Danny Phantom is an American animated superhero action adventure television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on April 3, 2004, immediately after the 2004 Kids' Choice Awards, and ended on August 24, 2007. The series follows Danny Fenton, a teenage boy who, after an accident with an unpredictable portal between the human world and the "Ghost Zone", becomes a human-ghost hybrid and takes on the task of saving his town (and the world) from subsequent ghost attacks using an evolving variety of supernatural powers. Danny is aided in his quest by his two best friends, Sam Manson and Tucker Foley, and later by his older sister Jazz, who for most of the series' run are among the only people who know of his double life.[2]
Throughout its run, Danny Phantom received five Annie Award nominations and positive reviews.[3] In recent years, the series, particularly its first two seasons, has received renewed attention and critical acclaim from critics and audiences, being considered by many as Hartman's best work.[4][5] Additionally, Danny Phantom has spawned video games, home video releases, toys, and various other merchandise. A campaign to revive Danny Phantom called the Go Ghost Again Movement has spawned in recent years, including a petition on Change.org that has received thousands of signatures.[6]
Daniel "Danny" Fenton, a 14-year-old boy living in the small town of Amity Park, lives with his ghost hunting eccentric parents, Jack and Madeline "Maddie", and his overprotective but caring 16-year-old sister, Jasmine "Jazz". Upon pressure from his two best friends, Samantha "Sam" Manson and Tucker Foley, Danny decides to explore the Ghost Portal created by his parents in their attempt to bridge the human world and the Ghost Zone (the parallel universe in which ghosts reside), that when plugged in, failed to work. Once inside, he inadvertently presses the "On" button (which his parents naively failed to do), thus activating the Portal and infusing his DNA with ectoplasm, transforming him into a half-ghost.[7]
Danny, who calls himself "Danny Phantom" in ghost form, develops the ability to fly, become invisible, intangible, and "overshadow" (possess and control) people after first learning how to switch back and forth at will between his ghost and human forms. He becomes much more unique then the other guys. Over time, he develops much stronger abilities, such as his Ghost Ray (a concentrated blast of energy he fires from his hand), his Ghostly Wail (an intensely powerful scream with sonic capabilities that knocks back anything caught in its path), and even cryokinesis. Danny is initially frightened by his new abilities and has little control over them, but he soon learns to use them to protect his town from evil spirits. Danny turns to the life of a superhero, using his powers to rid his hometown of the various ghosts and mutant animals which begin to plague it and are almost always brought into the world thanks to the sporadic activation of the Fentons' Ghost Portal. Sam, Tucker, and Jazz are Danny's primary allies in his ghost-fighting activities,[8] and help him keep his ghost-half a secret.
Danny's ghost form is a polarization of what he looked like when he first entered the Ghost Portal. When he "goes ghost", his jet-black hair turns snow-white, his sky blue eyes turn neon green, and the black-and-white jumpsuit he had put on before the accident appears in negative color, with the originally white areas of the suit appearing black, and vice versa. In the premiere episode of season two, a ghost grants Sam's inadvertent wish that she and Danny had never met; in consequence, Danny loses not only memories but his ghost powers as well, as Sam had primarily been the one to persuade Danny to investigate the portal in the first place, which led to the accident. Luckily, however, Sam had been protected from the wish by the ghost-hunting technology of Danny's parents, allowing her to persuade the now fully human Danny to regain his powers by re-enacting the accident. This time, before Danny enters the portal, Sam replaces the logo of his father's face on the jumpsuit, which she also had removed the first time (if she hadn't, it would have been part of Danny's ghost form), with her recently designed "DP" fused-letter logo on the chest so that it appears when he goes ghost from then on.
Danny faces threats of many kinds, including vengeful ghost hunter Valerie Gray (voiced by Cree Summer) who, for a short period of time, becomes his love interest,[9] an enemy half-ghost Vlad Masters, an old college friend of his father's and considered to be Danny's true arch-rival,[10] and even his own parents who, as ghost hunters, view Danny Phantom (as they would and do to any ghosts) as nothing but a menace to human society. Furthermore, Danny tries to keep his secret safe from his classmates, teachers, and family.[11] Throughout the progression of the series, Danny slowly realizes his own potential and purpose, while both worlds slowly begin to accept him as their defender.[12]
Danny Phantom premiered on April 3, 2004, at 9:30 p.m. with its first episode airing after the 2004 Kids' Choice Awards.[13] The final episode aired on August 24, 2007. Shortly after the series ended, reruns aired occasionally on Nicktoons until March 31, 2021. The series also aired on TeenNick's NickSplat block for the first time in January 2019, but episodes stopped airing on February 1, 2022, due to the discontinuation of NickRewind.
The series aired on CBC, YTV, and Nickelodeon in Canada. Danny Phantom also appeared on CITV in the UK as part of the CITV morning block Action Stations in 2008.[14]
There have been two video games released for the main series. Danny Phantom: The Ultimate Enemy is a 2D platformer that adapts the events of the TV movie of the same name; it was released for the Game Boy Advance on September 8, 2005.[15] Danny Phantom: Urban Jungle is a shooter game loosely based on the episode of the same name, released for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS on September 19, 2006.[16]
Danny is one of the main heroes in the Nicktoons Unite! series, appearing in all four games: Nicktoons Unite!, Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island, Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots, and SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom.[citation needed]
Danny and other characters and locations from the series have also been featured in other Nickelodeon crossover video games, including: Nicktoons: Summer Camp, Nicktoons Basketball, Nicktoons: Freeze Frame Frenzy, Nicktoons Movin', Nicktoons Winners Cup Racing, Nicktoons Nitro,[17] Nicktoons MLB, Nickelodeon Super Brawl Universe, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix,[18] Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl,[19] Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis,[20] Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway, and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2.[21]
Danny was one of several Nickelodeon-themed character skins released during a limited-time event in Smite on July 12, 2022[22]
In October 2005, Scholastic Corporation published a Nick Zone chapter book, Stage Fright, with an original Danny Phantom story written by Erica David and illustrated by Victoria Miller and Harry Moore.[23] Danny Phantom also made several appearances in Nickelodeon Magazine, including original comics "Brat's Entertainment!" (featuring Youngblood) and "Seeing Red" (featuring Undergrowth).[citation needed]
A graphic novel, titled Danny Phantom: A Glitch in Time, was released on July 18, 2023. It was written and illustrated by Gabriela Epstein and published by Abrams Books.[24] The graphic novel is set after the events of the series finale and features the return of Dark Danny. A sequel is currently in the works.[25]
Little official merchandise has been produced for Danny Phantom.
In 2005, Burger King released a line of Danny Phantom kids' meal toys.[42][43]
In 2012, a company called Jazwares Toys released a 6-inch tall action figure of Danny Phantom as part of their Nicktoons toy line.[44]
In 2020, Funko Pop released a limited edition Danny Phantom figure for 2020 New York City Comic Con. The figure was also released in Target stores.[45]
As of 2020, a line of Danny Phantom shirts is available at Kohl's as part of their licensed Nickelodeon merchandise collection.[46]
Danny Phantom was very well received by both television critics and audiences, gathering a cult following since its original run.[47] Sean Aitchison from CBR said "Danny Phantom might have a few elements that firmly place it in the 2000s, but the storytelling and design still feel fresh and fun in modern day. The show was full of action and humor, and the characters felt real and layered. If you're looking for an old Nickelodeon cartoon to rewatch, Danny Phantom should be on your list."[48] Eric McInnis writing for Study Breaks Magazine said, "The show offered fun comedy, memorable characters, and fantastic character designs for the enemies Danny had to fight in each episode."[49]
