A whole new generation is about to get to know the Care Bares. Those cuddly, cartoon bears with pretty pictures on their stomachs are returning to TV in a new CGI series.

The new show, which will launch next year, will mark the 30th anniversary of the 1980s childhood staple.

"The Care Bears are not just a piece of '80s pop culture, but an enduring and still beloved properties whose messages of caring and sharing are as relevant today as they were when the property was first introduced," Gabrielle Oliff, marketing director for American Greetings Properties, said in a statement. "By producing a new television series, we are excited to help moms who grew up with the Care Bears share them with their own children."

The Care Bears were launched by American Greetings for use in greeting cards and later transitioned to TV and toys. Along with the new series, Hasbro will launch a new toy line.

With childhood animated icons such as Transformers and G.I.Joe getting the movie treatment (sadly done by Michael Bay), Atom Films put together an animated montage of hypothetical '80s characters (cartoon and otherwise) if they were redone by current directors. I think the sketch would have a little more impact if they did it live-action for each segment rather than animated, but I could be in the minority opinion.

I'm not sure which one is my favorite. The Smurfs done by Peter Jackson is certainly up there. Teddy Ruxpin by Wes Anderson is also a hoot. There are a few that aren't mentioned in the video that I think should have been mentioned:

• Strawberry Shortcake
• Rainbow Brite
• Gummi Bears
• The Snorks

Which franchises have I forgotten? And which directors do you think can cover these franchises? Which directors would piss on the memory of them and utterly obliterate them?

Video is after the jump.

Raising the dead, robot/human relationships, melting families and naked tiger-like humanoids. By reading this list you probably think I'm talking about stuff that happens on shows like Battlestar Galactica, Lost and According to Jim. Obviously, you would be wrong...except for the According to Jim thing. No, all of these events took place in cartoons made in the 1980's.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow:

• The Batman - Season 4
• Bozo's Big Top - Collection 2
• BraveStarr - Vol. 1
• CSI - Season 7
• The Care Bears - 25 Years of Caring
• Chappelle's Show - Series Collection
• Charles in Charge - Season 2
• The Doris Day Show - Season 5 and Doris Day Today
• Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist - Complete Series
• Inside the Actor's Studio - Johnny Depp
• Little Britain - Abroad and Complete Collection
• Love, American Style - Season 1, Vol. 1
• Man with a Camera - Complete Collection
• Mission: Impossible - Season 3
• The Naked Brothers Band - Battle of the Bands
• Queer As Folk - Complete Series
• Star Trek - Season 1 HD
• Tales of Tomorrow - Vol. 3
• Teen Titans - Season 4
• The Tudors - Season 1 (Canada)
• The Wild, Wild West - Season 3

Here's some animation news from the last few days:

First, both Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake are coming back to television as part of a new Saturday morning animation block on CBS called KEWLopolis. Care Bears: Adventures in Care-A-Lot and Strawberry Shortcake join brand new series Sushi Pack and Dino Squad. Returning shows include Cake, Horseland, Sabrina and Trollz.

Tom Ruegger and Nicholas Hollander (Tiny Toons, Animaniacs) are behind Sushi Pack, about a gang of crime-fighting sushi. The characters are vaguely fish-like, which is odd since "sushi" refers to rice, and not fish. I guess animated rice isn't that interesting.

Bernard Loomis, the former vice president of Mattel who writer David Owen dubbed as ""The Man Who Invented Saturday Morning" passed away on Friday of heart disease at the age of 82. Loomis was largely responsible for Saturday morning fare that was meant to not only entertain, but also sell products. He helped launch such toy lines such as Star Wars, Barbie, Care Bears, and Strawberry Shortcake through TV specials, cartoons, and commercials. Loomis also worked at Kenner (maker of Star Wars toys) and General Mills. He also helped develop an action figure based on the Six Million Dollar Man and also "develop strategy" for the popular Chatty Cathy doll while working for Mattel.