Ulysses 31: History, Characters, and Mythology of a Space Odyssey

Ulysses 31 is a French-Japanese animated series that transports Ulysses’ epic adventure into the 31st century. Produced by DIC and Tokyo Movie Shinsha, it merges the imagery of Greek mythology with interstellar travel, robots, and sci-fi landscapes across its 26-episode run.

A father trying to return home, a crew condemned to frozen immobility, and gods capable of turning the universe into a prison—this is the foundation of a story where every new discovery may hide another trap. Aboard the starship Odysseus, Ulysses travels with Telemachus, Yumi, and Nono in search of an escape from the realm of Olympus.

The series delivers thrilling adventure while exploring timeless questions straight out of classical tales: what it means to challenge absolute power, the weight of responsibility toward one’s comrades, and how much we are willing to sacrifice to return to the ones we love.

Ulysses, commander of the starship Odysseus, destroys the Cyclops to save his son Telemachus and other captives. Reimagined as a gigantic mechanical entity, the creature belongs to the realm of the gods; its destruction sparks a divine punishment that transforms the hero’s journey home into a long exile.

Zeus sentences Ulysses to wander through the universe of Olympus. His crew members are frozen in a state of suspended animation, and locating the Kingdom of Hades becomes the sole condition to free them and find the path back to Earth.

Ulysses is joined by Telemachus, the alien girl Yumi, and the robot Nono. Together, they face uncharted worlds, deceptions, and creatures inspired by classical antiquity. Each adventure introduces its own conflict while maintaining a common underlying question: Are they closer to returning home, or have they fallen into yet another trap set by the gods?

The connection to Homer goes far beyond the main character’s name. In the Odyssey, the return to Ithaca structures a journey marked by loss, obstacles, and extraordinary encounters. Ulysses 31 translates this framework into outer space, where planets replace islands and a starship substitutes the original vessel.

However, it is a loose adaptation. Telemachus accompanies his father on the voyage, whereas in the poem, his growth and quest initially follow a separate path. The inclusion of Yumi and Nono also alters the group’s dynamic, introducing childhood friendship, alien abilities, and technological humor.

Furthermore, the series incorporates myths that are not part of the original hero’s adventures in the Odyssey. The Sphinx and the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur expand the narrative lineup beyond Homer’s poem. Distinguishing this makes it easier to enjoy the show without mistaking it for a literal adaptation or an academic breakdown of each myth.

Narratively speaking, the series preserves the ancient tale’s core motivation—the longing for home—while reorganizing its characters and conflicts to build a family-friendly sci-fi adventure.

Main Characters

Ulysses: A Hero defined by his responsibility

Ulysses is a captain, an adventurer, and a father. His mission is not merely about survival: he must protect the children and save the crew members who can no longer act for themselves. This duty creates a continuous narrative arc, even when an episode focuses on a local, standalone conflict.

His appeal as a protagonist lies in his blend of action and judgment. The threats he faces demand physical combat, but they also require him to decipher what is happening, question all-too-easy solutions, and decide when to help others. Strength does not make him immune to vulnerability—he can pilot an extraordinary starship and still be completely lost in space.

Telemachus: Growing Up on the Journey

Telemachus brings the grand adventure down to a child’s perspective. His relationship with Ulysses allows viewers to observe danger from two distinct angles: that of a young explorer eager to learn, and that of a parent who must protect without smothering.

His presence turns the journey home into a deeply personal family mission. The destination isn’t just an abstract spatial coordinate; it represents the chance to reclaim a life put on hold.

Yumi (Thais): Friendship and Extraordinary Abilities:

Yumi is a young girl from the planet Zotra who possesses telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Her brother, Numinor (Numaios), falls victim to the gods’ curse, giving her a personal reason to travel alongside Ulysses.

in the original French version Thémis; known as   Thais in Spain, and Yumi appears in other versions, such as the English one. It is always advisable to identify the version when comparing names.

Within the team, Yumi offers solutions through powers that differ entirely from Ulysses’ physical approach. Her close friendship with Telemachus also keeps the young characters’ storyline from being centered strictly on a father-son dynamic.

Nono: Humor in a Menacing Universe

Nono is the small robot companion instantly recognizable by his constant craving for bolts and metallic spare parts. His comedic relief provides brief respite between high-stakes situations.

