Other Foreign Cartoons

N

Napz

New member
Eh. Animation from Japan, U.S.A., and Canada is the most talk about here, it seems. I want to know if anyone knows any good cartoons from countries that are not Japan, USA, or Canada? I do like GoGoRiki(Smeshariki in U.S.S.R.). What does anybody think of that show?
 
Totally Spies and Code:Lyoko are from France (although I think that the latter may be French/Italian).

Danger Mouse and it's spinoff, Count Duckula, were from Britain.

Dr. Snuggles, a relatively obscure title, but one that's notable in the U.S. mainly due to the fact that the Doctor himself was voiced by actor Peter Ustinov, was from the Netherlands.
 
France's "Kirikou and the Sorceress" is magnificent. If you ever get the chance, see it.
"Persepolis" (also French) deserves to be seen by everyone at some point before they die.
 
Err, we screen the 4Kids version, Rai and Cinelume handled both the Italian and English dub, with 4Kids producing their own smegged up version!

Anywayz: 'Wonderful Days' and 'My Beautiful Girl, Mari' from Corea (aka Korea), both excellent animated movies!
 
There's Alfred J. Kwak! Its Deutsch I believe. It was a pretty awesome show, following the character from childhood to adulthood.

It had Dolf, the bird-Hitler in napoleonean clothes!!
 
France has made some pretty awesome stuff.
Kirikou and the Sorceress, Persepolis, Go West!: A Lucky Luke Adventure.
Makes me want to go there.
 
Both of these are just straight French productions as is Monster Buster Club (Toon Disney), Team Galaxy (Cartoon Network), and Martin Mystery (Nicktoons). There are a number of notable co-productions though, including Oban Star Racers (French/Japan) [Toon Disney], IGPX (U.S./Japan) [Cartoon Network], and Eon Kid [Iron Kid] (Spain/Korea/U.S.) [KidsWB!/CW4Kids], as well as the upcoming Huntik (Ireland/Italy) [4Kids].

Three more single country productions I particularly like are The Secret Show (Great Britain) [Nicktoons], Monster Allergy (Italy) [KidsWB!], and Dragon Hunters (France) [Cartoon Network].

I've seen GoGoRiki but I find it a little too juvenile for my tastes, pretty much the same way I feel about Viva Pinata.
 
In Australia, there was a rather bizarre animation called "Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table," which aired in the '60s. Actually aired in America thru syndication, but was unpopular so it went away after a short time.

There are also a bunch of cartoons made in former Czechoslovakia, including a series about a mole named Krtek. Rather cute, actually. It was made in a same studio that Gene Deitch supervised for the "Tom and Jerry" shorts.
 
That was actually a Dutch/Japan co-production. There were also atleast 4 other country networks outside those two that participated in cofunding it. Pretty interesting one, too. Actualy Series Composition, Music, and general Character Designs is Dutch, but the Script Writing, Sound Design, Storyboarding, and everything else is Japanese. It was also one of Megumi Hayashibara's older works and one of the few roles that she did a younger main character.

Oddly enough, the only full version of the opening and ending song (despite being originally recorded in Dutch), is in Japanese. Either way, I honestly prefer the Japanese versions of the songs, partiually for the full set of instruments that were used, rather than the simplistic music design on the Dutch based versions.

Regardless of the language, whether it was Dutch or Japanese, I seriously enjoyed it. I was seriously shocked at a number of things that serious dulged into, going from dealing with death, growing up, dealing with bullies, and among other things. I really should finish watching it though.

Anyways, getting on subject, I believe W.I.T.C.H. is another series that's foreign, or rather co-produced. I believe it's french, unless I am mistaken. I know France is doing another series soon. Basquash, is apparently being done by the Oban - Star Racers crew and being co-produced with Satelight. Apparently Kawamori Shouji is involved.
 
There's a Basquash project being made all right, but it's only known that Kawamori and Satelight are involved. I could find anything about Savin Yeatman-Eiffel's Sav! The World Productions (the producers of Oban). I only wish I knew who "TR" and "PB" are.

On topic, I bought a video at the Goodwill called "Train Mice". This one comes from Germany.
 
There was a staff listing that was put up last month, but it was pulled because it was released too early. In it, however, there were staff listings from people who worked on Oban in it.

EDIT: TR might be Thomas Romain. I'm not quite sure who PB might be, however...
 
Two french animated films that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in the medium are Rene Laloux's "Fantastic Planet" and Sylvain Chomet's "Triplets of Belleville". Both of which features some very unique and interesting visuals.

I would also like to mention my own country's modest achievements in animation. Of particular interest are Per ?hlin's films such as "Hundhotellet: En Mystisk Historia" ("The Dog Hotel: A Mysterious Story"). Which plays out as a classic mystery ? la Agatha Christie with one of the characters being a canine version of Miss Marple.

Then we have "Skrot-Nisse" (basically, "Junkyard-Nisse"). A TV-series featuring characters created by cartoonist Jan L??f. "Skrot-Nisse" was an ongoing saga about a hermit who is hunted by an evil engineer. The reason for the engineer's relentless pursuit is a book the hermit has written, this book is filled with various formulas and plans all of which, naturally should not fall into the wrong hands. The series featured a multitude of characters including a wizard, Leonardo da Vinci, a thinly disguised Albert Einsten, etc, etc. The plot got more creative and wild with each new installments; featuring a trip back in time and the villain being turned into a living skeleton, among other things. Oh, and it was all made with the use of puppets, something I find rather impressive, considering how much detail and care was put into the show.

Shame, that neither ?hlin's movies nor "Skrot-Nisse" have (at least not to my knowledge) been translated to English. I personally, like to think that they could have achieved something akin to cult-status in the English-speaking countries, but perhaps I'm just deluding myself.
 
Le Roi et L'Oiseau is available in its incomplete 1952 version on many public domain labels in the US. However, it's the old British dub called "The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird"(with Peter Ustinov) and is a print that's so faded everything has turned red. The completed 1980 version is still available in some shops in French Canada last time I was there, though you'd have to supply your own English subtitles from somewhere else.:sad:

The Snow Queen is available on a DVD compilation of Soviet animation presented by Baryshnikov, though dubbed with completely redone music and effects. The original Russian-language version with English subs is available from the company's website, Jove Films.
 
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