Dinosaur King: The Adventure Begins…

An extension of Sega's video arcade and card game franchise, the American version of this Japanese series revolves around three 12-year-olds who track dinosaurs. Broadcast on FOX's 4KidsTV network, Dinosaur King: The Adventure Begins…, which is drawn with anime-style animation, compiles the first five episodes introducing the D-Team: Max Taylor, Rex Owen, and Zoe Drake. Max's father, Spike, a paleontologist who more closely resembles an Old West prospector, assists with various inventions and advice, while Rex's father, Seth, and Zoe's sister, Reece, also help out. When the core trio stumble upon a set of mysterious tablets and trading cards in the forest, they discover that when the artifacts are combined in a certain way, the pictured creatures (the first is a Triceratops) spring to life (to make them disappear, the kids simply reverse their actions). Meanwhile, the time-traveling Dr. Z, head of the Alpha Gang, plots to become King of the Dinosaurs, but first must find those missing cards. As the story progresses, the D-Team acquires a set of baby dino mascots: Chomp, Ace, and Paris. Dinosaur King doesn't score many points for originality, but dino-crazy kids are sure to enjoy, and the series sprinkles a smidgen of science here and there. DVD extras include a brief featurette on the Triceratops. A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)