht8mkefUO6k Hoax Documentary]