Kikoriki

Kikoriki
Logo (in Russian) and characters. Back row, L to R: Barry, Olga, Dokko, Joshy, Jumper, Carlin. Front row, L to R: Rosa, Wally, Pin.
Also known as
  • Smeshariki
  • GoGoRiki
Genre Comedy
Directed by Denis Chernov
Voices of (See article)
Composer(s) Marina Landa
Sergey Vasilyev
Country of origin Russia
Original language(s) Russian
No. of episodes 209 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) Ilya Popov
Running time 6 min., 30 sec. (cartoon shorts) (including 20 sec. intro)
Release
Original network CTC and Russia 1
Original release May 17, 2004 – 29 February 2012, 2015
External links
Website

Kikoriki, known in Russian as Smeshariki (Russian: Смеша́рики), is a Russian animated television series consisting of 209 episodes of 6 minutes and 30 seconds each, aimed at children of 3 to 8 years. The first episode premiered in Russia on May 17, 2004. English-language distribution rights to the series were acquired by 4Kids Entertainment from worldwide distributor Fun Game Media, Munich[1] and began airing as part of The CW4Kids block on The CW on September 13, 2008, under the name GoGoRiki.[2] GoGoRiki began its second season in the United States on August 22, 2009. Fun Game Media was also producing a European version, which began airing on KI.KA on December 8, 2008.[3][4]

Since February 2017, all rights to Kikoriki and PinCode outside of the CIS territories, including Kikoriki episodes in all languages other than Russian are owned by FUN Union[5]

The Smeshariki are stylized rounded animals. Complex themes and specific cultural references place this cartoon firmly within the Russian tradition of animation.[6]

Episodes

Season Episodes Aired
1 104 (107) 2008–2009
2 104 (101) 2010–2012

Characters

Kikoriki premiere in Moscow, charity box, featuring a statue of Jumper
  • Jumper (Russian: Крош, translit. Krosh) a.k.a. Pogoriki[7] a sky blue-colored rabbit who is ready to jump into adventure.[8] Voice: Anton Vinogradov (Russian) / Dan Green (English)
  • Chiko (Russian: Ёжик, translit. Yozhik, lit. 'hedgehog'), a.k.a. Chikoriki,[9] a magenta-colored hedgehog, described as Krash's cautious companion.[8] While Krash is a strong one, he is smart one. Voice: Vladimir Postnikov (Russian) / Jason Griffith (English)
  • Wally (Russian: Бараш, translit. Barash), a.k.a. Wolliriki[10] a lavender-colored ram. He writes poetry and has an unrequited love for Rosa.[8] Voice: Vadim Bochanov (Russian) / Wayne Grayson (English)
  • Rosa (Russian: Нюша, translit. Nyusha), a.k.a. Rosariki[11] a light pink-colored pig, described as a fashionista.[8] Voice: Svetlana Pismichenko (Russian) / Bella Hudson (English)
  • Carlin (Russian: Кар Карыч, translit. Kar Karych) a.k.a. Bigoriki[12] a dark blue-colored crow who is Olga's friend. He likes to entertain.[8] In the past he travelled a lot. Voice: Sergey Mardar (Russian) / Mike Pollock (English)
  • Olga (Russian: Совунья, translit. Sovun'ya), a.k.a. Olgariki[13] a purple-colored owl who gives advice.[8] Acts like a caring granma. Voice: Sergey Mardar (Russian) / Jessica Calvello (English)
  • Pin (Russian: Пин, translit. Pin), a.k.a. Ottoriki[14] a German black-and-white penguin, who is a self-taught inventor.[8] Voice: Michail Chernyak (Russian), Darren Dunstan (English)
  • Dokko (Russian: Лосяш, translit. Losyash), a.k.a. Docoriki[15] a golden yellow-colored moose who is an eccentric scientist. Voice: Michail Chernyak (Russian), David Wills (English)
  • Barry (Russian: Копатыч, translit. Kopatych) a.k.a. Boboriki[16] an orange-colored bear who lives as a farmer. Voice: Michail Chernyak (Russian), David Willis (English)

Creators

The series was created as part of the cultural-educational project "World Without Violence" as part of the federal program "Forming bulwarks of tolerance and preventing extremism in Russian society". It is made with the help of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and with the participation of the company "Master-Film" at the computer animation studio "Peterburg", which was created in March 2000 specifically for Smeshariki.

  • Artistic supervisor: Anatoliy Prokhorov
  • General producer: Ilya Popov
  • Co-producers: Aleksandr Gerasimov, Vyacheslav Mayasov
  • Leading director: Denis Chernov
  • Leading writer: Aleksey Lebedev
  • Art director: Salavat Shaykhinurov

Films

On January 24, 2007, it was announced that a Smeshariki feature film was to be made by the St. Petersburg company "Marmelad-media" (which owns the brand) to be released in December 2011. This movie was shot in 3D CGI, unlike the 2D Flash-animated series.