This contrast serves a clear narrative purpose: a universe dominated by divine punishment and frozen crewmates would feel far too grim without a character bringing clumsiness, wonder, and warmth. Nono brings a cozy, human scale to an otherwise cosmic, overwhelming story.

Shirka: The Voice of the Ship

Shirka (spelled Shyrka in the original French release) is the Odysseus’s artificial intelligence. Her informational and navigational support is essential to operating the starship.

Narratively, Shirka also highlights the limits of technology. Access to advanced data and systems means little when the laws of the universe are controlled by unpredictable, divine powers.

Numinor and the Frozen Crew

Though they cannot actively participate in each planet’s exploration, the cursed crew members remain essential to the narrative. Their suspended state turns the starship into a constant, walking reminder of their unfinished mission.

This dynamic gives the journey a collective weight: returning home alone would mean total failure.

Zeus, Poseidon, and the Power of Olympus

The gods elevate the conflict far beyond the protagonists’ control. More than simple “villains of the week,” they embody an absolute, distant authority imposing its rules upon the journey.

The series can be read as a clash between arbitrary power and human responsibility: Ulysses suffers a divine curse precisely because he stepped in to save others.

The Odysseus: Starship, Haven, and Reminder of the Curse

Ulysses’ majestic starship perfectly encapsulates the show’s visual identity. Its iconic ring-shaped silhouette—featuring a central core reminiscent of a giant eye—sets it apart from standard sci-fi ships built purely of wings and fuselages.

Its massive scale creates two contrasting feelings. It is a protective haven carrying the heroes through unknown worlds, yet it also feels hauntingly empty for the tiny group still awake inside. The sight of the frozen crew members ensures viewers never forget why the journey must continue.

The ship deserves its own section, separate from the characters and auxiliary vehicles. This helps distinguish its narrative function, its exterior design, and the systems that enable the expeditions.

Its visual design relies heavily on the work of French conceptual artist Manchu Manchu, Philippe Bouchet, alongside the Japanese mechanical design team. Manchu has shared original production sketches of the Odysseus, offering invaluable insight into the creative development of this legendary starship.  Original production artwork for the Odysseus by Manchu.

Production: A French-Japanese Collaboration

Ulysses 31 was born from a joint effort between DIC and Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Its official documentation highlights it as a pioneer French-Japanese collaboration that transported Homer’s legend into the far future.

Jean Chalopin and Nina Wolmark led the show’s creation and writing, while Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno headed the character designs. These distinct roles—conceptualizing a series, scripting it, directing, and animating its scenes—represent individual artistic contributions that documentation must carefully differentiate.  Credits collected.

Visually, the final result merges classic, human character silhouettes with futuristic spaceships, monumental architecture, and mechanical devices. This co-existence of two distinct aesthetic languages is one of the show’s defining features: antiquity and science fiction sharing the exact same stage.

The 1980 Pilot

Before the final series aired, a pilot episode was produced featuring substantial design and narrative differences. Comparing it to the final product reveals that the project underwent a major overhaul rather than simple cosmetic tweaks. In 2015, researcher Hervé de La Haye documented the recovery of a French print of the pilot, publishing clips and credit details.  Investigation into the pilot.

Computer Animation: What We Know

The credits for the pilot list computer animation work. De La Haye’s research explains the team’s original ambition to animate the starship using computer graphics, along with the technical hurdles they encountered. While this proves there was digital experimentation during development, it does not imply that every vector-style graphic in the final broadcast was produced via CGI.  Credits and technical analysis of the pilot.

For this reason, Ulysses 31 should not be labeled “the first series to use CGI” without documented historical comparison, nor should manufacturing methods be inferred solely from visual appearances.

The Music of Ulysses 31

The Western soundtrack brings together compositions by Denny Crockett and Ike Egan, along with contributions from Shuki Levy and Haim Saban. The 35th-anniversary soundtrack release officially documented and restored both musical sets alongside the iconic vocal tracks.  35th Anniversary Edition.

Its artistic impact operates on two distinct levels: 1. The Theme Songs: Deliver instant, memorable brand identity. 2. The Incidental Music: Accompanies specific scenes and provides emotional continuity across wildly different planets.

While electronic elements enhance the futuristic atmosphere, describing the entire score simply as “synth music” overlooks its dramatic depth. Listening closely reveals rich contrasts between action, danger, mystery, and melancholy—the soundtrack sounds strikingly different when the heroes are exploring an uncharted world compared to when they are reflecting on their curse.

