Willy Fog is the hero of this tale, based on Jules Verne's novel 'Around the World in Eighty Days'. This is one of those very in-depth cartoon series generated in the 1980's such as Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, Ulysses or the Mysterious Cities of Gold. The story passes from cartoon to cartoon across its 26 episodes.
The basic tale is that Willy Fog accepts a wager from four fellow members of his Gentleman's Reform Club to try and travel around the world in Eighty Days, easily done now - but a lot more difficult in 1872!
Willy Fog sets off with his manservant Rigodon and Rigodon's friend Tico. On the way they meet numerous incidental characters, but most importantly Fog meets and falls in love with Princess Romy (whom he saves from certain death in India). Travelling via Calcutta, India, Hong-Kong, USA Fogg and his companions not only have to beat the natural challenge of travelling around the world in 80days (such as storms, missed trains etc.) but one of the more villainous members of the reform club - Sullivan, has hired a villain called Transfer to try and sabotage Fog.
As if that was not enough, Fog is also being pursued by Inspector Dix of Scotland Yard, who mistakenly believes that Fog is responsible for a bank robbery that occurred just before he left London. It's a real cartoon favourite of mine, based on an excellent story by Jules Verne, and I won't spoil the end by telling you whether or not he makes the wager! On a technical note the cartoon was made in Spain by the same company that made Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, it was animated in Japan and then dubbed in America!
Willy Fog (Philleas Fogg in the novel)
Willy Fog, is the ultimate, impeccably tailored English Gent. He is renowned across 1870's London for two things: his business Savvy and his relentless obsession with routine and time-keeping.
Therefore it is somewhat of a surprise when he accepts the wager from his Reform Club members to travel the globe in less than Eighty Days! He proves himself to be courageous, intelligent and resourceful in the face of adversity.
Willy also has other adventures beyond this one - see Willy Fog and the Journey to the Centre of the Earth page coming soon!
Rigodon(Passepartout) and Tico
Rigodon and Tico are best friends & inseperable. The original odd couple, Rigodon is a measured, responsible chap and Tico is a more spirited companion.
Rigodon is fed-up with the unpredictable and often difficult life of a circus performer and so seeks a career as a man-servant. His first master was always off globe-trotting with his wealth, and so Rigodon decided to try and get a job with Willy Fog who is renowned across the whole of London as a reserved, predictable gentleman not disposed to travelling - he's in for a shock!
Transfer
Transfer is a criminal, hired by one of the under-handed reform club members (Sullivan) to sabotage Fog on his journey around the world. Transfer is a bit like Tom Cruise from Mission Impossible! he's always putting on masks and disguises to trick the companions and delay their journey.
Looking back on the cartoons now, he is a lot less mean than I remember and quite often like to break out into song! But he does have this strange flashing eye thing that is still as freaky today as it was back then!
Princess Romy (Aouda in the novel)
The princess is rescued by Fog and Rogodon from being burned alive in the Indian jungle. Romy was an orphan that married an Indian prince, and everything was going well until he died and following the custom of his people (who worshipped Kali) she was due to be burned on his funeral pyre with him.
Fog falls in love with Princess throughout their travels, and she generally fills her time helping out all of the people that get injured due to their adventures.
Ralph
Ralph is a pretty incidental character in the cartoon, but I've stuck him in as he's always on Fog's side, no matter how bad things seem! Ralph is the reporter that wrote the article which led to Fog takingon the journey, he also continues to report Fog's success back to the public at large.
Inspector Dix (Inspector Fix in the novel)
Again Inspector Dix of Scotland Yard is relatively incidental. Dix and his put upon colleague Constable Bully are not villainous characters, they wish to impede Fog because they beleive he is a master-criminal. Inspector Dix burns with a passion to capture Fog, Bully just wants to go back home!
Transfer's Bad Singing
As mentioned above, Transfer isn't quite as scary as I remember him - he seems to have a habit of breaking out into song all the time!
Willy Fog: Lyrics
FOG, I'M THE ONE WHO MADE THE BET
AND I KNOW WE'LL BE EXACTLY RIGHT ON TIIIIME
FOG IS MY NAME AND I COULD PLAY WITH MY LIFE IN MANY WAYS
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAAAYYY
HERE I AM - A RIGADON
I'M A TICO - D'MASCOTA
IT'S MY TURN - THE GENTLE TOUCH
A ROMY THEY LOVE ME SO MUCH
HEY! NOW THEY STORY MUST GO ON
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIME HAS GONE
WE MUST BE READY
TO GO AWAAYYY
80 DAYS AROUND THE WORLD
WE'LL FIND A POT OF GOLD
JUST SITTING WHERE THE RAINBOW'S ENDING
TIME - WE'LL FIGHT AGAINST THE TIME
AND WE'LL FLY ON THE WHITE WINGS OF THE WIND
80 DAYS AROUND THE WORLD
NO WE WON'T SAY A WORD
BEFORE THE SHIP IS REALLY BACK
ROUND, ROUND, ALL AROUND THE WORLD
ROUND, ALL AROUND THE WORLD
ROUND, ALL AROUND THE WORLD
ROUND, ALL AROUND THE WORLD!
Eighty Days Around the World with Willy Fog Theme Tune 