An initial budget of $1 million was given to produce a "test film" to show to international partners. According to Marmelad-media's general director Ilya Popov, the final budget would depend on a number of factors, such as whether it will be sold internationally (in which case the budget would be up to $15 million) or limited to Russia (in which case it will cost around $3–4 million). Popov considered spending anything over $5 million to be unprofitable (the highest-grossing Russian animated film to date, Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber, cost $2.5 million and made just under $10 million;[17] since around half of the profits usually go to the distributors, if it had cost over $5 million it would not have been profitable). The film was released domestically in December 2011, but received a limited release in the UK in early 2012. The film is considered a well thought-through prequel, its plot explaining events that brought the nine animal characters together in the first place.[6]

This movie was released on 17 March 2016.

It was announced that a third movie is to be released in April 2018.

Spin-offs

The ABCs of Safety (2006–2012)

"The ABCs of Safety of the Kikoriki" (Russian: Азбука безопасности Смешариков) — a series of instructional and educational short cartoons. A total of 73 episodes were issued, lasting either one minute and thirty seconds, or the conventional six minutes and thirty seconds. Each episode was part of several categories: traffic safety, Fundamentals of safety and life, health, morals, reading skills, children's rights, etc.

After a long hiatus, in August 2017, a new category of episodes, titled "ABCs of the Internet" debuted, where the characters are taught to work on the Internet.[18]

New Adventures

"Kikoriki. New Adventures" (Russian: Смешарики. Новые приключения) — a series of 3D CGI shorts starring the original characters, designed as a continuation of the original 2D shorts.[19] It was broadcast from October 27, 2012 to December 28, 2013, consisting of 57 episodes. This series was scheduled for November 11, 2011,[19] but the actual premiere on the "Channel One" was held on October 27, 2012.

Sport

A continuation of "Kikoriki. New Adventures" which also uses 3D CG graphics. The premiere is dated September 1, 2017 and took place on the official YouTube channel of this animated series.

Pin-Code

"Pin-Code" (Russian: Пин-код) — an educational spin-off designed to develop interest in inventing, programming and science in children from 4 to 14 years old. Initially, it was supposed to be done in flash-animation (such as the pilot episode "Rescuing the Departing"), but later this idea was abandoned and production began in 3D computer animation instead.[20] The show airs on Channel One on Sundays at 8:45 at Moscow time.[21] From January 18, 2015 to February 7, 2016, the new season of the series aired under the title "Leap to the Future".

In the first season, the characters travel on Sharolyot, a ship invented by Pin, which can travel through the air, under the water, underground, and even in space. The adventures of the heroes are accompanied by stories of Losyash and Pin about the world around them. Each episode of the season, having the subtitle "Nobel Season", ends with information about Nobel Prize winners (narrated by Andrei Levin).

The plot of the second season "Jump to the Future" is built around time travel, in which the characters are sent using the unique invention, the "Sharoscope-3000" (Russian: Шароскоп-3000), capable of answering any scientific questions. Pin thinks that it is impossible to interfere with the opening of the future, and Losyash, on the contrary, is obsessed with the idea of knowing everything. Now all the Smeshariki are used to the Sharoscope and they learn about the inventions of the future.

September 1, 2017 marked the premiere of the new, third season of the "Pin-Code".

Merchandise

Character stickers on bananas depicting a Kikoriki character holding a peeled banana have been used by Russian company Navkus (Навкус) and a banana sticker promoting the show has the line “Попробуй Мультик на вкус” (Try Cartoon on taste).[22]

References

  1. ↑ "GoGoRiki confirmed for fall 2008". Retrieved 2008-08-11.
  2. ↑ "4Kids announces fall 2008 Lineups for Fox and The CW". Archived from the original on January 4, 2009. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  3. ↑ Fun Game Media: News. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  4. ↑ KI.KA. Sendungen von A-Z. "KIKORIKI" Archived 2012-09-04 at Archive.is. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  5. ↑ https://www.awn.com/news/riki-group-announces-strategic-asian-partnership
  6. 1 2 "KinoKultura". www.kinokultura.com. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Pogoriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Riki Group - Licensing". www.riki-group.com. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  9. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Chikoriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  10. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Wolliriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  11. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Rosariki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  12. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Bigoriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Olgariki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  14. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Ottoriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  15. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Docoriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  16. ↑ "Gogoriki : GogoWiki: Boboriki Video Episode". 4Kids TV. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  17. ↑ (in Russian)Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber profile at Kinoafisha.ru. Accessed on: November 20, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Kikoriki will teach children the "ABCs of the Internet"". Tlum HD. 2017-08-30. (discover). Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  19. 1 2 will go to the 3D dimension
  20. ↑ "Kikoriki" launched a new brand - animated series "Pin-code" (Russian)
  21. ↑ Kikoriki. Pin-code — Canal One
  22. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
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