When we think of our favorite cartoons or movies from our childhood, Disney is the staple company that comes to mind. I was a huge Disney fan as a little kid, and love Disney now as well. However, while I constantly watched and re-watched Cinderella and Aristocats, I also spent a lot of time with Russian cartoons.
Coming from a Russian family, Russian cartoons were my first introduction to movies. There are a number of Russian animations with popularities similar to The Lion King or Tom and Jerry. Recently, my roommate’s curiosity peaked and she has been asking me to show her some of these cartoons, and she has found them very entertaining. Therefore, I thought I’d share with you a few of my favorite Russian cartoons found on YouTube with English subtitles.
1. “Nu Pogodi”
The wolf and the hare ice skating.
“Nu Pogodi” translates as “Well, Just You Wait.” The premise is quite similar to Tom and Jerry, but with different animals. Here, there is a wolf chasing a hare. The wolf is portrayed as a trouble maker, whereas the hare is supposedly correctly behaved. The animated series started in 1969, and there are 20 episodes in total, each approximately 10 minutes long. The older ones are a bit better than the more recent ones. This series is great for non-Russian speakers because few words are used. In my opinion, both the wolf and hare are cute, and this cartoon is very funny!
Here is the link to the first episode. If you are interested in the others, they pop up on YouTube next to this one.
2. “Cheburashka and Krokodil Gena”
Crocodile Gena with the small, mysterious, and cute Cheburashka.
This cartoon translates as “Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena,” which probably isn’t very helpful. It is about the adventures of a crocodile and his friend Cheburashka, described as an “animal unknown to science,” or loosely translated as “Topple.” He resembles a small, fluffy bear with giant, round ears. The antagonist of the story is Shapoklyak, an elderly lady who enjoys doing bad deeds. The cartoon is based on a book written by Uspensky from 1966, and the four episodes were produced in 1969. Cheburashka is the most popular cartoon character in Russia, and is often used as a mascot (probably because he is so adorable).
Here is the link to the first episode. Again, the other three pop up on YouTube by this one.
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3. “Prostokvashino”
Uncle Fyodor drinking tea with his cat Matroskin and dog Sharik.
Prostokvashino is a fictional village, translated as Buttermilk Village. The cartoon has three parts: “Troye is Prostokvashino,” translated as “Three from Buttermilk Village,” followed by “Vacation in Buttermilk Village” and “Winter in Buttermilk Village.” While the name sounds odd, the cartoon is actually awesome. It is about a young boy, called Uncle Fyodor, who decides to move to a village with his talking cat and dog. The cat is the intelligent one, whereas the dog is silly. This cartoon, first produced in 1978, is also based on one of Uspensky’s books from 1973. I think the characters are very memorable because they are so different from each other, and this is also a humorous cartoon.
Here is the link to the first episode. The other two pop up right next to it.
4. “Vinni Pukh”
Vinni Pukh speaking with Pitachok, aka Piglet.
You guessed it – this is the Russian version of Winnie the Pooh! A lot of the US characters are present in this version, but there are differences. For example, the Rabbit is the wisest of them all, and Tigger does not exist. The three cartoons, first produced in 1969, are based off of a Russian translation of the English books. My favorite is the catchy and philosophical songs that Vinni Pukh sings.
Here is the first episode. The others are, once again, popping up right next to it.
These are four cartoons that help define my childhood. Even though they are fairly old, they are still popular in Russia today. I am always intrigued by the culture of others, and I hope that these short cartoons will spark some interest in you as well! Enjoy all of the animal cuteness!
Photo Sources:
http://www.my.letay.ru/tmc_users/news/kino/Nu_pogodi.jpg
http://s5.afisha.net/Afisha7Files/UGPhotos/080924141507/090319165358/p_f.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b2/Troe_iz_Prostokvashino.jpg
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/bEwE4wyz00o/hqdefault.jpg