Additionally, international variations should not be confused. The Japanese release features a completely original soundtrack composed by  Kei Wakakusa, meaning there is no single, uniform musical experience across global broadcasts. Information about the musical versions.

Premiere and Broadcast Format

FR3 premiered the series in France on October 3, 1981. The initial broadcast format used an innovative structure: short 5-minute segments aired Monday through Saturday, followed by a full compilation episode the following Saturday. This amounted to six weekly fragments, rather than six segments aired on the same day. This initial broadcast cycle concluded on April 3, 1982.  Documented chronology of Hervé de La Haye.

Broadcast History in Spain
Ulysses 31 premiered in Spain on TVE (Televisión Española) in 1982. To pinpoint the exact date, time, and episode order of its initial broadcast, historical newspaper archives and TV listings are essential reference tools. Period archives generally place the premiere on October 10, though this date should be understood within the context of original programming guides rather than direct network log checks.  Collection of Spanish issues.

Episodes: A Continuous Quest with Standalone Stories

The 26 episodes combine an overarching storyline with standalone conflicts resolved within a single episode. The premiere sets the divine curse in motion, the middle episodes explore various cosmic obstacles, and the Kingdom of Hades serves as the narrative climax.

When consulting an episode guide, it is crucial to recognize which viewing order is being used. For instance, researcher Hervé de La Haye documented that the order of the episodes Heratos and The Wild Flowers (Les Fleurs sauvages) was swapped in subsequent French reruns compared to the original broadcast. Consequently, a home media release tracklist should not automatically be assumed to represent the true original air order.  Comparison of French emissions.

The episodic structure lends itself to grouping adventures by overarching themes: memory and oblivion, punishment, knowledge, transformation, or the temptation to abandon the journey. Organizing the show this way complements a simple title list and helps viewers discover narrative connections across episodes.

Themes and Critical Analysis

The following observations represent a critical interpretation of the series’ narrative design, rather than official statements from its creators.

Responsibility to Others:  The frozen crew members prevent the mission from becoming a purely selfish quest for survival. The hero remains bound to those who cannot save themselves.

Family as the Horizon:  The shared journey of Ulysses and Telemachus frames the adventure as a story of parenthood, protection, and growth. Home is represented as a human relationship rather than a coordinate on a star map.

The Abuse of Power:  The gods’ divine sentence raises a timeless question: Is a command inherently just simply because it comes from a higher authority?

The Limits of Technology:  Command of a state-of-the-art starship does not guarantee freedom. The contrast between technical capability and absolute disorientation lies at the heart of this mythological sci-fi.

Perseverance:  Facing continuous, relentless obstacles tests the hero’s ability to maintain purpose even when there is no guarantee that the next effort will bring a solution.

Why Does Ulysses 31 Still Matter Today?

Its value goes far beyond mere nostalgia for those who grew up watching it. The series offers a textbook case study on how an international co-production can successfully adapt classical literary heritage into a modern audiovisual masterpiece.

For mythology enthusiasts, it provides a fascinating study in character reinterpretation. For animation scholars, it brings together stellar character design, rich world-building, and complex production logistics. For sci-fi fans, it delivers a unique universe where futuristic technology coexists alongside ancient divine powers.

Its most fertile trait remains that very coexistence: it can feature robots and starships without ever losing sight of the timeless human conflict of a hero trying to guide his crew back home.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Series

What does the “31” in the title mean?

It refers to the 31st century, the futuristic era in which the series takes place. TMS.

Is Ulysses 31 a French or Japanese series?

It is a French-Japanese co-production. Reducing its origin to a single nationality overlooks a crucial part of its creative process.  TMS.

Does it have 26 or 156 episodes?

There are 26 full-length episodes. The figure of 156 refers to its initial French broadcast format, where episodes were broken down into short daily fragments.  History of the broadcast.

Is it a faithful adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey?

It reimagines Ulysses’ journey while incorporating various other Greek myths. It changes the setting, reorganizes key characters, and adds distinct sci-fi elements.

Are Yumi, Thais, and Thémis different characters?

No, they are different names used for the exact same character across localized releases: Yumi in the English version, Thais in Spain, and Thémis in the original French version. When documenting the character, it is best to use the target language’s standard name while referencing the international variants.  Yumi Profile, English version