BraveStarr (1987): the space western that grabbed you after school

BraveStarr hit syndication in 1987 as a space western action cartoon, and it was exactly as weird and wonderful as that sounds. The show followed a marshal on a desert planet called New Texas—not Earth, but a sci-fi frontier—fighting outlaws and alien bad guys with the help of a talking horse named Thirty-Thirty and a Native American shaman who granted him animal superpowers. It was Gunsmoke meets Star Wars meets Saturday morning mayhem, and it worked.

What was the show actually about?

BraveStarr was a 30-minute action cartoon that ran for one season with 65 episodes from 1987 to 1989 in syndication. The title character was a lawman who could call on the powers of animals—eagle strength, bear endurance, falcon flight, wolf speed—to fight crime and keep the peace. His partner Thirty-Thirty was a sentient horse with a rifle built into his body (yes, really). The villain was Tex Hex, an outlaw sorcerer, and his gang of space-age desperados. The show mixed gunslinger tropes with sci-fi hardware and a surprisingly earnest moral center. Each episode ended with a lesson, but it never felt preachy because the action was too good.

Watch it: BraveStarr: The Complete Series DVD on Amazon (Own all 65 episodes of this cult classic space western cartoon from the comfort of your couch)

The toys and the merchandise machine

Kenner made BraveStarr action figures to cash in on the show's popularity, and they were solid. The line included the main character, Thirty-Thirty, Tex Hex, and a bunch of supporting characters. Collectors still hunt for the vintage figures today because the sculpts were good and the articulation was decent for the era. The toys hit retail in the late 1980s and disappeared just as fast, which is why they're worth looking for now if you want to relive that part of your childhood. The line didn't last long—the show's syndication run faded—but it left enough of a mark that fans still remember the figures fondly.

What held up and what didn't

The action sequences still work. The animation is bright, the fight choreography is clear, and the pacing keeps moving. You can follow what's happening, which is more than you can say for some cartoons from that era. The voice acting is solid—the cast knew how to deliver action dialogue without sounding stiff.

What's dated: the synthesizer soundtrack is pure 1980s, which is either a feature or a bug depending on your taste. The moral lessons at the end feel like network mandates, though they're quick and don't derail the episode. Some of the dialogue is clunky, but that's part of the charm. The premise itself—a space western with Native American mysticism—feels like it was designed in a room full of toy executives throwing darts at a board, but somehow it landed.

That theme song

If you watched BraveStarr as a kid, you remember the theme. It's a rock-and-roll guitar riff with synthesizers, and it's stuck in your brain for life. The opening sequence shows the marshal on his horse, riding across a desert planet with laser fire and explosions, and the song just goes. It's the kind of theme that makes you want to get up and do something, which is exactly what a Saturday morning cartoon should do.

Where to watch it now

BraveStarr is available on DVD through various retailers, and streaming options pop up on services that specialize in classic cartoons. Check your usual suspects—the show has enough of a cult following that it hasn't disappeared entirely. Some episodes are on YouTube, though official channels and licensing vary. If you want to own it, the DVD is the most reliable way to build a collection without hunting through syndication archives.

The bottom line

BraveStarr is a time capsule of 1980s toy-driven animation, but it's a good one. The show knew what it was—a vehicle to sell action figures—but it didn't phone in the storytelling. The premise is bonkers, the action is solid, and it respects the audience enough to move fast and keep things interesting. IMDb users rate it 7.1 out of 10, which feels about right for a show that was never trying to be prestige television but delivered solid entertainment. If you loved it as a kid, it's worth an afternoon. If you missed it, you'll get why kids raced home to catch it on UHF. It's not high art, but it's honest entertainment from an era when Saturday morning cartoons didn't apologize for being exactly what they were.

Quick answers

How many episodes of BraveStarr are there?

The show ran for 65 episodes from 1987 to 1989. Most of them are available on DVD or through classic cartoon streaming services.

Are the vintage BraveStarr figures worth collecting?

Yes, if you can find them. The Kenner line is harder to locate than some other toy lines from the era, which makes the figures worth hunting for if you're a collector. Check eBay sold listings to see what they're going for.

Did BraveStarr get a reboot or revival?

Not in any significant way. The show remains a cult classic from the 1980s, but there's been no major revival, remake, or streaming reboot.

How does BraveStarr compare to other 80s action cartoons?

It's different—more of a western than a pure sci-fi show. If you liked the action-heavy cartoons of that era, you'll find plenty to like here, though BraveStarr leans harder into the genre mashup angle than most.